The park protects an enormous arid landscape of space and solitude. The rolling red-sand dunes of the Strzelecki desert ripple through the western section, graduating past surprising wetlands surrounded by white sands. Flat-topped mesas and fantastic views characterise the central Jump-Up country. Remnant gidgee woodland, the catchment system of the ephemeral Twelve-Mile Creek and gibber and grass-covered plains dominate the east, while 450 million year old granite tors surrounding Tibooburra form part of the southern boundary of the park.
Mt Wood Historic Homestead and Shearers' Quarters are available for accommodation; both have kitchen and bathroom facilities.
Phonto: National Parks and Wildlife Service
A museum out in the open may seem a little unusual, but what better way to see how the early European settlers used to work on the land? The building blocks of early European bush life on display at the Outdoor Pastoral Museum are part of the historic Mount Wood homestead complex. The museum exhibits original and reconstructed artefacts that'll help you piece together the life of a pastoral worker. It includes numerous examples of equipment used by pastoral properties in the 19th and early 20th century. Learn how horses were used to draw water with the reconstructed walking beam and whim. See the original Mount Wood Station wool scour where sheep fleeces would've once been cleaned - there's even a partly excavated drying ground where fleece was bleached and dried in the sun. And don't forget to look inside the cane grass shed where there's a dredge, Tumbling Tommy scoop and well bucket.
Cameron Corner
In the eastern section of the park, there are 3 wonderful and informative self drive tours:
Cameron Corner: The drive from Tibooburra to Cameron Corner takes the visitor through a diverse landscape including the Waka Claypan, past Fort Grey which was provisions stockade built by explorer Charles Sturt for his inland expeditions, and on to the Corner and the worlds longest fence; the 5,000+ km Dog Fence which was constructed to keep roaming Dingos of the north and west out of the pastoral lands of NSW.
The Gorge Loop Road: This around Mt Wood and the Mount Wood Hills covers the outdoor pastoral heritage museum, Mt Wood Homestead and shearers quarters, the Gibber and Mitchell Grass Plains, the Twelve Mile Creek Gorge, and the old pastoral remains at Torrens Bore and Horton Park Station. Wildlife such as Emu, Kangaroo, and Wedge-Tail eagles are commonly sighted.
The Jump-Ups Loop Road: The ancient landforms that are known as the Jump-Ups are the remains of an ancient mountain range that have been eroded down over millions of years leaving the 150m plateau (Mesa) and the granite strewn plains which form the catchment of the Connia Creek (Ephemeral) which follows south-east into the Twelve Mile creek.
The best time to visit is between April and October. The temperature sizzles to well above 40� C in summer, but winter nights can drop to below zero! Access: 335 km north of Broken Hill along the partly paved Silver City highway and 400 km west of Bourke (unpaved). Check the conditions after rain as roads may be closed.
