Australia So Much to See

New South Wales - Burren Junction, Wee Waa, Pilliga Bore Bath  

We continued south from Lightning Ridge on the Castlereagh Highway towards Walgett.  Approaching Walgett we saw irrigated paddocks where cotton had been grown, and saw a green cereal crop which may have been irrigated.  Walgett grain receivals bins consisted of tall silos and a large area of grain in bins covered with blue tarps. 

Without going right into Walgett this time, we turned east on the Kamilaroi Highway and through the community of Cryon.  It was a dry year and most farms had cereal crop stubble with scant green growth. 

Burren Junction was a tired looking old town.  There was a dilapidated railway platform.  Both concrete and blue canvas covered grain silos at their grain receivals bin (at right). 

Three kilometres east of the town is the Burren Junction Bore Baths.  The popular camping area was very crowded and I doubt we would have been able to park even to take a look. Baths are at 41.5° Celcius similar to Lightning Ridge.  Camping costs $5 per night, with toilets, shower, and dump point. While the baths are closed during the summer months, the campsite is available year round.

Massive earth tanks and irrigation channels were prominent as we entered the cotton growing zone of Wee Waa.  At Merah North we saw a cotton gin. 

Pilliga is an old and tiny town, with most businesses now closed.  They have a small display of old machinery in the town centre. With the original shop and café now derelict, there is a new café opposite the hotel.  This is where permits to camp at the bore bath are purchased, $5 per night with a 21 night limit.  The café is a morning tea spot favoured by campers, as well as a good lunch stop. 

# The bore bath and large camping area is about one kilometre to the east of the town, with the camping area being around 100 metres by 100 metres.  The bath has bore water flowing rapidly through it at a comfortable temperature of 37° Celsius.  The bath area is enclosed (no pets allowed in the enclosure), has seating and tables, and free bas barbecues.  There are two unisex toilets and a warm bore water shower.

In cool weather, soaking in the hot water was very welcome.  I found after an hour I started to feel woozy and had to get out. Some of the ladies kept a water bottle on the edge of the pool to keep sipping, and the hot water can dehydrate you.  We shared the area with only about twenty other campers there, and there was always plenty of room in the bore bath with only a few in the water at a time, and everyone was happy to chat.  The pool is kept very clean, and is closed from 9 am -11 am every Friday for cleaning.

The water runs out into the creek alongside, and you can walk along the creekline.