Back in February, Wotif announced their list of the best towns to visit in Australia for 2024. And in excellent news for the people of New South Wales, one of our very own came in at number two – with a further two unassuming NSW towns ranking amongst the top ten. To help you make the most of these provincial hotspots, we thought we’d share a few highlights from the best towns to visit in our neck of the woods.
Broken Hill
The NSW town with the most love from the Wotif team was Broken Hill – which came in at number two on the list of Aussie towns to visit based on its unique energy, cultural offering and its affordability as a destination. If you’re paying a visit to this creative outback town, these are a few highlights to add to your hit list.
First up, get to know the region with Mutawintji Heritage Tours: guided tours that will introduce you to the local wildlife and allow you to uncover ancient cultural secrets through rock carvings, paintings and stencils that date back over eight millennia.
For more creative expression, head to Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery: the oldest regional art gallery in NSW. The space (a historic former hardware store) has recently reopened following a $1.7 million refurbishment, and is home to an impressive collection of Australian art as well as international pieces. If you prefer to get your art fix al fresco, head to The Living Desert and Sculptures: a series of 12 giant sandstone sculptures perched on Sundown Hill; a magical spot just 15 minutes north of the town.
Do you like to live fabulously? You have to check out Broken Heel Festival: an annual multi-day event in September celebrating the theatrical anniversary of the cult classic flick The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. In case you’re out of the loop, Priscilla follows a trio of outrageously fun drag queens as they journey from Erskineville’s Imperial Hotel across Australia, with The Palace Hotel in Broken Hill playing a key venue in their quest. Broken Heel Festival brings all of the fun of Priscilla to life with comedy, cabaret, live music and (naturally) a whole heap of glittering drag shows. For something sparkly year-round, head to Outback Astronomy – a dark-sky location just a ten-minute drive outside of town, offering guided stargazing sessions on dark nights.
Bathurst
If you don’t make it to Broken Hill, the next NSW town on your 2024 travel hit list (according to Wotif) should be Bathurst. While you’re there, we’d suggest taking the Wiradyuri Nurambang 4WD Cultural Tour: an immersive tour experience specifically created to share the cultural significance of the Wiradyuri people of the area. To continue your historical education, hit up Bathurst Goldfield to connect with the town’s gold rush heritage – then head to Abercrombie House: the Bathurst region’s grand heritage treasure and private home.
Griffith
The third and final NSW town that made the Wotif list this year is Griffith: where you’ll want to explore the local wineries (including De Bortoli Wines and Yarran Wines), take in the expansive views from Hermit's Cave and Scenic Lookout and learn about the history of the Italian settlement at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum.
You can read more about Wotif's list of all of the top ten Australian towns to visit in 2024 over here.