African safaris, 400-million-year-old cave wonderworlds and a quaint Japanese garden; a trip to Dubbo allows you to traverse not only the globe, but time itself.

Could Dubbo be the regional city that has it all? It’s a question that continues to trump ‘What is there to do in Dubbo?’ or ‘Things to do in Dubbo?’ (which we’re pretty sure haven’t been asked in the best part of a decade).

Set on the banks of the Macquarie River and surrounded by a sprinkling of towns and villages rooted in quintessential rural living, Dubbo itself is a powerhouse of world class attractions and once-in-a-lifetime experiences designed to delight every member of the family.

Only got a few days in town? Mark the following as your must-visits:  

1. Old Dubbo Gaol

Heading straight to prison may not sound like much of a sell, but then Old Dubbo Gaol isn’t just any old property. State Heritage-listed and beautifully restored, this historic sandstone gaol – located in the heart of Dubbo – operated between 1847 and 1966, capturing over 119 years of stories and artefacts which run the gamut from the curious to the grim.

Macabre night tours (held during the NSW school holidays) remain a popular choice for those who enjoy their tales on the dark side, but it’s hard to go past the Gallows Gallery featuring the latest collection of hangman ropes in Australia.

Address: 90 Macquarie St, Dubbo

2. Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo

Fancy an African safari in the heart of New South Wales? Thanks to its large, open plains (not to mention its healthy population of big cats, rhinos, elephants, and more), that’s exactly what Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo has been offering Australians since it opened in the late 1970s.

Getting around this gargantuan, open range sanctuary is easy: not only is it possible to explore its 5km circuit by car, on foot, by bicycle or by electric safari car, you can even hire a pedal boat and explore the Savannah Lake, home to the spider monkeys and lemurs.

Three accommodation types are available, including the Zoofari Lodge, which offers a complete safari-style experience, including meals, exclusive tours, zoo entry and bike hire.

Address: Obley Road, Dubbo

3. Dubbo Observatory

Anyone can take a photo of Dubbo’s street-level attributes, but it can hardly hold a candle to the ultimate memento of what locals call ‘the city of smiles’: shots of the nebula above. It can only happen with a visit to Dubbo Observatory, of course, where local astronomer Peter Starr treats visitors to explore the wonders of the universe.

Night sky tours, telescope viewing and astrophotography sessions are all available, but advance bookings are recommended.

Address: 17K Camp Road, Dubbo

4. Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Experience

Touching down in the world of heroic medical professionals servicing outback communities sounds far more courageous than it needs to be; in fact, a visit to the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Experience is all it takes to immerse yourself into the remote reaches of our vast country.

Explore (in Augmented Reality) both the cabin of an aeromedical aircraft and an interactive health station, check out day-to-day medical emergencies unfolding courtesy of the big screen, and hear real stories about how Royal Flying Doctor teams deliver life-saving help across the outback, or what they like to call ‘a 7.69 million square km ‘waiting room’.

Address: 21 Judy Jakins Drive, Dubbo

5. Dubbo Farmers Market

There’s nothing to say you have to stock up on a bounty of fragrant preserves and honey, freshly roasted nuts or marinated olives when you pop in at Dubbo Farmers’ Market, located on the corner of Macquarie Street and the Newell Highway, but why would you want to miss out?

Okay, those visiting Dubbo Farmers Market – held on the first and third Saturday of the month – can and should pop by for a mouthwatering breakfast centred on local produce or a coffee – but with over 60 stallholders on site to showcase their wares, it makes sense to commit to the experience.

Address: Cnr Macquarie Street & Newell Hwy, Dubbo

6. Western Plains Cultural Centre

Welcome to the heart of Dubbo’s creative identity, an expansive gallery home to three distinct exhibition programs: the Dubbo Regional Gallery, Dubbo Museum and a community arts centre. Western Plains Cultural Centre features permanent exhibitions that speak to people, history and place, a HomeGround program which nurtures and grows local contemporary artists, and an impressive National Touring program which allows a peek behind major metropolitan galleries, there’s no better place to visit if you want to get a feel for the region’s pulse.

Address: 76 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo

7. Dubbo Regional Botanic Gardens

Everyone loves a free activity (particularly when it’s so picturesque) but with Dubbo Regional Botanic Gardens, it almost feels criminal waltzing through the gates without paying a fee.

Home to five distinctive garden spaces: Shoyoen Japanese Garden, the Sensory Garden, the Biodiversity Garden, the Oasis Valley and the Wiradjuri Garden, every corner invites a new sight, sound or scent as you take your morning walk.

Families, too, are catered for with an adventure playground and that all-important cafe.

Address: 851 Coronation Drive, East Dubbo

8. Lazy River Estate

Located on the banks of the Macquarie River on the outskirts of town, the Lazy River Estate winery might be known as THE wedding venue of the region, but there’s nothing to say you need to get hitched to enjoy a stroll through the estate’s vines or some R&R under the shade of 300-year-old gum trees.

Our advice? Make a booking at Cultivate at Lazy River Estate, a degustation event hosted once a week in the Lazy River Estate dining room, and/or keep an eye out for their calendar of events which include a Summer on the Deck series.

Address: 29R Old Dubbo Road, Dubbo

9. Wellington Caves

Time travel is a crazy thing;  the drive to Wellington Caves only takes half an hour from Dubbo’s city centre, but upon entry to this underground playland, you discover you’ve travelled hundreds of millions of years.

Discovered in 1830 by colonist George Ranken (when he accidentally fell into one of the caves), the Wellington Caves & Phosphate Mine provides a chance to explore a world of subterranean waters, dramatic formations and marsupial fossils. You can take a guided tour through Cathedral Cave (famous for its 32-metre-wide and 15-metre-high stalagmite), Gaden Cave, which dazzles with its display of crystal formations or just roll up your sleeves and play paleontologist for the day and examine ancient fossils in the Discovery Lab.

Address: Caves Road, Mitchell Hwy, Wellington

10. Press

At face value, Press is a cafe, coffee roastery, pantry shop, and event space housed in a heritage home in Central Dubbo, but you could also argue it also serves as the heart of the town. Devoted to serving up dishes showcasing local ingredients (you’d be crazy not to take a seat in the light-filled space at least once), you can lose whole hours drinking, browsing, chatting and driving away with a car boot full of coffee. Visit at your own risk.

Address: 33 Bultje Street, Dubbo

Need more ideas? Check out of city guide to Dubbo