"What a great day out! Simmo really knows his 4WD and obviously loves showing people around the great outdoors. Simmo you are lots of fun and top value! I wish I had a four wheel drive too"
Carissa Campbell, Bathurst NSW
Departing Orange or Bathurst, Simmo's Offroad Tours offer full day Scenic 4WD Tours across the Central West of New South Wales, showcasing some truly rugged, breathtaking landscapes, native wildlife, and interesting locations of historical significance.
Popular four wheel drive day trips include the Ophir Goldfields, Mount Canobolas, Kanangra Boyd National Park, Abercrombie River National Park, Gardens of stone National Park, and the historic townships of Sofala and Hill End along the majestic Bridle Track.
My Twilight "Spotlight Tours" are becoming very popular too. We explore the native bushland by 4WD, with powerful spotlights to locate and identify a wide variety of native animals that venture out at night! These environmentally friendly, Eco Tours also feature wholesome camp-style meals, matched with some great local wines!
There are many tracks to be explored and some great places to visit right across the Central West of New South Wales, just a few hours out of Sydney, so please feel free to Contact Me for the latest day trips available in your area.
Of course, if you have your own four wheel drive, you may prefer to join me on a 4WD Tag-a-Long Tour . These guided tours are a great way to "get out there" and explore with the help of a local, experienced guide.
Here's just a few examples of my Scenic 4WD Passenger Tours on offer...
SCENIC 4WD TRIP TO HILL END, SOFALA
This is a truly beautiful, memorable 4WD experience, exploring some 150km of bush tracks in rugged mountainous terrain. You'll be amazed at what a four wheel drive vehicle can do, how beautiful the Australian Bush really is, and just how exciting and interesting our rich history is. Travelling to Hill End is like stepping back in time - to the days of the Gold rush when thousands of people lived and toiled in the goldfields in search of a better life...
Hill End is a proclaimed Historic Site managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales. Much of the town's history has been preserved - so come and discover it with me for the day...
Departing Orange, or Bathurst, we make our way along medium grade, sometimes challenging, but picturesque 4WD tracks, crossing the Macquarie and Turon rivers, eventually reaching the historical goldmining town of Hill End. Explore the remnants of the early goldmines, settler cottages and cemetery, visit the Information Centre and museum, General Store, or the new National Parks Discovery Centre.
We can visit a working underground mine and museum at the renowned History Hill, or we can try our own luck, panning for gold in Tambaroora Creek with my own lucky gold pans.
Somewhere along the trail we boil the billy and enjoy a BBQ lunch, freshly brewed coffee, or a billy tea. Hill End also has some lovely cafe's and restaurants, including the Royal Hotel, (established 1872), Hill End Lodge, Rose Cottage or Hosies Cafe and the ol' lolly shop (a favourite with the kids).
This is a private charter 4WD Tour with me as your personal driver and guide. It is a great day out in the Australian bush, suitable for families, a group of friends or that "special someone".
I am only too happy to work in with you so please Contact Me if you have any inquiries at all.
Pick up is generally 9.30am from your motel or B&B in either Orange or Bathurst, returning safely approximately 5.30pm.
Cost: Adults $200 Children are Free
Includes pick up and drop off from Orange or Bathurst, entry to the NPWS Information Centre and Museum, a BBQ lunch, coffee, tea, cool drinks, and use of gold panning equipment.
Minimum 2 Adults, Maximum 4, children are free. Contact Me for a terrific group rate and a top day out in the Australian Bush.
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SCENIC 4WD TOUR OF OPHIR - AUSTRALIA's FIRST GOLD FIELD
Australia's very first payble gold was discovered by Sir Edward Hammond Hargraves at Ophir (approximately 30km North of Orange) in 1851, and by the peak of the resulting gold rush thousands of people had migrated across the blue mountains in search of their fortune and a better way of life.
These days, Ophir may appear simply as a nice place for a picnic; a pretty pebbled stream, modern barbecue facilities and plenty of native wildlife to photograph. But Ophir has an interesting story to tell, and if you know where to look there is ample evidence of the gold rush days scattered about the bush.
Spend a day at Ophir - Australia's very first gold field, with me as your personal driver and guide and discover what life was like when gold fever swept across the New South Wales colony...
We explore some lovely, sometimes challenging 4WD and walking tracks within the Ophir gold fields, visiting some picturesque waterfalls, and stunning lookouts across the rugged natural landscape. I guide you to the sites of old stone colonial dwellings, abandoned mine shafts and elaborate tunnels - explaining how they were constructed and their historical significance. We also visit the old Ophir cemetery and learn how some of the less fortunate gold pioneers met their fate.
We can try our own luck, panning for alluvial gold in Summer Hill Creek, or we can visit an underground gold reef mine which still operates today.
Somewhere along the trail we boil the billy and enjoy a BBQ lunch, freshly brewed coffee or bush tea.
If you keep your eye out we should kangaroos, wallabies, platypus, echidna, goannas, shingle back lizards and even the odd snake or two! There are also many unmarked mine shafts, uneven and unstable ground, loose rocks and other natural hazards, so care needs to be taken. Children need to be supervised at all times. Long pants and sensible walking shoes are advised and guests need to be reasonably fit.
Water and sunscreen is provided for you, but please remember to bring a hat, and of course your camera.
Pick up 10am from your motel or B&B in Orange, returning approximately 5pm.
Cost: Adults $175 Children are free
Includes a BBQ lunch, coffee, tea, cool drinks, entry to Gunnadoo mine and use of gold panning equipment.
Minimum 2 Adults, Maximum 4, children are free. Contact Me for a terrific group rate and a top day out exploring the bush by 4WD.
SIMMO'S TWILIGHT WILDLIFE TOUR
Departing Orange, or Bathurst, you are collected in the late afternoon (typically 5pm) and we head out into the Australian bush in my four wheel drive for the evening. As the sun sets, we turn on the spotlights and play "Spotto", identifying a wide variety of native animals that venture out at night! You and your partner, family, or friends are treated to a traditional, hearty, camp-style evening meal, matched with great local wines!
Simmo's Spotlight Tours are an environmentally friendly, Eco Tour where we spot many weird and wonderful native Australian animals as they go about their business. Species we commonly spot include kangaroos, wallabies, echidna, platypus, wombats, possums, owls, wedge-tailed eagles and fruit bats. We also frequently spot several introduced species, including wild deer, foxes, rabbits, goats and feral pigs.
Cost: Adults $175 Children are Free
Includes pick up and drop off from your motel or B&B, a hearty camp-style evening meal, local wine, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.
Minimum 2 Adults, Maximum 4, children are free. Please Contact Me for further details.
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