Sturt

Sturt National Park is the most remote and arid national park in New South Wales, located in the far north-west corner of the state near Tibooburra, bordering South Australia and Queensland. Covering approximately 310,634 hectares, the park protects a vast and remarkable arid landscape encompassing stony desert, gibber plains, sand dunes, and the remarkable Jump-Up country of the Corner Country. The park is named after explorer Charles Sturt who traversed the region in 1845. The extreme remoteness and harsh conditions of the Corner Country create an otherworldly landscape of exceptional geological and natural interest.

Sturt National Park supports classic outback desert wildlife. The red kangaroo dominates the open plains, with large mobs grazing across the gibber plains. The emu is common. The park's fauna includes numerous endemic desert reptiles including the perentie (Australia's largest lizard), thorny devil, and diverse skinks. Dingoes are present. The waterways and claypans after rain attract diverse waterbirds from great distances. The endangered plains-wanderer may occur on suitable grassland. Spotted harriers and other raptors hunt the plains.

Mulga (Acacia aneura) scrubland dominates the more fertile areas. Chenopod saltbush and bluebush cover the gibber plains. Spinifex hummock grass occupies the sand dune areas near the Queensland border. After rain, the desert erupts in spectacular wildflower displays with everlasting daisies, native bluebells, and diverse ephemerals. The silver daisy bush is a conspicuous component of the arid shrubland. The Corner Country vegetation represents the arid zone flora at its most extreme.

Sturt National Park is dominated by the Jump-Up country, where flat-topped tablelands of resistant silcrete and ironstone rise abruptly above the surrounding plains. The gibber plains are formed by desert pavement — a layer of wind-polished stones left by the erosion of finer sediments. The Strzelecki Desert sand dunes in the south represent the most arid section. Fossil vertebrate remains from ancient lake sediments have been found in the region.

The park has an extreme arid climate. Annual rainfall is approximately 150 to 200 millimetres, highly variable. Summers are ferociously hot, regularly exceeding 45°C. Winters are cold with overnight frosts. Visiting in winter (June to August) or spring (August to October) is essential.

The Malyangapa people are the traditional custodians of the Tibooburra region. The Corner Country was used seasonally, particularly when waterpoints were available after rain. Charles Sturt reached the area in 1845 during his expedition to the interior, suffering great hardship in the extreme heat.

Sturt National Park was gazetted in 1972, protecting the extraordinary Corner Country from continued pastoral pressure. The park's establishment preserved one of the most remote and pristine arid landscapes in New South Wales.

The Jump-Up country of Mt. Wood and Dead Horse Gully is the park's most iconic landscape. The Tibooburra township adjacent to the park provides visitor services. Campgrounds at Olive Downs, Dead Horse Gully, and Cameron Corner provide access to the park's interior. The famous Corner Marker where NSW, SA, and QLD meet is accessible from the park.

Basic campgrounds with water are provided. Access requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. Tibooburra is 330 kilometres north of Broken Hill on mostly dirt roads. Broken Hill provides the nearest major services. A national parks pass applies.

Managing feral goats, which can have enormous populations after good seasons, is the primary management challenge. Invasive pasture grasses threaten to transform the desert ecosystem. Maintaining dingoes for ecosystem control is managed. The park's extreme remoteness is its greatest conservation asset.