Fishing in Toorale National Park

Toorale National Park sits in outback NSW near Bourke, at the junction of two major inland rivers.

The Darling and the Warrego converge here across a vast floodplain, and the park's fishing is shaped entirely by that geography — slow, wide, often turbid water moving through river red gums and coolabah country, with seasonal wetlands spreading out across the flats after rain.

The Darling River is the main draw. Yellowbelly (golden perch) are the species most associated with fishing here, and the Darling River campground — known by its Baakandji name Yapara Paaka Thuru — puts you directly on the bank.

It's a basic bush camp: no powered sites, limited facilities, but the river right there. The cooler months between April and September are the recommended window for visiting, both for the fishing and for avoiding the full weight of outback summer heat.

The Warrego River joins the Darling within the park, and the seasonal wetlands that form after rain — including Ross Billabong — extend the fishable water considerably when conditions are right.

These floodplain waters are tied to rainfall and river height, so what's accessible in a wet year may be dry ground in a dry one. A NSW fishing licence applies here as it does across the state's public waters.

Check current conditions and any park-specific requirements with NPWS before you go — access tracks in this country can close quickly after rain, and the park is jointly managed by NPWS and the Kurnu-Baakandji Joint Management Committee, so it's worth understanding what's current before you make the drive out.

The fishing at Toorale won't suit everyone's pace. It rewards patience, an eye on the weather, and a willingness to sit with the river on its own terms.