Food & Huts by Mt Oxley

Welcome

Mobile Coverage: Mobile phones on Telstra network will work out in this area. Optus will work on top of Mt Oxley only. Vodaphone doesn't work in this area.

Geology of Mount Oxley

Mount Oxley and the Oxley Range (the low hills to the northeast of Mount Oxley) are composed of quartz-rich sandstone and conglomerate - called the Mulga Downs Group. They are Devonian in age - approximately 410 to 370 million years old. They were most likely deposited in a fluvial (i.e. river) environment. The river system must have been broad and quite high energy, as many of the clasts are rounded, suggesting they have been 'tumbled' along in a river bed, and there are conglomerates as well as sandstones. (Think of a high energy mountain river, rather than the low energy, meandering river like the current-day Darling River). They consist of thick beds of fine to medium grained sandstone and some pebbly conglomerate. Although the beds look as if they are flat-lying, the beds are actually dipping very shallowly (<5 degrees). The rounded clasts within the conglomerates include clasts of white quartz, granite (probably about 420 million years old) and metamorphosed sedimentary rocks (probably around 475 million years old).

The matrix of the sandstone and conglomerate is very fine grained quartz which is the reason the rocks are so hard, and they make such a ping when you hit them with a hammer! It is also the reason they form prominent hills - they are very resistive to weathering. There would have been more extensive deposition of the Mulga Downs Group than what we see today. But tectonic uplift and weathering have left us with sporadic outcrops. The Mulga Downs Group is found over a wide area in western NSW, locally at Gunderbooka Range, Bedemeer Mountain and at Mount Druid - but also further afield at Mount Grenfell near Cobar and Mutawintji National Park near Broken Hill. Fish and other fossils found elsewhere in the Mulga Downs Group help constrain the age of the rocks - though only one, non-diagnostic fish scale has been found at Mount Oxley to date.

An interesting feature at the base of Mount Oxley is an angular unconformity. Stop where the gate is - where the road changes from dirt to tar - and look in the gutter next to the road and walk downhill. You will see slate-like rocks that are almost vertically dipping in the base of the gutter (particularly where the gutter curves away from the road). These rocks are most-likely Ordovician to Silurian in age - so they are approximately 475 to 440 million years old. They were deposited on a continental slope in deep marine water, probably in a turbidity current in a submarine fan. (Probably in an environment like the 10 km off the coast of Sydney.) Overlying these slates are some conglomerates and the almost flat-lying Mulga Downs Group. We call this an angular unconformity because you have flat lying rocks overlying steeply dipping rocks - this represents a dramatic change in geological conditions with a time gap of 30 to 75 million years or so between the two rock packages. In this time the environment changed from a deep marine environment to a high energy river environment.

The flat areas you drive over to get to Mount Oxley are Quaternary and modern alluvial soils and sands related to the Darling and Bogan river floodplains. (Credit: Geological Survey of New South Wales)

Accommodation

Accommodation at Mt Oxley

Things to Do

Things to do:

Mt Oxley

• Devonshire tea is available when staying at Mt Oxley. At the huts or on the mountain.
• Visit Mt Oxley -for ambiance, for flora and fauna, photography, painting & bushwalking
• Also check out the craters just over from the facilities. They are part of the mystery of Mt Oxley.
• Visit Bourke information following
• Visit Brewarrina -Driving East 45 minutes from the huts on Kamilaroi Hwy. Brewarrina Information Center will advise re visiting Aboriginal Museum and very historical fish traps, -a very easy day trip.
• Very easy to spend a few days away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life at Mt Oxley.

Bourke:

• Bourke is a unique and historically interesting town-spend a few days.
• Visit Back O Bourke Exhibition Centre as a first stop for help from friendly staff, as to all the attractions. Relax on the Jandra Paddleboat, gently cruising the Darling river. The Centre is not to be missed, very different type of history, where you can steer the paddleboat.
• When visiting Fred Hollows grave at Bourke Cemetery, marvel at the 60 boulders from Mt Oxley which form the shape of an eye, with Fred buried in the Iris. Also note the 9-tonne granite boulder, transformed into a living sculpture by Andreas Buisman, who met Sandra and eloped with friends, they married on Mt Oxley December 2006. They now have 3 children and visit me when in town.
• Learn lots about Bourke on the town tour with Stuart Johnson.
• Add to this art galleries, Jens Back O Bourke Gallery, Aboriginal painting gallery, Aboriginal cultural Tour with the Dixon twins, Jason and Joseph, along the riverbank, plus more.
  The Bourke RSL Club was purchased by locals and is now a Restaurant called “Diggers on the Darling”. If you are interested in wartime memorabilia that was originally housed in the club, it has been retained in the restaurant, for future generations of locals and visitors.
• Meals and coffee shops also at The Wharf “Little Birdie”, Morralls Bakery, Bowling Club, Port of Bourke Hotel, North Bourke Store and Main Street.
• Not to miss a visit to Mt Oxley for Morning or afternoon tea, picnic lunch or nibbles for sunset. Talk to Denise if you don’t want to bring your own.

Bourke Historic Cemetery. Many of the epitaphs tell of the tragedy that constantly stalked the western plains and back country- ''Drowned'' ""killed by lightning"' "Shot by police " perished in the bush"An hour spent browsing will take you back to the world of bushrangers ,drovers , cameleers, riverboat men,lost children and Denise' Great Great Great Grandparents James and Frances Reed. James and Frances were some of the first arrivals in Bourke in 1862. Much to my surprise they had license to Mountain House Hotel, 2 sitting rooms and 3 bedrooms at the point of Oxleys tableland. Frances features frequently in volumes of History of Bourke.She witnessed first births and marriages at the town. she provided the tea party for the laying of the Church of England foundation stone in 1874. Extract from the Sydney Mail newspaper November 11 1871 a very interesting story on how butter was made in those days. Ask me about it when you come for a visit.

At the Back O Bourke Information Centre pick up a Premium Package which combines tickets for

1. Back O Bourke Exhibition Centre
2. PV Jandra –paddling down the Darling River
3. Outback Show April to October 11am Tuesday to Sunday –Bullock Teams, Working Clydesdales, sheep dogs and wild horses, a very funny show.
4. Back O Bourke Tours – departing the Little Birdy Cafe, Wharf Precinct 9.30am daily. The two and a half hour tours will take in Bourke's historic buildings, Fred Hollows grave at the cemetery, the Lock and Weir and a walk onto the span of the North Bourke Bridge, the Back O Bourke Gallery and possibly the School of Distance Education - before concluding at midday in time to see the Crossley Engine in action at the wharf.

Geology of Mt Oxley area is predominantly acid intrusive rocks with the mount itself mainly metamorphic rocks. The climate of the nearby town of Bourke is semi arid characterised by hot summers and mild winters Birds observed include striated pardalote, inland thornbill, yellow rumped thornbill, and southern whiteface. Chestnut –breasted quail thrush and pink cockatoo sited and are of concern for their conservation status. Pick up a copy of "The History and Mystery" of Mt Oxley at the Bourke Visitor Information Center.

Getting Here

Getting to Mt Oxley

Access to Huts by Mt Oxley and Mt Oxley includes travel off the highway on dirt roads. It is approximately 8 kms to the huts and the road can be slippery and boggy depending on the amount of rain. The huts are situated on the road to Mt Oxley, another 6kms and approximately 40 minutes from Bourke.

Travel 28kms from Bourke on Kamillaroi HWY which is the road to Brewarrina , turn right at T turnoff marked Tarcoon / Mt Oxley, travel thru 2 ramps to another right turnoff marked Mt Oxley, travel out to locked gate. Through these two ramps are the huts and shearing shed.

The Gate has many locks and you'll be provided with the code on booking.

The Bourke Shire closes the road after enough rain to do damage to the roads We don't encourage travel if roads are wet, but if you are at the huts and the rains come, we will tow you out if necessary.

Driving to Bourke

Touring Routes

Guest Book

What others have said

"We camped adjacent to the creek at Rossmore Station (Mt Oxley) for 5 nights in September 2015. A quiet relaxing, easily accessible and safe camp, behind locked gates, tucked away just off the Kamillaroi Highway. The bird life was fantastic around the camp area. We visited Mt Oxley twice as well as doing a lot of bushwalking and wildlife photography around the property. A ‘’must stay there again” experience next time that we are in the Bourke area."

Judy and Keith Humphries