Cuttaburra National Park is NSW’s newest national park, set to open its gates to visitors in 2025.
Next year, there will be a new national park that adventure lovers can visit. This September, 37,422 hectares of land in outback NSW was designated an official national park. The new park, Cuttaburra National Park, earned the title thanks to its unique ecology and cultural significance.
Cuttaburra is teeming with flora and fauna, containing some of Australia’s most important wetlands home to thousands of species of waterbirds. The park is also a haven for threatened species such as the brolga, eastern fat-tailed gecko, black-breasted buzzard and little eagle.
Cuttaburra National Park is full of fauna, like this shingleback lizard. (Image: Kirsten Skinner)
In addition, the park has many Aboriginal cultural sites, including stone arrangements, scar trees and wells. Cuttaburra will be managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in collaboration with Aboriginal and local people to protect these important places.
The landscape encompassed by the park is rich and diverse, characterised by red earth cut through with tree-lined river floodplains, swamps and waterholes. Cuttaburra National Park doesn’t officially open its gates until next year, but here’s what we know about it so far.
Cuttaburra National Park is abundant with flora, including endangered trees. (Image: Joshua J Smith Photography)
Where is Cuttaburra National Park?
Cuttaburra National Park lies on Paroo and Warrego River Country in the far north of NSW. The park is remote, located deep inland in NSW’s outback, about 150 kilometres north-west of Bourke and accessed along the iconic 4WD Dowling Track.
The new National Park is full of waterways and wetlands. (Image: Joshua J Smith Photography)
What can you do in Cuttaburra National Park?
Right now, the park is geared towards plant, wildlife and cultural conservation. It remains to be seen what infrastructure will exist for tourists when Cuttaburra National Park officially opens in 2025, so stay tuned to find out.
Right now, you can pass through Cuttaburra National Park on the Dowling Track, a historic outback 4WD trail that connects Bourke to Quilpie in Queensland. The neighbouring Brindingabba National Park just 25 kilometres away contains a campground and a 4WD touring route for nature lovers keen to experience the landscape.
Cuttaburra National Park will open its gates to visitors in 2025. (Image: Joshua J Smith Photography)
Elizabeth Whitehead is a writer obsessed with all things culture; doesn't matter if it's pop culture or cultures of the world. She graduated with a degree in History from the University of Sydney (after dropping out from Maths). Her bylines span AFAR, Lonely Planet, ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR and Refinery 29. Her work for Australian Traveller was shortlisted for single article of the year at the Mumbrella Publishing Awards 2024. She is very lucky in thrifting, very unlucky in UNO.
The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.
Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.
Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.
Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.
Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.
Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.
Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms
Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.
On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.
Sleep beneath the stars.
Style and character
When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.
Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.
Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining
‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.
Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.
Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities
While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.
Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences
No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.
Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.
Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.
Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.
Paddle into peace.
The details
A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.
Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.
