The best tours in Broken Hill & surrounds

Learn from First Nations people 

The Darling River basin has long been home to Aboriginal people who’ve lived by the lore of the area’s interconnected waterways for generations. This ancient knowledge is vigilantly protected and passed down through families, and is a deeper way through which to immerse yourself in the spirit and significance of this stunning region. Wontanella Tours, led by Barkindji artists, Aunty Barbara and David Doyle, takes groups on a two-hour wander along the edge of Menindee Lakes, sharing stories, cultural sites, knowledge of endemic flora and fauna, and a yarn over billy tea along the way.  

Menindee Lakes, Menindee

Likewise, Mutawintji Heritage Tours leads half-day excursions through the rough-hewn beauty of Mutawintji National Park, where ochre-hued gorges and rock-scattered plains serve as pin-ups for outback landscapes. Within the park are historic sites with access granted only to the Mutawintji Local Aboriginal Land Council, whose Aboriginal guides run the tours here and share revered local stories. See rock engravings and ochre stencils up close or take the amphitheatre gorge walk to slip between ancient cliffs for a glimpse of preserved Aboriginal art. Add an art workshop or bush food discovery to make a full-day experience. 

Keanu Bates sharing Aboriginal art and culture on a guided tour through Mutawintji National Park

Take flight to discover vast beauty 

With this iconic outback city tinged with rust-red and bounded by no less than five national parks, Broken Hill is an astonishing sight from above. A frontier town of singular beauty, its deserts-edge position seems at the whim of the landscape beyond. Elevate your perspective on a scenic flight with H & A Air Outback Aviation Services, taking in a bird’s-eye view of the vein-like tributaries of Menindee Lakes, the sprawling otherworldly Mungo National Park and the sculptured formations of the geologically fascinating Walls of China. The sky-high daytrip includes landing for lunch at Mungo Lodge, but if you’re keen for a longer experience, they also offer an overnight charter with an outback sleepover at the lodge that can be tailored to suit your needs. 

Friends taking a walk through Mungo National Park, Outback NSW

Traverse the landscape by foot, hoof & tyre 

A city paved with the spoils of silver, rampant with legends, and suffused with history, means that every direction you turn in Broken Hill offers a point of fascination. One of the best ways to orient yourself and burrow deeper into the past is with a free Broken Hill Heritage Walk Tour, departing from the Broken Hill Visitor Information Centre every weekday at 10am. This volunteer-guided stroll colours the CBD’s stately buildings with stories and insights that add context to Australia’s first heritage-listed city.  

Broken Hill Trades Hall, Broken Hill

Overland Adventures offer small-group day and multi-day tours. Pack the action in one day with the hit-list sights of mining history, heritage architecture and parks and gardens, or venture further with all-inclusive, four-star packages including overnights at Silverton, farm stays and more. 

For an authentic taste of farm life along rollicking dirt roads, head to Eldee Station for a tagalong tour of the working sheep and cattle station in your 4WD. If you don’t have your own, join a guided tour of the vast red dirt lands and up onto the ancient Barrier Ranges to watch the sunset over the Mundi Mundi Plains.  

Mundi Mundi Plains, Silverton

Just half an hour from Broken Hill you’ll find historic Silverton, where the village’s most famous residents are the camels, animals that have been roaming the region since the 1880s. See the sights just like Burke and Wills did on their outback expeditions with Silverton Outback Camels, where you can journey across the town on the saddle of these enormous creatures, or even embark on an overnight adventure. You can also saunter along at sunset to see the red dirt turn to a golden glow. 

Silverton Outback Camels, Silverton

Wonder at the waterways 

The mighty Darling River and Menindee Lakes are a nature haven, flush with birdlife that live around this vital water source. Soak in the golden afternoon light that washes the river aglow on a two-hour sunset tour with River Lady Tours, or book a one-hour morning tour to see wildlife at its most serene. The boat has capacity for up to 20 people, and tours are an immersive way to study local sea birds flying past or the ghostly river red gums that line this important waterway. 

River Lady Tours, Menindee

See outback beauty through a lens 

The captivating light, shapes and colour of the Australian desertscape make Broken Hill a photographer’s nirvana. Whether you’re well-versed in shutter speeds or a novice shooter, this photogenic environment makes it easy to capture. Photographer Adam Edwards offers three- and four-day, small group Broken Hill-based workshops, complete with access to scarcely snapped locations and expert photography advice to nurture your talent and send you home with a keepsake of your own making.  

Outback NSW landscapes - Credit: Adam Edwards Photography

Point a different kind of lens skyward and see the stars that shine over Broken Hill with a tour of the night sky with Outback Astronomy. Unimpeded by light pollution, just 10 minutes from town is a dark sky location, and you’ll learn about the Milky Way, the moon and other galaxies above accompanied by fascinating commentary, plus telescope and binocular access. Make a night of it and order wine, bread and cheese platters to accompany your show.  

Outback Astronomy, Broken Hill

Wrap up the Silver City in one tour 

With so many incredible experiences to unearth in Broken Hill, one succinct and simple way to string them together is with a multi-day guided package with Silver City Tours. Offering eight- and five-night itineraries exploring the city, national parks, and local attractions, you’ll see the region’s essential spots, including the Palace Hotel, Silverton, White Cliffs mines, the Menindee Lakes and more. Packages include accommodation, most meals, tours and local transfers.  

Red Earth Opal, White Cliffs