Parkes


 * See Canberra/South Canberra for the Parkes in the ACT

Parkes is in town and service centre in Central West NSW. Its main claim to fame has traditionally been the large radio telescope located just outside the town. The telescope was featured in the 2000 movie The Dish. The town also hosts an annual Elvis Festival, attracting visitors and impersonators from a distance. Apart from these two features, the town is a somewhat sleepy and attractive country town. Well worth a stop off or a weekend away.

Understand
The town of Parkes was renamed from Bushman's Lead following visit by Sir Henry Parkes (known as the father of Australian Federation). The connection to Parkes is tenuous - he was born in England, and lived in Sydney, and delivered is most famous speech in Tenterfield. Still, you can find a statue of Henry (looking every bit like a founding father) surrounded by a pretty fountain in downtown Parkes.

Get in
Parkes is around 450 km west of Sydney, 99km west of Orange and 110km south of Dubbo.

By car
Parkes can be reached by going 110 km south of Dubbo using A39 (Newell Highway)

By plane
Scheduled commercial flights from Sydney. Charter also available. Car hire facilities are available at the airport. Book ahead to make sure there is someone to meet you.

By train
Parkes is rather inconveniently accessible by train, with the Broken Hill train making a stop there weekly. NSW TrainLink Coaches connect from Orange on the Dubbo XPT train on other days.

Parkes gets its own direct train services from Sydney for the Elvis Festival. But book well in advance for these. They are an experience in themselves.

Go next

 * Dubbo is around an hour drive north via the A39.
 * Orange is an hour east of Parkes via the former State Route 90.