Ride 2022 - Darling River Leg
- Darling River Leg: Wentworth to Pooncarrie to Menindee to Wilcannia to Bourke: May 14, 2022 to May 24, 2022. 755 kms, 2,300 m climbing and 2 exploring/rest days. $1,790
- Download itinerary covers both outward and inward legs
- Download registration and medical forms here
The Darling River leg starts just over the New South Wales border in Wentworth, where the Murray and Darling Rivers meet. This heritage rich district consists of several small community townships that each celebrate the history, culture and natural beauty of Australia’s Murray Darling Heartland.
The ride starts with a big leg of 120 kms to Pooncarie, known locally as ‘The Port’. Like Wentworth, Pooncarie was once a thriving port town, with paddle steamers laden with wool plying the Darling downstream for South Australia.
From Pooncarie, the tour starts doing some sheep station hopping and gravel road riding as we progress along the Darling River to end in Bourke. There are 5 station stays in all each on the banks of the Darling River. The photo below features two of the stations - the background is a river scene from Tolarno Station and the middle segment is Nelia Gaari.
Download Forms: Please complete a registration form. You will also need to complete and sign the medical information form, which includes a disclaimer form. Cycle Across Oz also operate a code of conduct and a Covid-19 policy which you will need to read and sign.
Download and print registration and medical information forms and mail to us with your deposit of AUD300 as soon as possible to secure your place. Places are filling fast.
The ride starts with a big leg of 120 kms to Pooncarie, known locally as ‘The Port’. Like Wentworth, Pooncarie was once a thriving port town, with paddle steamers laden with wool plying the Darling downstream for South Australia.
From Pooncarie, we begin the gravel road and outback sheep station odyssey. First two days to Menindee is broken with a farm stay at Tolarno Station. Next leg to river port, Wilcannia is broken with a farm stay at Nelia Gaari Station - we liked it so much, we have slotted in a rest day here.
From Wilcannia, the tour stretches out over real outback country with station stays at Kallara, Trilby and Rose Isle. We had to squeeze in a bush camp as the leg from Wilcannia to Kallara is pretty big. This is sheep station country with farms in the hundreds of thousands of acres.
You might want to check the links for a few of these Last day is a shorter run into Bourke, with its long river heritage and the end of the Darling River leg.
From Pooncarie, we begin the gravel road and outback sheep station odyssey. First two days to Menindee is broken with a farm stay at Tolarno Station. Next leg to river port, Wilcannia is broken with a farm stay at Nelia Gaari Station - we liked it so much, we have slotted in a rest day here.
From Wilcannia, the tour stretches out over real outback country with station stays at Kallara, Trilby and Rose Isle. We had to squeeze in a bush camp as the leg from Wilcannia to Kallara is pretty big. This is sheep station country with farms in the hundreds of thousands of acres.
You might want to check the links for a few of these Last day is a shorter run into Bourke, with its long river heritage and the end of the Darling River leg.
Weather - Darling River Leg
The pictures below cover wind (the most important one on top), temperature and rain. The Bureau of Meteorology has stopped publishing free wind maps. This chart shows the percentage of time wind blows a particular direction by month. The first chart is for Mildura/Wentworth. The second chart is for Bourke. For May, the probability of a south or westerly flow (i.e., friendly) is between 50 and 60% in the south dropping to between 40 and 50% in the north. If we get a late season like 2019, the northerly and easterly percentage could be higher. Be prepared to ride some long hours in the wind.
Type in your location in the search box on this WeatherSpark site and find the charts needed along the way
Wind Wentworth
The broad tour area is highlighted on the maximum temperature map. The general route is on the rainfall map
For temperatures we will expect maximum temperatures to be in the 18 to 21 C band (60 to 70F). Minimums will be between 6 and 9C (45 to 50F). Monthly rainfall is between 10 and 25 mm (1/2 to 2 inches) in May.
For temperatures we will expect maximum temperatures to be in the 18 to 21 C band (60 to 70F). Minimums will be between 6 and 9C (45 to 50F). Monthly rainfall is between 10 and 25 mm (1/2 to 2 inches) in May.