Rand

On Billabong Creek, about 50km north-west of Albury in the Riverina district, Rand is a small country Tidy Town in a the scenic Urrana Shire. There's a huge artesian basin in this area, which gained its reputation as an oasis when the water was discovered in 1926.

It was at Round Hill Station near Culcairn, about 50km to the east that bushranger Mad Dan Morgan pulled a hold-up in 1864. Morgan"s short but bloody reign ended when he was slain during a failed hold-up near Wangaratta, but in two years he killed three of his victims, including John McLean who died at Round Hill.

While you are in the area take in the local sights from Morgan's Lookout, visit Round Hill station and McLean"s grave and browse away an hour or so in the Mad Dan Morgan Art Cellar.

An hour"s drive north-east from Rand will take you to one of NSW"s more unusually-named towns, The Rock. The town"s dominant feature is a craggy outcrop which has long been spiritually significant to the Wiradjuri people. It is a testing, 3-hour return hike on the Yerong Trail to The Rock"s summit.