The ultimate scavenger hunt you need to do in Parkes NSW

Rich with history and surrounded by natural attractions and fabulous outdoor experiences, Parkes in Central NSW is a little town with a big personality. 

To show off this pretty slice of regional Australia, Parkes NSW has launched an Easter Adventure Campaign inviting visitors on a scavenger hunt across the region. The scavenger hunt is designed to help travellers discover the many incredible local attractions Parkes has to offer. 

There’s even a chance to win $1000 in Parkes shopping dollars by collecting QR codes from select locations on the map.

Not that we need any enticement to visit because pretty Parkes punches way above its weight when it comes to kid-friendly fun.

To join the scavenger hunt, travellers simply need to collect the QR codes across the region’s incredible locations.

Here are a few of our favourite activities and attractions for kids – some of which are included in the scavenger hunt.

The movie star of Parkes 

The CSIRO Parkes Observatory’s radio telescope, affectionately known as ‘The Dish’ is both a movie star and an icon of world space exploration. This is thanks to its leading role as one of several radio antennae used to receive television images of the Apollo 11 space landing.

A holiday highlight for my wannabe astronauts, along with housing the 64-metre radio telescope, is the jaw-dropping space movies in the 3D theatre. As well as the cool mini Astro Scavenger Hunt, which made our visit as educational as it was fun.

Uncover history through art

The Parkes Public Art Trail is a free and fun activity for families visiting Parkes. The colourful murals and sculptures tell stories of the region’s history, astronomy, literacy, agriculture and indigenous heritage. Not to mention, an almighty smattering of Elvis, who is so beloved in Parkes there’s an annual festival celebrating his music and the legend every January.

Most of the sculptures and murals can be found in the centre of town. However, there are also some great installations at Peak Hill, Trundle, Tullamore and Bogan Gate.

Shake, rattle and roll into The Henry Parkes Centre

Speaking of Elvis, what do you get when a Wiggle and Elvis Presley collide?  The King’s Castle Elvis Exhibit, Australia’s only permanent exhibition of Elvis Presley artefacts.

Curated by original Yellow Wiggle, Greg Page, my own pint-sized Elvis fans were all shook by the unique exhibition. It’s just one of four museums at The Henry Parkes Centre, a one-stop shot of pop-culture served with a side of regional history.

Moat Cottage, a replica of the ‘Father of Federation’ Sir Henry Parkes, and the Henry Parkes Museum & Antique Machinery Collection, with its collection of historic buildings and objects, takes things back a notch, depicting early life in Parkes.

For those who prefer their history on wheels, Parkes Motor Museum offers an impressive collection of motor vehicles and memorabilia.

Keep reading:

The best holiday parks in Australia

Why the whole family will love Parkes, NSW

Go for gold at Peak Hill Mine

Parkes was a town created by the gold mining boom of the 1860s with the historic Peak Hill Mine producing about 60,000 ounces of precious metal between 1893 and 1917.

While operations ceased some time ago, families can still strike educational gold at the open cut gold mine on a self-guided tour. Simply follow the paths around the old mine areas to well-constructed viewing areas of the open cut mining areas. Here, you’ll gain a fascinating insight into mining techniques used historically and in more recent mines.

Wing it to the Parkes Aviation Museum

The junior jet set love the Parkes Aviation Museum located at the end of Muzycuk Drive at Parkes Airport in a former RAAF hangar that harks back to the airport’s former life as a World War Two RAAF base, accommodating air navigation, air gunners and operational training schools that included former PM Gough Whitlam as a student.

My fly babies may not have learned how to operate them, but they certainly loved learning about them. As well as the history of the sky as they explored the exhibits including a Bell AH-1 Huey Cobra, De Havilland DH.114 Heron, De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou and a Convair 580.

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