Auscountry Tag Along Tours

16/08/2024

The Gawler Ranges are calling as we prepare to showcase this amazingly beautiful region to participants on our Maralinga-Gawler Ranges tour next week

13/08/2024

Touring the Arkaroola region and Mr Chambers Gorge on the Flinders tour

20/05/2024

We had a very small group of adventurous participants on the recent Maralinga-Googs Track tour in early May. The tour of the Maralinga forward area was an absolutely amazing experience. The tour guide, Robin Matthews, presented the story of Maralinga in his own unique and captivating manner which made it very easy to understand.
Heading out of Maralinga, we visited the Aboriginal grave, Daisy Bates memorial and the joining of the rails monument of the Trans Australian Railway line.
The Googs track was fairly challenging at times and mostly lined by dense vegetation on both sides of the track. We did encounter a burned out vehicle on top of one of the dunes that appeared to have been there for a long time. We camped at Googs Lake and Mt Finke that are excellent campgrounds.
After visiting the museum and the exhibits at the Woomera village, we headed for Port Augusta where a well-deserved and sumptuous dinner was had by all.

19/04/2024

We have recently returned from the Flinders Ranges and the Darling-Baaka River tours. We had the immense pleasure of touring and camping with awesome, enthusiastic, fun loving and adventurous people.
Showcasing a selection of some of the best sites whilst we travelled from Hawker to Blinman to Arkaroola in the Ikara-Flinders and Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges and then from Bourke to Menindee to Wentworth along the Darling-Baaka River.

12/04/2024

Bourke, Toorale Starion, Louth cemetery, Trilby Station, Dunlop Station…on our way to Wilcannia today on the Darling River tour.

05/04/2024

Morning tea break at the Tilpa Hotel, 145km East of Wilcannia in NSW. Historic pub with plenty of character. For a donation to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, an immensely worthy cause, the pub allows you to autograph their wall… if you can find a space!

05/04/2024

At the old Afghan mosque inside the Bourke Cemetery. Fred Hollows, the famous eye surgeon, is buried in this cemetery.

05/04/2024

Dinner around the campfire at Trilby Station

03/04/2024

Discussing the day on the banks of the Bourke Weir before heading off for the Bourke Wharf and a good cup of coffee

03/04/2024

The Darling-Baaka tour group on the banks of the Bourke Weir…great company and fantastic weather…all unsealed roads are open today so we’re looking forward to the drive…Trilby Station for the next two nights.

06/01/2024

Flinders Ranges named one of the world’s top travel destinations.
Join us on our Flinders Ultimate Adventure self drive tag along tour to see and experience this incredible South Australian outback region.

A leading international publication has given South Australia a big nod in its travel guide for 2024.

18/12/2023

As 2023 comes to a close, we extend our grateful thanks to all our customers who joined us on our past tours. We thoroughly enjoyed your amazing company and were very privileged in having been given the opportunity of sharing our off-road & remote area experiences with you.

Thank you, also, to all our new and returning customers that will be joining us on our tours in 2024- we look forward to meeting each one of you and providing you’ll with an incredible and unique outback experience.

And for everyone that came here to check out who we are and to leave comments or to simply like our page or website…your valuable time in doing so is very much appreciated- thank you!

We wish each and every one of you & your families a very Merry Christmas, a happy & prosperous New Year and a happy and safe festive holiday season. Take care!

15/10/2023

The Sep 2023 Flinders Ranges Ultimate Adventure Tour

We are back from another fabulous and spectacular Flinders Ranges tour- a ten-day tour showcasing some of the best sites this region has to offer.

We were delighted to run this tour in the company of an amazing, fun loving and adventurous group of people that simply made the tour a complete success.

Commencing at Hawker in SA, we drove through the Central Flinders and Northern Flinders Ranges to finally finish the tour at Wilpena Pound.

Some of the highlights:
• Time spent around campfires most nights with a relaxed and friendly group of people
• The walk to the Arkaroo Rock Aboriginal paintings
• Sky Trek 4WD track
• Bunyeroo Gorge drive and Aroona ruins
• Blinman Heritage Mine tour
• Farina ruins
• Catching up with Talc Alf at his gallery near Leigh Creek
• Ediacara Experience Tour
• Beltana, historic copper mining town
• Copley Indian rock face
• Arkaroola “Explore the Cosmos” Astronomy tour
• Views of Welcome Pound
• Lake Frome
• And many, many others…..

The Flinders Ranges is a must do destination for adventurers, geologists, historians, 4WD enthusiasts, tourists, campers, caravaners, naturalists and anyone else that simply loves the great outdoors…you just cannot get a more attractive and easily accessible region that caters for all things peaceful, scenic & earthy.

We extend our grateful thanks to all the tour participants for your enthusiasm, spirit of adventure, cooperation and immense trust in our abilities to guide you'll through this spectacular SA outback region. We hope you enjoyed the show and we look forward to welcoming you again on one of our future tag-along tours.

Till then, safe travels and best wishes.

20/09/2023

Lake Frome, Emma Smiths grave and Hucks lookout on the drive back to Wilpena Pound

14/09/2023

The Blinman Heritage Mine tour. If you’re planning to be up Blinman way, do yourself a favour and join this one hour tour. Remember to book early as tours are small groups only and spots fill very fast. Guides provide a fabulous and knowledgeable commentary.

14/09/2023

We’re back in The Flinders with a fantastic fun group and doing some challenging driving in the first few days. We’re in Blinman today and will be heading North tomorrow. Spectacular scenery and very fine weather is making the trip extra enjoyable.

09/05/2023

Darling-Baaka River Tour- Apr 2023

We toured the Darling-Baaka in Apr 2023 with three cars, one of which was towing an off-road camper trailer. We modified the tour from five days to six days so as to provide for some more time in the Broken Hill and Silverton area.

The weather for the first five days was absolutely perfect for us- 22deg days with bright sunshine and some cooler nights down to about 5degC. Most of the tracks were “Open with caution” but we found that the tracks were well graded and very easy to drive.

Leaving Bourke on the second morning of the tour, we were able to visit the magnificent Toorale Homestead and even found the cemetery, after almost giving up. We then drove down to the Darling River Campground to take a good look at the river, which had receded to its normal level. We drove on to Louth where we visited the “Shining Cross”, erected by Thomas Mathews as a memorial to his first wife, Mary Mathews, who died on 19 Aug 1869. It was positioned in such a way that, on the anniversary of her death, the sun reflected from the cross onto the house where Mary had lived in Louth. Trilby Station, about 27km from Louth on the Western bank of the Darling River, was our camp for the night.

Do not miss staying at Trilby Station when driving the Darling River Run. Although we stayed on powered sites near the amenities and enjoyed the fabulous & homely camp kitchen, the camp sites along the river and on the billabong are just as fabulous…fire pits, rubbish and recycling bins, long drop toilets, shade, serenity…ahhh the serenity…so much serenity!!

The next morning, we took in the guided tour by the relatively new owners of the famous Dunlop Station. This is, again, a must visit destination if you are driving along the Darling River. We learnt a lot about the man, Sir Samuel McCaughey, who established the property. We were then invited to walk through the spectacular 1880’s sandstone homestead, which, having been lovingly restored, provided a nostalgic insight into life back then. We were then provided with an informative tour of the Station Store and the Shearing Shed which boasts as having the first ever mechanical shearers in Australia.

We then continued on to Tilpa whilst battling the “fog grass” that was blown across the track by the high winds and succeeded to obliterate the track at times..an unusual phenomena that none of us had ever driven through. Mini tumble w**d that we had to routinely clear from the engine bay, radiator, spare wheel recess and exhaust mounting cavities (avoiding a fire). The fences looked like they were made of the stuff!! Some of us signed the Tilpa Pub wall whilst donating to the Royal Flying Doctor Service..please do not miss out donating!

Both tracks on either side of the river being closed between Tilpa and Wilcannia, we had to head down to the Barrier Highway to arrive at Wilcannia for the night.

Arriving in Broken Hill, our customers introduced us to “The Big Picture” within the Silver City Mint & Art Centre. The Big Picture is the world’s largest acrylic painting (12m x 100m) to have been painted by a single artist. It depicts the outback but with so much more realism & authenticity that you feel part of the landscape!

Moving on to Menindee the next day, we were finally able to drive most of the tracks within Kinchega NP and visited the magnificent Shearing Shed and Shearers quarters as well as the ruins of the original Homestead. We visited the cemetery where the crew of the PS Providence are also said to be buried.

The rain started early on the final morning in Menindee which mobilised us to pack up quickly and leave early for the drive to Pooncarie. Fueled up, we took advise from locals driving in the opposite direction and decided, over the radio, to have a crack at the track. The track was described as “greasy”…and it certainly was greasy in some sections but mostly drivable with caution. We enjoyed the challenging drive although arriving in Pooncarie with more mud on our vehicles than we wanted.

After a long lunch break and hose down of vehicles at the Old Wharf Café in Pooncarie, we decided to give Mungo NP a miss (the tracks were closed) and head directly to Wentworth and then Mildura for the night, the final stop of the tour.

An immense thank you to our tour participants for the friendly and interactive company on the tour and for your confidence in our abilities to bring you home safely. We enjoyed every moment of delivering this tour to you.

Here are some visions of this tour.

07/05/2023

North Flinders Discovery Tour- Mar 2023
We toured the North Flinders region starting from Copley, in SA, and spent a few days travelling the tracks around the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. We visited Lake Frome and then drove the fairly challenging Skytrek 4WD track out of Willow Springs Station the following morning.
After enjoying the short Moralana Scenic drive and a scenic flight out of Wilpena Pound, we finished off with a hearty meal at the Hawker Pub.
We had amazing company on the tour who were very keen to learn about the geology of the Flinders Ranges, where Indris more than kindly obliged with knowledgeable commentary. Despite being the first time they had driven on some difficult tracks in their new LC300, they were able to negotiate every section with ease and immense confidence.
Here is a snap-shot of some of what we experienced.

15/04/2023

Great drive down the Daeling-Baaka River. Good dry weather meant we could get to Toorale, Dunlop and Trilby Stations, Tilpa and Pooncarie. Rain got to us on the final day so we had to skip Mungo National Park. Fabulous six days with fabulous customers.

08/03/2023

30/12/2022

BONUS OFFER- DARLING-BAAKA RIVER TOUR- 10 APR TO 15 APR 2023

Join us for six days, for the price of five, on this fabulous tour alongside the Darling-Baaka River from 10 Apr to 15 Apr 2023.

Visit sites around Nyngan & Bourke...stay at a working sheep station alongside the Darling River...visit Wilcannia, Broken Hill, Silverton and Menindee...drive through Kinchega and Mungo National Parks and finally see the confluence of the Darling-Baaka and the might Murray River in Wentworth.

Included in the price:
1. Six days for the price of five days
2. Welcome and farewell dinners
3. One more meal during the tour
4. Park fees
5. Camping fees
6. Start of tour 4WD practical use giveaways

SPOTS ARE FILLING FAST- CLICK BELOW TO LEARN MORE & SUBMIT A RESERVATION REQUEST

26/11/2022

Darling-Baaka River Tours- Oct 2022

Despite the phenomenal flooding, we had the privilege to guide three cars on two modified five-day tours through this region in Oct 2022.

We followed the plan through to Bourke but then had to divert to Cobar on the black-top as all unsealed roads were closed. We also had to travel on the Silver City Highway from Broken Hill to Wentworth as the Menindee-Pooncarie road was closed.

Although we were not able to explore the Darling-Baaka between Bourke and Wilcannia by driving alongside the river, we had a once in a lifetime opportunity of seeing the river in extreme flood in Bourke and then also in the other towns we visited along the way. We did experience an immense amount of rain but were lucky enough to set up and pack down relatively dry each day.

Because of this, we managed to visit a number of sites we would not have ordinarily stopped at. Here they are:

• Great Cobar Heritage Centre- the museum is sensational and definitely worth a visit. The included Visitors Centre provides useful information for your stay
• Cobar Mining Heritage Park- The Memorial stands in recognition to commemorate and pay tribute to the miners who lost their lives in Cobar mines. It is located directly across from The Great Cobar Heritage Centre on the Barrier Highway
• Cobar Town Monument- The unusual and very industrial sign at the entrance to the town on the Barrier Highway
• Fort Bourke Lookout and New Cobar Open Cut Gold Mine- The Fort Bourke Lookout offers an excellent view of the town and the deep open pit which is the working New Cobar Open Cut Mine
• Cobar Sound Chapel- Located 1.5km west of the town centre, this is a permanent new sound installation, set in an old disused water tank from 1901 and inspired by the vast landscape of the Australian outback- definitely an ethereal experience!
• Aboriginal Rock Art at Mt Grenfell NP- 80km outside Cobar on the road to Wilcannia. The 33km drive to the car park is on a sealed road. The rock art is extremely well preserved and is definitely worth a visit

We continued on to Broken Hill from Wilcannia and visited the Miners Memorial, Pro Hart Gallery & Living Desert Sculptures. We then visited the historic town of Silverton, taking in the Gaol Museum, School, Beyond 39 Dips, Mad Max Museum, Silverton Hotel and Mundi Mundi lookout.

Although we stayed in Menindee on the first tour and were able to get to the Lake Menindee Lookout, on the second tour we stayed at Broken Hill and drove to Menindee only to be able to access the lake foreshore at Sunset Strip.

On the final day we travelled along the Silver City Highway to Wentworth only to find that the Junction Park was flooded and closed to vehicles. We were able to walk a few metres into the park but most of the park, including access to the viewing platform, was underwater.

We had great company on the both the tours. Daily travels were fun, amazing and educational. Evenings were equally filled with cheerful, friendly conversation and happy hour/cooking hour held in the camp kitchen. Meralda Station Stay, just outside Cobar, was the highlight of all our night halts and possibly the most relaxing for the participants on the second tour. It was the only night we had a camp fire!!

An immense thank you goes out to all the participants for joining us on the two tours and for making each tour an enjoyable and incredible experience.

19/10/2022

Sunrise on the swollen Darling-Baaka river at Kidmans Camp Caravan Park in North Bourke

13/10/2022

Aboriginal Rock art at Mt Grenfell NP. The art work is protected by a wire cage with sufficient openings to be able to take photos. Well preserved and protected and access is on black top road

10/10/2022

Nyngan, rock pools at Byrock and Fred Hollows Vision Way as we enter Bourke. Tomorrow we explore Bourke and surrounds as we head for Cobar. Darling-Baaka Explorer tour 3. Weather has held out so far with warm, sunny days. 🤞

09/10/2022

Bright sunny day at Narromine on our way from Dubbo to Bourke.

21/03/2022

The New England Gorges & Waterfalls Day Tour. This is an amazingly comprehensive tour of the best Gorges & Waterfalls in the NSW Armidale region. Scenic views, serene walking tracks, interesting forest trails, rich cultural and historic significance of each site

12/02/2022

The Darling-Baaka River Explorer- Bring your 4WD and join us on this fabulous tour into the NSW outback. The tour is camper trailer friendly.

Starting from the historic town of Bourke, we follow the Darling-Baaka River through Tilpa, Louth, Wilcannia, Broken Hill, Silverton, Menindee Lakes and Kichenga National Park.

The tour finishes at Wentworth on the border of NSW and Victoria where the Darling-Baaka meets the mighty Murray River.

You will be able to explore the rich history and culture of the NSW Outback, enjoy views of incredible landscapes, encounter local wildlife and visit iconic outback towns brimming with friendly Aussie spirit.

Go to our website to learn more about this tour.
www.auscountrytagalong.com.au

07/11/2021

The board explains the reason for the looks of utter disappointment on the faces of the group. We were planning on driving the tracks in Kinchenga Park but this was not to be this time around. The road to Pooncarie was also closed so we drove back to Broken Hill and headed for Wentworth.

07/11/2021

Another magnificent view of Lake Menindee from Menindee Caravan Park. Rain on the horizon for us today as we head to Mungo NP.