The many dams in regional NSW, designed to supply water to irrigators, mines and households, also make great holiday destinations.
Story + Photos Don Fuchs
"I’m very happy up there,” says Bruce Taylor, a farmer and competitive glider pilot from Kentucky near Armidale, NSW. “I’ve been flying gliders pretty seriously for 42 years.”
Bruce has successfully participated in many world and national championships. Looking out through the confining acrylic cockpit hood of his glider, Bruce can admire a tapestry of earthy colours, typical for the summer-burned countryside. Hues of brown, beiges and red dominate.
Into this is carved a river. Fingers of eucalypt forests reach into it. Distant hills and mountains are crowned by white, puffy cumuli, a sight appreciated by glider pilots, because they indicate thermals, so helpful for soaring.
“We have great scenery with the lake and Mt Kaputar just up to the north-west,” he says. “It’s a very pretty place to fly – a lot of variety in the terrain that you are flying over and the conditions are usually pretty good.”
The lake he mentions is Lake Keepit, a substantial water reservoir of 44sq km. Close to its shores is the Lake Keepit Soaring Club, considered one of the best soaring locations in Australia.
Lake Keepit is situated between Gunnedah and Tamworth and is one of several dams that dot an 800km driving route connecting the regional towns of Cowra – known for its Japanese Garden – and Inverell in New England. The dams are the main attractions on this trip and to do them justice requires a minimum of seven days. At nearly all the WaterNSW-managed dams are Reflections holiday parks, which reinvest profits into public land. By following quiet back roads, this journey between them also reveals the rural beauty of the agricultural heartland of Central NSW and the rich farming stronghold of New England.
At the beginning of this route, just 40 km south-east of Cowra, is Wyangala Dam. This 54sq km body of water is placed in a hilly landscape. From the lofty, quiet vantage point of Elliotts Lookout, high above the western shores of the reservoir, the appealing lakescape spreads out in front of you.
This story excerpt is from Issue #169
Outback Magazine: Oct/Nov 2026
