DINOS, CROCS AND GOLD

ROUTE: Townsville – Charters Towers –Hughenden – Julia Creek – Mount Isa – Cloncurry

– Adels Grove – Cobbold Gorge – Townsville

DISTANCE: 2,934km DURATION: 14 days (loop)

This 14-day Dinos, Crocs and Gold journey begins in Townsville and incorporates everything from fossicking for gold, digging for fossils on The Dinosaur Trail, heading underground at the Hard Times Mine Tour, meeting the world’s largest ever captured crocodile and walking the path of a volcano at Undara Experience. On the way back to Townsville, make sure to take a break and stop for a cold drink at a local pub along the way.

Highlights

▶ Flinders Discovery Centre – Hughenden

▶ Outdoor artesian bathhouses – Julia Creek

▶ See a live dunnart – Julia Creek

▶ Explore Kronosaurus Korner – Richmond

▶ Lake Fred Tritton – Richmond

▶ Underground Hospital and Museum Tour – Mount Isa

▶ Outback at Isa and Hard Times Mine Tour – Mount Isa

▶ John Flynn Place Museum – Cloncurry

▶ Cloncurry Unearthed and Bush Tucker Garden – Cloncurry

▶ Water tower mural – Cloncurry

▶ Lawn Hill Gorge, Boodjamulla National Park – Adels Grove

▶ Cobbold Gorge – Forsayth

▶ Undara Lava Tubes – Undara

Discovery Drive

ROUTE: Townsville – Hughenden – Cloncurry –Mount Isa – Boulia – Winton – Townsville

DISTANCE: 2,172km

DURATION: 12 days (loop)

The Discovery Drive will take you on a journey packed to the brim with Outback legends, ancient discoveries and bucket-list adventures. The drive links the Overlander’s Way and Australia’s Dinosaur Trail with the fascinating Channel Country. Explore vast everchanging landscapes; see amazing prehistoric discoveries; and connect with Australia’s pioneering communities.

HIGHLIGHTS

▶ Flinders Discovery Centre – Hughenden

▶ Hughenden Recreational Lake – Hughenden

▶ Kronosaurus Korner and marine fossils – Richmond

▶ Lake Fred Tritton – Richmond

▶ At The Creek and dunnarts – Julia Creek

▶ Artesian baths – Julia Creek

▶ Cloncurry Unearthed – Cloncurry

▶ John Flynn Place Museum – Cloncurry

▶ Outback at Isa and Hard Times Underground Mine Tour – Mount Isa

▶ Mount Isa Underground Hospital and Museum – Mount Isa

▶ Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park – via Mount Isa

▶ The Min Min Encounter and Boulia Heritage Complex – Boulia

▶ The Waltzing Matilda Centre – Winton

▶ Australian Age of Dinosaurs – Winton

Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, Longreach

Hughenden

Gems Of The Outback Loop

ROUTE: Emerald – Jericho – Barcaldine – Muttaburra – Hughenden – Winton – Longreach – Blackall –Tambo – Roma – Carnarvon Gorge – Emerald

DISTANCE: 2,451km DURATION: 14 days (loop)

Explore Outback Queensland on this 14-day Gems of the Outback journey. Fossick for your fortune, meet Hughie the giant Muttaburrasauras, detour for the unique Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail, glide on the Thomson River at sunset, take a guided tour of the historic Blackall Woolscour, visit the largest cattle saleyards in Australia, and explore Carnarvon Gorge!

HIGHLIGHTS

▶ Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail – via Aramac

▶ The Tree of Knowledge – Barcaldine

▶ Australian Workers Heritage Centre – Barcaldine

▶ Flinders Discovery Centre and the Dinosaur Trail – Hughenden

▶ Australian Age of Dinosaurs – Winton

▶ Waltzing Matilda Centre – Winton

▶ Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame – Longreach

▶ Qantas Founders Museum and Luminescent Show – Longreach

Winton

Longreach

Muttaburra

Barcaldine Isisford

Emerald Jericho Blackall

Tambo

Carnarvon Gorge

Augathella Roma

▶ Powerhouse & Historical Museum – Longreach

▶ Cruises on the Thomson River – Longreach

▶ Tambo Teddies – Tambo

▶ The Blackall Woolscour – Blackall

▶ The Big Rig – Roma

▶ Carnarvon National Park and Art Gallery Walk – Injune

Great Inland Way

ROUTE: Sydney – St George – Roma – Injune –Emerald – Charters Towers – Cairns

DISTANCE: 3,005km DURATION: 16 days (one way)

The Great Inland Way starts in Sydney and takes in much of central New South Wales before reaching the Queensland border at Hebel. The Queensland leg extends from Outback Queensland to the Coral Sea, passing through Dirranbandi and St George, Surat, Roma and Injune, en-route to the sandstone escarpments of Carnarvon National Park. This 16-day adventure ends in Cairns where you can explore above and below the fringing Coral Sea.

HIGHLIGHTS

▶ The famous Nindigully Pub – Nindigully

▶ Balonne River fishing and exploring – St George

▶ St George Heritage Trail and Heritage Centre – St George

▶ Wine tour and tasting at Riversands Vineyards – St George

▶ Cotton farm and vineyard tour – St George

▶ Cobb and Co Changing Station – Surat

▶ The Big Rig – Roma

▶ Roma Bush Gardens – Roma

▶ Adungadoo Pathway along Bungil Creek – Roma

▶ Roma Saleyards – largest cattle yards in Australia

▶ Carnarvon National Park and Art Gallery Walk – Injune

The Matilda Way is one road that most definitely leads to adventure, and a different one each day.

Along the Matilda Way you will discover little known secrets, experience the raw history of the region and natural wonders of the vast and ancient landscapes. As you’re travelling, check the byways along the route; there are plenty of side-trips that add to the overall Outback experience. Just remember you are sharing the road with huge road trains, livestock and native animals, take care and give way, you’ll protect your vehicle and the truckies will thank you for it. Come and enjoy experiencing the Outback along the Matilda Way.

The fully sealed 1812 kilometre highway stretches from the New South Wales border all the way to the Gulf of Carpentaria, from Cunnamulla to Karumba. Traversing the ‘real Outback’, the route is filled with friendly local characters, unique attractions and unspoiled natural sites. Four days is a comfortable drive, depending on how long you spend discovering the unique charms of each township. /matildahighway /matildaway outbackqueensland.com.au/drive/matilda-way

Leichhardt Way

ROUTE: Goondiwindi – Miles – Theodore –Rockhampton – Yeppoon

DISTANCE: 703km DURATION: 4 days (one way)

Named after the courageous explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, this inland road passes through the Queensland border town of Goondiwindi, via Theodore, and then on to the coastal town of Yeppoon. Drive through friendly country towns, past picturesque rivers, stopping for a picnic or spot of fishing. There are so many things to do along this inland route – from bush walks in National Parks, to historic museums full of artefacts and fun facts.

HIGHLIGHTS

▶ Isla Gorge National Park – via Taroom

▶ The Leichhardt Tree – Taroom

▶ Taroom Historical Museum and Star of Taroom – Taroom

▶ Gilberts Lookout – Taroom

▶ Cracow Hotel country pub and historic town – Cracow

▶ Dawson Folk Museum – Theodore

▶ Water tower mural – Moura

▶ Moura Miners Memorial – Moura

▶ Moura Coal and Country Museum – Moura

▶ Banana the bullock statue – Banana

▶ Baralaba Historical Village – Baralaba

▶ Dawson River fishing & swimming – via Baralaba

▶ Dululu township

Matilda Way

ROUTE: Cunnamulla – Charleville – Blackall –Longreach – Winton – Cloncurry – Karumba

DISTANCE: 1,812km DURATION: 10 days (one way)

The Matilda Way is one road that most definitely leads to adventure. The fully sealed 1,812 kilometre highway stretches from the New South Wales border all the way to the Gulf of Carpentaria, from Cunnamulla to Karumba. Traversing the route is filled with friendly local characters, unique attractions and unspoiled natural sites.

HIGHLIGHTS

▶ The Artesian Time Tunnel – Cunnamulla

▶ The Cosmos Centre and Observatory – Charleville

▶ Bilby Experience and WWII Secret Base and Tour – Charleville

▶ Tambo Teddies – Tambo

▶ Historic Blackall Woolscour – Blackall

▶ The Tree of Knowledge – Barcaldine

▶ Australian Workers Heritage Centre – Barcaldine

▶ Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame – Longreach

▶ Qantas Founders Museum – Longreach

▶ Powerhouse & Historical Museum – Longreach

▶ Thomson River cruises – Longreach

▶ Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry Conservation Park – Winton

▶ Australian Age of Dinosaurs – Winton

▶ Waltzing Matilda Centre – Winton

▶ John Flynn Place and Cloncurry Unearthed Museum – Cloncurry

▶ The Barra Centre – Karumba