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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Ashford
Ashford, New South Wales
Go only as a base for Kwiambal National Park and the Severn River swimming holes: one night, your own car, fuel and cash before you arrive.
Ashford is a village of about 650 people on the Severn River in the New England region, 58 km north of Inverell. It has one shop with fuel, one club for meals, a caravan park and no taxi, no bus and no bank. It works as a one-night stop for Kwiambal National Park, Pindari Dam and the river crossings, and as nothing else.
- Country
- Australia
- Local name
- Ashford, New South Wales
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (heat, 35 °C (95 °F)+ and fire risk)Dec–Feb (heat, 95 °F (35 °C)+ and fire risk)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$60–110 excl. bed (camping, self-catering) · Mid A$110–180 excl. bed (club meals, fuel, park fees) · High A$180+ excl. bed (guided or 4WD days, longer drives) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or takeaway snack at the service station | A$5–12 |
| Club counter meal | A$20–35 |
| Powered caravan site, per night | From A$13 |
| Unpowered site, per night | From A$10 |
| Kwiambal National Park entry | Free |
| Fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IVR · Inverell (Link Airways)
- Nearest scheduled service; about 45 min by road. Check current routes and days.
- MRZ · Moree
- About 1 h 50 min by road; larger regional airport.
- GOO · Goondiwindi (Queensland)
- About 2 h by road, across the state line.
Typical fares
- Coach Route 499, Inverell → Ashford
- departs Inverell Friday 16:00, arrives Ashford 16:44; book by phone with Reynolds and Fogarty (check)departs Inverell Friday 4:00 PM, arrives Ashford 4:44 PM; book by phone with Reynolds and Fogarty (check)
- Coach Route 499, Ashford → Inverell
- departs Ashford Friday 10:10, arrives Inverell 11:00 (check)departs Ashford Friday 10:10 AM, arrives Inverell 11:00 AM (check)
- Coach stop
- Caltex Ashford, corner Duff and Albury streets; no tickets sold at the service station
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Private car only. There is no taxi and no local bus in Ashford, and the nearest car rental is in Inverell. Distances to the sights are 4–30 km (2.5–19 mi) on sealed roads with gravel sections; a 4WD is needed for Fisherman's Bend.Private car only. There is no taxi and no local bus in Ashford, and the nearest car rental is in Inverell. Distances to the sights are 2.5–19 mi (4–30 km) on sealed roads with gravel sections; a 4WD is needed for Fisherman's Bend.
See and do
Known for
- Kwiambal National Park and Macintyre Falls
- Severn River swimming and fishing holes
- Pindari Dam
- Fossickers Way (B95) road stop
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kwiambal National Park | Drive 20 km (12 mi) north-west via Martyn Street, Kniepp Street and Limestone RoadDrive 12 mi (20 km) north-west via Martyn Street, Kniepp Street and Limestone Road | About 30 min each way |
| Pindari Dam | Drive 26 km (16 mi) south-east via Bukkulla Road, then Pindari Dam RoadDrive 16 mi (26 km) south-east via Bukkulla Road, then Pindari Dam Road | About 30 min each way |
| Wells Crossing | Drive 8 km (5 mi) south-east via Bukkulla RoadDrive 5 mi (8 km) south-east via Bukkulla Road | About 15 min each way |
| Inverell | Drive 58 km (36 mi) south on Ashford RoadDrive 36 mi (58 km) south on Ashford Road | About 45 min |
| Warialda | Drive 79 km (49 mi) south-west via Wallangra Road and Coolatai RoadDrive 49 mi (79 km) south-west via Wallangra Road and Coolatai Road | About 1 h 5 min |
| Moree | Drive 159 km (99 mi) west via Warialda and the Gwydir HighwayDrive 99 mi (159 km) west via Warialda and the Gwydir Highway | About 1 h 50 min |
Sleep
- Ashford village (Bala and Bukkulla streets)
- Bowling club rooms and the caravan park, both a short walk from the shop and fuel.
- Kwiambal National Park
- Lemon Tree Flat campground, 30 km (19 mi) north-west; pit toilets, bring water and book ahead.Lemon Tree Flat campground, 19 mi (30 km) north-west; pit toilets, bring water and book ahead.
- Pindari Dam
- 26 km (16 mi) south-east; camping with showers and boat ramps, open 24 hours.16 mi (26 km) south-east; camping with showers and boat ramps, open 24 hours.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the fuel? | Where's the servo? |
| Can I pay by card? | Do you take EFTPOS? |
| Is the road sealed? | Is it bitumen all the way? |
| Is there a fire ban today? | Is there a total fire ban today? |
| Where is the nearest hospital? | Where's the nearest hospital? |
| Can I drink the water? | Is this water okay to drink? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Fuel up in Inverell or Warialda if you arrive late: the village service station trades 7:00–19:00 only.
- No bank branches. Use EFTPOS and bring cash; Bank@Post at the post office is the only counter service.
- Stock groceries, medicines and camping supplies before you leave Inverell or Moree.
- Mobile coverage is patchy outside the village; tell someone your route.
- Total fire bans in summer close wood barbecues and can shut park access.
A quiet, low-crime village; the real risks are long empty drives, summer heat and fire, patchy phone signal, and river water that needs treating before you drink it.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ashford yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kwiambal National Park and Macintyre Falls
- Severn River swimming and fishing holes
- Pindari Dam
- Fossickers Way (B95) road stop
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- NSW National Parks — Kwiambal National Park: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/kwiambal-national-park
- WaterNSW — Pindari Dam: www.waternsw.com.au/supply/visit/pindari-dam
- Inverell Visitor Information Centre: www.inverell.com.au/inverell-visitor-information-centre/
- Transport for NSW — Moree to Inverell timetable (Route 499): transportnsw.info/document/5197/moree-to-inverell-timetable.pdf
- Wikivoyage: Ashford (New South Wales), revision 5239164 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5239164
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
AshfordAshford, New South Wales
To this address, thanks
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates in Ashford. The US consulate-general is in Sydney; the UK, Canada and New Zealand have consulates or high commissions in Sydney and Canberra.
Fuel 7:00–19:00 daily; post office and Bank@Post Mon–Fri 9:00–17:00; public toilets at the Rural Transaction Centre, open 24 hours.Fuel 7:00 AM–7:00 PM daily; post office and Bank@Post Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM; public toilets at the Rural Transaction Centre, open 24 hours.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ashford-new-south-wales). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.