If you’ve not visited or travelled much into some of our country’s slightly more remote areas you might be tempted to think of the Australian “outback” as being fairly visually homogeneous; merely unending vistas of red dirt or similar. Having just completed about 4100 kms or so in a loop out from Sydney through Central-West NSW and back, we can assure you that nothing could be further from the truth.
Sure, there is certainly plenty of red dirt to be seen; but in the space of 50 or 100 kms you are just as likely to also come across salt-pan, rich black soil and white limestone-like sandy areas. Vegetation can range from tall conifer or eucalypt forests through medium height mulga scrub to sparse, low-growing salt bush and grasses. Throw in the abundant wildflowers that spring up everywhere after a little rain—especially in springtime—and there is scene after scene worthy of any Renoir or Monet’s time.
Some wildflower pics below, mostly from Ledknapper Nature Reserve north of Bourke—we hope they whet your appetite to get out and off the beaten track a little more.