Our trip to Wentworth in NSW was for one particular reason and that was to see FOSO – the Fibre Optic Symphony Orchestra, another brilliant installation by Bruce Munro, and the third one we’ve seen of his mesmerizing art, light and sound productions.

Wentworth is only around 140 kilometres over the South Australian border, and the setting for FOSO is an open plain with the Perry Sand Hills as a backdrop. Here, 80 iconic Hills Hoists (classic Aussie rotary clothes lines} stand like a metallic forest until they are transformed just after sunset.

Once the sun has set these props draped in fibre optic lights, begin to dazzle and invite you in to walk amongst them and enjoy an absolutely ethereal experience. Each of the 80 structures represents an instrument in this symphony orchestra with the sound building and lights responding as you walk amongst them and closer to them.

The music is an original score by Emmy award winning composer Nainita Desai, and the combination of the landscape, night sky, symphony music and changing lights, makes it a magical evening. FOSO is on every Thursday and Saturday evening, with gates open from 5.30 – 9.00pm during winter.

These times allow you to get there and watch the sunset over the dunes and enjoy a drink from the bar, before taking in the lights from an elevated position. As the sky gets darker you can then make your way down to the lower level and walk amongst the installation, soaking up the atmosphere.

Make sure to wear the warmest layers you have including a coat, beanie, and gloves and you’ll enjoy this beautiful experience. Ticket prices are $35 for adults and $22 concessions.

FOSO is another outstanding Bruce Munro installation; the others of which we’ve seen include Field of Light at Uluru and Trail of lights at nearby Mildura. All of them are completely mesmerizing and each a little different.

We stayed in Wentworth so it was an easy drive at night to see FOSO, only about six kilometres out of town and the Wanderers Crossing River Retreat is an ideal spot to stay, with caravan sites right on the river, a terrific camp kitchen, lovely hosts (and caretakers) and the best caravan park veggie garden I’ve ever seen.  It rivals many a home veggie garden and is there for patrons to help themselves to.

When in Wentworth there are other things to keep you busy during the day including riverside walks, and sightseeing cruises on the Paddle Vessel Rothbury, which is currently moored in Wentworth while renovations are happening in Mildura.

The old Wentworth Gaol and Pioneers Museum are also interesting places to see and the Visitor Information Centre is a must. Inside you’ll learn all about the town of Wentworth, its indigenous and European history and its relationship with the Darling River that it sits on. The theaterette has a brilliant short film to watch which shows the devastation of the river in flood, from the viewpoint of a local woman who photographed some incredible scenes at the time.

Taking a short stroll across the river on the footbridge you can visit Fotherby Park for more local history, including a paddle boat under restoration, the original pine log courthouse and a statue of a well known character by the name of Possum, who was an itinerant nomad, a hermit who lived in the bush along the Darling and Murray Rivers, and picked up work on farms to sustain himself for many years, up to his death at the age of 81.

Another must visit is to see where Australia’s two largest rivers, the Darling and the Murray meet. Junction Park is the site to go and there you can climb an observation tower to see where the two rivers join and continue on as the Murray River, all the way through to the mouth at Goolwa in South Australia.

From the tower you can see Junction Island and this is another great walk to take to see where both rivers come together. From a car park area you can take the easy two kilometre return walk, through natural scrub and stand at the point of the confluence of these two rivers.

Back in town there are two very welcoming hotels, a bakery, takeaway shop, cafes, supermarket and lovely boutique shops to browse and buy from.

Enjoy Wentworth

Glenys