If you are in Narrabri travel west along the Kamilaroi Highway 40km to Wee Waa to start this itinerary. Along the way you will see various crops filling the agricultural plains, such as cotton, wheat and canola depending on the time of the year.
Start your morning at the Namoi Echo Museum (Thurs – Sat), where you will find a wonderful reminder of days gone by and learn why Wee Waa is known as the ‘Cotton Capital of Australia’. Amongst the museum’s treasures, you will find a spray plane, one of the original 2-row cotton pickers, a replica Blacksmith’s shop, Aboriginal artefacts, and many items from yesteryear including tools and domestic goods.
Uncover the artistic talents of those who call the Narrabri Region home at the Wee Waa Community Arts & Cultural Centre (Thurs – Sat). Continually changing exhibits you never know what you’ll find behind the yellow door.
Before leaving Wee Waa stop for lunch at one of the local cafes where you will be delighted by both the food and country hospitality.
Venture further afield and visit Yarrie Lake between Wee Waa and Narrabri. The lake is a 3km saucer-shaped expanse of water on the edge of the Pilliga Forest and is thought to have been formed by a falling meteor many thousands of years ago. It is a summer favourite for locals and visitors alike, with water sports available during the day and campfires under clear summer skies at night.
Just past Yarrie Lake you will discover The Dish times six! Satisfy your scientific curiosities with the most advanced radio telescopes in the southern hemisphere, at the CSIRO Australia Telescopes Compact Array. Discover the magic that draws scientists from around the world to Narrabri in their quest to unlock the secrets of the universe.
The six 22m wide dish antennas work together to simulate a much larger antenna with a 6km diameter, allowing astronomers to observe more detailed images than a single large dish could achieve. The Australia Telescopes Visitor Centre includes an exhibition on astronomy, “out-of-this-universe” photos captured by the antennas and allows visitors to see up-to-minute particulars of what is currently being tracked.
After leaving the telescopes you can either continue along the road to Narrabri or return to Wee Waa for the evening.