Australian Outback Travel Guide

White Cliffs
New South Wales

White Cliffs, with a population of around 200, is an opal mining town around 255kms north east of Broken Hill, and 93kms north of Wilcannia. The town was established in the late 19th century when a group of kangaroo hunters discovered opal while tracking down a wounded kangaroo. Now there are more than 50,000 abandoned diggings, creating a lunar-like landscape across the land. The road into White Cliffs is fully sealed, so you do not need to 4WD vehicle to visit.

As is with Coober Pedy, many of the residents live underground to avoid the intense outside heat. A number of the residents in White Cliffs open up their houses to visitor, giving them an opportunity to explore this unique form of living. There are also 2 hotels in the town with underground rooms.

White Cliffs is the site of Australia's first solar power station. The power station was built in 1981, and currently produces around 45KWE of power. It is linked to universities in Victoria where new solar photovoltaic technologies are being tested.

You can buy this photo at AllPosters.com

If you are heading up to White Cliffs, then make sure you head over to Tilpa to have a beer at the Tilpa Pub. It is a 100 year old pub made from corrugated iron and timber, with the inner walls covered in autographs and messages from the hundreds of people that stop off each year.

White Cliffs Weather - Average Temperatures and Rainfall