Fast facts
- The first European settlement on the Darling River
- An oasis of horticulture in the midst of the desert
- 1,271 km west of Sydney, population 980
Why go there
Located 110 km from Broken Hill, this historic town is surrounded by lakes fed by the Darling River. A water-storage project completed in the 1960s now supplies farms and orchards producing such crops as grapes, rockmelons, tomatoes and apricots.
The combined expanse of the Menindee Lakes is considered to hold more than three times the volume of Sydney Harbour when full.
Water sports such as sailing, swimming and skiing are popular on the lakes. Fishing opportunities are plentiful, with anglers easily landing such prime catches as Murray cod, silver perch and catfish.
History
Major Thomas Mitchell discovered the lakes during his 1835 expedition, naming them the Laidley’s Ponds.
The first European settlement was undertaken by Tom Pain and his family, who built the Menindee Hotel in 1853. Now known as the Maiden's Menindee Hotel, it is reputed to be the second oldest hotel still in continuous operation in NSW. The colonial explorers Burke and Wills used the hotel as a staging point for their disastrous 1860 expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Menindee developed as an important river port for paddle-steamers along the Darling River.
Things to do
- Photograph the lakes at sunset.
- Walk the self-guided heritage trail around town.
- Discover the wealth of Aboriginal heritage sites within Kinchega National Park.
Don’t miss
- The Burke and Wills camp site at Pamamaroo Creek.
- The 1872 wreck of the paddle-steamer ‘Providence’.
- The self-guided heritage walk around Menindee.
- Bridwatching around the lakes – there are up to 170 bird species.
- Meeting colourful Outback characters and friendly locals.
