Walgett, or as it’s affectionately known “the gate”, is the gateway to the Opal Fields and the Outback.
It is an ideal place to stay before heading off to the huge opal mining settlement of Lightning Ridge (76 km away) and the smaller opal fields at Grawin, Glengarry and the Sheepyard Opal Fields, all of which are located north-west of Walgett. This area is the sense of the ‘Outback’ cleverly merged with the facilities and amenities of a larger country town.
The Aboriginal meaning of “Walgett” is “meeting of two waters” as the town is located by the junction of the Namoi and Barwon Rivers. Walgett is 696 km north-west of Sydney and is the centre for the surrounding rural area which is based around the production of wool, beef cattle, fat lambs, sheep studs, chick peas and its biggest industry, wheat. In fact Walgett has the largest temporary wheat storage facility in the southern hemisphere.
Its attractive riverside location also makes it an ideal spot for fishing: Murray cod and Yellowbelly being the predominant catches. If you are interested in bird watching then a trip to Macquarie Marshes is a must. With private guided tours or time your trip around the annual Open Day for a treat.
Head west to Brewarrina (133km) to witness some of the most significant Aboriginal heritage in Australia.
