More people are opting for the great Australian road trip, but many are unprepared
SatSaturday 30
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SatSaturday 30
JanJanuary 2021 at 9:18pm
Authorities and tourism operators want road trippers to be more aware of conditions before setting out.
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Whether it s just a quick weekend trip to head out and explore or a year of freedom to see the country, more Australians are opting for road trips instead of international travel.
Authorities and tourism operators in the Australian outback are preparing for another surge in first-time travellers and with it a wave of new drivers eager to tackle dirt roads and red desert.
1. THE ONE HIGHWAY
Only a few months ago, the Silver City Highway between Broken Hill and Tibooburra remained one of the last two unsealed major roads in NSW. Now, with the final dirt sections of the highway bituminised, a new, safer and more reliable 332-kilometre NSW outback touring route for vehicles of all kinds has been opened up. The highway, named after Broken Hill s nom de plume, extends a further 296 kilometres south to the border of Victoria at Mildura, creating a new gateway to the outback through NSW and near to the Queensland border.
2. THE ONE TOWN Tucked away in the far north-west corner of NSW, 1182 kilometres from Sydney, is Tibooburra, the state s remotest township. Although a sign as you enter Tibooburra registers the population as 150, the real number of people in this one-main-street-town is about half that. But that still makes it the largest town in this part of NSW. Stock up on supplies at the Corner Country Store, right on the main street, and it