EVERY MINUTE OF EVERYDAY SOMEONE DISCOVERS THE WONDERS OF DUBBO Each year about 530,000 visitors set off for the great plains city of NSW and the next could be you.

Home to one of the worlds finest open range zoos Dubbo is a natural tourist destination for all ages. Long summers, fine food and wine, pristine parklands and a non-stop calendar of events and festivals make it a genuine family favourite.

This is your opportunity to experience country on a grand scale big-hearted, confident and on the go with all the exuberance of its frontier origins.

Our internationally acclaimed Western Plains Zoo is just the start of your inland adventure, but what a start! This is a six-kilometre bushland encounter with some of the most endangered species on the planet. Safari behind-the-scenes to feed and interact with the giants of the African savannah.

Your journey into the wild kicks off an exciting tourist circuit of attractions just 10-minutes from the city centre. Explore Australias oldest standing timber slab homestead. Visit the observatory and discover the galaxies. Relive our military history. Play a round of putt putt golf. Sample our local wines along with a platter of fresh regional produce.

Set on the Macquarie River, in the heart of New South Wales, Dubbo is no longer a dusty outpost of the colony but a dynamic retail hub servicing an area almost a third of the state in size. The citys 40,000 residents enjoy a cosmopolitan lifestyle while retaining the down-to-earth hospitality that keeps visitors returning year after year.

There are many reminders of our pioneering past and setting off on a heritage trail is the perfect way to reconnect with a bygone era. A tour of the fully restored Old Dubbo Gaol, with its murderous tales and hangmans gallows, is a vivid glimpse into our colonial roots.

Free, but no less enticing, are the many scenic walking trails, cycleways, parks and gardens dotted throughout the city. Few afternoons are better spent than a country picnic by the river while the kids let loose on the playground equipment. Enjoy any number of tranquil spots to unwind and reflect, including the beautiful Shoyoen Japanese Garden where you can participate in a traditional tea ceremony.

Families of all ages will enjoy the modern five-screen cinema complex, mini golf and tenpin bowling. Saddle up a few ponies and head off on an old-fashioned Aussie trail ride.

For an inspiring insight into our rich and diverse culture, explore the galleries and craft shops featuring the works of well-known artists, sculptors and potters in a range of traditional, indigenous and emerging styles.

Whatever you do, set your holiday compass for Dubbo in the heart of the state. Whether youve come to escape, connect, revisit or refresh, youll discover an authentic Aussie experience.