Tilpa Pub
Fast facts
- A century-old Outback pub with character on the Darling River
- 887 km north west of Sydney, 130 km north of Wilcannia
Why go there
For a true Outback experience you have to visit the Tilpa Pub on the Darling River. This 100-year old attraction, made from corrugated iron and timber, is the place to come to meet the local characters and hear true stories and tall tales from this part of the world.
The inner walls of this authentic bush pub are covered with the autographs, dry wit, and messages from the hundreds of people who stop there each year. For a small fee you can pen a message or poem too.
The money raised goes to support the Flying Doctor Service, the medical corps of the Outback.
Tilpa itself was a busy river port in the era when bales of wool were transported by paddle-steamer. Agriculture is still the area’s main industry and large sheep stations surround the town. Tourists come here for the scenery and to experience the real Outback.
The fishing is good - with plenty of Murray cod on offer - while birds make their home around the riverbanks.
Don’t miss
- Camping along the Darling River, generally just a matter of pulling off the road, then following a track to the water’s edge
- Finding your own witchetty grubs and using them as bait for some of the giant Murray cod that live in the river
- A stay at the Fisherman’s Lodge or the luxurious Coolabah Lodge at Kallara Station, right on the Darling River
