THERE’S MORE TO EXPLORE IN Q U E E N S L A N D ’ S BAC K YA R D
outbackqueensland.com.au
DRIVING AND DREAMING IN OUTBACK QUEENSLAND Australia is a land dominated by vast, expansive landscapes and Outback Queensland has some of the most stunning and unique. To fully appreciate this great land with all its diversity and individuality, it’s time to pick up a map and take to the road – your own backyard is ready and waiting for you to explore. The Outback takes us back to our roots, to the heart of what makes us Australian, reminding us of how lucky we are to live in this incredible country. It opens our hearts and minds and keeps us dreaming of the past, and the future. When it comes to choosing where to drive through Outback Queensland, you’re only limited by your dreams. If you’re starting from Brisbane, you can weave
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Drive Outback Queensland
your way west through to Birdsville, past the largest cattle yards in the Southern Hemisphere, and on to the spectacular red sands of the desert country. From Sydney or Melbourne, you can traverse your way north through incredible landscapes and national parks on your way to the Queensland coastline. From Rockhampton or Cairns you can head west to explore ancient wonders, dinosaurs, and Outback stations and characters. Wherever you are in Australia, Queensland’s Outback is waiting to reveal its secrets to you. And there’s no better way to discover them than on the road.
Outback Queensland - there’s more to explore in Queensland’s backyard
CONTENTS Outback Queensland’s 2021 Drive Guide has everything you need to plan your next incredible Outback Queensland holiday. From road trips to Outback events, Australian culture and wild adventure, we have it all. And we’re ready to share it with you! We’ll see you on the road.
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ICONIC ATTRACTIONS
5
OUR REGIONS
18
MUST-DO EVENTS
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DRIVE ITINERARIES
20
FAMILY FUN
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NATIONAL PARKS
Outback Queensland Tourism has compiled and produced this publication in the interests of fostering and developing tourism in Queensland. No part of this publication (advertising or editorial) may be reproduced without written permission of the Outback Queensland Tourism Association Inc. ©OQTA 2021. No responsibility is accepted for information contained in advertisements or editorial. The inclusion or exclusion of any establishment does not indicate any recommendation or otherwise on the part of the Association which, in addition, does not hold itself responsible for any complaints relating to such establishments or businesses. However, we would welcome constructive comments from visitors to the region and these should be addressed to: CEO, Outback Queensland Tourism Association, PO Box 506, Longreach QLD 4610 Photo credits: courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland, Queensland Government, and other tourism partners and Councils in Outback Queensland. Cover image location: Outback road near Cloncurry - courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland
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OUTBACK DREAMING
5 ICONIC REASONS TO DRIVE OUTBACK QUEENSLAND IN 2021 Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame
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he Outback is our cultural home. The place of ancient landscapes and pioneering history, Outback characters and stories, Indigenous culture and sacred places. And the place where the vast Outback plains nestle in with deserts, rivers, gorges, pastoral farmland and iconic station life. In Outback Queensland you can experience the best that Australia has to offer, including road trips to quintessentially Aussie events, unique Australian culture to wild adventures.
1. ROAD TRIPS Nothing is more Australian than a family road trip holiday – the joy of the open road and travelling through our vast and spectacular country. A road trip through Queensland’s Outback is a fantastic and utterly iconic way to view this majestic and historical part of our country. Driving along the Outback roads, with the vast blue sky hugging the red earth, you can imagine a time when you would have been crossing on horseback with a drove of cattle, or picture how Indigenous people worked and lived here for tens of thousands of years. From 10 days up the Matilda Way, to four days on the Dinosaur Trail, there is something for everybody. Take the kids, take the grandparents, you can even take the dog to most places these days. And driving in the Outback is much easier than you think – no stress, no traffic and no traffic lights.
2. OUTBACK EVENTS 2021 sees the return of many of our favourite Outback Queensland events. Queensland’s Outback township of Winton will be celebrating its biennial Outback Festival once again bringing together people from all walks of life. Don’t miss the Birdsville Races or Big Red Bash, Mount
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Drive Outback Queensland
Isa Rodeo or the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival (fast becoming known as the ‘Hollywood in the Outback’). Other must-do events are Roma’s Easter in the Country, the Cunnamulla Fella Festival, or tee off for your chance to win $1 million at the Outback Queensland Masters golfing events. (See all Must-Do Events on page 18.)
3. AUSTRALIAN CULTURE & HISTORY Don’t miss new key attractions added to the already incredible cultural experiences we have in Outback Queensland. The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame is receiving a major renovation in 2021 (reopening April 2021) with new exhibits and state-of-the-art interactive features, while the Qantas Founders Museum continues to wow audiences with its recently launched Luminescent night show. The ‘Top Secret’ WWII Tour in Charleville is an eye-opening insight into the key role the town played during WWII. Outback pioneering history and early exploration are also central themes found across the region. Check out Roma’s The Big Rig which celebrates the discovery of oil. Experience Cobb & Co’s contribution to Outback life in Surat and Longreach. Discover the critical role of the Royal Flying Doctor Service at the museum in Charleville and the John Flynn Centre in Cloncurry. Immerse yourself in Australia’s most well-loved song at Winton’s Waltzing Matilda Centre, or learn about the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party and 1891 shearer’s strike in Barcaldine and the Tree of Knowledge. Outback Queensland’s Indigenous history is on show too – with cultural tours and experiences available at locations across the region, including guided tours in Carnarvon National Park and Carnarvon Ranges near Injune, the new Desert Dreaming Centre in Barcaldine, and the South West Indigenous Cultural Trail.
4. INTO THE WILD One of the best parts of a visit to Outback Queensland is being able to experience the wild side of Australia’s unique landscapes. Favourites include Carnarvon Gorge in Carnarvon National Park and Cobbold Gorge. Both are natural sandstone formations and water holes that boast an abundance of plant, bird and animal life. Outback Queensland is famous for our dramatic scenery and incredible national parks. From Currawinya National Park boasting a red sandplain landscape, to Lark Quarry Conservation Park, where 95 million years ago, dinosaurs left their footprints on the shores of a muddy lake. Birdsville is the gateway to Munga-Thirri (Simpson Desert) National Park, a definite must-do experience for all Australians.
5. ADVENTURE When you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, there are some incredible experiences on offer in Outback Queensland. For camping, find yourself a spot within a real-life working Outback station at The Lake, just east of Quilpie, at Charlotte Plains near Cunnamulla, or a glamping tent at Wallaroo Outback Retreat near Injune. If it’s camels you’re after, you can certainly cheer one on at the Boulia Camel Races. Take a 4WD off-road to explore Hell Hole Gorge or Bladensburg National Park, or hunt for opals in Quilpie Shire. For archaeological adventure, don’t miss our dinosaur experiences: Australia’s Dinosaur Trail linking the towns of Richmond, Hughenden and Winton. And in the south west you will find the Eromanga Natural History Museum with ‘Cooper’ the dinosaur. And for fishing try to catch one of the river giants in the Sandstone Wonders and Barcoo regions. When you’re all tuckered out, soak in the minerals of the artesian waters found across the Outback region.
SOUTH WEST
INCORPORATING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROMA, CHARLEVILLE, QUILPIE, THARGOMINDAH, EROMANGA, CUNNAMULLA, AND ST GEORGE Quilpie
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ooking for adventure? You’ll find it in the south west. In fact, it’s so adventurous, they named one of the drive routes which cuts through this Outback territory, ‘The Adventure Way’. Head out along the Warrego Way and experience big nature and colour as thriving wetlands and national parks give way to red sands in the west. Adventure by day, and by night - when the sun’s gone down the galaxy puts on a nightly show.
Thallon
Explore Outback towns, natural and manmade heritage, and experience big open skies. See the region’s natural attractions including Carnarvon National Park, Roma’s Biggest Bottle Tree, EJ Beardmore Dam, Cunnamulla Bushlands,
Table Top Lookout and Lake Houdraman. St George and Surat are situated on the banks of the mighty Balonne River and are famous for Yellow Belly fishing. Stunning scenery abounds in these southern districts, with a rich history in cotton, opal, oil and gas. Experience the history and sights on a round trip of the Natural Sciences Loop connecting key attractions and towns, includuing Charleville’s Cosmos Centre, Quilpie, the Eromanga Natural History Museum, Thargomindah, and Cunnamulla. Further south, the giant silos mural in Thallon showcases icons of the district, and the much-loved Nindigully Pub, Queensland’s oldest pub, are not to be missed on your travels.
MUST DO’S IN THE SOUTH WEST The Big Rig in Roma – tells of all the twists and drama of when oil and gas first flowed in our nation
See Bilbies in a nocturnal house in Charleville, home to the Queensland Bilby
Catch all the mooing and auctioneer calls on Tuesdays at the Roma Saleyards, the largest in Australia
Soak up nature’s goodness in the artesian baths at Charlotte Plains
Camp and bushwalk at Carnarvon National Park Learn about Australia’s Cobb & Co history in Surat, at the Cobb & Co Changing Station Riversands Wines, nestled on the banks of the Balonne River in St George ‘Must-do’ photo spot: the impressive murals painted on the Thallon GrainCorp Silos in Thallon Nullawokka Gallery and Cultural Walk in Bollon - offering a range of First Nations artworks and walking tours Revitalise the body and mind at Mitchell’s Great Artesian Spa The Cosmos Centre in Charleville
Carnarvon National Park
Top Secret WWII Base and Tour – discover why Charleville was a secret US base
The Artesian Time Tunnel in Cunnamulla Currawinya National Park in Hungerford, one of Australias most important wetlands The Fox Trap Hotel in Cooladdi – a great icecream stop in one of Australia’s smallest towns Baldy Top Lookout near Quilpie – search the far horizon atop the red rocky formation Hell Hole National Park - with its rugged gorges and rare yellow footed rock wallabies Meet Cooper, Australia’s largest dinosaur at Eromanga Natural History Museum Explore Thargomindah’s history with a fully automated, self-guided tour of the Hydro Power Plant, Old Hospital and Old Jail. Pay tribute to Outback pioneers at the Burke & Wills ‘Dig Tree’, near Innamincka
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Qantas Founders Museum
MUST DO’S IN THE CENTRAL WEST Tambo Teddies, located in Tambo, the Outback Teddy Capital with over 40,000 homemade teddy bears sold in the last 25 years The Blackall Woolscour – discover early Australian history and while in Blackall enjoy thermal spas, created by the drilling of the first artesian bore in the Outback in 1895 Jumbo the Elephant - uncover the Perry Brothers Circus story in Blackall
CENTRAL WEST
Jericho Drive-In Theatre the smallest in the southern hemisphere (limited opening times)
INCORPORATING THE COMMUNITIES OF LONGREACH, WINTON, BARCALDINE, BLACKALL AND TAMBO
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utback Queensland’s central west is the heart of Outback Queensland and wears its history on its sleeve, proudly the birthplace of Qantas, Waltzing Matilda and Australia’s Labor Party. Learn about our nation’s workers at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre in Barcaldine, and take a ‘Wing Walk’ on a 747 jet at the Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach. Pioneering history is at the core of the central west and you can explore it in Longreach with a galloping horsedrawn Cobb & Co stagecoach, sunset
cruises along the Thomson River, and live performances and new state-of-theart interactive displays at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame. For Prehistoric times, visit the world’s only known dinosaur stampede site at Lark Quarry Conservation Park or see the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils at The Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum in Winton, and the Muttaburrasaurus Interpretation Centre in Muttaburra. Explore Winton’s Rangelands Rifts on foot and experience spectacular sunsets from the ‘jump-ups’ to feel in awe of nature’s beauty.
Barcaldine Radio Picture Theatre, a classic Art Nouveau movie theatre with original canvas seating and painted screen façade The Tree of Knowledge in Barcaldine – the unique architectural design that frames the petrified tree (or Tree of Knowledge) commemorating the history of the shearers’ strike Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail Aramac – where the natural landscape meets art with 40 creative scrap metal sculptures Ilfracombe’s ‘Great Machinery Mile’, an amazing line-up of historic machinery stretching over one kilometre Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame – new galleries, exhibits, and stories – including the Indigenous Stockmans exhibit Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach, and their dazzling ‘Luminescent’ lightshow – showcasing early Qantas history Longreach Powerhouse Museum the largest preserved rural powergenerating facility in Australia Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum – home to the largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils in the world The Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, the first museum to be dedicated to a song Blackall
Australian Age of Dinosaurs
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Drive Outback Queensland
Birdsville
MUST DO’S IN THE FAR WEST The famous Cooper Creek symbolizes the Channel Country and is renowned as the river where Australian explorers Burke and Wills died in 1861 Windorah’s International Yabby Races are held on the Wednesday night prior to the Birdsville Races Population 0 with one operating Outback Pub, Betoota is an experience like no other. Also home to the Betoota Serpent made entirely out of naturally occurring stones, sand and rocks found in the area.
FAR WEST
INCORPORATING THE COMMUNITIES OF DIAMANTINA, BARCOO AND BOULIA
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f you are searching for offbeat characters and unconventional adventures, then head west – far west – 1500 kilometres or about 17-hours straight drive west of Brisbane to the farthest corner of Queensland. This is the land of red sand dunes, gibber flats, waterholes and channel country. Diamantina Channel Country is a riverine desert and a spectacular natural phenomenon. During and after the wet season it transforms into a vast network of veins of shallow interconnecting channels and creeks fill and spill across 95,000 square kilometres, swelling waterholes and attracting up to 450,000 birds including packs of chattering zebra finches, Australian bustards and even the extremely rare night parrot. The desert
mural in Boulia
blooms to life with a stunning display of wildflowers after rain – a sight to behold and a photographer’s delight. Famed for the iconic Big Red Bash in July and the Birdsville Races in September for bringing a big crowd together, there’s always time and space to think in the Far West region. Nothing is more iconic than standing atop Big Red at sunset, watching the sun dip from the first sand dune of the Simpson Desert (Munga-Thirri National Park). The most popular route west is to take the Warrego Way from Brisbane Chinchilla - Roma - Charleville - Windorah – Birdsville and travel via desert roads for the opportunity to travel between the three states.
Cool down at the Birdsville Billabong and watch the birdlife as you walk, kayak, swim or fish The Birdsville Bakery and their famous pies – curried camel, steak, kangaroo and rabbit! The Birdsville Hotel – Queensland’s iconic far western hotel and mandatory stopover point for a cool drink and meal The Big Red Bash is an iconic 3-day desert music festival held at the Big Red sand dune, 35kms out of Birdsville Visit the Min Min Encounter in Boulia – learn about the famous Min Min lights, a rare light phenomenon with balls of light that hover and dance above the ground Middleton (population: 2), home to the Middleton Hotel or ‘The Hilton Hotel’, the cheeky name for a camping ground across the road from the most remote pub in Queensland Follow the Outback Camel Festival Trail and racing circuit at the annual Bedourie or Boulia camel racing events in July At one million hectares, MungaThirri National Park (Simpson Desert) is Queensland’s largest national park for 4WD adventures, the park is closed in summer and it’s essential to check ahead for access and road conditions
Big Red Bash
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Outback at Isa
MUST DO’S IN THE NORTH WEST Porcupine Gorge National Park – hike Outback Queensland’s own ‘Grand Canyon’ Cobbold Gorge – walk the ‘must-do’ glass-bottom bridge Richmond’s Lake Fred Tritton – your chance to catch a Barra
NORTH WEST
INCORPORATING THE COMMUNITIES OF
MOUNT ISA, CLONCURRY, JULIA CREEK, RICHMOND AND HUGHENDEN
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t’s Queensland’s big sky country, where the rusty, dusty red Outback meets brilliant blue hues and explodes into bushfire orange sunsets. This is the land of fossicking and exploring deep gorges, of break-or-bust rodeos, crisp campfire nights and tall tales of remote and rugged experiences. Head west on The Overlander’s Way, where just four hours’ drive west of Townsville, Outback Queensland’s north west region begins. Passing through Hughenden, Richmond, Julia Creek, Cloncurry to Mount Isa, this adventure is packed with dinosaur fossils, jaw-dropping scenery and mining history that will lead you deep underground. Make sure you detour to visit the spectacular Cobbold Gorge - with its ‘must do’ glass-bottom bridge, and to enjoy canoeing or standup paddleboading (SUP).
Immerse yourself in ancient history from Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park and Adels Grove, boasting spectacular gorge scenery, diverse wildlife, thrilling walks, serene canoeing, and the Riversleigh World Heritage Site with its 25-million-year-old fossil mammal deposits. The Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre in Mount Isa is a must with its interactive displays and augmented reality experiences. Follow Australia’s Dinosaur Trail famously linking the historic towns of Winton, Hughenden and Richmond to discover a range of unique experiences not offered anywhere else in Australia: Winton’s Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, the Dinosaur Stampede National Monument at Lark Quarry Conservation Park, the Flinders Discovery Centre and ‘Hughie’ the life-size replica of a Muttaburrasaurus in Hughenden, and Kronosauraus Korner in Richmond.
Walkabout Creek Hotel in McKinlay is a dinky-di Aussie pub and the famous hometown to Crocodile Dundee See a dunnart at Julia Creek’s ‘At The Creek’ – the cutest critters ever Julia Creek Artesian Baths soak up an Outback sunset in exceptional surrounds Cloncurry’s water tower mural overlooks the township and is part of the Australian Silo Art Trail John Flynn Place in Cloncurry commemorates the work and beginnings of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Cloncurry Unearthed Museum and Visitor Information Centre pick up your fossickers license and see local memorabilia Cloncurry’s Ballara Mining Heritage Trail - a four-wheel-drive track through the three historic mining towns of Bulonga, Ballara and Highville Mary Kathleen, a picturesque ghost town and former uranium mine Chinaman Creek Dam near Cloncurry is stocked with the Outback’s answer to lobster – the Redclaw crayfish Swim in the waterhole oasis at Adels Grove Outback at Isa, Mount Isa’s major tourism facility is home to the visitor information centre, the Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre and the Hard Time Mine Underground Tour Mount Isa Mines Rodeo, held each August is the biggest and richest rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere Lake Moondarra at Mount Isa is a beautiful spot for a picnic, climb the lookout, bird watch, fish and canoe
Chinaman Creek Dam
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Drive Outback Queensland
Kroombit Tops National Park
MUST DO’S IN THE EAST Expedition National Park – remote and ideal for those wanting real 4WD and camping adventures Isla Gorge, a national park best known for its sandstone rock formations and rare and threatened plant species Glebe Weir offers affordable petfriendly camping near Taroom in the Banana Shire
EAST
INCORPORATING THE COMMUNITIES OF BILOELA, THEODORE, MOURA AND TAROOM
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he easternmost part of Outback Queensland is simply gorge-ous!
The Sandstone Wonders region includes Lake Murphy, Kroombit Tops and Mt. Scoria Conservation Parks, along with Isla and Nathan Gorge, and Expedition National Park – popular for camping and 4WD adventures. Bring your fishing rod because the fish are always biting here, whether you’re casting off at the Dawson River or Callide Dam. The region is famous for gold mining in years gone past. Cracow, where the gold mine still operates, has a Mining Heritage
Centre; and quaint historical villages and museums can be discovered throughout the area. Biloela provides the perfect base for your eastern adventure, rich with history which you can discover at Queensland Heritage Park and Spirt of the Land Mural. Spend a few hours exploring Outback Queensland’s past – there’s restored churches, railway station buildings, machinery, interactive displays, photographs, family histories and a theatre room that showcases the region’s rich heritage in agriculture, exploration, mining, and the pioneering spirit of Australia.
Cracow Pub and Cracow Mining Heritage Centre can be found in this quaint and friendly town showing insights into the life of yesteryear Moura’s Water Tower mural painting of a gigantic pink galah in a gorgeous Outback sunset sky ‘Banana’ – the statue of the duncoloured bullock on the main street of Banana Mt Scoria, the ‘musical mountain’ with its rock formation standing 150m high Lawgi Hall Mural in Thangool depicting bottle trees against a sunset background of earth colours Kroombit State Forest and National Park – home to ‘Betsy’ the 1945 crash site of the ill-fated WW2 Liberator bomber Lake Callide – famous for family fishing, water sports, and lakeside camping ‘Spirit of the Land’ water reservoir mural in Biloela is a ‘must see’ dedication to the land, as told through the eyes of two women from vastly different cultural perspectives Queensland Heritage Park in Biloela - heritage displays celebrating Australia’s rich heritage and pioneering spirit Don’t miss the region’s best fishing spots: Lake Callide, Glebe Weir, Dawson River, Cracow Beach, Dee River Crossing, Neville Hewitt Weir, and Lake Pleasant Baralaba Historial Village has three heritage houses filled with memorabilia (open by appointment)
Lake Callide
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rive D ITINERARIES
Charleville
THERE’S MORE TO EXPLORE IN QUEENSLAND’S BACKYARD
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ot sure which route to take to explore more of Queensland’s backyard? Outback Queensland covers 932,678km2 – that’s more than three times the size of Italy or New Zealand, so it’s no wonder you might not know where to start planning. The following pages highlight just some of Outback Queensland’s best drive routes. We cover a huge area, so plenty more drive adventures are waiting for you on our website: www.outbackqueensland.com.au/drives
Porcupine Gorge Richmond
Dalby
Innamincka Cunnamulla Thargomindah
St George
BRISBANE
Hughenden
Toowoomba
Bollon
Winton Lark Quarry
ADVENTURE WAY ROUTE: Brisbane – St George – Bollon – Cunnamulla – Thargomindah – Innamincka
AUSTRALIAN DINOSAUR TRAIL ROUTE: Richmond – Winton –
DISTANCE: 1,437km DURATION: 5 days (one way) Retrace the tracks of Cobb & Co as you traverse the unique and fascinating Adventure Way where the rewards are spectacular – vivid sunrises and sunsets and night skies with millions of stars. The Adventure Way takes you from St George to the Outback plains where the mulga slowly gives way to a treeless gibber landscape and Queensland meets South Australia.
HIGHLIGHTS Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting at Riversands Winery – St George
Lark Quarry – Hughenden – Porcupine Gorge – Richmond
DISTANCE: 735km DURATION: 5 days (loop) Follow in the footsteps of the prehistoric creatures that once roamed this ancient land. The Australian Dinosaur Trail encompasses the towns of Winton, Hughenden and Richmond which all have their own unique dinosaur stories to tell. This journey offers visitors a range of unique experiences not available anywhere else in the world, let alone Australia.
HIGHLIGHTS
Riverbank walkway and picnic – St George
Waltzing Matilda Centre – Winton
Sandytown River Cruise – Balonne River
Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways – via Winton
Bollon Heritage Centre – Bollon
Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum – Winton
Thrushton National Park – Bollon
Flinders Discovery Centre – Hughenden
Bronze Statue of Slim Dusty’s ‘The Cunnamulla Fella’ – Cunnamulla
Porcupine Gorge National Park
The Artesian Time Tunnel - Cunnamulla
Kooroorinya Falls Nature Reserve
1.5 kilometre diverse “Eco walk on Flinders” – Hughenden
Australia’s first hydro-electricity system – Thargomindah
Enjoy an Outback Sunset – Mount Walker
Burke and Wills’ famous ‘Dig Tree’ near Innamincka
Explore Kronosaurus Korner – Richmond Cambridge Downs Heritage Display Centre – Richmond
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Drive Outback Queensland
Blackall
Isisford
Normanton
Blackall
Emmet
Tambo Yaraka
Windorah
Cobbold Gorge
Adels Grove
Townsville
Cobbold Gorge Cloncurry
Mount Isa
BARCOO WAY
Undara
Charters Towers
Richmond
Julia Creek
Hughenden
DINOS, CROCS AND GOLD ROUTE: Tambo - Blackall - Yaraka Welford National Park - Windorah
ROUTE: Townsville – Charters Towers – Hughenden – Julia Creek – Mount Isa – Cloncurry – Adels Grove – Cobbold Gorge – Townsville
DISTANCE: 509km DURATION: 9 days Follow the mighty Barcoo River west from Tambo and trek along the river road skirting the tranquil billabongs. These backroads take you through the prime sheep and cattle lands of Blackall – Tambo and Isisford to the rocky outcrops of Yaraka and through to the corrugated red dunes of Windorah. Discover awesome National Parks and incredible raw landscapes. A 4WD is recommended for some sections of this drive.
HIGHLIGHTS
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 Australia’s smallest pub.
Tambo’s Wilderness Way 4WD Loop experience – Tambo
HIGHLIGHTS
Tambo Teddies – Tambo
Flinders Discovery Centre – Hughenden
The mighty Barcoo River – swim and fish
Outdoor artesian bathhouses – Julia Creek
The historic Blackall Woolscour – Blackall
See a live dunnart – Julia Creek
The Blackall Sculpture Trail – Blackall
Explore Kronosaurus Korner – Richmond
Jumbo the Elephant - Blackall
Underground Hospital and Museum Tour – Mount Isa
The picturesque town of Isisford
Outback at Isa & Hard Times Mine Tour – Mount Isa
Avington Waterhole – near Isisford
John Flynn Place Museum – Cloncurry
Sunset at Mt Slowcombe near Yaraka
Cloncurry Unearthed & Bush Tucker Garden – Cloncurry
Welford National Park
Water tower mural – Cloncurry
Windorah – with its famous red sand dunes
Lawn Hill Gorge, Boodjamulla National Park – Adels Grove
Cooper Creek – near Windorah
Cobbold Gorge – Forsayth Undara Lava Tubes – Undara
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GEMS OF THE OUTBACK LOOP
Hughenden
Winton
Muttaburra Jericho
Longreach
ROUTE: Emerald – Jericho – Barcaldine – Muttaburra – Hughenden – Winton – Longreach – Blackall – Tambo – Roma – Carnarvon Gorge – Emerald
Emerald
Barcaldine Blackall
Isisford
Tambo
Carnarvon Gorge
DISTANCE: 2,134km DURATION: 14 days (loop)
Augathella Roma
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!
Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail
HIGHLIGHTS
Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail – via Aramac The Tree of Knowledge – Barcaldine Flinders Discovery Centre & the Dinosaur Trail – Hughenden Australian Age of Dinosaurs – Winton Waltzing Matilda Centre – Winton Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame – Longreach Qantas Founders Museum & Luminescent show – Longreach Tambo Teddies – Tambo The Blackall Woolscour – Blackall The Big Rig – Roma Carnarvon National Park & Art Gallery Walk - Injune
GREAT INLAND WAY ROUTE: Sydney – St George – Roma – Injune – Emerald – Charters Towers – Cairns Cooktown
DISTANCE: 3,005km DURATION: 16 days (one way)
Cairns Ravenshoe
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.
The Lynd Junction Charters Towers
HIGHLIGHTS
Clermont
The famous Nindigully Pub - Nindigully
Emerald
Balonne River fishing and exploring – St George Rolleston
St George Heritage Trail and Heritage Centre – St George Wine tour and tasting at Riversands Vineyards – St George Cobb and Co Changing Station – Surat
Roma Surat
The Big Rig – Roma Roma Saleyards – largest cattle yards in Australia
St George
Carnarvon National Park & Art Gallery Walk - Injune
Hebel
The Big Rig
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Drive Outback Queensland
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 1812 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.
Normanton
Burke & Wills Junction
HIGHLIGHTS
Cloncurry
The Artesian Time Tunnel – Cunnamulla
Kynuna
The Cosmos Centre and Observatory – Charleville See a bilby and Top Secret WWII Tour – Charleville
Winton
Tambo Teddies – Tambo
Barcaldine
Longreach
Historic Blackall Woolscour – Blackall The Tree of Knowledge – Barcaldine
Blackall Tambo
Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame – Longreach Qantas Founders Museum – Longreach
Augathella Charleville
Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry Conservation Park – Winton Australian Age of Dinosaurs – Winton Waltzing Matilda Centre – Winton
Cunnamulla
John Flynn Place & Cloncurry Unearthed Museum – Cloncurry Blackall Woolscour
Eromanga
Quilpie
Thargomindah
Eulo
Charleville
The Barra Centre – Karumba
NATURAL SCIENCES LOOP ROUTE: Charleville – Cunnamulla – Thargomindah – Eromanga – Quilpie – Charleville
Cunnamulla
DISTANCE: 995km DURATION: 5 days (loop) This drive has it all; birds, opals, fossicking, rivers, geology, lakes, billabongs, artesian waters, and bilbies. It’s natural history and heritage all rolled into one. Discover Outback Queensland’s natural and manmade heritage, Outback towns, wildlife and more.
HIGHLIGHTS Bronze Statue of Slim Dusty’s ‘The Cunnamulla Fella’ – Cunnamulla The Artesian Time Tunnel – Cunnamulla Cunnamulla Bushland – Cunnamulla Historic Old Hospital and Old Jail – Thargomindah The famous Burke and Wills ‘Dig Tree’ - via Thargomindah Australia’s first hydro-electricity system – Thargomindah Eromanga Natural History Museum – Eromanga Outback sunset at Baldy Top Lookout – Quilpie See a bilby in a nocturnal house – Charleville Cosmos Centre
The Cosmos Centre – Charleville Top Secret WWII Tour – Charleville
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near Windorah
Winton
Longreach Barcaldine Blackall
Jundah Yaraka
Windorah
Quilpie Charleville
Roma
Eromanga
Boulia BRISBANE Toowoomba
Thargomindah Cunnamulla
St George
OUTBACK LEGENDS
OUTBACK WAY
ROUTE: Brisbane – Eromanga – Windorah – Longreach – Blackall – Charleville – Brisbane
ROUTE: Winton – Boulia – Jervois Station – Alice Springs – Yulara (Ayers Rock) – Warburton - Laverton
DISTANCE: 3,440km DURATION: 15 days (loop)
DISTANCE: 2,700km DURATION: 7+ days
This 15-day journey incorporates the very best of Outback Queensland. Travelling far west through ever changing landscapes into the heart of Channel Country, the drive continues to Longreach where you step back in time to experience some of Australia’s most important moments of history. Heading back east through Charleville, learn about the endangered bilby and be taken on a journey of the cosmos.
HIGHLIGHTS
This is an epic Road Trip, on Australia’s Longest Shortcut – connecting you from Winton, Queensland to Laverton, Western Australia. Ancient landscapes, dig for fossils, look for the mysterious Min Min lights, enjoy the wildflowers, wildlife, and landscapes on this Outback adventure. Traveller’s journeying along the Outback Way can enjoy some of Australia’s most remote, interesting and picturesque desert areas. This drive includes unsealed roads.
HIGHLIGHTS
Unique Egg – St George
Waltzing Matilda Centre – Winton
Sandytown River Cruise – Balonne River
Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum – Winton
Artesian Time Tunnel and ‘Cunnamulla Fella’ – Cunnamulla
Bladensburg National Park – near Winton
Eromanga Natural History Museum – Eromanga
Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways – via Winton
Opal fossicking – Quilpie
The Middleton Hotel – Middleton
Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame – Longreach
The iconic Channel Country – between Winton & Boulia
Qantas Founders Museum – Longreach
Cawnpore Lookout – near Middleton
Tree of Knowledge – Barcaldine
Boulia Heritage Complex – Boulia
Blackall Woolscour – Blackall
Min Min Encounter & Visitor Information Centre – Boulia
Top Secret WWII Tour – Charleville
The famous Urandangi Pub (known as The Dangi Resort) – Urandangi (via Boulia)
The Cosmos Centre – Charleville The Big Rig – Roma Roma Saleyards – Roma
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Winton
Middleton Augathella
Drive Outback Queensland
Kronosaurus Korner
Charleville
Townsville
Birdsville
Windorah
Camooweal
Charleville Cloncurry
Mount Isa
Richmond
Julia Creek
Charters Towers
Roma
Mitchell
BRISBANE
Hughenden Toowoomba
OVERLANDER’S WAY
WARREGO WAY
ROUTE: Townsville – Hughenden – Richmond – Julia Creek – Cloncurry – Mount Isa – Camooweal
ROUTE: Brisbane – Toowoomba –
DISTANCE: 1,097km DURATION: 8 days (one way)
DISTANCE: 1,646km DURATION: 5 days (one way)
From the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef and pristine beaches of Townsville to the rugged rocky outcrops and red sand of north-west Queensland, the Overlander’s Way will take you through towns rich with history, dinosaur discoveries and some of the world’s quirkiest events; all without having to leave the bitumen. Follow the footsteps of Australia’s droving heroes, who led thousands of cattle from the Northern Territory across Queensland to coastal markets.
HIGHLIGHTS Australia’s Dinosaur Trail – Hughenden & Richmond Flinders Discovery Centre – Hughenden Explore Kronosaurus Korner – Richmond Porcupine Gorge National Park – Flinders region Marine Fossil Museum at Kronosaurus Korner – Richmond ‘At The Creek’ see a live dunnart - Julia Creek
Roma – Mitchell – Charleville – Windorah – Birdsville
The Warrego Way starts at Brisbane and finishes in the iconic and remote outback town of Birdsville. Along the way, you can see ancient trees from the dinosaur age, endangered mammals, unwind in the soothing waters from the sub artesian basin, delight in yarns told over country bars, or just relax and enjoy the brilliant sunsets and starry nights.
HIGHLIGHTS The Big Rig – Roma Roma Saleyards, the largest in Australia – Roma The Great Artesian Spa – Mitchell Cosmos Centre – Charleville See a bilby and Top Secret WWII Tour – Charleville Baldy Top Lookout – Quilpie Eromanga Natural History Museum, home to Cooper the dinosaur – Eromanga
John Flynn Place Museum and Art Gallery – Cloncurry
Cooper Creek and fishing – Windorah
Cloncurry Unearthed and Bush Tucker Trail and Garden – Cloncurry
The Birdsville Hotel – Birdsville
Outback at Isa and Hard Times Mines Underground Tour – Mount Isa
‘Big Red’ sand dune – Simpson Desert, Birdsville
Camooweal Caves National Park – Camooweal
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Mount Isa
Camooweal
to Tennant Creek
Cloncurry Julia Creek
Burke and Wills Junction
Croydon
Normanton
OVERLANDER’S WAY
Forsayth
N N A H W AY
Hughenden Richmond Prairie
S AVA
Mt Surprise Georgetown
Cairns
T B
A
R
Townsville
A
Lawn Hill Gorge/ Boodjamulla
Karumba
Cooktown
R
Burketown
to Broome
C A P E Y O R K P E N I N S U L A
R
R
E
E
F
Whitsunday Islands
IE R
This map is for promotional use only, there are many more roads connecting Queensland’s great destinations – for gazetted road names and accurate details please refer to a quality touring map. This map only highlights Great Queensland Drives and does not include any regional routes or local drives.
G E
T GREA
Find your accredited Visitor Information Centre as you drive in Queensland
Warrego Way
Savannah Way
Pacific Coast Way
Overlander’s Way
Matilda Way
Leichhardt Way
Great Inland Way
Capricorn Way
Australia’s Country Way
Adventure Way
LEGEND
AY
Carnarvon Gorge
St George
Lightning Ridge
Hebel
Broken Hill
outbackqueensland.com.au Dubbo
Moonie
Miles
Roma
Biloela
Warwick
Toowoomba
Dalby
Kingaroy
Gayndah
Gold Coast
Brisbane
Sunshine Coast
Stanthorpe
Port Macquarie
Tamworth
Moree
Mungindi
Goondiwindi
Mitchell Surat
Bollon Dirranbandi
Wyandra
Theodore
Injune
TBHA RER IREREHWY ’S MORE TO EXPLORE IN Q U E E N S L A N D ’ S BAC K YA R D
Barringun
Eulo
Cunnamulla
Cooladdi
Morven
Augathella Adavale WA R R E G O WAY Charleville
Tambo
Willows Gemfields
Mt Morgan Springsure Rolleston
Rockhampton
O U NTR Y WAY
Port Augusta
EW
Quilpie
Thargomindah
TU R
Noccundra
A DVEN
Eromanga
Yaraka
Blackall
C O R N W AY
Clermont W Capella AY Emerald Blackwater
H H A R D T W AY
Dig Tree Innamincka
Jundah
Stonehenge
Isisford
C APRI
Rubyvale Sapphire Anakie Barcaldine Jericho Alpha
Aramac
Muttaburra
LE I C
Windorah
AY
Corfield
Longreach Ilfracombe
W
ST
I
Birdsville
Betoota
I AT
Winton
A AY
ST
Bedourie
M
DW IC COA
Boulia
LD
AN
Middleton
Kynuna INL
Dajarra
McKinlay PA C I F
AU
L RA SC A’
IN 2021
EVERY EVENT WILL LEAVE YOU WITH A STORY TO TELL MARCH
APRIL
MAY
13th
1st – 5th
2nd
GRAZING AT THE WATERING HOLE – THALLON
ROMA’S EASTER IN THE COUNTRY FESTIVAL – ROMA
ST GEORGE SHOW – ST GEORGE
19th
3rd – 4th
RED AND WHITE GALA (QANTAS FOUNDERS MUSEUM) – LONGREACH
EASTER IN THE VINES – ST GEORGE MOURA MUDDY WATER CLASSIC FISHING COMPETITION – MOURA
19th – 21st COBB & CO HOTEL ST GEORGE 399 – ST GEORGE TOOLOOMBILLA RODEO AND CAMPDRAFT – TOOLOOMBILLA
20th THEODORE BULLS ‘N’ BARRELS – THEODORE
26th – 27th Big Red Bash, Birdsville
ROMA PICNIC RACES – ROMA
18
27th – 28th BATTLE ON THE BALONNE – ST GEORGE
Drive Outback Queensland
6th – 11th WINTON’S WAY OUT WEST FESTIVAL 2021 – WINTON
7th – 8th BLACKALL SHOW 2021 – BLACKALL
7th – 9th BIRDSVILLE CAMPDRAFT, RODEO AND BRONCO BRANDING – BIRDSVILLE
13th – 16th MUSIC IN THE MULGA – EULO
10th –11th
15th
DIRRANBANDI SHOW – DIRRANBANDI
HUGHENDEN BRACELET RACE DAY – HUGHENDEN
7th – 13th
JUNE
NATIONAL VETERAN 1 AND 2 CYLINDER RALLY – CHARLEVILLE
4th HUNGERFORD FIELD DAY – HUNGERFORD
4th – 6th 2021 DRAGON COUNTRY SANDGREEN CUP – ST GEORGE
5th
10th
11th
11th – 12th
INJUNE CUP RACES – INJUNE
BEDOURIE CAMEL AND PIG RACES AND CAMP OVEN COOK-OFF – BEDOURIE
THE ISA STREET FESTIVAL – MT ISA
OUTBACK FOOD WINE & MUSIC FESTIVAL – LONGREACH
12th – 13th ST GEORGE POLOCROSSE – ST GEORGE
19th BARCALDINE SHOW – BARCALDINE
19th – 20th OUTBACK QUEENSLAND MASTERS – BILOELA
22nd – 24th OUTBACK WRITERS FESTIVAL – WINTON
25th – 27th BIRDSVILLE HORSE AND MOTORBIKE GYMKHANA – BIRDSVILLE
10th – 11th
THE 2021 MOUNT ISA MINES RODEO – MOUNT ISA
OUTBACK QUEENSLAND MASTERS - BLACKALL
13th
11th
ROARING 1920S EVENING – LONGREACH
PAUL KELLY AND FRIENDS MUSIC FESTIVAL DIRRANBANDI
21st RICHMOND BUSH SPRINTS – RICHMOND BARCOO SHIRE RACE MEETING – JUNDAH
17th – 18th
26th – 27th
13th – 18th
OUTBACK QUEENSLAND MASTERS – CHARLEVILLE
CHANNEL COUNTRY MUSIC MUSTER – THARGOMINDAH
2nd – 4th THARGO POLOCROSSE CARNIVAL – THARGOMINDAH BEDOURIE CAMPDRAFT, RODEO, GYMKHANA – BEDOURIE
3rd – 4th OUTBACK QUEENSLAND GOLF MASTERS – QUILPIE
6th – 8th BIRDSVILLE BIG RED BASH – BIRDSVILLE
10th BEDOURIE CAMEL AND PIG RACES AND CAMP OVEN COOK-OFF – BEDOURIE
BETTER IN BLACKALL FESTIVAL – BLACKALL
BOULIA CAMEL RACES – BOULIA
VISION SPLENDID OUTBACK FILM FESTIVAL – WINTON
JULY
19th – 22nd
16th – 18th
OUTBACK QUEENSLAND MASTERS – HUGHENDEN 19TH ANNUAL OLD WHEELS IN MOTION RALLY – BILOELA BOLLON POLOCROSSE CARNIVAL – BOLLON
25th – July 3rd
12th – 15th
BOORINGA FIRE AND WATER FESTIVAL – MITCHELL
18th THARGOMINDAH MOTORBIKE SPORTS AND ENDURO – THARGOMINDAH OUTBACK PADDLE REGATTA FESTIVAL – LONGREACH
21st – 25th OUTBACK FESTIVAL – WINTON
14th – 22nd
25th
COBB AND CO FESTIVAL – SURAT TO YULEBA SOUTH
PRIDE OF THE WEST RACES 2021 – QUILPIE
27th – 29th
OCTOBER
CUNNAMULLA FELLA FESTIVAL 2021 – CUNNAMULLA
31th
23rd – 25th
KANGARANGA DO STREET PARTY – QUILPIE
OUTBACK QUEENSLAND MASTERS – LONGREACH
SEPTEMBER
24th – 25th
1st
COTTON CUP – ST GEORGE RACES – ST GEORGE TAMBO TEDDY BEARS PICNIC – TAMBO
WINDORAH INTERNATIONAL YABBY RACES 2021 – WINDORAH
31st – 1st August
BIRDSVILLE RACES – BIRDSVILLE
DIRRANBANDI POLOCROSSE – DIRRANBANDI
16th – 18th
3rd – 4th 10th – 12th
AUGUST
CLONCURRY BEAT THE HEAT FESTIVAL – CLONCURRY
6th – 8th
11th
CLONCURRY MERRY MUSTER FESTIVAL – CLONCURRY
QUILPIE AND DISTRICT SHOW AND RODEO – QUILPIE
1st – 3rd HUNGERFORD HORSE AND MOTORBIKE GYMKHANA – HUNGERFORD
9th – 10th NOCCUNDRA CAMPDRAFT, RODEO AND MOTORBIKE GYMKHANA – NOCCUNDRA
23rd THEODORE XTREME 1 SERVO BULLS N BARRELS BONANZA – THEODORE
NOVEMBER 16th QANTAS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS 2021 – LONGREACH
27th – 28th NINDIGULLY PIG RACES – NINDIGULLY
Events are correct at the time of printing. For more information on Outback Queensland events, visit
outbackqueensland.com.au/events outbackqueensland.com.au
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amily FFUN IN THE OUTBACK Yowah
N
othing beats a family adventure – and the best adventures are found in Outback Queensland. So, pack the car, pack the tent, grab the kids, and head to Queensland’s backyard adventure park! Here’s a selection of family fun experiences you can expect. But often the most fun on a drive holiday comes from the unexpected surprises. We can assure you there are many surprises waiting for you in Outback Queensland - so you can create special family memories to last a lifetime.
DISCOVER DINOSAURS Did you know there are nine ways to discover dinosaurs in Outback Queensland? Start with the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, whose tours will take you and your dino-loving kids on a journey through deep-time to explore where and how dinosaur bones are found and what’s involved in digging them up. Don’t miss the Ultimate Dinosaur Tour which includes a guided tour of the Collection Room,
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Drive Outback Queensland
Fossil Preparation Laboratory and Dinosaur Canyon. Beginning in May it will also include a guided tour of the March of the Titanosaurs exhibition. You can encounter the great marine dino ‘Wanda’, a Cretaceous-era pliosaur, at the Kronosaurus Korner Museum in Richmond. This incredible marine fossil museum also showcases nearly 1,150 unique fossil specimens from the Richmond area, including 115 million-year-old extinct marine reptiles, fishes, ammonites and squids that once lived in Australia’s ancient inland sea. If you’re keen to see the site of an ancient hunter and prey interaction you won’t want to miss Lake Quarry Conservation Park. Here you can walk through the fossil remains of a dinosaur stampede that tells the story of a stalking theropod and over 150 terrified chicken-sized coelurosaurs and emu-sized ornithopods. Get hands-on at the Eromanga Natural History Museum while you discover dinosaurs, including meeting Cooper, a
Eromanga Natural History Museum
Titanasaur and Australia’s largest dinosaur. You can also visit a dinosaur or megafauna dig site or learn how to prepare ancient fossils. Or go in search of Hughie, a life-sized, seven-metre high skeletal Muttaburrasaurus cast from the bones of a 110 million-year-old dinosaur found in Hughenden. And these are just the beginning! There’s so much to discover about these incredible ancient Australians and Outback Queensland is just the place to do it.
SWIM IN A WATERHOLE The red, rugged Outback country might look like some of the driest on the planet but it’s actually scattered with rivers, lakes, waterholes and waterfalls well worth a visit. Start with the largest waterhole in a string of waterholes on the Diamantina River, Combo Waterhole, which may have been the inspiration for Banjo Paterson’s Waltzing Matilda. Or if it’s waterfalls you’re after you can watch the beautifully lush Indarri Falls cascade down to Duwadarri Waterhole on Lawn Hill Creek in Boodjamulla National Park, or the tranquil oasis of Adels Grove. And the Birdsville Billabong is a favourite among locals, visitors, kayakers, swimmers and avid birdwatchers.
KEY FAMILY ATTRACTIONS NOT TO MISS Charleville Bilby Experience, Charleville Qantas Founders Museum, Longreach Cosmos Centre, Charleville
With all the beautiful water spots available when you come to the Outback, you’ll want to prepare to get wet!
BIG THINGS Don’t miss our ‘big things’ in Outback Queensland - including having your photo taken with William the wombat in Thallon, Jumbo the elephant in Blackall, and a Qantas jumbo jet in Longreach.
FISHING You might not always think of the Outback when you think of fishing, but warm weather all year round, freshwater lakes,
underground springs, beautiful winding rivers and immense gorges means it’s a fantastic family activity. Here are our top five fishing spots in the Outback. Lake Callide. This freshwater fisherman’s playground is a 15-minute drive from Biloela. Stocked with barra, cod and golden perch, it’s a beautiful spot to take out the tinny or camp at the sites overlooking the lake. Lake Callide is also great for swimming, paddle boarding and kayaking. Dawson River. The Dawson has a reputation for being the home of big fish. Really big fish. Cast your bait for the Southern Saratoga, one of Australia’s oldest marine species. Or look for barramundi, cod, black bream, eel and branded gunter. Thomson River. This is a fantastic place to charter a tinny and head out for a day on the water with the family. Famed for yellowbelly, you’ll have a good chance of getting a strike, but be aware – they can grow to more than 20kg! Warrego River. Spend a day along the banks of the Warrego River (we particularly like Bakers Bend and Dillalah) and enjoy the grassy banks and shady gum trees while doing a spot of fishing. Here you might find cod, spangled perch, yellowbelly, jew and black bream. Lake Moondarra. This is a great spot for hooking archer fish, barra, catfish, sleepy cod, sooty grunter and long tom year round, But the last weekend of October is when you can also enjoy the annual three-day fishing classic. Grab the one-off opportunity to camp lakeside, too!
FOSSICKING Fossicking for gemstones is one of the most exciting things for kids to do. And there are some great fossicking sites throughout Outback Queensland. After all, Queensland is the home of the boulder opal, a beautiful gem that isn’t found anywhere else in the world.
Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame & Outback Heritage Centre, Longreach Cobb & Co Stagecoach Experience, Longreach Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, Winton The Big Rig, Roma ‘Big Red’ - sand dune, Birdsville Eromanga Natural History Museum, Eromanga The Great Artesian Spa, Mitchell Kronosaurus Korner - and the water park, Richmond Hard Times Mine, Mount Isa Tambo Teddies - Teddy Bear Picnic, Tambo
Blackall
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Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park
Check out the Opalton Field located about 124km south-west of Winton, popular as a place to speck fragments of opal or ironstone. Or head over to Yowah Opal Field (locals call the opals ‘Yowah nuts’) which is an excellent place for a family fossicking adventure because of its easy access to shops and fuel and the close location of a caravan park. In Quilpie, head along the Warrego Way and Natural Sciences Loop at the Quilpie Shire Council fossicking area. No permit is required, and you might just come home with an opal! Whilst in Quilpie, make sure you don’t miss the Opal Altar, font and lectern at St. Finbarr’s Church. And if you’re really keen, you can look for quartz, amethyst, alluvial gold or maltese crosses around the Cloncurry area. Areas such as Crystal Mountain, Kuridala, Amethyst Castle, Dinosaur Rock and Pumpkin Gully can all yield these stunning gemstones. Whatever you choose, your kids are sure to love ‘emu hopping’ (what locals call
looking around for coloured gems on the ground) and using hand tools to search for incredible treasures. You should be aware that in most cases a fossicking licence is required. You can get this online at www.qld.gov.au or at authorised licensing agents.
LOOKOUTS The Outback is known for endless horizons, natural wilderness and ancient landscapes. But to really get a good look, you’ll want a good vantage point. If you’ve got a 4WD and a sense of adventure, the top of Big Red in Simpsons Desert is the perfect start. Get up there when the sun is setting for the biggest, reddest sunset you’re ever likely to see. Kids will love the 4WD experience, too. Boolimba Bluff above Carnarvon Creek gives incredible views over the Gorge. And the pathway along the Dinosaur Canyon at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs wanders among the landscape at an incredible 300 metres high, treating you to amazing views and life-sized exhibits like the Dinosaur
Stampede, Pterodactylus and Death in the Billabong (a true kids favourite!). Baldy Top, on the outskirts of Quilpie is a great short walk and climb offering 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape. Some lookouts do involve a bit of a hike, so take a look at access and your kids’ capabilities before heading up! Lace up your shoes, and don’t forget your water and a hat!
CAMPING From Bollon to Birdsville, Cunnamulla to Cloncurry, when you’re on a driving holiday with kids, camping is the way to go. Kids love sleeping in the great outdoors, and it’s great for parents as well – affordable and a fantastic way to immerse and connect the whole family in the Outback experience. Many camping areas have bushwalking tracks, and creeks, rivers, rockpools and waterholes to swim in, and with over 35 national and conservation parks in Outback Queensland, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Check out the National Parks section in this guide for more details, pages 18-21.
KEY SPOTS TO FISH IN OUTBACK QUEENSLAND Moonie River, Nindigully, for Yellowbelly and Murray Cod Thomson River near Longreach, for Yellowbelly Lake Julius, Mt Isa, for Sooty Grunter Normanton, Karumba, for Barramundi Cooper’s Creek, Barcoo, for Barcoo Grunter and for Yellowbelly near Windorah Adel’s Grove, Lawn Hill Gorge, for Barramundi, Bream Grunters, Perch, Cod and Catfish Punch Bowl, Julia Creek, for Cod Lake Moondarra
22
Drive Outback Queensland
Lake Callide, near Biloela for Barramundi, Saratoga and Red-Claw
r a e y e Th
NULLAWOKKA FIRST NATIONS GALLERY & TOURS Located in Bollon, Nullawokka First Nations Gallery and Tours offers unique gifts, bush tucker foods, and authentic First Nations artworks. Join Bill Speedy, a proud Gwamu elder, for a cultural walking tour along the tranquil Wallam Creek. Learn about the First Nations history of the area and how to track animals, hear the stories, discover traditional scar trees, and try some bush tucker.
OF INDIGENOUS TOURISM
YAMBANGKU Coming soon: the Iningai peoples will tell the story of the land using rocky country, etchings, paintings and traces of plants at this new Indigenous ecotouirsm experience at Gracevale Station.
RED RIDGE Visit Red Ridge in Blackall to pick up a piece of Indigenous art for yourself. Red Ridge is a not-for-profit community organisation that undertakes projects including visual arts, performing arts, fashion design, craft and textiles.
DREAMTIME IN OUTBACK QUEENSLAND IN 2021 Mitakoodi Bush Tucker Garden
T
he Year of Indigenous Tourism has been extended to 2021. We’re certainly glad of it, as there’s more demand than ever for authentic cultural experiences that celebrate the First Nations in Queensland.
CUNNAMULLA FELLA CENTRE
Here are a few ways you can experience Indigenous culture and history in Outback Queensland in 2021 - one of the world’s oldest living cultures.
SOUTH WEST QUEENSLAND INDIGENOUS CULTURAL TRAIL
BUSH TUCKER GARDEN & TRAIL The Mitakoodi people have a rich connection to the land around Cloncurry. Head to Cloncurry Unearthed to experience the bush tucker garden and trail.
CARNARVON GORGE Visit Carnarvon Gorge, in Carnarvon National Park to see ancient ochre stencils of Dreamtime stories.
In Cunnamulla, be transported through sandstone to a time when the Eromanga Sea covered the Outback, and hear about the local Indigenous peoples.
Follow the SWQICT through seven communities in Outback Queensland that hold significance to the local Indigenous people.
CHARLEVILLE COSMOS CENTRE The new ‘Universal Dreaming’ tour experience engages visitors in discovering how different cultures through history have described the night sky, while listening to their stories around a fire-pit.
RIDGEE DIDGE CAFÉ A favourite breakfast and lunch spot in Barcaldine, owned by local Inigai woman, Cheryl Thompson. The café serves Cheryl’s own Indigenous coffee, Coolamon Coffee, and sells a range of Indigenous products.
DESERT DREAMING CENTRE
AUSTRALIAN STOCKMAN’S HALL OF FAME
Visit the newest Indigenous space in Barcaldine where you’ll find Indigenous exhibits, workshops and tours and where you can experience indigenous and paleo culture firsthand.
Over 350 video interviews and stories from Indigenous Stockman and Woman collected from all over Australia within the newly designed Indigenous Stockmans exhibit “Songlines and Stock Routes”
Betoota
Cloncurry
BETOOTA SERPENT Head off the regular tourist trails to Bedourie, Betoota and Birdsville and visit the awe-inspiring large-scale Betoota Serpent sculpture created to tell Indigenous women’s Dreamtime stories.
BOOBOOK ECO TOURS – CARNARVON RANGES See indigenous paintings and stencils on the rock face, and the Axe Factory, where hundreds of rock indents show where blade-sharpening occurred thousands of years ago. Note: the tour must be prebooked; no general public access.
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Boulia
or o d t u O
ADVENTURES
THE BEAUTY OF NATURE
O
utback Queensland is one of the last great regions of nature left on the earth and a place of extraordinary beauty. In the diverse landscapes in this vast area live an incredible range of native plants and animals, from bilbies and budgerigars to rare frogs and falcons. In fact, Outback Queensland is home to 72% of Australia’s native bird species, 85% of its mammals and just over half of its native frogs and reptiles. It’s also home to nearly 10,000 different plant species – more than any other state in Australia. An average of 20 new plant species are discovered each year. Get outside and enjoy the unique natural beauty that Outback Queensland has to offer and you might find the next new species yourself.
WILDFLOWERS The Outback puts on a native wildflower show like no other.
Photo: Robert Ashdown © Qld Govt
24
Drive Outback Queensland
Keep your eyes open for dainty desert wildflowers found throughout the Outback – a camera with a macro lens is your best companion. As soon as rain touches the ground, you’ll find splashes
of colour spring up very quickly, with pretty pinks, whites, yellows and mauves. Look out for Eremophilas, the prettiest and showiest of which is known as the False Sandalwood. Beginning in midwinter, the cooler weather brings out the stunning wattles – the crowning glory of Australian wildflowers. In the Far West you can spot the famed Sturt’s Desert Pea with its glorious deep red glossy petals. You’ll find Poached Egg Daisy and the purple Hairy Darling Pea scattered in Mitchell grass country or on stony, hilly areas. Mulla-mulla flowers, or pussytails, are native wildflowers that grow and flower in arid areas. In spring, Thargomindah becomes home to some of the Outback’s rarest and most stunning flowers, including the Polycalymma Stuartii or Egg Yolk flower, with its distinctive yellow and white bloom. Other key native wildflower spots in Outback Queensland are: The Botanic Gardens - Charleville Thrushton National Park – via Bollon The 2.5km Botanic Walkway – Longreach
BIRDWATCHING For further information about exploring the outdoors in Outback Queensland, pop into a Visitor Information Centre for local tips, or our website.
From nomadic bustards emerging from the woodlands to elegant brolgas dancing in courtship, the Outback is teeming with birds. Stately emus wander the plains while wedge-tailed eagles soar high on thermals, Around the billabongs corellas and galahs keep up a constant cacophony in the trees, fairy-wrens dart through the undergrowth and flocks of luminescent green and gold budgerigars descend for a quick drink and to escape the heat. The wet season signals fantastic birdwatching opportunities at many inland waterways, full to brimming after long periods of dry. And the Outback offers temporary refuge for many migratory birds heading north and south.
GET YOUR HIKING BOOTS ON… THE OUTBACK’S BEST BIRDS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Brolga, around Longreach, Winton and Boulia Emu, many places, but particularly around Yaraka The Grey Falcon, Cunnamulla Rainbow Bee Eater, Combo Waterhole Conservation Park near Kynuna Purple-Crowned Fairy Wren, Boodjamulla Hall’s Babbler, LongreachIdalia National Park – Cunnamulla
A selection of our ‘top spots’ for bushwalking, hiking and trekking in Outback Queensland:
COBBOLD GORGE, VIA FORSAYTH Tours at stunning Cobbold Gorge include a bushwalk to the top of the escarpment overlooking the gorge. En route you can see native plants such as the ‘soap tree’ acacia and gidgee. At the top, take a rest on an extensive rocky plateau and peer down into the twisting chasm below. The gorge is also a popular canoeing and standup-paddleboard spot.
CURRAWINYA NATIONAL PARK, VIA CUNNAMULLA Currawinya is an internationally recognised wetland area with one of Australia’s most important inland waterbird habitats. A walk around the lakes is a must for keen birdwatchers. Other unique features of the park can be seen on the The Granites and Budjiti Lookout short walks.
PORCUPINE GORGE NATIONAL PARK, VIA HUGHENDEN Take one of two short but beautiful bushwalks, Pyramid Track or Pyramid Lookout Track. Visit sandstone gorges and valleys carved out by Porcupine Creek and see incredible views overlooking the gorge.
CARNARVON GORGE SECTION CARNARVON NATIONAL PARK, VIA INJUNE A variety of walks take you through the varied landscapes of rainforest, towering sandstone gorges and cliffs, with a diverse range of flora and fauna. Witness a stunning collection of sights from trickling streams to dense rainforest and Aboriginal rock art. Guided tours are available to book as well – but book in advance, as this park is very popular.
BICENTENNIAL NATIONAL TRAIL / KROOMBIT TOPS NATIONAL PARK, VIA BILOELA The iconic Australian Bicentennial National Trail traverses Kroombit Tops National Park in an east–west direction, with designated camps along the way. A large section of the trail is open only to hikers, nonmotorised vehicles and horses.
RIVERSLEIGH WORLD HERITAGE SITE, BOODJAMULLA (LAWN HILL) NATIONAL PARK, VIA GREGORY Discover fossils of ancient mammals and the remains of ‘Baru’, the largest known freshwater croc on the Riversleigh Fossil Trail. This site is part of one of the most significant fossil deposits in the world where you can experience a tantalising glimpse of ancient Australia from the early continent of Gondwana. View abundant wildlife and cultural sights. Note: a number of tour companies offer guided and escorted walks and treks in Outback Queensland, including local operator Trek West.
Bourke’s Parrot, Eulo Bore Painted Honey Eater, dry open forests and woodlands across Outback Queensland Freckled Duck, swamps created by floods in Bulloo and Lake Eyre Basins Crested Bellbird, across Outback Queensland’s interior Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Balonne Shire Night Parrot, location is a mystery (but let us know if you find one)!
Herbertvale Station
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l a r u t a N WONDERS
OUTBACK QUEENSLAND NATIONAL PARKS Carnarvon National Park Mickey Creek Gorge Walk
O
utback Queensland boasts some of the most diverse, stunning and unique natural areas of any place in the world. In fact, it has over 35 national parks and conservation parks within its borders. Ranging from lake and wetland environments to dry, desert landscapes, you can spend a lifetime exploring these regions and still not discover everything there is to see. But that’s not going to stop us from trying! Your driving holiday in Outback Queensland should, without a doubt, include at least a couple of our national and conservation parks as stops along the way. And there’s no better way to have the flexibility and mobility to take the road less travelled than in your own vehicle. Trust us. You’ll definitely want to be able to do just that. As the famous anonymous quote says, ‘Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.’
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UNDISCOVERED TREASURES These beauties aren’t really undiscovered, but they are some of our lesser known, but no less wonderful, natural spaces.
CAMOOWEAL CAVES NATIONAL PARK Located on the flat expanse of Barkly Tablelands, the Camooweal Caves National Park is considered small, at only 14,000 hectares. But this ‘small’ area preserves the incredible semi-arid open woodland and Mitchell grass plains that lie above vast beds of dolomite that were laid down by shallow seas around 550 million years ago. The caves and sinkholes that define the national park were formed when water percolated through the layers of soluble dolomite and created caverns linked by vertical shafts up to 75 metres deep. When portions of the caves roofs collapsed, sinkholes were formed at the surface giving visitors a glimpse into the past. While visitors are not permitted into the caves themselves, there is a safe viewing area located at Great Nowranie Cave. Don’t miss: The seasonal waterhole teeming with wildlife located near Great Nowranie Cave. Getting there: At Camooweal, turn south at the Post Office Hotel, onto Urandangi Road. Travel for 15 kilometres, following the signs, to the park turn-off on the left.
FOREST DEN NATIONAL PARK
Northeast of Longreach, Forest Den is a birdwatcher’s delight, protecting Mitchell grass plains and black gidgee woodlands. Majestic river red gums and coolabahs line waterholes and provide a refuge in dry times. There’s open bush camping at Four Mile Waterhole camping area on the banks of Torrens Creek and though there aren’t any formal walking tracks, you can take a wander around the creeks and the waterholes for an utterly peaceful and stunningly picturesque adventure. You can also take a scenic drive along the winding channels of Torrens and Paradise Creeks on the track to Four Mile Waterhole. Catch awe-inspiring glimpses across the vast Mitchell grass plains and keep your eyes peeled for wildlife such as whistling kites, brown falcons, egrets and, in the evening, sugar gliders, brushtail possums and even Beccari’s freetail bats skimming out over the water. Don’t miss: Squatter pigeons hiding in the grass. Getting there: Forest Den National Park is 100km north of Aramac, or 200km northeast of Longreach. Take the Corinda turn-off on Torrens Creek Road and travel east. Turn left after 5km and head north for a further 4.5km to Four Mile Waterhole camping area.
MARIALA NATIONAL PARK
NUGA NUGA NATIONAL PARK
TREGOLE NATIONAL PARK
Mariala is a remote national park near Adavale in the Charleville region. It’s primary features are deep red earths that support the mulga, a type of hardy acacia tree. In fact, Mariala officially became a national park in 1992 specifically to protect a representative sample of Queensland’s mulga population.
Nuga Nuga National Park is another undiscovered little gem. Surrounding Lake Nuga Nuga there is gorgeous plant life and the opportunities for photography here are extensive. Set up camp at the bush camping area located on the banks of the lake, and head out on a bushwalk. Keep your eyes open for the more than 150 different birds that have been recorded in the park – such as black swans, grey teals and pelicans – or maybe you’ll be the first to see something new.
In semi-arid, south-western Queensland, Tregole National Park straddles two of the state’s most interesting natural regions, the brigalow belt and the mulga lands. But its most intriguing feature is the small, almost pure stand of ooline (also known as Cadellia pentastylis).
You can see why this spot was chosen as the mulga here can reach up to 10 metres in height. Mariala does not have visitor facilities or designated walking trails, though there is plenty of former pastoral land (and interesting vegetation) to explore. However, you’ll want to ensure you have a compass for any bushwalking you do, and you need to be fully self-sufficient. If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll be well rewarded at this undiscovered treasure. Don’t miss: You might also see rare Hakea, which has only been recorded in the Adavale-Cheepie area of Queensland otherwise. Getting there: Mariala can be reached by heading 128km west from Charleville on the road to Adavale. This road dissects the park and entry points are well signposted from the Charleville side.
The park conserves remnants of endangered bonewood scrub and the vulnerable ooline tree, so it’s well worth having an explore. But make sure you take a compass as there are no formal walking tracks within the park. The lake is believed to be only 160 years old, formed as a result of natural events like heavy rain and flooding of the Brown River. Don’t miss: The beautiful reflections of the dead trees on the surface of Lake Nuga Nuga and the incredible amount of water birds that use them. Getting there: From Roma take the Carnarvon Developmental Road and travel north 89km to Injune. Continue north 37km from Injune, then turn right onto Arcadia Valley Access Road. Travel 83km on gravel road to the Lake Nuga Nuga Road turnoff. Or you can access the park via Rolleston, 86km to the north.
Ooline is a medium to large rainforest tree with bright green leaves and rough tile pattern bark. It dates back to the Pleistocene Era when Australia was much wetter than today. Because it has been extensively cleared, it’s considered vulnerable to extinction. While there’s no camping at Tregole, there are accommodation and services in Morven, 11kms from the park’s day-use area. The day use area has gas barbecues provided, so come for a picnic and then head out on the maintained Tregole circuit. It’s a short walk that will take you through the heart of the ooline forest. Don’t miss: Look for the black orchid growing on the ooline tree trunks. Getting there: Tregole is located between Roma and Charleville, 11kms south of Morven on the Morven-Bollon Road.
Diamantina National Park
Hell Hole Gorge National Park
Nuga Nuga National Park
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Idalia National Park
OUTBACK QUEENSLAND NATIONAL PARKS – OLD FAVOURITES There are over 30 parks and forests you can visit while travelling through Outback Queensland. These include our favourite not-to-be-missed natural spaces.
BLADENSBURG NATIONAL PARK. Vast grassland plains surround impressive flat-topped plateaus and sandstone ranges.
BOODJAMULLA NATIONAL PARK. See 25-million-year-old fossils and a spectacular gorge carved into ancient sandstone.
CARNARVON NATIONAL PARK – CARNARVON GORGE SECTION. Featuring towering sandstone cliffs, vibrantly coloured side gorges, diverse flora and fauna and Aboriginal rock art.
CARNARVON NATIONAL PARK – KA KA MUNDI SECTION. Remote sandstone escarpments shelter the incredible Bunbuncundoo Springs and a myriad of wildlife, including wompoo fruit-doves and swamp wallabies.
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CARNARVON NATIONAL PARK – MT MOFFAT SECTION. The Mt Moffat region of Carnarvon boasts the highest plateau in Queensland and highly significant rock art sites.
CARNARVON NATIONAL PARK – SALVATOR ROSA SECTION. Crystal clear springs flow into Louisa Creek and the Nogoa River wind beneath rocky sandstone crags and spires.
COMBO WATERHOLE CONSERVATION PARK. The largest in a string of waterholes on the Diamantina River, Combo Waterhole may have been the inspiration for Banjo Paterson’s Waltzing Matilda.
CULGOA FLOODPLAIN NATIONAL PARK.
DIAMANTINA NATIONAL PARK.
Immerse yourself in the cultural heritage and wildlife of the channel country. Spend starry nights camped by a waterhole, and the days exploring the vast treeless plains, sand dunes and stony ranges.
ELIZABETH SPRINGS CONSERVATION PARK.
Part of the Great Artesian Basin, this park protects endangered, mineral-rich mound spring habitats and the unique animal life they support – with some mounds reaching two metres in height.
EXPEDITION NATIONAL PARK.
Highlights are rugged gorges with high sandstone cliffs, spectacular views of the Carnarvon ranges and colourful wildflowers in late winter and spring.
HELL HOLE GORGE NATIONAL PARK. Coolabahs, black box and grasses flourish on this floodplain in the MurrayDarling Basin.
CURRAWINYA NATIONAL PARK.
Red sandplains and rocky ranges contrast with wetlands and lakes in one of Queensland’s largest parks.
The deep gorges, rugged cliff-lines, waterholes and rock pools of this remote park starkly contrast with the harsh, arid landscape.
IDALIA NATIONAL PARK. Located on the Gowan Range tablelands, here you can spot six species of kangaroos and wallabies while visiting old stockyards, huts and pastoral-era relics.
ISLA GORGE NATIONAL PARK. At Isla soft precipice sandstone have eroded into a breathtaking panorama of cliffs, peaks, overhangs, tunnels and arches.
KROOMBIT TOPS NATIONAL PARK. Visit this cool retreat high above the surrounding farmlands and make sure to listen for the unusual call of the endangered Kroombit tinker frog.
LAKE BINDEGOLLY NATIONAL PARK. A landscape of temporary salt and freshwater wetlands that provide a wildlife refuge in an otherwise arid region.
LAKE MURPHY CONSERVATION PARK. This ephemeral perched lake is home to ducks and large wading birds in the wet season, and grazing wallabies during the dry.
LARK QUARRY CONSERVATION PARK. Ancient rocks have been eroded into a striking landscape of jump-up country, flattopped mesas, gullies and steep, broken escarpments. Take a guided tour of the dinosaur trackways.
LOCHERN NATIONAL PARK. A ‘boom and bust’ country of droughts and floods that transform the parched land into wetlands teeming with life.
MOORRINYA NATIONAL PARK. Barking owls, sugar gliders, red kangaroos, koalas and wallaroos all reside in the open woodlands and seasonal watercourses of Moorrinya.
MOUNT SCORIA CONSERVATION PARK. This striking volcanic plug mountain was formed 20-26 million years ago and features basalt columns, rocky scree slopes, open woodlands and vine thickets.
MUNGA-THIRRI (SIMPSON DESERT) NATIONAL PARK.
Diamantina National Park
PORCUPINE GORGE NATIONAL PARK.
WELFORD NATIONAL PARK.
Known as the ‘little Grand Canyon’, the towering cliffs of coloured sandstone give views to deep permanent waterholes along Porcupine Gorge.
Aboriginal cultural sites sit along the coolabah-lined Barcoo River as it slices through Mitchell grass plains and mulga woodlands.
THRUSHTON NATIONAL PARK.
WHITE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK.
Thrushton National Park protects Queensland’s Mulga Lands bioregion with mulga scrub, spinifex sandplains, dry eucalypt woodlands and relics of the former sheep grazing times.
Look for frilled lizards and spiny knobtailed geckos among the rugged wilderness and spectacular white sandstone bluffs of White Mountains National Park.
For more information about these parks and visitor use, visit the Queensland National Parks website. qld.gov.au/NationalParks
TRAVEL SAFELY
Many parks in Outback Queensland are very remote, with minimum services, no mobile phone coverage and no facilities. You need to be experienced in remote area travel and self-sufficient with food, water and fuel. Plan ahead; camping permits and fees must be paid in advance. Check Park Alerts for park access, closures and conditions. For important safety tips visit: https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/before-you-visit/visit-with-care Connect with Queensland National Parks:
qld.gov.au/NationalParks
qldnationalparks
qld.gov.au/Camping
@QldParks; #QldParks
qld.gov.au/ParkAlerts Queensland’s largest park boasts 80,000-year-old sand dunes, with windswept crests separated by mineralencrusted claypans and shrub lands.
Image credits: © Queensland Government John Augusteyn, Robert Ashdown, Fiona Leverington and Tracy Wattz
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Saltbush Retreat
I
y r u x u LAND WELLNESS
f you’re looking for an Outback experience that gives you room to explore while still offering you life’s luxuries, then we’ve compiled some great options for you.
The Lodge on Hawthorn Julia Creek Artesian Baths
LUXURY RETREATS The Outback might be better known for windmills and sunsets than spa baths, but there are some true luxury retreats that are bucking that belief. Saltbush Retreat springs to mind immediately, where the range of accommodation includes some of the most beautifully rustic spaces that we’ve ever seen, complete with an outdoor bath terrace for guests. Or Moble Homestead near Quilpie, a luxurious mini-oasis owned by the Rutledge family, who have lived there for five generations. There’s also the Gilberton Outback Retreat, offering uninterrupted views of the Gilberton River from your verandah bathtub. And the Cooper’s Country Lodge nestled in the Eromanga Natural History Museum Nature Reserve allows you to combine a history lesson on “Cooper” – Australia’s largest dinosaur – with a night of luxury.
GLAMPING If you love camping, but also love being comfortable and pampered, then glamping is for you. The Wallaroo Outback Retreat is nestled amongst the stunning sandstone cliffs of the Carnarvon Ranges, with beds so snuggly and divinely comfortable you’ll never want to leave. Club Boutique Hotel at Cunnamulla is safari glamping at its finest, with its boho-inspired bell tents fitted with queen beds, soft linens and a bar fridge stocked with snacks. And at Mitchell Grass Retreat each one of the 15 permanent luxury tents features a private
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deck plus ensuite complete with a huge tub and even bigger views – and they have a pool, which is a true luxury in the Outback.
SPAS AND BATHS Share in the secrets that locals have known for years, and immerse yourself in one of the Outback’s wonderful and restorative artesian spas and baths. The aptly named Great Artesian Spa in Mitchell boasts mineralised waters that are relaxing for the body and therapeutic for the soul. At the Julia Creek Artesian Baths, underground artesian water cleanses and imparts wonderful minerals into the water such as sulphur and calcium. Sit back and relax, enjoy the view from your bath, and let the Outback spirit and serenity soak into your soul.
LUXE FOODIE FINDS Just because you’re travelling, doesn’t mean you won’t be spoiled for foodie experiences. Outback Queensland has some incredible options, from local coffee to organic beef. For scrumptious cakes and New York-style bagels, The Lodge on Hawthorn in Blackall serves incredible food that belies its middle-of-nowhere location. In Charleville, don’t miss Charlotte’s Nest café, with locally made sweet and savoury treats, including gluten-free options. For exquisite pastries, freshly baked bread, and homemade sweets, you can’t go past the Elegant Emu patisserie in Adavale, with it’s fair-trade ethos.
Charlotte Plains
D
riving in the Outback can be a daunting experience for the first timer. But the first thing you need to know is that the roads are the lifeblood of Outback Queensland. So, they are very well maintained and most of them are frequently travelled. Keep our other tips in mind and you’ll be well on your way to a fantastic driving holiday.
TRAVEL TIPS
TAKE THE ESSENTIALS
FOR DRIVING IN OUTBACK QUEENSLAND GETTING THERE RAIL EXPERIENCES Jump on board one of four Outback rail services for a scenic route to the Outback, where you can sit back and relax and watch the coast turn to country. Queensland Rail services include:
Spirit of the Outback (Brisbane to Longreach) The Westlander (Brisbane to Charleville) The Inlander (Townsville to Mount Isa) The Savannahlander (Cairns to Forsayth)
On major highways fuel stops are rarely more than 200 kms apart, so you shouldn’t need to carry extra fuel unless you are heading somewhere more remote. However when you do see ‘no fuel’ signs, it means exactly that. Check your maps in advance for driving distances between fuel stops. Note: if you are traveling in a vehicle that requires autogas, check where you can re-fuel. Autogas (LPG) is only available for purchase in Mount Isa, Emerald and Roma. We do recommend packing the car with road trip essentials. This includes maps of the area, first aid kit, plenty of water, a spare tyre, a good toolbox, a radio and a torch so you’re prepared for anything.
CHECK THE WEATHER
BUS SERVICES Enjoy a classic Outback road trip without being the driver, with a bus journey, taking you across the major drive routes of Outback Queensland.
AIR CONNECTIONS If you’re short on time but big on experiences, see the Outback from above. Qantas, Virgin, Alliance, and/or Rex service: ■ Barcaldine
■ Cunnamulla
■ Richmond
■ Bedourie
■ Hughenden
■ Roma
■ Birdsville
■ Julia Creek
■ Thargomindah
■ Boulia
■ Longreach
■ Windorah
■ Charleville
■ Mount Isa
■ Winton
■ Cloncurry
■ Quilpie
SELF DRIVES Embark on the ultimate outback road trip with eight major drive routes taking you to all corners of the Outback. You can also pick up a hire car from major retailers like AVIS, Budget and Hertz from Roma, Charleville, Longreach, and Mount Isa Airports. Or hire a campervan or motorhome from Apollo or Britz Rentals.
Outback weather conditions can be harsh and changeable. Dust storms, rainstorms and intense heat are fairly standard. That means road conditions can change almost daily. Each morning, before you set out for your destination, check the road conditions. You can speak to the locals, get information from the Visitor Information Centre or even reach out to police or rangers.
trains, heavy vehicles and caravans. Ensure you have a clear line of sight, allow plenty of room and always be prepared to move over to the side to overtake. If a road train or heavy vehicle is approaching you from behind or from ahead, move as far left as possible, or better still, pull right over to the side of the road and stop to allow it to pass, especially if you are towing a caravan or camper. Be cautious in wet conditions as road verges can be soft and slippery.
LEAVE THE GATE AS YOU FIND IT Much of the vast and seemingly empty Outback is actually covered by huge cattle stations. As such, there’s key road etiquette you need to be aware of. Most important is to leave any gates as you find them. If they are open, leave them open. And if they are closed, then always close them behind you.
IF YOU GET INTO TROUBLE The number one rule in the Outback is to always stay with your vehicle. Try to reach help via your mobile, radio or satellite phone. Do not try to walk for help - it’s very easy for people to become disoriented and dehydrated.
VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRES Make sure you pop into the local Visitor Information Centres (VICs) along the way – you’ll always get a friendly welcome and plenty of local advice. Locations of the VICs are listed on the back of this guide.
WATCH OUT FOR WILDLIFE From kangaroos and emus, to cattle, goats, echidnas, and camels: most Outback creatures are more active at dawn and dusk, but no matter the time of day, you need to be aware that animals may wander directly onto the road. Avoid driving at dawn and dusk where possible.
For more tips visit our website:
BE CAUTIOUS ON THE ROADS Take extreme care when passing and overtaking road
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Mitchell Grass Retreat
This sign denotes genuine, quality visitor information centres. These centres have achieved specified industry standards and are recognised within their region as genuine, quality information providers.
BALONNE
Balonne Shire Visitor Information Centre 112-114 Saint Georges Terrace P (07) 4620 8877 vic@balonne.qld.gov.au www.balonne.qld.gov.au
BARCALDINE
Barcaldine Visitor Information Centre 149 Oak Street, Barcaldine P (07) 4651 1724 tourism@barc.qld.gov.au www.barcaldinerc.qld.gov.au
BEDOURIE
Bedourie Outback Visitor Information Centre 13 Herbert Street, Bedourie P (07) 4746 1620 visitors@diamantina.qld.gov.au www.thediamantina.com.au
BILOELA
Biloela Rural Hinterland Visitor Information Centre 11 Exhibition Avenue, Biloela P (07) 4992 2400 rhvic@bigpond.com www.sandstonewonders.com
BIRDSVILLE
Wirrarri Visitor Information Centre 29 Burt Street, Birdsville P (07) 4564 2000 info@diamantina.qld.gov.au www.thediamantina.com.au
BOULIA
Min Min Encounter and Visitor Information Centre 25 Herbert Street, Boulia P (07) 4746 3386 tourism@boulia.qld.gov.au www.boulia.qld.gov.au
CHARLEVILLE
Charleville Visitor Information Centre Charleville Railway Station King Street, Charleville P (07) 4654 3057 info@murweh.qld.gov.au www.experiencecharleville.com.au
CLONCURRY
MOUNT ISA
Cloncurry Unearthed Visitor Information Centre & Museum 48 McIlwraith Street, Cloncurry P (07) 4742 1361 info@cloncurry.qld.gov.au www.cloncurry.qld.gov.au
Outback at Isa 19 Marian Street, Mount Isa P (07) 4749 1555 info@outbackatisa.com.au www.outbackatisa.com.au
CUNNAMULLA
Quilpie Visitor Information Centre, Museum & Gallery 51 Brolga Street, Quilpie P (07) 4656 0540 tourism@quilpie.qld.gov.au www.visitquilpieshire.com
Cunnamulla Fella Centre 2 Jane Street, Cunnamulla P (07) 4655 8470 cunnamullainfo@paroo.qld.gov.au www.cunnamullatourism.com.au
QUILPIE
HUGHENDEN
Flinders Discovery Centre & Dinosaur Display Museum 37 Gray Street, Hughenden P (07) 4741 2970 info@flinders.qld.gov.au www.visithughenden.com.au
INJUNE
Injune Visitor Information Centre 32 Hutton Street, Injune P (07) 4626 0503 tourism@maranoa.qld.gov.au www.mymaranoa.org.au
RICHMOND
Kronosaurus Korner 91–93 Goldring Street, Richmond P (07) 4719 3390 enquiries@kronosauruskorner.com.au www.kronosauruskorner.com.au
ROMA
The Big Rig and Visitor Information Centre 2 Riggers Road, Roma P (07) 4624 0204 tourism@maranoa.qld.gov.au www.mymaranoa.org.au
JULIA CREEK
‘At the Creek’ – Julia Creek Visitor Information Centre 34 Burke Street, Julia Creek P (07) 4746 7690 tourism@mckinlay.qld.gov.au www.atthecreek.com.au
LONGREACH
Longreach Visitor Information Centre Qantas Park, 96a Eagle Street, Longreach P (07) 4658 4150 experience@longreach.qld.gov.au www.experiencelongreach.com.au
THARGOMINDAH
Echidna Place 37 Dowling Street, Thargomindah P (07) 4621 8095 tourism@bulloo.qld.gov.au www.visitbulloo.com.au
WINDORAH
Windorah Visitor Information Centre 7 Maryborough Street, Windorah P (07) 4656 3063 E: windorahinfo@barcoo.qld.gov.au www.barcoo.qld.gov.au
MITCHELL
Great Artesian Spa 2 Cambridge Street, Mitchell P (07) 4624 6923 mitchell.spa@outlook.com www.greatartesianspa.com.au
WINTON
Waltzing Matilda Centre 50 Elderslie Street, Winton P 1300 665 115 waltzing@matildacentre.com.au www.experiencewinton.com.au
For more information please call +61 400 812 350 or email admin@outbackqueensland.com.au
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