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Major city · Australia

Coonabarabran

Give Coonabarabran one night as a Newell Highway stop, or two if you want a full dark-sky night at Siding Spring and a Warrumbungle walk.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Coonabarabran is a 3,290-person town on the Newell and Oxley highways in the Central West of New South Wales, halfway between Dubbo and Narrabri. Its reason to stop is the sky: Siding Spring Observatory sits 27 km west at about 1,160 m, and Warrumbungle National Park next to it is the state's first dark-sky park. Everything else is a highway town: motels, a bakery, a crystal museum. One night covers the observatory; two lets you walk in the park and still drive on rested.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
AUD
Best months
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
avoid Dec–Feb (heat, 35 °C (95 °F)+ days), school holidays for observatory tours
Airports
COJ · DBO · TMW
Nights
1–2
Rules in force · 7
  • Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
  • Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
  • Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
  • Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
  • Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
  • Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
  • Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Coonabarabran000 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Coonabarabran, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeA$4–6 (≈ US$3–4)
  • Street or quick mealBakery pie or sandwichA$6–12 (≈ US$4–8)
  • Beerschooner in a pubA$7–10 (≈ US$5–7)
  • Budget bedCaravan park cabin or powered site, a night, per roomA$60 (≈ US$40)
  • Mid-range bedMotel double room, a night, per roomA$160 (≈ US$110)
  • High-end bedMotel double room, a night, per roomA$240 (≈ US$160)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget A$90 (≈ US$60) · Mid A$150 (≈ US$100) · High A$250 (≈ US$170)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Siding Spring ObservatoryWarrumbungle National Park and the BreadknifeDark-sky stargazingNewell Highway stopover between Dubbo and Narrabri
Airports
COJ Coonabarabran Airport (No scheduled flights; airstrip only.) · DBO Dubbo City Regional Airport (Nearest airport with regular services, about 2 h south by road.) · TMW Tamworth Regional Airport (About 2.5 h east by road.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    33°C (91°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    32°C (90°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    29°C (84°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  5. May

    Best

    20°C (68°F)

  6. Jun

    not flagged

    16°C (61°F)

  7. Jul

    not flagged

    15°C (59°F)

  8. Aug

    not flagged

    17°C (63°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    29°C (84°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    32°C (90°F)

Best: Apr–May, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jan (33°C (91°F)), coolest Jul (3°C (37°F) low), wettest Jan (7 rain days), driest Apr (5). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Coonabarabran: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

33°C (91°F)

18°C (64°F)

7 rd

Feb

32°C (90°F)

18°C (64°F)

7 rd

Mar

29°C (84°F)

15°C (59°F)

6 rd

Apr

25°C (77°F)

11°C (52°F)

5 rd

May

20°C (68°F)

7°C (45°F)

6 rd

Jun

16°C (61°F)

4°C (39°F)

7 rd

Jul

15°C (59°F)

3°C (37°F)

7 rd

Aug

17°C (63°F)

4°C (39°F)

6 rd

Sep

21°C (70°F)

7°C (45°F)

6 rd

Oct

25°C (77°F)

11°C (52°F)

7 rd

Nov

29°C (84°F)

14°C (57°F)

7 rd

Dec

32°C (90°F)

17°C (63°F)

7 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. The town centre is walkable in 10 minutes, but Siding Spring is 27 km west and Warrumbungle National Park beyond it; there is no town bus service to either. Fuel up in town before heading west — the next reliable fuel is Dubbo or Narrabri.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Siding Spring Observatory

go

Door to door: About 30 min each way

Drive Observatory Road west from town, about 27 km (17 mi)

Visitor gallery, exhibition and café; guided tours run in NSW school holidays and an open day in October. Check times before driving out.

Warrumbungle National Park

go

Door to door: About 40 min each way

Drive west past the observatory to the park entrance

Dark-sky park with the Breadknife; short walks from the picnic areas, longer day walks need an early start and water.

Dubbo

skip

Door to door: About 2 h

Newell Highway south, about 2 h

A destination in its own right, not a day return from here.

Narrabri

caution

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Newell Highway north, about 1.5 h

Doable as a half-day, but there is little reason to backtrack if you are heading north anyway.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

John Street and the highway strip

Motels on and just off the Newell/Oxley highways, walking distance to the bakery and shops; best for one night with a car.

Newell Highway south end

Quieter motels a few minutes' drive from the centre; ask for a room away from the truck lane.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
A$90–140 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
A$140–220 (≈ US$95–150) excl. bed
High
A$220 (≈ US$150)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel double room1 × 1 night × A$160A$160
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × A$150A$300
Fuel, 100 km of local driving1 × A$18 · checkA$18
Siding Spring Observatory entry or tour2 × A$15 · checkA$30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × A$20A$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeA$55
Trip total≈ A$302 per person per day, bed includedA$603≈ US$400

2026 estimate in Australian dollars; fuel and long-distance travel excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeA$4–6 (≈ US$3–4)
Bakery pie or sandwichA$6–12 (≈ US$4–8)
Pub counter mealA$22–35 (≈ US$15–25)
Beer, schooner in a pubA$7–10 (≈ US$5–7)
Motel double room, one night2026 estimateA$110–240 (≈ US$75–160)
Fuel, unleaded per litrecheckA$1.80–2.10 (≈ US$2)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet, low-crime country town; the real risks are wildlife on the highway at dawn and dusk, summer heat on park walks, and patchy mobile coverage west of town.
  • Kangaroos and wombats on the roads at dawn, dusk and night: slow down and use high beams only when no one is ahead.
  • Mobile coverage drops west of town towards the observatory and the national park; download maps and park notes before you leave.
  • Summer days regularly pass 35 °C (95 °F); carry water for any walk in Warrumbungle National Park.
  • Book motel rooms ahead on long weekends and during NSW school holidays, when observatory tours run and the highway traffic peaks.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
000
From a mobile
112
Coonabarabran Visitors Information Centre
+61 2 6849 2144

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

CoonabarabranCoonabarabran

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance000
  • From a mobile112
  • Visitors Information Centre+61 2 6849 2144

Embassy

No embassies here; the nearest consulates are in Sydney. US, UK, Canadian and other travellers should register with their embassy in Canberra or consulate in Sydney before heading to remote areas.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Fuel, Coonabarabran to Siding Spring and back: about 55 km (34 mi), roughly A$10–12 (≈ US$7–8) (check)
  • Taxi in town: short hops only; check locally, no fixed fare table

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the fuel station? — Where is the fuel station?
  • Is there mobile coverage out there? — Is there mobile coverage out there?

Country town: cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for small stops.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Coonabarabran. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–May, Sep–Oct · avoid Dec–Feb (heat, 35 °C+ days), school holidays for observatory tours · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for DBO and TMW: last flights, drive times and an overnight rung in Coonabarabran.
  2. Walking cluster for the town centre with rescue anchors: John Street, the bakery, the crystal museum, the information centre.
  3. Place pages with verified opening hours (Siding Spring, Warrumbungle National Park, Crystal Kingdom Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Dark-sky and hostile-weather fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Australia

Sources