Top Outback Experiences

Outback Queensland

Top outback

EXPERIENCES

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BACK TO NATURE IN

Hughenden

Hughenden, around halfway between Townsville and Mount Isa on the Overlander’s Way, is surrounded by four national parks, spectacular volcanic basalt tablelands and sweeping black soil plains.

Words: Danielle Lancaster

Outback Queensland

OPPOSITE PAGE: Kooroorinya Falls Nature Reserve. THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: White Mountains National Park; Iconic Queensland windmills; Porcupine Gorge National Park (All images courtesy of TEQ.)

Across this land, forming one-third of the Australian Dinosaur Trail, giant dinosaurs once roamed through a very different landscape. Luckily, these days you’ll be welcomed by the friendly local humans who now inhabit the region.

FLINDERS DISCOVERY CENTRE

Say hello to Hughie, the Flinders Discovery Centre’s star attraction – a seven metre-tall life-size replica skeleton of a Muttaburrasaurus. View the impressive fossils and gems collected locally and from around the world. Step back a little less time to glimpse at the glory days of sheep in the region in the “Shearing the Straggler” permanent exhibit.

PORCUPINE GORGE NATIONAL PARK

Often referred to as Australia’s Little Grand Canyon, the first lookout over this stunning national park lies about 60km north of Hughenden. The gorge is a jewel in the landscape a mere five hundred million years in the making, with towering cliffs carved by flowing creeks and millennia of weather.

WONDERFUL WINDMILLS AND SCULPTURES

The Wirilla Station windmill is a massive 35-foot Comet windmill on the outskirts of town at Wirilla Station. It was the eleventh out of only 15 of the giant windmills ever created, and has the ability to pump over 1 million litres of water every day.

BASALT BYWAY

This scenic 95km 4WD trail rambles through a spectacular landscape. There are rolling volcanic basalt walls, deep long valleys and excellent lookouts, plus an array of flora and fauna to spot along the way. See if you can spot the Flinders poppy – which Hughenden is well known for – in the grassy downs areas. It bursts into flower in the drier months, creating rivers of red in the open plains.

WHITE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

A mere 80km east of Hughenden is the magical White Mountains National Park, one of inland Queensland’s most botanically diverse parks. It’s renowned for its contrasting white sandstone bluffs, wild wilderness and colourful wildflowers, which spring to life generally in the winter months. Then there’s the plentiful fauna in this special park, which protects 14 different ecosystems in the Desert Uplands bioregion.

KOOROORINYA FALLS NATURE RESERVE

This is one of the region’s best-kept secrets. Kooroorinya Falls Nature Reserve is on private property 54km south of Prairie. Tower Creek after rain creates an impressive waterfall into a rocky gorge. Following the wet season a chain of permanent billabongs endure and provide first-rate fishing and swimming – or maybe simply relaxing by the banks.

operates flights to Hughendon. Visit rex.com.au for details.

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Outback Queensland

Toowoomba TANTALISING

Toowoomba, Queensland’s largest inland city, also known as the Garden City, is just over an hour’s drive from the state capital.

Words: Danielle Lancaster

TOP TO BOTTOM: Toowoomba's hertiage-listed Empire Theatre; The Carnival of Flowers; Ju Raku En Japanese Garden (Images courtesy of TEQ.)

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Sitting 700 metres above sea level on top of the Great Dividing Range, Toowoomba’s fertile soils from this once active volcanic range reward us with beautiful parks and gardens. But wait, there’s more!

1. CARNIVAL OF FLOWERS

One of the longest-running events in Queensland’s glowing calendar of activities, the Carnival of Flowers all began in Spring 1950 with a street procession that stretched three miles in length. Led by a bullock team and watched by a crowd estimated to be 50,000 strong, it was a resounding success and has remained successful ever since.

2. EXPLORE THE STREET ART

An outdoor gallery awaits with Toowoomba’s Street Art Trail. Tip: start in Neil Street and allow at least an hour or two to weave your way along the streets and lanes while pausing to enjoy the cafes, coffee and culture along the way. Don’t forget your camera.

3. OLDEST PUBLIC URINAL

The oldest public urinal in Toowoomba could easily make the list as one of Queensland’s quirkiest buildings. The heritagelisted male toilet was constructed in 1919. It’s not open to the general public – for obvious reasons!

4. COBB+CO MUSEUM

Forming part of the Queensland Museum, the Cobb+Co Museum is home to the National Carriage Collection. Along with the coaches and a vast range of vehicles, the collection includes an array of memorabilia from the horse-drawn era. Everything from farm wagons and delivery carts to the Rolls Royce of carriages: the landau is proudly displayed.

5. TOOWOOMBA SPEEDWAY

Get your adrenaline pumping at the Toowoomba Speedway. Every genre of car is on display and revving its engine, from sprint cars to racy V8s and Formula 500s. If you are a car enthusiast Toowoomba has a huge calendar of events to choose from to get your gears into top speed.

6. RUSSELL STREET HISTORICAL WALK

Toowoomba boasts many iconic Queenslander buildings – an architectural style developed to make the best of the climate on top of the Great Dividing Range. Wander down the Russell Street Historical Walk and see grand buildings dating back to the 1860s.

7. JU RAKU EN JAPANESE GARDEN

Discover tranquillity in one of Toowoomba’s most peaceful and beautiful parks in the Japanese Garden. Encompassing 4.5 hectares, Ju Raku En roughly translates as ‘to enjoy peace and longevity in a public place.’ Toowoomba’s Japanese garden is Australia’s largest, most traditionally designed Japanese garden and perfect for a stroll.

operates flights to Toowoomba. Visit rex.com.au for details.

Quilpie

A HIDDEN GEM

Don’t be fooled: there is plenty to do in the outback at the ‘End of the Line.’

Words: JILLIAN RAMIREZ

Nestled in the seemingly endless outback of South West Queensland is the quaint town of Quilpie. It was founded in 1917 after the arrival of a railway line from Charleville, hence its title as “the end of the line.” Even though the population is just shy of 600 people, there’s no shortage of things to do.

NATURAL TREASURES

Grazing and mining drive the town’s economy. Therefore, the region is rich in natural resources, including gas, oil and one of the largest boulder opal deposits in the world. Eromanga, an hour’s drive down the road, is home to the region’s dinosaur trail. Although its population is only just over 100 people, Eromanga offers world-class prehistoric and geological experiences for visitors at the Eromanga Natural History Museum. The museum houses the largest dinosaur ever discovered in Australia, Cooper. In his day, he was almost 30 metres in length and weighed between 30 and 40 tonnes.

WHERE TO STAY

When you think of outback accommodation, you might imagine dusty caravan parks and roadside motels. That’s not the case in Quilpie. Moble Homestead is run by the Rutledge family. The land has been in their family for five generations, first purchased by

the Rutledge brothers back in 1914. Today it is home to the current generation – Brian, Kylie and their four daughters. They welcome visitors into their cosy abode and treat them like family. “Moble has always been a gathering place throughout the generations,” Kylie explains. “So we knew that opening our doors to visitors would be a strength we could utilise. We have welcomed some interesting people over the past year which, in turn, has rewarded us with rich experiences as well.” Across the estate, guests can enjoy strolls around the gardens, swimming, canoeing, fishing and sitting around a crackling campfire at night.

WHAT LIFE’S ALL ABOUT

A big part of the Quilpie lifestyle and ethos is sharing seasonal, home-cooked food, surrounded by good company. As Kylie puts it: “We live in an area that some may consider isolated, and we are adept at making our own fun, so why be dull? We love to share good food and laughter – it’s the basis of a life well lived.” Despite its remoteness at “the end of the line”, there’s plenty to do in and around Quilpie. Indulge in sunsets at Cave Hill or have a beer and a yarn with the locals at Toompine Hotel. One thing’s for sure: you’ll feel welcomed everywhere you go, as if you’re part of the Quilpie family.

operates flights to Quilpie. Visit rex.com.au for details.

Outback Queensland

TOP TO BOTTOM: Guests enjoying hiking, canoeing and a campfire at Moble Homestead run by the the Rutledge family. (Images courtesy of TEQ.)

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Outback Queensland

WANDERING THE

Warrego

Words: Danielle Lancaster

Come and wander along the wonderful Warrego River, which sits beside Charleville in Outback Queensland. It’s a place to pull over and relax, where huge river red gums fringe the banks with a backdrop of mulga trees. At dawn and dusk, mallee ringneck parrots dance among the trees with their other feathered friends who call this permanent waterhole home. This mighty river forms part of the Darling catchment within the MurrayDarling basin, and is one of the few rivers where silver perch breed naturally. It’s a delight for campers, fishermen and nature lovers – but wait, there’s so much more to lure you into pulling up for a night or two. Ideally, the Ward River is located only 20km west of Charleville on the Diamantina Developmental Road, Australia’s longest road, offering another perfect place to stop, camp, fish and admire nature in the heart of the Mulga Lands. Grab that fishing line, the book you’ve been meaning to read, a pen and paper, or your camera. There’s so much to adore along this beautiful stretch of waterway.

FABULOUS FISHING

With fingerlings of golden perch and Murray cod released annually (644,000 yellow belly and 52,000 Murray cod since 1992) along the Warrego and Ward Rivers, you are almost certain of a bite.

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Add to that the chance of adding eel-tailed catfish and spangled perch to your catch as an additional bonus. Size and possession limits do apply. No permits required.

FISHING TIPS

* Live bait includes yabbies, shrimps, worms and prawns only. * For the best fishing tips, call into Jude’s Browse In on Charleville’s main street, Alfred Street, for all the updates on the best bait to use and what is biting. Jude is a local legend and a true character. Make sure you take some time to read her cartoons on the front of the store. Look left on the shelf behind the counter – Jude’s Browse In is also the local adult entertainment store for the region.

CAMPING

Charleville offers a range of camping from free sites along the Warrego and Ward rivers plus the Rock Pools to paid campgrounds in a variety of settings in and around town. The Charleville Visitor Information Centre staff have maps and advice to guide you to the perfect spot.

CAMPING TIPS

* Watch the sunset from your campsite on the east of the Ward River. * Forget the fishing and admire the wildlife along both of these rivers. * Free camping sites have very few amenities – take out what you bring in.

ABOVE: The Warrego River is a beautiful spot to enjoy many activities, but one of the best is the glowing afternoon Queensland sunsets.

MORE TO DO IN CHARLEVILLE › See the night and day sky at the Cosmos Centre › Visit endangered bilbies › Meet the farmer on an Outback Date Farm Tour › Learn history along a WWII tag-along tour and at the Secret Base › Immerse yourself in flora at Charleville Botanic Reserve › Sip and chat with a local at the iconic Corones Hotel

And, like the ad says, ‘but wait, there’s more’! There is so much more to see and do in the outback hub of Charleville.

operates flights to Charleville. Visit rex.com.au for details.