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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Wentworth, New South Wales
Give Wentworth one night, or a half-day from Mildura: the river junction, the old gaol and the sandhills fill an afternoon, not a weekend.
Wentworth sits where the Murray and the Darling meet, the only place in Australia where its two longest rivers join. It is a small town of about 1,400 people, 30 minutes north of Mildura by car, and it works as a short stop on the Lower Darling run to Broken Hill or Mungo rather than a destination in itself. Two or three hours of sights, one motel strip, one bakery.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (40 °C (104 °F) days), Jan school holidaysDec–Feb (104 °F (40 °C) days), Jan school holidays
- 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$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$140–220 excl. bed · High A$220+ excl. bed (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 a mobile 112 · Mildura Base Hospital +61 3 5022 3333
- 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 | A$4–6 |
| Bakery pie or sandwich | A$6–12 |
| Pub counter meal | A$22–35 |
| Motel double room, per night | A$120–260 (check) |
| Unleaded fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.10 (check) |
| Museum entry | A$5–15 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MQL · Mildura Airport
- Closest airport with scheduled flights; about 30 min by car from Wentworth. Wentworth's own airstrip has no scheduled passenger service.
Typical fares
- Wentworth → Mildura, 950 bus
- about 40 min, check the current timetable and fare
- Mildura Airport → Wentworth, taxi
- about A$70–90, 30 min (check)
- Fuel, Wentworth → Mungo return
- about 300 km (186 mi), fill up in Wentworth or Milduraabout 186 mi (300 km), fill up in Wentworth or Mildura
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
You need a car. The town is walkable end to end in about 20 minutes, but the gaol, the junction and Perry Sandhills are spread out and there is no local taxi or rideshare worth relying on. The 950 bus links Wentworth with Mildura via Buronga and Curlwaa, but it is a commuter service, not a sightseeing loop.
See and do
Known for
- Murray–Darling junction
- Old Wentworth Gaol
- Perry Sandhills
- Riverboat and paddle-steamer history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mildura | Car north on the A79/B79, about 30 min; the 950 bus also runs the route | About 45 min |
| Mungo National Park | Car via Pooncarie on unsealed roads, about 2 h 30 min | 2.5–3 h |
| Balranald | Car south-east on the Sturt Highway, about 1 h 45 min | About 2 h |
| Pooncarie | Car north along the Darling, partly unsealed, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Adams Street and the town centre
- The motel strip, bakery and pub are all within a few minutes' walk; the only sensible base in town.
- Mildura
- Bigger choice of beds, restaurants and an airport; 30 min south if you would rather not move hotels.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How far is it to Mungo? | How far is it to Mungo? |
| Is the road sealed? | Is the road sealed? |
| Where is the river junction? | Where is the river junction? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
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
- Summer heat is the real hazard: 40 °C days are normal in Jan and Feb, and shade is scarce at the junction and the sandhills.
- The Murray crossing at the edge of town takes one vehicle at a time; expect a short queue on holiday weekends.
- Fuel and food options thin out fast north of Wentworth: fill up before you leave for Broken Hill or Mungo.
- Mobile coverage is patchy on the back roads towards Pooncarie and Mungo National Park.
A quiet, low-crime country town; the risks are heat, distance and unsealed roads, not people. Carry water, tell someone your route if you head to Mungo, and avoid walking the sandhills at midday in summer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Wentworth, New South Wales yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Murray–Darling junction
- Old Wentworth Gaol
- Perry Sandhills
- Riverboat and paddle-steamer history
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Wentworth — official tourism site: visitwentworth.com.au/
- Wentworth Shire Council: www.wentworth.nsw.gov.au/
- Wikivoyage: Wentworth (New South Wales), revision 4802616 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4802616
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Wentworth, New South Wales
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From a mobile112
- Mildura Base Hospital+61 3 5022 3333
No embassies in Wentworth; the nearest consular help is in Melbourne or Canberra (check your country's list).
English is the only language you need here.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/wentworth-new-south-wales). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.