Travel Action Matilda Country Magazine 2023 - Volume 34

THE MATILDA WAY

and MATILDA BYWAYS

4/5 ----------------------------------------------- Map

6 ------------------ Comments from the Director

7/10 -------------------- Bourke/Kidman Way

11 --------------------------------------- Mitchell

12/14 ----------------------------- Cunnamulla

15/16 -------------------------------------- Eulo

17 ---------------------------------------- Yowah

18/20 -------------------------- Thargomindah

21/24 ---------------------------------- Quilpie

COVER PHOTOGRAPHS

Follow the Map Pins from the top to the bottom

1 : Opened in March 2022 this new attraction in Barcaldine

called the Pat Ogden Tower gives 360 degree views of the

surrounding area. Pat was a former publican, Councillor and

longtime resident. Photo courtesy of John Ursem

2: When visiting the Central Highland’s Gemfields check out

the Wetlands at Sapphire. A beautiful and peaceful walk awaits

you as you stroll through the excellent pathways meandering

through the landscape. Photo courtesy of John Ursem

3: Don’t forget the Channel Country Music Festival held at

Thargomindah on the 15th and 16th July. Heaps of room

for campers and caravans for a great weekend of music

and dancing. Photo courtesy of The Thargomindah Visitor

Information Centre

4: One of the beautiful sculptures erected as part of the

Savannah Way Art Trail. This one can be found at Karumba

overlooking the Gulf of Carpentaria. Check it out at sunset for

an amazing view. Photo courtesy of John Ursem

5: When in Longreach enjoy a ride on the Thomson Belle

Paddle Steamer as it makes it way along the river. Enjoy the

shoreline scenery and the spectacular sunsets. Photo courtesy

of Outback Pioneers

6: As you drive along the Matilda Way from Blackall to

Barcaldine take the turnoff to Lara Wetlands. It is a hidden

jewel and part of a privately owned cattle station. You will

never forget the atmosphere and the camaraderie of fellow

campers and amazing birdlife. Photo courtesy of John Ursem

7: It ‘s the 100th anniversary in the copper city of Mount

Isa so be sure to enjoy some of the attractions and activities it

has on offer. Explore the Underground Hospital of yesteryear,

The Riversleigh Fossil Centre and feel the atmosphere of an

Underground Mine. Photo courtesy Outback at Isa

8: Not to be missed this season is an out-of-the-earth

experience. The world’s first Indigenous balloon will adorn the

skies of Burketown each morning during the tourist season

giving those on board a magnificent view of the landscape and

maybe even a Morning Glory. Photo courtesy of Yagurli Tours

9: One of the “Must See” attractions is the Australian Age of

Dinosaurs near Winton. As you enjoy your tour you will come

face to face with these life-sized bronze dinosaurs outside the

March of the Titanosaurs exhibition. Photo Courtesy Australian

Age of Dinosaurs

10: When in Longreach drop into the Railway Station and

book a ride on the lastest attraction to town, the Outback

Rail Adventure. The train now with a permanent home, was

brought to town by Outback Aussie Tours. Photo courtesy

Aaron Skinn

Gemstone Features: Queensland is a fossickers paradise and

for those keen to try their luck head to Opalton for opals, the

Gemfields of the Central Highlands for sapphires or Mount

Surprise for topaz.

25/27 -------------------------------- Charleville

28/29 ------------------------------------- Tambo

30/31 --------------------------------- Windorah

32 ----------------------------------------- Jundah

33 ----------------------------------- Stonehenge

34-39 ------------------------------------ Blackall

40/43 --------------------- Sapphire Gemfields

44/45 ------------------ Central Qld Highlands

46/51 -------------------------------- Barcaldine

52/54 -------------------------------- Muttaburra

55 ---------------------- Aramac, Jericho, Alpha

56/68 -------------------------------- Longreach

69 -------------------------------------- Ilfracombe

70 ------------------------------- Yaraka, Isisford

71/85 ------------------------------------- Winton

86 ----------------------------------------- Kynuna

87/88 ---------------------------------- McKinlay

89/90 -------------------------------------- Boulia

91/92 --------------------------------- Mt Isa

93/95 --------------------------- Julia Creek

96/97 ------------------------------- Hughenden

98/99 ------------------------------ Chillagoe

100/101 ----------------------- Savannah Way

102 --------------------------------- - Mt Surprise

103/104 ---------------------------- Georgetown

105 ---------------------------------- Forsayth

106/107 -------------------------------- Croydon

108/110 ---------------------------- Normanton

111/114 ------------------------------ Karumba

115/119 ---------------------------- Burketown

120 --------------------------------- Doomadgee

121 ----------------------------------- Hells Gate

122 -------------------------------- Camooweal

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Contents // VOLUME 34

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TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Regional Map

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TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Regional Map

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Comment from the Director

Muttonhole Wetlands, Normanton

What a land of extremes we live in! These last couple of weeks Australia has experienced snowfalls in the Southern Alps, bush fi res

in NSW and Queensland and major fl ooding in the Gulf Savannah regions of far North Queensland and no doubt some areas are still

in drought.

All being well, the 2023 tourist season will kick off again around Easter time and what exciting new adventures we have in store for

you. As I sit here and compose this editorial, somewhere in Canberra there is a balloon high up in the air observed by a large media

contingent promoting the release of the fi rst Indigenous balloon in the world which will adorn the skies of Burketown way up in the far

regions of north-west Queensland. The balloon, emblazoned with the indigenous logo of Yagurli Tours, will be based in Burketown for

future tourist seasons and will give visitors to the town the thrilling experience of gliding over the croc infested rivers and the amazing

colourful hues of the immense, picturesque salt pan areas on the northern outskirts of the town. What an experience that will be!

Another wonderful adventure for outback Western Queensland is a dream brought to fruition by none other than Alan Smith from

Outback Aussie Tours. With this new development he has really exemplifi ed the name of his business by introducing another new

concept to the town of Longreach. I think the whole town was out in force when a truck hauling a huge trailer featuring a glistening,

silver train rolled into town and stopped at his headquarters in front of the Longreach Railway Station. It must have been a very proud

moment for Alan and his wife Sue when they could both see the culmination of months of planning come to fruition. Together with

a second carriage it is planned to offer tourists the chance to see the regions north and east of the town, meandering through the

Mitchell grasslands of Outback Queensland while enjoying the comforts of what is on offer.

Another important development which is taking place this year is the promotion of the Savannah Way Art Trail. Each town featured

along this concept from Georgetown to Doomadgee in the far west has been gifted with a sculpture conveying the signifi cance of the

region. As you drive along this major highway from the east to the west, take your time and explore the historical importance of each

town and while you are at it see if you can fi nd each sculpture which is strategically located within the bounds of each town. See pages

100-101 for an image and description of the meaning of each sculpture .

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Editorial

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Lastly, if you are a Country Music lover and looking for a bootscooting, enjoyable atmosphere and fun time, two events not be missed

are the Music In the Mulga Country Music Festival held for four days from the 18th to the 21st May at Wandilla Station, 16kms south

of Eulo, and the Channel Country Music Muster held at the Thargo Rodeo Grounds from the 15th to the 16th July. The weather should

be fantastic for both events and while in the region enjoy what both the Paroo and Bulloo Shires have on offer, like the Eulo Artesian

Mud Baths or the spectacular views of Lake Bindigolly on the way to Thargomindah. Drive save and enjoy your adventure.

PUBLISHER

Tel 07 4685 2266

Email matilda@action-graphics.com.au

Web www.travelactionmatildacountry.com.au

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VOLUME 34 - 2023

S

T

A

Y

Share the road with road trains

Take care when overtaking

Avoid driving at dusk or dawn

‘Yawning’ a sign of fatigue!

O Obey road and safety signs

N Never drive into floodwaters

T

R

A

C

K

Take care when towing

Research and plan your trip

Allow extra time for your trip

Communicate by UHF radio

Keep a watchful eye for wildlife

John Ursem

O Observe varying speed limits

U Undulating outback roads are common

T Tell someone where you are going

B Be prepared for an emergency

A ‘Alcohol and driving’ don’t mix

C Carry emergency contact details

K Kangaroos cause carnage!

‘Fatal Five’

Speed, alcohol and drugs, fatigue, not wearing a

seatbelt, driver distraction and inattention are the

biggest risk factors for road crashes in QLD. Drive within

your limits and avoid finishing your trip with a dead end.

Sponsored by

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Bourke

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TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Kidman Way

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MITCHELL

A MATILDA BYWAY

SPOIL YOURSELF FOR A DAY AT THE

GREAT ARTESIAN SPA

Across the world and throughout the ages people have travelled great distances to seek natural

mineral waters. For a unique experience, visit the Great Artesian Spa, one of Mitchell’s treasures.

Here you can relax tired, aching muscles and revitalise both body and mind. With billabonginspired

shaping and native Australian fl ora in the landscaped surroundings, the complex has

two large pools—one is naturally heated and the other is cool. The water is renewed regularly

and comes from the Great Artesian Basin, one of the largest artesian basins in the world and

underlying about one-fi fth of Australia. It covers a total area of more than 1,711,000 square

kilometres. The Mitchell bore brings water to the surface from about 3km under the ground.

Designed for easy access and staffed with qualifi ed lifeguards, the spa includes a hydro chair for

those who have restricted mobility.

Located at Mitchell’s eastern entrance and incorporated into the historic Town Hall, the Great

Artesian Spa is truly focussed on client wellness. Relax your mind and tone your body at the Yoga

classes which are conducted every Saturday

at 9am. For those who prefer a more rigorous

workout, the gym is open every day and is free

for everyone, so no membership is needed.

All the necessary equipment for a full-body

workout is provided, including a multi gym

utility fi tness machine.

Spa Java has become the eatery of choice

for those who enjoy delicious, fresh, healthy

food all prepared on site. The cafe caters for

all tastes and requirements with gluten free,

vegetarian and vegan options featured on its

lunch and all-day menus. Of course, no meal

or visit is complete without enjoying a freshly

brewed cup of Merlo coffee. For regulars and

visitors alike, a selection of culinary delights is

available from 9:00am and breakfast is served

on the deck every Sunday morning from

9:00am.

Discover other places of interest in the area at

the visitor information centre, which is located

within the complex. Open seven days a week,

the Great Artesian Spa is the place to visit

regardless of whether you want to dine out,

work out or simply chill out.

For further details and times, visit

www.greatartesianspa.com.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Mitchell

11

CUNNAMULLA

ON THE MATILDA WAY

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Cunnamulla

AN OASIS BESIDE A LONG STRETCH OF WATER

It’s not surprising that there is an oasis-like atmosphere among the lovely streetscapes of

Cunnamulla. The mighty Warrego River clearly was inspirational in the naming of the town that

bears an Aboriginal name meaning ‘long stretch of water’. Created by Cobb and Co. in 1879,

when the fi rst coach drove through from Bourke, the township of Cunnamulla is the only surviving

south-west town along the original route.

Discover the unique town character and the story behind many of the historical buildings and

businesses, including hotels, saddlery, Tonkin House, churches and The Warrego Watchman, by

taking a walk along the Heritage Trail. You can walk the trail at your own pace or join a guided tour.

The Warrego River, on the edge of the town, is the perfect spot for a picnic, or some swimming

and kayaking. Kayaks are available for hire, and while paddling the tranquil waters, try your eye

at spotting the cheeky Cooper Creek turtle. Cunnamulla has some of the most stunning sand hills

in Australia. With the vibrant reds against the brilliant blue sky, budding photographers will be in

heaven.

With a diverse assortment of native fl ora and fauna, both within the town and surrounding region,

Cunnamulla is a rewarding destination for nature enthusiasts. The Cunnamulla Bushlands,

located on the eastern entrance to the town, showcases some of the area’s superb ecosystems

as you take a leisurely stroll along the 1.6km trail, which meanders along a fl owing waterway and

ending at the wetlands. It’s a golden opportunity to see fl ora indicative of the region’s different

ecosystems all in the one place. An evening visit will give you the best chance of viewing local

wildlife, with kangaroos coming to the waterhole for a drink, and an emu or two strolling by.

Birdwatching enthusiasts will marvel at the

number of bird species to be found at Bowra

Wildlife Sanctuary, just 15km out of town. The

sanctuary is internationally renowned as one

of Australia’s most rewarding bird watching

destinations. The area was purchased for

conservation by the Australian Wildlife

Conservancy, with the sanctuary now a

stronghold for many threatened and declining

bird species. The 14,000ha reserve is home

to more than 200 bird species, including the

iconic Hall’s babbler, the chestnut-breasted

quail, Bourke’s parrot and the black falcon.

Collect a town map and bird list from the

Cunnamulla Fella Centre, which is the town’s

visitor information centre. Before departing to

explore, make sure you spend the time going

through the centre, exploring the rich history of

the area in the museum and view the artistic

brilliance of the current collection in the art

gallery.

12

The Artesian Time Tunnel, also in the Centre, incorporates an old mine

lift and takes travellers back in time 100 million years, deep into the

middle of ancient sandstone rocks that form part of the Artesian Basin.

Artesian water is the lifeblood of outback towns and its importance is

demonstrated in the time tunnel experience as well as a 30-minute

theatre presentation. Here you will discover the home of ancient animals

and Australiaís largest dinosaurs that roamed the Eromanga Inland Sea.

You will also experience an old opal mine and the early days in the opal

fields.

With all the points of interest marked on the town map provided by the

visitor information centre, you’re ready to venture further afield. You

may decide to take a relaxing drive to Allan Tannock Weir to see the

abundant array of wildlife and birdlife and take part in water activities

ranging from going on a Warrego boat cruise to kayaking along the river.

Don’t miss the experience of the new 3D sound and light spectacular, All

Aboard! Cunnumulla Off the Rails, housed within the old Cunnamulla

Railway Station precinct. Sit back and relax in air-conditioned comfort in

reclining lounge chairs while you are whisked back in time on a memorable

journey to the “end of the line”. Visit https://www.railwaystation.com.au/

for more information.

See all the action at the Cunnamulla Fella Roundup, held on 29

June – 2 July. With cowboys, shearers and stockmen all converging at

Cunnamulla, the Roundup makes for one of the most diverse events

in the state. There is a jam-packed program, with country music, live

entertainment and lots more. When you wish to take a break from all the

action, kick back on the lawn with the Cunnamulla Fella and enjoy the

food and refreshment stalls and an afternoon of music.

Unique to the area are the Artesian Mud Springs, located 13km west of

Eulo on the Adventure Way. These magnifi cent formations are the natural

discharge from the Great Artesian Basin and act as release valves to the

water pressure.

Drive 100km north of Cunnamulla and visit the laidback township of

Wyandra. This small town evolved as a railway settlement halfway

between Cunnamulla and Charleville. Follow the heritage trail and become

enthralled with the historic architecture of buildings that remain from the

boom period. Visit the Powerhouse Museum to discover Wyandra’s rich

history. After an afternoon swim at the local ‘beach’ head to the Gladstone

for a cold beer and then onto the Post Office Cafe to enjoy a burger or

watch a movie in the unique outdoor cinema.

OUTBACK MAGIC STATION STAY

Charlotte Plains Station, famed among travelling enthusiasts, is a 27,000 ha working sheep

and cattle property located 55km east of Cunnamulla in outback western Queensland.

Charlotte Plains Station was heralded the 2022 Best of the Best by the Grey Nomads Awards

and also received Gold for Best Farm or Station Stay, Gold for Best Property Tour, Silver for

Best Historical Tour and Bronze for Best Attraction.

Owned and operated by lifelong local Robyn Russell, Charlotte Plains offers an exceptional

hot artesian bathing experience, insight into a working station and its rich pastoral history,

opportunities to see over 130 bird species and an abundance of natural wildlife.

Unpowered campsites are within walking distance of 14 baths delivering free-fl owing artesian

water naturally heated up to 42°C that become ‘hot property’ at sunrise and sunset. Enjoy a

bushwalk, roast marshmallows around the campfi re and relax under the stars. Bore Campsite

offers amenities, Wi-Fi, wide-open spaces and is pet friendly.

The Shearers’ Campsite, situated 8.5km from the artesian baths, offers limited powered sites

and our Shearers’ Quarters provides accommodation with comfortable beds (both double and

twin single available), well-equipped kitchen, outdoor barbecue dining area and a campfi re

area.

Day passes are also available for visitors wishing to stop in on their travels for a rejuvenating

soak in a bath, capture the amazing birds and wildlife, or jump on the station bus for an

informative and enjoyable property tour. Or you can book an exclusive private bathing hut

experience and order a cheese and wine/champagne platter to add to the enjoyment - perfect

for a proposal, anniversary, birthday or a special gift for someone you love.

Charlotte Plains caters for everyone of all ages. “Charlotte Plains is home to the original

Artesian Baths, which date back to 1892. This multi-award winning million-star experience is

not to be missed” Denise Brown ~ CEO Outback Queensland Tourism.

“A world-class station stay and authentic experience where they can camp comfortably and

safely while enjoying the local area. Charlotte Plains Outback Magic delivers that in spades.”

~ Grey Nomad Tourism Judges.

This year Charlotte Plains Station is celebrating 100 years of family ownership, and is excited

to host the bucket-list experience ‘Stars of Charlotte Plains’ from 23rd to 26th June 2023 – a

weekend fi lled with live music, fun activities,

a petting zoo, yabby delve and much more.

Bookings online are necessary. Please visit

www.charlotteplains.com.au for more

information or email stay@charlotteplains.

com.au.


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CUNNAMULLA ALL ABOARD - SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW

Ever wonder what makes this Aussie town tick? Well come on down

and join the folks of Cunnamulla for forty-five minutes of fun and enjoy

a unique show that blends film and theatre to tell the real story of what

life was like at the end of the line!

Starring “Steven Tandy” from The Sullivans as the Station Master and

your virtual host of the All Aboard theatrical experience.

Meet a cornucopia of Cunnamulla’s colourful characters and hear some

of the tallest tales from this side of the Queensland border.


Experience the Outback’s true pioneering spirit and discover how Australia

was built on the back of a sheep’s back and narrow-gauge train

tracks!

Laugh out loud as locals share in their own words what life was like

growing up in Cunnamulla, where wool was king and rail was their lifeline

to the world!

But be warned, by the end of it all, you may just want to stay right here

– at the End of the Line!

The Paroo Progress Association have been instrumental in transforming

the once dilapidated railway station back to its former glory and

building the theatre that supports the show. The theatre boasts a fifteen

metre screen and state of the art light and sound system, with chairs

that recline to further enhance the experience. Volunteers run the show

every afternoon of the season from March 15 through to October 15.

The kiosk, which is on the platform of the revitalised Cunnamulla Railway

Station in Murray St, offers cold drinks, including wine and beer,

nibbles and ice-creams. The show starts at 4.30pm every afternoon,

with the kiosk open from 4.10pm. Bookings can be made on-line at

www.railwaystation.com.au , or phone 0472 500 100.

With only 35 seats available every day, to ensure that your seat is

booked it is advisable to book online, however, seats not sold online will

be offered at the kiosk on the afternoon of the show.

Tickets are $22.00 for adults and $16.00 for children 16 years and

younger.

All Aboard is, without a doubt, a must-see attraction while staying in

Cunnamulla, with 5-star Tripadvisor and Google reviews to prove it!

14

EULO

A MATILDA BYWAY

A LITTLE TOWN WITH GET UP AND GO

Once a droving stopover on the east-west stock route, Eulo is still a

popular stopping spot for visitors.

One of the town’s most popular businesses has always been the Eulo

General Store, which fi rst opened in the late 1800’s. Unleaded and

24-hr diesel with contactless payment are available at the store, along

with fresh fruit and vegetables, refrigerated goods and frozen food. There

are some beautiful opal specimens and jewellery from the Newsham’s

own mine, gardening supplies, handmade furniture items, car batteries,

ice, pet food and local honey and hand cream made from bees wax. The

store is also an Australia Post agent. There’s even a private collection of

megafauna fossils found locally and now on display. Breakfast burgers

are available, as well as pies, sausage rolls, sandwiches, espresso coffee

and milkshakes.

While here, you can also check out the famous Eulo fl ood truck. The

fl ood truck, now decommissioned, is an old Dodge that was used to drive

through fl ood waters, carrying people and goods through to the other

side, taking on the 1.2 metres of Paroo fl oodwater safely.

Feel free also to have a wander around the air raid shelter on the southern

side of the store. A government project, the shelter was built in WW11 by

then store proprietor, Hilton Newsham. The little town of Eulo was picked

as the location as it was on the direct fl ight path from Darwin to Melbourne

and was a communication link used to wire information between the two

locations.

The engine shed at the rear of the store houses locally made timber

furniture from local artisan Simon Elwell. All pieces are for sale and

Simon’s quirky style will be nothing like you have seen before!

The Telegraph House Gallery, open seven days in the busy season, is

home to the Eulo Queen Opal Centre. The gallery features a collection

of local art, including traditional Aboriginal paintings and the amazing

art of Melanie Hava, whose Aboriginal-Austrian background provides

Artesian mud spring

inspiration from two very different and contrasting cultures.

More than a century ago, opals were once the lifeblood of the town and

are again an integral industry in the town. The Eulo Queen Opal Centre

has jewellery, fi nished stones and a large range of rough and uncut opals

at affordable prices for beginners. Browse among the gift lines, Himalayan

salt lamps, Eulo honey, crafts and the exceptional locally made Paroo

Products including revitalising cream, lip balm, ointment and furniture

polish. Busy Eulo bees produce the flavoursome honey from local native

Bimble Box tree blossom and innovative locals do the rest.

While in town, stroll along the heritage walking trail which takes in the

cemetery, the old horse race track, old buildings, native trees and the

Chinaman’s Garden.

A great photo opportunity is the megafauna statue of a diprotodon which

is now part of the street landscape … a reminder of a giant wombat-like

creature that once walked the Earth! Nearby is the old jailhouse, moved

from the police station to a new home near the Lizard Lounge and old

lizard track.

Birdwatchers love the Eulo district and come looking for Bourke’s parrot

and the rare Hall’s babbler among the abundant birdlife. Not far from Eulo,

the Paddabilla Bore is world renowned for birdwatching. A nature drive

known as the Billabong Nature Drive features an abundant bird habitat

too.

The Artesian Mud Springs at Eulo are a unique site to behold. .The mud

springs are a release valve for the pressure from the Artesian Basin, with

the springs going through cycles of active and dormant periods. These

cycles can last up to hundreds of years. Large mounds of mud, 40 millions

of years old, build up during the active phases, and then sink back down

when dormant. Access to the springs is by foot only. Display signs provide

information on the springs, as well as on the fl ora and fauna in the area.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Eulo

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RELAX AND REJUVENATE IN AN ARTESIAN MUD BATH

Mudbathing in Eulo could be the quirkiest thing you do on your outback Queensland holiday. It’s

just about as far from your typical day spa as you could get—in every way—but the Eulo Artesian

Mud Baths have the most important ingredient for an authentic experience: the mud.

Here, you’re right at the source. Eulo is one of the few places where artesian water, mixed with

clay from shales deep below the Earth’s surface, rises all the way to ground level. This natural

phenomenon is known as mud springs and over time, dried mud has formed into great grey –

white hillocks

Natural clays can contain certain minerals like silica, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron and

zinc. And while the health value of mudbathing is widely accepted, if you also believe in the

rejuvenating power of laughter you’ll get double the benefi t when you try mudbathing at Eulo.

Because, here, the great Australian sense of humour is truly alive and well.

The baths are located in unique, relaxing outdoor environments - open-air, with outdoor showers

along with antique washroom accessories from a by-gone era. And all only 500m from Eulo

town.

There are three colourful bath areas. The stretch bath for two people, complete with shower

tree, is popular with couples; the Sunset bath area which accommodates up to four people and

overlooks the bush, is popular for viewing the outback sunsets; and the single bath area for up to

three people, also with an outdoor shower, which is perfect for a small family, couples, or singles.

Lean back in your bath and let your skin soak in the goodness from this mineral- rich mud,

snacking on nibblies and sipping a glass of wine or beer (feel free to bring your own drop). Follow

up with a mudpack to complete the rejuvenation. Shower off the mud and then apply moisturising

cream. The whole experience takes about an hour and a half.

This unique experience is offered during

daytime or evenings. Have your lights out for

some total relaxation and an opportunity to

enjoy the outback star-lit heavens.

For those who have their own fl ying machines,

land at Eulo airport. The baths are an easy

walking distance, about 200m away. Enjoy the

bath followed by lunch or dinner at the Eulo

pub.

Pop in, have a look, you’ll be surprised!

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Eulo

The Sunset bath area

The Stretch Bath

16

YOWAH

A MATILDA BYWAY

There’s something about life in Yowah that brings an infl ux of winter residents and visitors.

Historically a mining area for opals since 1875 (circa) — the Yowah opal nut in particular —

Yowah has an appealing shanty-town atmosphere. You can do some fossicking for opals, try to

sink a ball on one of the stony browns (well, you can’t call them greens) at the 9-hole golf course,

wind down at the thermal bore baths and then take a drive up to The Bluff to get a great view of

the landscape - especially at sunset (please note that The Bluff is a working farm, please respect

the owner’s land and stock).

There is also a game of bingo going on at the Rural Transaction Centre (RTC) on Friday mornings

during tourist season. The RTC is open seven days a week April to October, from 9:00am to

4:00pm, and is as close to a mall as you will fi nd in Yowah. The Centre has tourist information,

local crafts for sale, a laundromat and is the home of the library, which is open Wednesday

mornings. You can also hire gear here for fossicking. The RTC also houses a café in town

called the Yowah Nut Café. One of the appealing aspects of Yowah is its shopping style. There

are so many little shops hidden in among houses and sheds. You can just wander around town

following signs (or fl ags) to little retail outlets in and among the houses. It’s all a bit higgledy

piggledy which just adds to the fun and sense of adventure. You could spend the whole day

walking around town gift shopping and fi nd yourself in a blue or red bus, the back of a shed,

a room in a house or in a train carriage as you browse among opals, jewellery, carved wood,

paintings and pottery.

For opal enthusiasts and those just wishing to browse, Yowah’s annual opal festival will be

held the third weekend of July. Enjoy the stalls on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with opals,

jewellery and other goods in the local hall. And in true keeping with a festival, there will be live

entertainment on the Friday and Saturday evenings, along with food stalls and a licensed bar

throughout the three days.

Other activities run by YOMCSI (Town Committee) are the opal markets, which are run during

the tourist season on Saturdays at 10:00am, indoor bowls on Wednesday afternoons and a craft

day on Tuesday mornings.

Thanks to the generous donations, new toilets and showers have been installed valued at

approximately $30,000 at the free (donation) camping area for your convenience.

The Yowah Artesian Bore Baths are open every day. Here you can relax and enjoy the two

pools, with one being warmer than the other. A hoist makes the pools accessible to all. There is

no pub in town, however the bar is open at the YOMCSI hall on Wednesday and Saturday nights

with meals available. This is a great place for visitors to enjoy the community hospitality and

The Bluff

yarn with the locals on how to fi nd the big one

at the 17 hectare fossicking area. If you are

interested in learning how to make your own

jewellery, classes are held regularly in town,

from beginners to very experienced. So you

have the opportunity to fi nd an opal then make

it into your own personalised jewellery!

The Yowah General Store and Caravan

Park also has its version of the bore bath

for the exclusive enjoyment of their guests.

Normal baths sit in quaint little roofl ess beach

houses so you can lie back and enjoy a view

of the stars while you soak in the mineral-rich

water.

The park has seven budget rooms, powered

and unpowered sites. The open-air restaurant

is open during the tourist season on Thursday

nights for a two-course meal. A raffl e is drawn

every Thursday night during dinner. Thursday

night is also a duck race night, when 100 little

plastic ducks are released into the bore drain

and ‘raced’ to raise money for the RFDS.

Bath Houses

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Yowah

17

THARGOMINDAH

A MATILDA BYWAY

NATURE’S BOUNTY IN A SHIRE OF DIVERSITY

Pack your bags, grab your mates and take a trip to the Bulloo Shire where you can experience

nature on a large scale, immerse yourself in history and discover the riches of the region.

Along with the freedom of being in the outback with the vast distances and red desert

landscapes, you will be rewarded with stunning sunsets and glorious night skies. You can

make the journey from Brisbane via the Adventure Way; by the Dowling Track from New

South Wales or via the Strzelecki Track from South Australia. The roads are all well surfaced

and retrace the once-rutted tracks of the Cobb and Co.

The legendary, ill-fated expedition of the Burke and Wills trek through far South West

Queensland in 1860 paved the way for settlement in Thargomindah, with Vincent Dowling

and John Leahy two of the pioneers pivotal in this settlement. You can view the bronze

sculptures depicting their busts outside the Council Administration Offi ce in the main street.

With the success of grazing came the need for supplies, which came through on the famous

Cobb and Co from Bourke up the Dowling Track.

Followed by others with a strong sense of adventure, Thargomindah became the fi rst town to

be gazetted in the Bulloo Shire in 1874, followed shortly by Noccundra and then Hungerford.

While Thargomindah itself might be small, this little outback town can boast that it was the

fi rst town in Australia—and the third in the world after London and Paris—to produce hydroelectric

power for street lighting, through the harnessing of bore water from the Great Artesian

Basin. The original bore still exists but is now

capped. Next to the bore is a replica of the

original power-plant shed, which was built to

house a working Pelton wheel and generator.

You can also visit the old Thargomindah

Hospital, which houses a medical display,

Royal Flying Doctor Service memorabilia

and other artefacts, as well as the old jail. All

sites are fully automated and are accessible

via a swipe card which you can collect from

the Visitors Centre.

Walk along the beautiful Bulloo River to see

the many river red gums, along with a variety

of other native trees and shrubs. Birdlife is

plentiful, and you may spot the odd pelican,

Mallee ring-neck parrot or Bourke’s parrot

among the trees.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Thargomindah

Around Town

Thargomindah has a Foodworks general store,

a roadhouse, post offi ce, Toyota dealership,

mechanical service (RACQ agency), QGAP

offi ce at the police station, community

centre, golf course, airport, primary school,

secondary learning facility, and sports oval.

At Echidna Place (The Visitor Centre) you

will fi nd the Library, Visitor Centre and Café,

with the swimming pool and water slide right

next door.

One of the best caravan parks in the far southwest

is Thargomindah Explorers Caravan

Park. Built in 2002, the Explorers features

a number of well-appointed, self-contained

en suite cabins (one with disabled facilities)

and a bunkhouse with separate rooms for the

budget conscious. Powered, sewered sites

are spacious and set amongst native shrubs

and trees while there are unpowered sites

in a typical outback setting. The park offers

camp kitchen, gas and electric barbecues

and plenty of quiet camp sites. It is also ‘pet

friendly’. The caravan park is conveniently

located just a few minutes walk from the

centre of town and a hop, skip and jump to the

Bulloo River. Throw in a fi shing line or toss in a

yabby net - you just might catch dinner!

For a great hot meal, you can’t go past the

Bulloo River Hotel and the Oasis Motel with

pizzas, roasts, campovens and all of your

classic favourites. Grab a quick bite and REAL

coffee from the Thargomindah Roadhouse,

Explorers Rest, or enjoy a relaxing, long lunch

at Coffee on Dowling coffee shop.

18

a modern amenities block, a well equipped

Explorers Caravan Park

Mural in town

DISCOVER NOCCUNDRA, THE DIG TREE AND CAMERON CORNER

Noccundra boasts some magnificent stories and a stunning history. When you step out of your

car, you can almost hear the sounds of the old Cobb and Co where they lumbered over arid,

sun-scorched plains to Noccundra to feed and water their horses. Back in the day, Cobb and Co

carriages went the length and breadth of the country to deliver passengers and most importantly,

the mail along with many other essential items.

The Noccundra Hotel, built in 1882, is made of sandstone quarried from Mt Pool in New South

Wales which was transported by camel train. One of the most fascinating features of this building

is the low doorways.

The old hotel and its location has been witness to many stories, including the Andrew Hume

Expedition, which passed Noccundra Waterhole in November 1874. Andrew Hume, also known

as the ‘Black Prince’, was released from prison in Sydney to lead the expedition in search of a

survivor of the lost Leichhardt Expedition. Hume, along with Timothy O’Hea, a famous Victoria

Cross winner, perished on Nockatunga Station. The only survivor of Hume’s party was Lewis

Thompson, an ex-India Army Cavalryman. Those who perished, rest in unknown graves.

If you’re looking for a bit of action, then visit Noccundra on 7-9 October to watch the local talent

in action at the Noccundra Campdraft and Rodeo.

Discover the journey of Burke and Wills and experience one of Australia’s biggest ill-fated

exploratory expeditions of all time by visiting Australia’s national icon, the Dig Tree, where you

will also find the face tree. These iconic trees are just off the Adventure Way on the northern

banks of Cooper Creek at Nappa Merrie Station. Arguably two of the most famous trees in

Australian history, they stand as an enduring reminder of our pioneering spirit and extreme harsh

conditions of the outback. If trees could talk, you would be mesmerised and mortified at the

hardships, the miscommunication and the circumstances which lead to the death of both Burke

and Wills. To truly feel and experience the story, read the interpretative signage displayed on

site, with the trees in the background bent over on the banks of the Cooper Creek, heavy from

the burden they carry. To this day there is still mystery surrounding the story and these legendary

trees as new revelations come to light. The subject of multiple investigations, research and

controversy, the trees are now in the safe hands of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland.

In the little township of Hungerford there is something significant about walking or driving

through the Wild Dog Barrier Fence that separates Queensland and New South Wales. Originally

built as a rabbit-proof fence in the 1880s, various fences were joined and made higher during

the 1940s to exclude dingoes. The fence became the longest fence in the world at over 8500km,

with the length today being about 5600km. Check out some of the quirky ‘trees’ in town and the

old couple at the front of the Hotel.

The Royal Mail Hotel in Hungerford is an iconic pub not to be missed during your outback

journey. Constructed in 1873 of corrugated iron, the hotel was transported over 200kms from

New South Wales on bush tracks and was originally a Cobb and Co staging post.

Noccundra Hotel

Although a cold beer and great food are the

mainstays of most pubs, appreciation for

these simple pleasures is amplified when you

are in the real Outback.

The history of the town, and everything that

signifies the outback, is celebrated with events

such as the Hungerford Field Day, which will

be next held in June 2023, as well as the

annual Hungerford Horse and Motorbike

Gymkhana held on the first weekend of

October, providing fun and entertainment for

the whole family.

BULLOO SHIRE EVENTS

April 25 — Anzac Day Parade

May 26-27 — Shearers Shindig

June 2 — Hungerford Field Day

June 17-18 — Thargomindah

Polocrosse Carnival

July 15-16 — Channel Country Music

Muster

August 26 - Thargomindah Polocrosse

Black Tie Ball

September 16-17 — Thargomindah

Motorbike Gymkhana & Enduro

Sep 30- October 1 — Hungerford

Horse & Motorbike Gymkhana plus

Motorbike Enduro

October 6-8 — Noccundra Campdraft,

Motorbike Enduro & Rodeo

November 11 — Hungerford

Remembrance Day

December 1 — Christmas in the Bulloo

Markets & Christmas Tree

December 31 — Cameron Corner New

Year’s Eve Party


19

Royal Mail Hotel

Drive to the Cameron Corner Store located in the most southwestern

corner of Queensland. Once there, you can stand or hop into

all three states of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia

in a few seconds or even play a round of golf on a course that covers all

three states! The original wooden boundary post was surveyed back

in 1880 by John Cameron, the NSW Lands Department Surveyor, and

replaced with a large yellow fl at marker right on the border. Later, a

commemorative post that marks all three states was erected. You may

wonder, who on earth would have thought to build a store in the middle

of nowhere? The late Sandy Nall of course, a weary Australian soldier

and ex-Vietnam vet. He was camping out on the sand dune near the

post for a few weeks, counting cars as they passed. As quite a number

Cameron’s Corner

of cars travelled past, he decided that he could start a business there,

so he built Cameron Corner Store!

Each year thousands of people pass through Cameron Corner

and is everyone’s favourite place to stop on their way to anywhere

and everywhere. Its iconic location is a must-go-to for all Outback

travellers. This popular and central meeting place is where you get to

meet new friends or catch up with past travellers for a drink and a yarn.

Here you’ll receive good old-fashioned hospitality, cold drinks, hearty

meals, good laughs and a fi x up for anything that is broken.

If there is one thing you should do at least once, it’s to join Cameron

Corner for their annual New Year’s Eve party where you get to

celebrate three times in three different States within a 2 hour period!


NATIONAL PARKS

Just a short drive from Hungerford is Currawinya National Park,

which consists of red sandplains and mulga scrub beside long,

dusty roads, giving little hint to the lakes, rivers and wetlands that

makes Currawinya, with its inland waterbird habitat, a wetland of

international importance. Lake Wyara and Lake Numalla are the

main features of the park, which protects sites of Indigenous and

non-Indigenous cultural heritage as well as threatened wildlife. Both

lakes are breeding sites for a large number of birds that migrate from

across the world. Up to 100,000 waterbirds inhabit the Currawinya

wetlands. Due to the different water in the lakes (Lake Wyara is

salt water while Lake Numalla is fresh water) you will fi nd different

species of birds living on the lakes. The National Park is a world

renowned RAMSAR site.

Lake Bindegolly is a seasonal lake and is highly dependent upon

heavy rainfall in local catchment areas. During dry times it becomes

a land of vast, white saltpans, samphire fl ats, claypans and sand

dunes. After heavy rain, the lake joins with two other lakes in the

National Park, the Hutchinson and Toomaroo, to form a long stretch of

water. When the lakes are full it is one of the most important wetland

systems in south-west Queensland, with thousands of waterbirds

fl ocking here to feed and to breed. There is a walking track along part

of the lake, returning via low hills, with an observation point for bird

watching. Along with the waterbirds, other birds that inhabit the area

are parrots, honeyeaters and fairy wrens. Access to Lake Bindegolly

National Park is by foot only due to the fragility of the environment.

20

QUILPIE

A MATILDA BYWAY

BOULDER OPAL AND

COLOURFUL COUNTRY

Quilpie Shire is a stunning region in Queensland’s South West that is rich

with pioneering and prehistoric history. From the centre hub of Quilpie,

you will discover Cheepie to the east, Adavale to the north, Toompine

to the south and Eromanga, the furthest town from the sea, to the west.

The Quilpie region is well serviced by fully sealed roads, whether

travelling from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Longreach or the popular

Natural Sciences Loop. You can also fl y to Quilpie with REX airlines

operating twice-weekly fl ights between Brisbane to Quilpie. If rail is

more your fl avour the Queensland Rail’s Westlander Service operates

between Charleville and Brisbane with a rail/bus connection to Quilpie.

The region is also renowned for its ancient discoveries; this includes

the most famous of all the super sauropods. Not just any sauropod –

the mighty titanosaur sauropod. At the Eromanga Natural History

Museum you will meet a couple of local lads called Cooper and George,

their bones are located at the Museum and are the largest bones of any

dinosaur so far discovered in Australia. Eromanga is also where you will

learn about megafauna. If you aren’t sure what megafauna are, then

picture giant kangaroos and wombats. See them all at the Eromanga

Natural History Museum.

It’s rare, beautiful and found right here in the Quilpie region! The Boulder

Opal occurs in a 700km long belt stretching between Winton and Quilpie.

When in Quilpie call into the Visitor Information Centre and they will

connect you with a local expert to teach you more about these beauties,

or direct you to the opal fossicking area and where you can maybe fi nd

your forever treasure.

Adavale (located 96kms north) of Quilpie is the gateway to three incredible

The Toompine Pub

National Parks, the more well-known being Hell Hole National Park.

Picture rugged gorges framed by cliffs carved out over millions of years

by the Powell and Spencer creeks. With two swimming holes, it is a great

place to explore or stroll along the plateau high above the creek. Mariala

National Park is where soft Mulga grows on deep red soils in the park’s

east and hard Mulga grows on the ranges. With some 140 species of

birds and 27 mammals, Mariala is a popular park for nature-based

activities. Idalia National Park is accessible via Blackall and with its

amazing rugged escarpments and pastoral history is well worth the trip.

The South Western Hotel (circa 1893) is all that remains of what was

a bustling frontier opal town of Toompine. The old Cobb & Co staging

post became the stomping ground for dusty miners and pioneering

pastoralists. After several years of renovations, the pub is now open and

trading seven days a week. They serve barista coffee, along with cake,

breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Excellent fi shing and yabbying spots are just a stone’s throw from the

pub.

The outback is famous for those breath-taking sunsets. In the Quilpie

region you are spoilt for choice – you can capture a sunset just about

anywhere, but imagine yourself perched atop a rugged rocky summit

with nibbles and drinks ready to toast the glorious outback sunset.

Imagine no more, located around 6.5km from downtown Quilpie is Baldy

Top Lookout. With a 10-minute climb to the crest, the 360 degree views

will make you smile. If a climb is not your thing, head to Lake Houdraman

aka ‘The Lake’, which is popular with birdwatchers and serenity seekers

alike.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Quilpie

21

Kyabra Sandhill

The Powerhouse Museum shares the story of how Quilpie was the

fi rst town to have a powerhouse as a result of a government scheme and

still houses one of the original diesel engines from 1952. Discover how

Quilpie became the accidental landing location for the famous aviatrix

Amy Johnson at the Quilpie Shire Military History Museum and the

history of the Woolscour which was originally located on the site.

Other things to do in Quilpie include visiting the life-size Dino sign photo

opportunity in Eromanga, high tea at Elegant Emu in Adavale, wandering

the local art scene at Lyn Barnes Outback Art or Quilpie Shire Gallery

and a soak in an Artesian Spa at the Channel Country Tourist Park.

Take your seat on the expansive green space in front of the supersized

outdoor screen at the Visitor Information Centre for the Quilpeta Night

Show operating Tuesday and Thursday evenings from April to October.

Meet your digital host, Q the Stone Curlew, who will guide you through an

interactive journey of the story of Quilpie stepping back some 95 million

years ago. Along the way you’ll meet giant Titanosaurs Cooper and

George and learn about the Quilpie’s First Nation Maranganji people.

You’ll discover the colourful Boulder Opal story and early pastoral

settlements. It’s a wonderful introduction to Quilpie, its people and the

beauty of the Channel Country.

Adjacent to the Visitor Information Centre is the Quilpie Shire Military

History Museum that commemorates the military story. If rail history is

more your interest the Rail Museum located in Mural Park will share the

story including how it became the end of the line.

Why not plan your trip to ensure you do not miss one of the fantastic

events on offer in the Shire. In 2023 the calendar will feature the

Eromanga Rodeo and Campdraft, Adavale Muster in the Mulga, Quilpie

Cup, Outback Queensland Golf Master’s, Queensland Opera’s ‘Lady

Sings the Maroons, Mirusia Under the Stars’, Quilpie Show and Rodeo

and Quilpie Bike Gymkhana and Enduro. Give the team at the Quilpie

Visitor Information Centre a call to fi nd out more, or visit them at Visit

Quilpie Shire.

THE OLD EMPIRE LIVES ON

The history of the Old Empire Café harks

Amanda and Simon made the decision to give

burgers, wraps, cakes and slices and amazing

back to the 1920s with the opening of the

up their careers and move back to Quilpie to

freshly brewed coffee.

Empire Theatre. The café, which was at-

re-build the business. The café, located in-

For up-to-date information, whether it be new


tached to the theatre, was named the Empire

Café and by the time the cinema closed

in the 1980s, the café had changed names

twice. The existing fuel bowsers were relocated

to the side of the building and the

premises converted into a service station.

Amanda and Simon Walter, along with

Amanda’s father, purchased the buildings

and business in 2002. The business

was leased out in 2017, just prior to Amanda’s

father passing away. After two years,

side the service station, re-opened in 2020

and named the Old Empire Café. Considered

an essential service, the café was able

to remain open during the 2020-2021 lockdowns.

With the hard work and dedication of

the Walter’s, they featured on ABC radio in

2021 as a success story, and the café is once

again a popular spot for locals and visitors.

Open from 6am to 6pm seven days a week (except

for some public holidays), they serve an

all-day breakfast for the breakfast lovers, tasty

menu options, opening and closing hours or

even road closures, you can visit their Facebook

page at https://www.facebook.com/theoldempirecafe/.

22

If you’re the self-suffi cient type, Meads

FoodWorks is the place to go. You can stock

up on all the normal grocery lines and pick

up fresh salads, cheeses and seafood for a

quick and easy meal or picnic. A selection

of hot take away food is also available. Trevor

Mead even gets the wonderfully fresh fruit and

vegetables direct from the Brisbane Markets.

HOSPITALITY PLUS

Stop off and enjoy the outback hospitality of John and Kim Gollan at

the Quilpie Motor Inn, where you will fi nd quality accommodation,

friendly, helpful staff and great service. The Quilpie Motor Inn

is a 2021 Travellers’ Choice Award winner, which is no small

accomplishment. This award is testament to the exceptional

experience and service provided to guests, placing the motel in the

top 10% worldwide.

The roomy units, with a range of confi gurations, set in landscaped

gardens, have spacious en suites, air-conditioning, microwave,

refrigerator and tea and coffee making facilities. If you wish to have

a relaxing night in, there is free to air digital TV, as well as free Wi-Fi.

Enjoy country-style home-cooked evening meals. The home-made

rissoles are a big hit with returning guests. Other choices include

pan-fried or grilled barramundi, seafood basket and steak served

with salad or vegetables.

Need to catch up on some washing on your travels? The Quilpie

Motor Inn has a guest laundry with dryer, so you can start your

journey again with a full set of fresh, clean clothes.

The Motor Inn makes a great place to base yourself to spend a few

days touring the region. Ask for a delicious packed lunch and enjoy

a picnic while taking in the stunning scenery on a day trip to Hell

Hole Gorge National Park.

After a day out sightseeing, relax and enjoy a cold drink under the

large, covered barbecue area, then start the next day afresh with a

continental or cooked breakfast served to your room.

If you are arriving in Quilpie by plane, a free airport pickup and dropoff

is provided.

The Quilpie Motor Inn is a “COVID Clean Practicing Business” and

has completed all required COVID Safe Planning with documentation

in place to display, Tourism and Events Queensland’s, “Good to Go”

endorsement, assuring visitors a safe travel experience.


23

AUSTRALIA’S GIANTS UNEARTHED

Eromanga Natural History Museum, located just 3km from the small township of Eromanga,

is a site dedicated to prehistoric preservation. The most famous fi nd, Australotitan

cooperensis, “Cooper”, provided a phenomenal starting point as it was the largest dinosaur

found in Australia and of the top 10 largest in the world.

Add to the original fi nds exciting megafauna and fl ora and there’s more than enough to keep

you enthralled during the hour-long tour which is offered at the museum. Communicating an

amazing timeline to life right before your eyes—100 million years in 60 minutes.

Work on the dinosaur bones is continuing, with visitors able to fully immerse themselves

with the Fossil Prep Programs. Numbers are limited, but there is still space available to join

the preparation team from three to 10 days in the labs and work on either the megafauna or

dinosaur bones. Learning from their expert team, you will be guided through the stages of

fossil preservation and conservation.


Think you’d like to linger longer? A new eight-room guest house, aptly named ‘Cooper’s

Country Lodge’, is available for your stay. It features air-conditioned, 4-star, semi selfcatering

king accommodation, with guest lounge and barbecue area for guest convenience.

While staying onsite you can enjoy the fresh air and star-fi lled night skies, not to mention the

new friends you’ll make.

A new museum has been built and opened in March 2021. Here interpretive exhibitions

introduce you to Australia’s ancient natural history. Fossils, including micro-fossils, are

also on display. Be enthused as you move from the new theatre to the workshop and see

Amazing Things Come in Micro Packages

Another aspect of discovery work at the “The importance of this work sits in parallel

Eromanga Natural History Museum involves with fi nding 100,000 year-old megafauna

microfossils that to the naked eye resemble and the ancient 95 million year-old large

not much more than grains of sand.

dinosaurs, given all fossil records help

Recent work has been carried out by build a picture of the ecology at the varying

photographer and Honorary Microfossil points in time from which they originated.

Processing Technician, Steve Young. He Whilst we will rely on palaeontologist

volunteers his time assisting in growing for more precise identifi cation, we are

the collection by sieving sediments from becoming more versed at identifying

megafauna dig sites (circa 100,000 year distinguishing characteristics these tiny

old) then meticulously searching for tiny fossils have. One of our early discoveries

fossils under a microscope. So far well over is a tiny partial Gekkonid lower jawbone

150 specimens have been set aside for that is little over 1mm long. It has 11 teeth

observation by palaeontologists, who will positions with two teeth and three partial

help with identifi cation and Steve indicates teeth still intact! It is a very sweet little

the work is really in its early stages.

fossil”

where the magic happens. Incorporated

in the building is an improved visitor area,

café, shop and reception. With the café

seating 50 people, there is plenty of room to

accommodate coach tours. A wide variety

of merchandise is available at the shop,

including books on the natural history of

Australia, and of course, dinosaurs!

Other fi nds are varied and include fi sh

scale, spine bones, dental and vertebrae

sections, tiny limb bones as wee as many

skeletal bone sections.

“Some days it’s just hectic discovering these

little gems” Steve added.

24

CHARLEVILLE

ON THE MATILDA WAY

A bilby

HOLD A SHOOTING STAR OR A BILBY

When it comes to attractions in Charleville, the

large and small of it is that the universe and a

quaint little creature called the bilby are two of

the starring acts.

Charleville is justly famed for the star-viewing

opportunities at the Cosmos Centre, but it’s

not only when the stars come out that people

can get an out-of-this-world experience.

There’s nearly as much there to fascinate you

during the daytime, including a planetarium

showing a range of mind-blowing shows and a

cafe serving delicious food and drinks.

At the Charleville Bilby Experience, you will

learn the heart-warming story of this cute little

marsupials return from the edge of extinction

due to work fi rst started by the Bilby Brothers

and continued by the Save The Bilby Fund.

The Bilby Experience, located in the Railway

Station, next door to the Visitor Information

Centre, runs regular tours through the

nocturnal house. Come on in and see these

adorable creatures, a fl agship of endangered

species, up and close.

Relax at the award-winning Graham Andrews

Parklands, an outback oasis. This Park

has become one of the growing jewels in

Charleville’s crown. There’s a lake with ducks,

a working windmill, adventure playground,

picnic shelters, free barbecues, disc golf

(discs available from the Visitor Centre) and

refrigerated watering stations. The park has a

collection of many species of Australian native

trees. If you’re there early or near dusk, you will

see many bird and wildlife sightings.

Also situated within the parklands are two

Vortex Guns, which remain from a 1902

experiment to try to make it rain during a

devastating drought. Six rainmaking guns

were designed in Italy to break up hail above

vineyards. The guns were strategically placed

around Charleville, charged with gunpowder

and fi red upwards. After the bang, no rain fell.

It was an epic failure.

A recent addition to Charleville is the Botanic

Reserve, a short 15 km drive south of town.

Within the 2,000ha reserve in the semi-arid

Mulga Lands are most of the region’s major

vegetation types.

Take a drive or walk and read the informative

signage as you pass through the diverse range

of plant communities. There are picnic tables

to allow you to sit and relax and enjoy the array

of fl ora and fauna. There is no camping in the

reserve and pets are allowed on a leash.

DINE IN AT THE RSL

For a great meal, you can’t go past the Charleville RSL bistro, open for lunch and dinner seven

days a week. The bistro offers a range of delicious meals, with mid-week specials, as well as

kids meals. From the a la carte menu, you can choose from a range of premium steaks, seafood

and salads. Enjoy a refreshing beer, a glass of wine or try the famous Charleville Splashe Cola,

just one of the wide range of soft drinks available at the bar. You can relax in the comfort of airconditioning

or enjoy the outdoors in the beautiful beer garden. The RSL has full KENO and TAB

facilities plus a modern gaming room with the latest popular games. The RSL’s auditorium, with a

seating capacity of 180 people, is perfect for functions, conferences and special occasions with

catering packages available to suit your requirements.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Charleville

25

GOOD OLD FASHIONED HOSPITALITY

It isn’t the newest of the parks in Charleville and it certainly isn’t fancy, but Bailey Bar Caravan

Park has been the Charleville favourite for thousands of travellers over the years.

Perhaps it is the tidy, beautifully presented grounds with well–established shade trees

and lawns. Or perhaps it is the spotlessly clean and spacious amenities. Or perhaps it’s

the good old-fashioned country hospitality. In truth, it’s probably all of these and more.

Located in the heart of town, the park is owned and operated by Darryn, Pam and

Alan and is a haven for those who want the true ‘outback experience’ without having

to travel miles out of town to get it. Nothing is too much trouble for the friendly

staff who will guide you into your site and help you to plan your stay in Charleville.

The two course camp oven and spit roast dinners held through the tourist season are legendary.

Smoky beef and red wine stew and mash followed by a hot dessert with custard and capped off

with damper … a delicious, hearty outback meal enjoyed around the campfire. That’s outback

hospitality at its best! Come along and join in every Wednesday night for a BBQ dinner and the

famous Hobby Horse Racing for charity.

Guest entertainers visit from time to time.

A number of cabins are refurbished and the size

of van sites has been increased to comfortably

accommodate even the largest caravans. There

is also pet–friendly accommodation to enable

your pet to sleep inside with you if you wish.

Customer service at Bailey Bar Caravan Park

is next to none. No wonder it gets rave reviews

on Trip Advisor and WikiCamps. Book ahead to

be sure you don’t miss out on a site or cabin.

ROYAL FLYING DOCTORS SERVICE –

ICONIC ORGANISATION PUTS DOCTORS IN THE AIR

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is one

of Australia’s truly iconic organisations. This

wonderful service manages to get doctors

where they’re needed even when isolation

and a lack of infrastructure would seem

insurmountable obstacles. The answer, of

course, is to fly them in with all the required

equipment on board.


26

As well as being an emergency response

organisation, the RFDS principally has an

ongoing role in providing health care to people

who live in rural and remote areas.

The RFDS Charleville Visitor Centre is well

worth a visit. Located adjacent to the RFDS

Base and Hangar on the appropriately named

John Flynn Way, and just a short walk through

the mulga from the popular Charleville Cosmos

Centre and Observatory, this modern facility

celebrates the historical links between the

Royal Flying Doctor Service and Charleville,

home to the longest-serving RFDS base in

Queensland.

A self-guided tour takes you on a journey

from the humble beginnings of the Royal

Flying Doctor Service and its association with

the Australian Inland Mission to the present

day operations of this vital outback medical

service. Walk around the museum and explore

a range of historical radio and medical artefacts

used by Flying Doctors of the past. There are

interactive and audio-visual features as well,

including a theatrette where you can watch

a short film showcasing the modern Flying

Doctor’s operations.

The free attraction is open Monday to Friday

from 8.30am to 4.30pm and on weekends

and public holidays from 10.00am to 4.30pm

(closed on weekends and public holidays from

October to March.)

The Royal Flying Doctor Service provides

vital health care to anyone living, working or

travelling in rural and remote Australia. Across

Queensland, the RFDS operates from nine

bases.

Discover a Piece of History

History lovers, don’t miss Charleville’s Historic House, which began life as Charleville’s

fi rst bank in 1888. Today it is the oldest building in Alfred Street, Charleville’s main street and

packed with precious treasures of times gone by. There is also machinery from yesteryear that

is on display on the grounds.

Take a Stroll Along the Warrego River

To complete your visit wander along Charleville’s picturesque Warrego River Walk where

you’ll fi nd the ‘Waadyanana Pathway’, a 1.4 km walking track designed by the local Indigenous

Bidjara people. Did you know? Warrego means ‘river of sand’ in the Aboriginal language.

Listen to the birdlife while they fl it about on your early morning walk, or soak in the tranquility of

the old trees lining the river while savouring a packed lunch.

HEALTHY AND HEAVENLY AT HEINEMANN’S

No matter your dietary requirements, you can expect a superb eating

experience at Heinemann’s Bakery and Coffee Shop in Charleville.

Heinemann’s services a 300km radius with its products and has

one of the biggest and most automated bakeries west of the range.

Although all the pull-aparts and fancy breads are made by hand, the

automated plant can produce 1000 loaves an hour … and the bread is

so good that a lot of big bakeries come here to see just how it’s done.

healthy options for people with special dietary needs. Steaming meat

pies in a variety of fl avours along with many other pastry items are

also popular.

The bakery section is open from 5.00am and serves coffee, pies,

pasties, pastries, sandwiches and of course all the wonderful breads.

The coffee, of course, is fi rst rate. Roasted Fonzie Abbot beans are

freshly ground on the premises, so the coffee you get is as good as

you’ll fi nd anywhere. The range of hot beverages is impressive—

espresso, latte, vienna, affrogato, latte frappe, mocha frappe,

vanilla bean frappe, chocolate frappe, hot chocolate and white hot

chocolate. Cold beverages include iced coffee, iced chocolate and

fruit smoothies.

For lunch there are wonderful gourmet salads, sushi and a ton of


27

TAMBO

ON THE MATILDA WAY

A WARM WELCOME IN CENTRAL WEST’S OLDEST LITTLE TOWN

Come and see for yourself just how welcoming the locals are in the small towns of western

Queensland. Tambo in particular is famed for its friendly residents—in fact, the town won the

award as Queensland’s Friendliest Town a few years ago.

Stop, relax and take a deep breath of country air in Tambo. This is little town living at its best! At

night, admire the myriad of stars in the sky. By day explore Tambo’s history, natural attractions

and the creative endeavours of the locals.

Tambo is the oldest town in the central west so there’s history to uncover—right from the moment

you call in at the Visitor Information Centre, located in the Heritage-listed Old Courthouse dating

back to 1888. While you’re there, check the original judge’s bench and prisoner dock, and take

the time to admire the locally made Rhythm of Life quilt which is a pictorial interpretation of

Tambo’s past 150 years. If you are a reader, ask about the Tourist Card which can be used at all

rural libraries in Queensland.

Part of the reason visitors feel so welcome in this little town is that Tambo shares much of its

history for free. There is no entry fee at the Heritage Precinct where you can step back in time to

view Tambo’s original Post and Telegraph offi ces and see how communications worked in earlier

times. The Post and Telegraph offi ces were moved by bullock in 1904 to make way for the new

Post Offi ce. Next door, admire the displays

and view a touch screen DVD to watch people

talking about what it was like growing up and

living in Tambo in earlier times.

The Grassland Gallery offers beautiful

touring, local and regional art exhibitions. The

exhibits change each six to eight weeks. Entry

to the gallery is free.

Call in and admire the Tambo Teddies and

watch as these gorgeous bears come to life in the

workshop. It won’t only be the children who fall in

love with these unique bears!

For a relaxing stroll, take the self-guided

Coolibah Walk located on the banks of

the Barcoo River. The river with its many

swimming holes and fi shing spots is part of

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28

the Tambo way of life. Take in the Qantas

Crash Memorial and learn about the native

flora along the river. If you’re there in the early

morning or late afternoon, you’re almost sure

to see some of the native animals that call

this spot home.

While in the mood for walking, the Heritage

Walk takes you around the historical

buildings located around town.

If you’re looking for somewhere to picnic

or enjoy a quiet few hours, then Tambo

Historical Court House

TAMBO EVENTS 2023

25-16 March - Ladies of the Field

April 1 - Tambo Rodeo

April 29 - Tambo Stock Show

May 13-14 - Tambo Polocrosse

May 27- Tambo Races

July 28-30 - Tambo Campdraft

May - October - 5pm nightly - Ben’s

Chicken Races

Dam located at the eastern entrance to

town is ideal. This green oasis offers picnic

tables, free barbecues and public toilets.

For the benefit of self-contained travellers,

an ezydump point is located next to the

amenities building and has easy access.

The area is a wonderful habitat for birds and

native wildlife. You can take a stroll along the

Campdrafting

pathways that wind through the parkland,

connecting with the nature walk that skirts the Barcoo River. There is even outdoor gym

equipment that is free for all to use.

EE Parr Park, located in the centre of town, is another lovely area with picnic tables and

barbecues. A fenced and covered playground area also allows those little travellers to work

off some of their excess energy. Fresh bread and other food supplies are available daily from

Foodworks, so it won’t take long to gather the supplies for a picnic or barbecue.

Tambo offers Tambo Caravan Park and the Tambo Mill Motel and Caravan Park for

accommodation. For those who are totally self-contained call in at the Information Centre

and ask about Stubby Bend, located on the banks of the Barcoo River. Stubby Bend offers

free camping, where you can relax in the evenings and enjoy the variety of wildlife that visit

the area.

McFarlane Station, a working sheep station run by owners Louise and Marto, offers camping

for travellers looking for something a bit out of the ordinary. There are shearers quarters

on-site that have showers and toilets. Relax and enjoy the magnificent sunsets, birds and

other native animals that can be spotted on the property, along with horses, llamas and, of

course, sheep. For more information and bookings, visit www.hipcamp.com.

OFF-ROAD TOURING

For a 4WD adventure, take the Wilderness Way drive between Springsure and Tambo. The

Wilderness Way, a 320km round trip, is a self-drive tour through an area of rugged beauty,

where travellers can enjoy spectacular views of vast cliff lines and deep gorges. Massive

sandstone formations along the ranges have been created over time from wind and rain, and

are a sight to behold. Go bushwalking in Salvator Rosa National Park, with its crystal clear

springs and colourful, spring wildflowers. Stretch your legs and be rewarded with the sight of

a 10m wide hole below the summit of Spyglass Peak, or climb Homoranthus Hill for stunning

panoramic views. Afterwards, relax and have a picnic at the Louise Creek Junction day-use

area. Due to the terrain, high clearance 4WD vehicles are recommended.

JOIN IN THE FUN AT THE ROYAL CARRANGARRA

The Royal Carrangarra Hotel, originally the Royal Carrangarra Hotel for a fun-filled

built in 1863, was the first pub in western evening, some cold drinks and some great

Queensland. The pub has been rebuilt three outback pub tucker, with meals starting from

times after fires, with the current building $10!

standing since 1954. There is plenty of entertainment

for campers and guests of the caravan

parks and free camp, starting with Chicken

Races seven nights a week from April

1st to October 31st. Funds raised from the

races go to charity, and so far over $30,000

has been raised. There is live music every

night with a visiting musician from May1 to

September 30, so make sure you pop into Chicken races

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29

WINDORAH

A MATILDA BYWAY

UNIQUE OUTBACK LANDSCAPE

The Windorah region has some breathtaking, unique landscapes—and you don’t have to go far

from town to see them! Vivid red-orange sandhills are about 10 minutes drive west of Windorah on

the road to Birdsville. A sunset drink or a panoramic photograph here can really top off your day.

Another great natural attraction of Windorah is Cooper Creek, part of the inland lifeblood of

Australia and immortalised in poetry by the great Andrew ‘Banjo’ Paterson—“gone a-droving

‘down the Cooper’ where the western drovers go”. It was named in 1845 by Charles Sturt to

honour the fi rst Chief Justice of South Australia, Charles Cooper. Today, Cooper Creek is still

famous as the watercourse where two rivers, the Thomson and the Barcoo, join to form a creek.

Windorah is just 35km south of that spot.

There are also ruins, mostly old pub sites, situated within about 90km of town. The JC ruins (they

used to be part of the township of Canterbury) are situated about 80km west of Windorah on the

Birdsville-Bedourie Road. If you’re a history buff, you may enjoy wandering around the ruins and

the JC cemetery, situated just off the road.

In a good season, the spring wildfl owers are a lovely sight. Take the 12km-long nature drive

that starts on the edge of town and winds its way to Cooper Creek. You will be able to identify

38 species of trees (their common names are signposted). A pamphlet that gives the botanical

names of the plants, plus a list of birds in the area is available at the Windorah Visitor Information

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Windorah

30

Centre in Maryborough Street. The centre is part of a complex that takes

in the town library and has internet access. The complex is also on the

history walk, so wander around the property to see the 1906 slab hut

at the Whitula Gate Museum and the old Cooper Queen, a steel hulled

boat once used to row supplies across the water to the town. Other

points of interest around town include a water bore, churches, memorial

rocks and a private residence that was once the local courthouse.

The Walking Together Park is a recent addition, showcasing a

mosaicked yellowbelly by local artist Margaret Stevenson, and some

fantastic life-size sculptured animals created from steel and barbed

wire. Pull up near the water tower and walk around the park, located at

the northern entrance to town.

Just out of town on the Quilpie Road is Windorah’s solar farm—five sunreflecting

mirror dishes which provide daytime electricity to the town.

While you’re in town, try out the nine-hole golf course with its sand

greens. And if you’re keen on the outdoors, camping is allowed at the

creek. Drop in a line while you’re there. Kids love the giant snakes and

ladders mosaic in the park. Pick up your giant dice at the information

centre so you can have a family game! While the kids are having fun

‘being’ the pieces in the game, the parents usually appreciate the fact

that it’s a beautiful work of art.

A friendly place to have a drink is the Western Star Hotel Motel.

The hotel has lots of timber features, from sturdy log supports for the

verandahs to complete timber lining in the bar. One of the aspects most

appreciated by guests is the feeling of space. There’s an undercover

beer garden, a roofed outdoor sitting area off the bar and pool room,

indoor and outdoor dining areas at the restaurant and lawns and

gardens surround it all.

Accommodation is available in motel and hotel styles, while the Sandhill

Grill, which is in a separate building, is open for breakfast, lunch and

dinner … and snacks in between. So plan on pub grub for lunch or

dinner and get burgers, wraps and sandwiches any time. Bookings can

be made at bookings@westernstarhotel.biz

If you’re towing a van or have brought your tent, pick a site at the

council’s Windorah Caravan Park, which has public amenities, coinoperated

laundry and fly-proof dining area.

The Barcoo Shire is famed for being where two rivers meet to form a

creek. The Thomson River runs close to both Stonehenge and Jundah.

Where the Thomson meets the Barcoo River north of Windorah, the

famous Cooper Creek is born.

Be in town for the Windorah International Yabby Races on Wednesday

August 30th, 2023 … it’s great fun! Other events are the Windorah

Yellowbelly Hunt Fishing Competition (May Day long weekend) Bronco

Branding, Gymkhana and Stockmen’s Challenge (July) and the

Campdraft and Rodeo (August).

Yabby races

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31

JUNDAH

A MATILDA BYWAY

FRESHWATER FISHING

IN THE OUTBACK

Freshwater fi shing in the outback can be a soul regenerating experience—

and you might catch your dinner—so cast a line into the Thomson River and

see if you can reel in a fi sh or two at Jundah. Depending on your luck, you

might catch a yellowbelly, jew or bream.

Feeling more energetic? A nine-hole golf course and clubhouse is located

near the hospital. or you can ask at the Jundah Information Centre to

acquire equipment for a game of tennis and basketball. While you’re there,

pick up local information and see an exhibition of local photography. The

centre is also the place to stock up on souvenirs and keep in touch with family

and friends via the public internet service.

Visit the memorial park and pool for a barbecue and a swim in the 25m pool.

Pause at the memorial cenotaph which bears the names of soldiers from the

shire who volunteered their services and fought in the two World Wars and

the Boer War.

Jundah Bronco Branding, Rodeo, Horse & Bike Gymkhana held during the

September school holidays 23-25th.

Travelling to Jundah is easy nowadays, as the road is sealed from Windorah

as well as the entire distance to Longreach. There are four entrances to

Jundah, and each one has a unique Welcome sign. The Archer Bros Pioneer

Pathway links the signs and you can walk a circuit around the entranceways

and view the welcome signs and information relevant to the local area,

river system, services and local government. In fact, the whole shire has

a diversity of scenery including red sandhills, mulga and red soil country,

sheep and cattle grazing land, famous river systems and reminders of the

pioneering past.

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The town has a new roadhouse on the corner of Perkins and Dickson Streets.

It’s a fabulous addition to the friendly community. Take the time out and enjoy

a delicious meal, take aways, refreshments and general store items if you’re

in need of a top up in the pantry. Diesel and unleaded fuels available 24/7.

The Barcoo Shire Museum on the corner of Macrossan and Miles Streets,

is open periodically, ask at the Visitor Information Centre for current hours.

You’ll fi nd it a fascinating spot to browse around, with everything from

antique mortuary tools to an old RFDS medicine kit. Entry is by donation. The

communication display is of particular interest, as it chronicles a history from

the party line era and the old telephone exchanges to different uses of UHF

radios. Under shelter on one side of the museum are two wagons used for

general freight and wool carting during the pioneer days.

Jundah itself is at the centre of sheep and cattle grazing land and is the

administrative centre for the shire.

September 30th - October 2nd will be the Spring Fling Jundah Cup Race

Day. Motorcycle and horse enthusiasts should plan to be here for the

Welford National Park, 45km southeast of Jundah, fronts onto a stretch of

the Barcoo River and is the perfect place to soak up natural history. Nature

lovers can camp beside permanent waterholes along the river system. A

Heritage-listed pise homestead is the private dwelling for the park ranger.

The earthen homestead dates back to the 1900s and is one of only two pise

constructions still occupied in Queensland. Check with the information centre

at Jundah or Windorah for more information before heading out or ring the

ranger on (07) 4658 5994. Campsite can be booked online at https://www.

npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/welford/camping.html.

About 90km to the east of Jundah is the site of Magee’s Shanty, put on the

map in the heyday of ballad writing when A. B. ‘Banjo’ Paterson penned the

well known poem, A Bush Christening.

Visit the site of the Native Well, about 32km north of Jundah and consisting

of several native wells carved into the rock.

The Barcoo Shire is famed for being where two rivers meet to form a creek.

The Thomson River runs close to both Stonehenge and Jundah. Where the

Thomson meets the Barcoo River north of Windorah, the famous Cooper

Creek is born.

If you need a break, the Jundah Galaxy Opal Tourist Park is a great place to

stop off for a day or two, or three. The Tourist Park includes caravan sites,

cabins and a tent area, complete with camp kitchen and gardens.

STONEHENGE

A MATILDA BYWAY

Stonehenge Community Centre

A NAMESAKE—BUT WITHOUT THE STANDING STONES

In just about every way possible, Australia’s Stonehenge differs from

its famous English counterpart—but the most noticeable difference is

undoubtedly the total lack of standing stones at the Aussie address! All the

same, there are stones—albeit vastly different in size and orientation. Many

years ago, the local mailman decided to write names using pebbles, and

the idea caught on. Nowadays it’s a fully fl edged ‘address book’ where town

names and people’s names have been written in stones over the years. You

might even add your own name for the sake of posterity.

Stonehenge Bushman’s Challenge is the event of the year for

Stonehenge. This year it’s on August 19 to 21.

Stonehenge is the gateway to the Lochern National Park, 40km away.

The park has representative vegetation types for channel country, mulga

and Mitchell grass country. There are 16km of vehicle tracks. Camp, fi sh,

explore and do some wildlife spotting. Birdwatching can also be very

rewarding as more than 100 species of birds have been recorded here.

The settlement got its fanciful name back when the area was a safe crossing

area for bull ock teams and their drivers. A stone fortress was built for the

bullock drivers to overnight in, and when the building fell into ruins, the area

became known as Stonehenge.

Situated just off the Thomson Developmental Road, Stonehenge has a

population of 25 people. Our Stonehenge has its own claim to fame as one

of only three areas in Australia chosen as a base for an over-the-horizon

radar defence initiative. While it is a long way inland, Stonehenge is in a

perfect position to be a transceiver in a Department of Defence program to

guard the coastline. It’s also in the right spot for an earthquake monitoring

installation to provide an early warning system for the Pacifi c Rim, so while

the township might only be small, it is in an important geographical area.

The Thomson River is just behind the Stonehenge Hotel and attracts many

bird species including corellas, galahs, white cockatoos, spoonbills and wild

budgerigars.

The Stonehenge Community Centre is open 20 hours per week (check

for opening hours when you arrive). It houses a public library with internet

services. The fortnightly RFDS clinic is also held at the Community Centre.

See the award-winning arid garden created by locals.

John Egan Pioneer Track

If you’re keen to see the countryside but not to travel quite so far, a great

way to appreciate the geographical features of the area is to take the 7km

John Egan Pioneer Track, which passes through downs country, scenic

hill view country, spectacular erosions and rocky outcrops. The trip is

named after one of the local identities whose ancestors were early grazing

settlers in the area. The actual driving time is only about 20 minutes, but

many people take smoko or lunch to eat at the gorge. Set aside about two

hours for the trip.

Many come up the Birdsville Track or the Strzelecki Track en route to

Longreach. If you are towing a van or have brought your tent, stay a while

at the Stonehenge Caravan Park. From Stonehenge, you can retrace your

steps to the Thomson Developmental Road then head towards Longreach

or if you don’t mind being a little further off the beaten track, the Stonehenge-

Warbreccan Road links up to the Winton-Jundah Road which leads you to

the dinosaur-stampede attraction, Lark Quarry, on the way to Winton.

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Half way between Stonehenge and Jundah is Swanvale Lookout, offering

amazing views of the countryside. To the east is the Johnstone

Ranges while towards the west you can see the homestead of Glenariff.

If you arrive towards dusk, this is the perfect spot to enjoy the

setting sun. Free camping is offered at Swanvale Lookout.

BLACKALL

ON THE MATILDA WAY

TREASURES PAST AND PRESENT ABOUND IN BLACKALL

Experience true-blue outback hospitality in Blackall, a town with plenty

for visitors to enjoy and experience. With iconic buildings, treasures

dating back a century or more, unique sculptures and murals scattered

around the town, soothing hot artesian water spa, friendly townspeople

there is certain to be something for everyone.

The Great Artesian Basin was formed between 100 and 250 million

years ago and old mixes with new when artesian water sees the light of

day at the Blackall Aquatic Centre. Take a dip in pure artesian waters

at the Aquatic Centre with a relaxing bubble spa or swim in the 50m

swimming pool. Both are heated during the winter months allowing

visitors and locals to enjoy its benefi ts all year round. The pool has a

kiosk, lift and walk in access and is open seven days. For times, phone

(07) 4657 4975 or check www.btrc.qld.gov.au/blackall-aquatic-centre.

The Universal Garden Centre houses an historic display relating to

Jack Howe and local history. On October 10 1892, Jack Howe achieved

the incredible feat of shearing 321 sheep in seven hours and 40 minutes

with blade shears; a record which has never been broken. In the same

year he set a record of 237 sheep shorn with the new mechanical

shears; a record which stood for more than 50 years. A sculpture of

Jack Howe stands guard outside.

You can say you have been ‘beyond the black stump’ once you have

been to Blackall. A petrifi ed tree stump represents the observation

site surveyors used to establish a principal meridional circuit traverse

around the town in 1888. They used the stump as a solid base for their

transit while surveying and that’s where the old saying, ‘beyond the black

stump’ originated. The original transit and the few known photographs of

the original stump can be seen in Navena Homestead at Ram Park. A

sculpture of the ‘Black Stump’ by Phillip Perides and murals by local Bob

Wilson and cartoonist Sean Leahy make this a site not to miss.

Ram Park, symbolised by a big ram at the corner of the park, is the

setting for historic buildings which exhibits the history of the communities

of Blackall and Yalleroi. Navena Homestead refl ects a typical home of

early pioneers on the land while the Yalleroi School is typical of a oneteacher

school. The historic railway station building is a reminder that

rail was a lifeline to the west from 1908 until its closure in 2005. Tours

are currently operated at 10am most days.

One hundred years after Major Mitchell explored this area, a dedication

to this intrepid explorer was unveiled in Shamrock Street. The Thomas

Mitchell Memorial Town Clock pays tribute to Major Mitchell, Graham

Douglas and Youranigh their aboriginal translator.

The township of Blackall dates back to 1864, but for pure antiquity the

tree stump located in Shamrock Street beats it hands down. Found on a

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34

property near Blackall, the petrifi ed tree stump is said to be aged anywhere between one million

to 225 million years.

Blackall was the fi rst site in Queensland to be selected for an artesian bore and the Pioneer Bore

commemorates where drilling fi rst commenced. A mural by local artist Bob Wilson depicts drilling

operations in the early 1900s, while nearby a steam engine and drilling plant show the type of

machinery typically used to construct water bores.

Local resident, Arthur Behan built his fi rst sulky at the age of fourteen. To view the sulky display

take a stroll past the Behan’s garden in Clematis Street.

BLACKALL SHIRE EVENTS

• 5-6 May - Blackall Show

• 22 July - Blackall Poultry Club

Show

• 17-20 August – Better in Blackall

Festival

Artistic treasures abound around the town. Marvel at the ingenuity of unique sculptures, like The

Eagle and Nest, the Circle of Friendship, the Roly Poly and the Bottlebrush—all made entirely

from recycled metal. Lifespan representing Wood, Water and Wool, sculptures by William Eicholtz

dedicated to local identities help to refl ect the rich history of the town.

Local artist Bob Wilson has a number of murals around town, while Sauce from Sauce Studios

has made brick walls come to life with outback scenes. Brightening up the town are locally taken

photographs taking pride of place on many shop windows, ensuring a stroll down the main street

is well worthwhile. Local art schoolteacher Lucy Senior has several paintings, depicting Blackall

in days gone by, on display at Albert Park.

For more information on these and other attractions in Blackall, visit the staff at the Visitor

Information Centre located within the library and have a chat, check out some local timbers and

a wonderfully crafted quilt.

Local Photos

AUGUST IS FESTIVAL TIME!

Mark your calendars! From 17 – 20 August

2023 the Better In Blackall Festival will

be combining the best that Blackall has to

offer. This small community explodes into a

four-day festival that showcases the spirit of

this outback town. Packed with local grazing

plates, sunset wine and food tastings, street

parties, cultural displays, billycart races,

barbecue cook-offs, live music and so much

more! www.betterinblackall.com.

DINE AMONG THE MURALS

With a name like Coolibah, you’d expect

this motel to have something distinctly

Australian about it … and it does. When

you have a meal in the Coolibah Motel’s

fully air-conditioned restaurant, you can

immerse yourself in some of Blackall’s

history, for the walls are an artistic tribute

to the town’s past!

Enjoy scenes depicting the masonic

lodge, the State’s fi rst artesian bore, the

old theatre, old hotels and other views

of yesteryear while you’re tucking into a

hearty country-style meal like steak, red

emperor or pork chops, served with vegies

or a tossed salad.


35

Wash it down with wine, beer or spirits,

then indulge in one of life’s pleasures—a

delicious dessert.

HISTORY, HERITAGE AND EDUCATIONAL INSITE

The Blackall Historical Woolscour is an unforgettable Queensland Outback Experience!

The Blackall Woolscour is a unique working museum that will transport you back to the ‘Golden

Age of Wool’ and the romance of the early 19th century steam-powered mechanisation employed

in the scouring of the world’s fi nest Merino fl eeces, grown in Queensland’s Central West.

The Scour tour guides will take you step-by-step through history, from the ‘Depo’ shearing shed

where the golden fl eeces were shorn, through the steam–powered dryers, to the loading of the

scoured wool on rail wagons to world-wide destinations.

The Blackall Historical Woolscour is the only surviving working reminder of an age past, but not

forgotten. The Scour complex will allow you to experience, fi rsthand, the building blocks on which

the pastoral industry of the Central West was forged to establish our Nation.

For 70 years, the Blackall Woolscour was a

successful commercial enterprise. Today it

lives on as a monument to our pioneers and

our heritage. It is a ‘must see’ on your next

travel adventure!

Tours are run daily - Monday to Friday at

11:30am, 3:00pm and a 5:00pm Twilight Tour

when the Scour takes on a magical atmosphere

as the sun sinks into the western horizon for a

unique photo opportunity: and Saturday and

Sunday at 9:00am, 11:30am, 3:00pm and the

5:00pm Twilight Tour.

You can contact Blackall Woolscour on (07)

4657 6042 or visit www.blackallwoolscour.

com.au to book and pay for tickets online.

Bookings are essential.


A WARM WELCOME AWAITS AT THE BLACKALL MOTEL

Blackall Motel is situated on the western side of Blackall, opposite the golf course and within walking

distance to town. New owners, Matthew and Michelle, welcome you with their warm hospitality

and friendly service. Each of the 15 air-conditioned rooms are tastefully decorated in a country

style, with beautiful animal-themed artworks a feature. All rooms are equipped with a kettle, tea

and coffee, small fridge and microwave. A lovely slate verandah with comfortable seating and manicured

lawns surround the motel.

The Brolga Café attached to the motel is open fi ve days a week during the off season, but in peak

season, April to October, is open daily from 7am-2pm for great coffee, breakfast, snacks and cake.

Room service is also available if you prefer to relax in your room.

A 24–hour fuel station is located at the front of the motel, offering competitive prices in both diesel

and unleaded fuel.

Come and stay in quiet, clean comfort, visit

the great attractions of Blackall and enjoy the

unique history of a hidden gem. See you at the

Blackall Motel!

36

WALK THE RED CARPET IN BLACKALL - WELCOME OUR VISITORS

Queensland arts organization Red Ridge

Interior Queensland recently launched its

second apparel and accessories collection

from in-house fashion brand Red Ridge the

Label. Red Ridge the Label shines a spotlight

on central western Queensland Aboriginal

artists.

Both the Diamantina and Georgina collections

highlight the works from Wangkangurru /

Yaluyandi women Anpanuwa (Joyce Crombie)

and Aulpunda (Jean Barr-Crombie). These

artists, also known as Two Sisters Talking,

bring the culture of their Country alive in their

art, painting a deep love of the country from

river to desert.

Speaking to the signifi cance of the collections,

Joyce Crombie said “We come from around

Birdsville, which is right on the Diamantina, so

this collection is a good opportunity for people

to see where we come from.”

“To have these stories on different materials,

and even a catwalk, means so much to us. We

are telling our stories through our artwork and

these dresses,” said Jean Barr-Crombie. “If we

don’t pass our culture onto our young ones, we

will lose it” she said.

The new Georgina Collection tells the story of

Aboriginal traditional medicine such as Sandhill

Wattle and Gumby Gumby.

Red Ridge the Label artists Joyce Crombie and

Jean Barr-Crombie paint what they see, hear

and feel from the land where they grew up in

remote western Queensland. The Georgina

River fl ows through this land and creates an

abundance of food for wildlife during fl ood

season, while native food fl ourishes beside the

region’s river system and dunes.

All dresses have an Aboriginal name as a way

to preserve and share language.

Red Ridge the Label’s highly exclusive

“All our artwork is based around country and collections is available online at

Birdsville, from what our mother taught us. We

are so passionate about our Country” she said.

redridgethelabel.com.au or in the Blackall

store at 113 Shamrock Street Blackall. Red

Ridge Gallery and Gifts not only stock Red

Ridge the Label but you will fi nd unique hand

made gifts from artists living in the region. The

gallery hosts an array of original artworks by

regional artists.

For more information, contact

info@redridgethelabel.com.au.

BAKED GOODS GALORE

If you are looking for a locally baked bite to

eat and great coffee, all served with a friendly

smile, head on into Schluter’s Bakery.

The pride and joy of Foot and Janelle Schluter

for the past 22 years, all goods are baked

on the premises each night, from fresh,

preservative-free bread and rolls, pies and

pastries to cakes and slices for the sweet

toothed. For special occasions, you can order

ahead from a variety of cupcakes and

cakes - perfect for spoiling someone on their

birthday.

Come on in and grab your sweet or savoury

treat and sit under what Foot has christened

Blackall’s own Tree of Knowledge, where

many yarns and stories are told by locals

and visitors alike.


37


38

ART HOUSED IN HISTORY

If you have a passion for water colour, acrylic, oil painting or mixed

media, or are looking for that unique, beautifully crafted work of art or a

specialised creation that is not available anywhere else, then Bushmans

Gallery is certainly worth a visit. Here you can meet local artists, have a

friendly chat and be immersed in a richness of creative talent.

Each month, Bushmans Gallery is delighted to present their own feature

artists whose original, contemporary artworks will be at the forefront of

the gallery, bringing a fresh individual range of artworks into prominent

view. As a result of their rising recognition and growing reputation statewide,

the Gallery is thrilled to be welcoming the winners of the 2022

Queensland Regional Art Awards. From 15-30 June 2023, visitors will

have a tremendous opportunity to explore high quality artworks that

would otherwise be exhibited in the larger regional cities.

Now in its third year of operation, the Bushmans Gallery continues to

go from strength to strength with twenty diverse and talented artists

on board and now branching out far and wide with an online presence

through Shopify.

The Gallery is housed in the old Bushman’s Arms Hotel, built in 1891,

a true vestige of the past and once the popular retreat for hardworking

shearers. The modern-day works of the local artists are now breathing

a fresh lease of life into the spacious gallery rooms of a genuine icon of

the pioneering era.

A professional display of paintings, photographs, 3D sculptures and

other works of art have been created, with the Gallery giving these gifted

artists the ongoing opportunity to have their own permanent retail outlet

for their contemporary works. Visitors will see paintings, photographs

and glassware that reflect the rugged beauty of the ancient landscapes,

old shacks and the vast outback, everyday life of the locals and distinctive

native flora and fauna of our bush. Be delighted by the myriad of options

that include delicately perfumed soaps and glass soap holders, homecrafted

necklaces, bracelets and other jewellery, recycled glass pictures,

resin showpieces and wood and metal sculptures. It is an experience

in itself to step into this charming historic building, browse awhile and

explore what local artists have to offer in the restored surroundings.

On the Way to Arkaroola by Lynette Hardie

Behind the hotel, you will fi nd a fully intact underground reservoir made

of locally made bricks that had for decades been concealed beneath the

accommodation rooms. In the days before reticulated water, precious

rainwater from the hotel’s steep roof ran into the gutters and down into

the storage well with an estimated capacity of 30,000 gallons of water.

Paint and Dinner with a Twist

Peals of laughter and delight can be heard emanating from the gallery

on pre-arranged evenings when teams of would-be artists compete to

complete a masterpiece on canvas at Dinner with a Twist. With very

little time to prepare, artists work feverishly to contribute to their team’s

effort within a three-minute time-limit, brushes downed promptly at the

ringing of the bell, when the next team member takes up the baton in the

painting relay. At the end of the night, the paintings resulting from the

mirth and mayhem are sold with the proceeds going to the Royal Flying

Doctors Service.

This offers an excellent opportunity for visitors to meet and mingle with

the locals, participating in self-created, light-hearted entertainment

while partaking in a delicious, perfectly presented three course dinner.

A few have even gone home to implement “Dinner in the Gallery” in their

own region.

Paint ‘n Sip Parties can also be arranged for groups of partygoers

celebrating special daytime occasions or those just looking for some

light-hearted revelry.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, MEALS AND HAPPY HOUR

There are no brown and dusty sites at this outback Queensland caravan park. Thanks to the

artesian basin, The Blackall Caravan Park is a green and tranquil delight all year round, with

large established trees and beautiful bougainvilleas adding splashes of vibrant colour to the

park grounds. Located off the main road, this makes it a quiet, peaceful and relaxing haven

located within walking distance to shops, pubs and the very popular artesian Olympic-sizedpool.

Choose from fully self-contained cabins or park your camper, van or bus on the grassed

drive-through sites, slab sites or grassed tent sites. The newly renovated, rustic amenities

block has been rated 5 stars by travelers. Complete with disabled bathroom, incorporating an

outback country style theme, it’s a loo with a view that you’ll have to see for yourself!

Join Debbie and the friendly team in the outback camp kitchen for happy hour at 4pm each

afternoon. BYO drinks, nibbles and meet fellow travelers.

Live entertainment including various artists from around Australia will perform nightly most

evenings (June to September) followed by home cooked meals, or treat yourself and try one

of the famous gourmet outback style hotdogs…. sink your teeth into a Tickle my Pickle or

The Burning Ring of Fire and don’t be afraid to order a double helping of the favourite, The

Stock Man. The park also has a fully equipped camp kitchen where the fi re blazes from 4pm

to warm you on chilly nights.

Pop into the kiosk for tourist information,

drinks, ice-creams, souvenirs, ice and more.

The park also offers laundry facilities and

free WiFi. Pets are very welcome!

Join the regular holiday makers who escape

the colder southern Australia winters and

see why they choose to stay at the Blackall

Caravan Park each year.

LOCAL SHOPPING

Spar Blackall has Outback Queensland’s longest opening hours that travellers arriving late or

leaving early will appreciate. SPAR offers a large range of groceries from dry goods, frozen food

and fresh chooks cooked daily. A food deli will soon be opening within the store, giving customers

more options for fresh food. A large range of take-away meals are also available.

Centrally located in town, SPAR is within handy walking distance to the Barcoo River Camp. There

are always weekly deals on offer, with friendly staff more than happy to assist you.

For those needing to make cash withdrawals, there is a Commonwealth Bank ATM located at the

front of the store.

For all your pharmaceutical needs, pop into the Ian Kinsey Outback Chemist, , situated in the

centre of Blackall. The pharmacy has a vast range of medications, and anything that isn’t stocked

can be ordered to arrive the next day. With a large selection of unique giftware and souvenirs, you

will be sure to find a special gift for a loved one, or something to remember your trip by. You will

also find small gifts that are perfect for the little ones in the family. The pharmacy is also a stockist

of Akubra hats, Mongrel, Redback, Volley and Oliver Work boots. Ian Kinsey, a born and bred local,

has been a pharmacist in Blackall for over 40 years, providing a truly unique pharmacy beyond the

Black Stump.


39

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND HIGHLANDS

AND SAPPHIRE GEMFIELDS

A MATILDA BYWAY

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Sapphire Gemfields

40

SAPPHIRE GEMFIELDS

It might seem the name gives away everything the Sapphire Gemfi elds has to offer, but dig

a little deeper and you’ll discover there’s more to explore of this unique corner of the Central

Queensland Highlands.

Taking in the townships of Rubyvale, Sapphire, Anakie and Willows Gemfi elds, the Sapphire

Gemfi elds are a 45-minute drive west of Emerald and the largest sapphire-bearing area in the

southern hemisphere.

Big Personality

The moment you arrive, you’ll see the Gemfi elds has a personality and charm like no other. The

landscape is dotted with quirky homes made of billy boulders and bush timber, and camels,

horses and cattle roam freely on Australia’s last remaining miner’s common.

Our nation’s penchant for ‘Big Things’ is on full display, with Sapphire’s Big Ring just one of six

oversized photo ops in the Gemfi elds.

The jewel in the crown is Sapphire Refl ections at Anakie Crossroads. This 12m-high art piece

is the starting point of the Sapphire Gemfi elds Interpretive Trail, a series of interpretive signs

telling the fascinating story of the area and its characters.

Walk on the Wild Side

Get immersed in nature by wandering through the Sapphire Gemfi elds Wetland Reserve, on

Rockhound Road, Sapphire.

Walking and cycling tracks wind through the reserve’s Coolabah, Brigalow and Poplar Box

trees.

This tranquil place is refuge to kangaroos and other wildlife, and there’s even a camoufl aged

bird-watching hide.

Wet season is the perfect time to head to the viewing platform to spot shrimp, freshwater crabs

and inland yabbies.

Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland

Volcanic View

Timing is everything when you visit Policeman’s Knob, near Rubyvale and the oldest known

volcanic basalt plug on Earth.

Climb to the top of this rocky terrain before sundown to encounter rock wallabies out for dinner;

then take in the incredible sunset.

If you’re wondering how the plug earned its name, the clue lies in the 360° view. It’s said that

policemen used to rely on the clear vantage point to spot criminal gem fossickers.

Sapphire Refl ections

A Place to Party

2023 is shaping up to be an eventful year,

starting with Gemfields Rocks! in late May.

This is a two-day festival of music, dance,

culture, arts, classic cars, fossicking tours

and mining demonstrations.

The Gemfields Festival is back again in August,

with an exciting line-up of market days,

entertainment, and family-friendly activities.

The annual Gemfields Mardi Gras – billed

as a festival of madness ‘n’ mayhem and

a celebration of diversity and inclusion – is

locked in for Queensland’s King’s Birthday

long weekend.

Treasure Hunt

Above all else, precious stones will always be

the star attraction, with visitors coming from

around the globe in search of the blue, green,

yellow, parti-coloured and star gems.

The easiest way to dig for treasure is to visit a

fossicking park or take a guided tour.

If DIY is more your style, buy a fossicking

licence (call MyMines (07) 3199 8133) and

then take your pick from several designated

fossicking sites.

Local gemstone galleries and shops can

transform your treasure into jewellery but

they’re also a great alternative for those wanting

to skip the dirt to get their souvenir.

WORLD FAMOUS SAPPHIRES

The world’s largest black sapphire, the Black Star of Queensland, was

discovered in the Sapphire Gemfi elds in the 1930s by 12-year-old Roy

Spencer, who’d simply kicked what he thought was a lump of coal.

Roy’s family used it as a doorstop for 10 years before his father scraped

away the edge and noticed the star shape.

In 1947, the Spencers sold the stone to the Kazanjian brothers, highend

US jewellers, for $18,000. After being faceted, the Black Star of

Queensland weighed 733 carats and is estimated to be worth about

$100 million today.

The Kazanjians went on to purchase four more large sapphires

from the Sapphire Gemfi elds, which they cut into busts of American

Presidents Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson and Eisenhower.

GET AWAY TO QUEENSLAND’S BEST BUSH PUB

The New Royal Hotel has always been a

place where travellers and locals alike can

fi nd a seat, a friendly word, cold beer, tasty

meals, stories (lots of hilarious and doubtful

stories!) and the kind of unpretentious

welcome unique to Aussie bush pubs.

This Queensland Hotel Association Award

Hall of Fame pub has had a fascinating past.

Originally built in 1908, the current hotel was

rebuilt in 1997 on the site of the original Royal

Hotel. The new hotel, constructed of local

narrow leaf ironbark and billy boulders, was

sold in February 2022 to new proprietors,

Michelle and Brett Walton. In the 100 years

since the fi rst New Royal was built, its history

and fortunes have mirrored those of the

surrounding Sapphire Gemfi elds. Some years

have been rich with good fortune, buzzing with visitors and activity and The Royal sparkled as

the centre of attention in the region.

The billy boulder and log cabins located in the native garden, with their open wood fi res and

generous proportions, are popular with both couples and families. In 2020 four Fossickers

Quarters were added to the accommodation, perfect for couples and the single traveller.

Don’t miss out on the great meals that are served at the New Royal, open seven days a week

for lunch and dinner. Bar options are available all day on weekends.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Sapphire Genfields

41

A FASCINATION WITH FOSSICKING AND JEWELLERY

Between them, brothers Keith and David Bezett provide a fascinating mixture of fossicking tours,

self-drive adventure, gemstones and jewellery. Keith heads up the Gem Fossicking Self Drive

Tour and David covers the retail part of the business, Fascination Gems and Crystals, in

Rubyvale. David’s wife Anne adds another dimension to the mix with an interesting little shop

that’s a pleasure to browse through.

The gem shop has a little piece of fascination too —its name is embossed on the floor in rough

sapphires! David does the cutting and employs a jeweller. You can have your own stones facetted

and set into jewellery here. The shop is open seven days from 8.30am to 4.30pm, all year.

Keith’s tours usually run with just 24 hours’ notice, and you can book at An Extra Facet, the shop

in Main Street run by David’s wife Anne. While you’re there, browse among the gemstones and

gold and silver jewellery. The latest addition is a range of old photographs printed on canvas.

Enjoy this glimpse into the past of local gemfields images that date back to the late 1800s. A

fascinating piece of history to have hanging on the wall!

If you’re serious about DIY fossicking, the fossicking tour will give you a head start about what

equipment to use and what to look for. For

some up-to-date news, browse through their

website and blog, sapphiretalk.com, where

they share ‘thoughts, knowledge and a little

BS about sapphires’. It’s well worth a browse,

even before you get here.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Sapphire Gemfields

STEP INTO THE LIVES OF THE EARLY MINERS

Miners Heritage in Rubyvale is much more than a shopfront. Here the stories and mining

processes of yesteryear are honoured and preserved. And you have the opportunity to

experience something different - an underground sapphire mine.

Australia’s largest underground sapphire tour has been sharing the heritage of the gemfields for

over 38 years, with old mining tunnels giving an authentic glimpse into the lives of early miners.

One of the benefits of their underground tour is that the tours run no matter what the weather!

Tours are offered every hour (beginning at 9.15am). There are 440 metres of tunnels to see and

with fairly small groups on each tour, you gain a fascinating insight into mining for sapphires.

There are 48 steps in total and most people manage easily. Government regulations require

a minimum of two people for a tour, so if you’re travelling alone, wait a while ... another starter

may well turn up. They are following all necessary Government guidelines and ask that you

please book ahead to secure your spot.

The site on which Miners Heritage sits was first mined in the early 1900s by Charles Hagan and

his family, some of his original tunnels can be seen on the fully guided tour.

People are fascinated by the size of these monkey drives—also known as tummy tunnels.

After the tour, spend some time in the Heritage Room, which features a display showing the

colours and shapes of sapphires in the rough, information about famous stones and stories of

the characters of the region. Some of the everyday pieces used by miners over the years are

displayed, including a hand-made facetting

machine.

Visitors are also able to immerse themselves

in the history of the sapphire fields by viewing

the 3D model of mining fields and the

works above and underground, along with

old photos of the early townships. Browse

around the large air-conditioned showroom

and admire the rough stones, loose cut gems

as well as the finished gold and sterling silver

jewellery.

Gifts and souvenirs are also on display,

along with a little Mineral Rockhound Corner

especially for children (big and little).

The working mine is separate to Miners

Heritage, and sapphire-bearing wash is

brought directly from the mine to the fossicking

park right outside the showroom. When you

buy a bucket of wash to go through, you have

just as much chance of finding sapphires as

the miners do!

You can also enjoy a coffee at the Pump Shed

Coffee Shop 10am till 2pm daily. It doesn’t get

any better than that!

42

GEMSTONES GALORE

Jim and Jenny Elliot are the new owners of the magnificent timber building which previously housed

Sapphire Showcase. Now operating as Coolamon Mining Showcase, they offer to the public fine

quality cut sapphires and zircons mined locally by Coolamon Mining. Jim and Jenny have many

years experience in the mining of sapphires and established Coolamon Mining Pty Ltd in 1988, after

the completion of the Queensland Government backed Sapphire-Rubyvale road mining and building

project in which they were partners. They have travelled extensively throughout eastern Australia,

exhibiting their stones at Gemborees and Gem Club shows, with many of their gems also being made

available to jewellery manufacturers.

Now settled in Sapphire with a shopfront, Jim

and Jenny showcase a comprehensive display

of fine cut sapphires and zircons. Visitors are

able to select well-matched pairs of gems for

earrings or side stones in rings, matched sets

and fine, individual stones to have their very own

jewellery made, either locally by jewellers in Sapphire Central and Rubyvale, or by a jeweller from their

home area. The shop no longer has jewellery for sale.

You are invited to come in and browse among the showcases, take the weight off your feet in the

comfortable armchairs, have a cuppa and admire the collection of museum pieces consisting of old tools

and other artifacts that the previous owner, Jim Nesbitt, has kindly allowed to stay in the shop.

The “Australian Type” Sapphire

For many decades, the beautiful Australian sapphire, in its rough stone form, was sold to visiting

dealers from Thailand as there was no interest in Australia for locally mined sapphires. All Australian

gem merchants and jewellers purchased their stones from overseas. The Thai buyers and cutting

factories protected the knowledge of their source by selling the best stones as “Ceylon”, “Burmese”,

“Thai” or “Pailin”, even though 90% of the world’s supply of sapphire was from Australia. This is why

all very dark blue sapphire, no matter the origin, was called “Australian Type”. Coolamon Mining have

not sold any rough (uncut) stones to Thai buyers for more than 20 years, choosing instead to have

the finest quality stones cut locally, while the smaller stones and calibrated sizes .are cut in Bangkok.

YOUR FRIENDLY GROCER

The Rubyvale Friendly Grocer, owned and operated by the same family for 42 years, provides a very

welcoming, friendly and helpful service. Here you will find everything you need - a full range of groceries,

fresh produce and meat, ice, fuel, gas, mobile/internet recharge, hardware, toys, auto supplies, mining

equipment and souvenirs. They are big supporters of Central Qld Pet Rescue and sell second-hand

books to help raise money for this cause, having already raised $40,000. Open seven days a week, 7am

to 6.30pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 6pm on weekends. Follow the Friendly Grocer on Facebook for

the latest information on opening hours and other updates.

BREWSTAR COFFEE

Michelle from Brewstar Coffee is well known

for her great coffee. Situated at the crossroads

on the Capricorn Highway at Anakie, Brewstar

Coffee is in the perfect location for travellers

needing a pick-me-up. The range of coffees

available is impressive, including affogatos,

piccolo lattes, mochas, along with the usual

cappuccinos and lattes. You also have your

choice of syrups to add some extra flavour.

And if you need something a bit more refresh-

ing, iced coffees and iced chocolates are also

on the menu. The choice of milk includes dairy,

Zymil, soy milk and coconut milk. There is also

a small range of soft drinks for sale.

If you are feeling a bit peckish, Michelle also

sells pies from the Outback Pie Company,

choc top ice creams (during the busy season)

and cookies. The cookies, white chocolate

macadamia and triple chocolate, also happen

to be gluten free.

Brewstar Coffee operates all year round, from

6am-11am during the off season, and 6am-

2pm during the tourist season. So if you are

going through the Anakie crossroads, stop for

a chat while enjoying some superb coffee, you

won’t be disappointed!

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Sapphire Genfields

43

Explore More of Central Queensland Highlands

Walking amongst giant ferns, discovering a rainbow oasis, and encountering a metal dragon

reads like a Hollywood script but they’re also part of the kaleidoscope of adventure on offer in

the Central Queensland Highlands.

The region sits at the crossroads of the Capricorn and Gregory Highways, spanning 60,000kms

and across the Tropic of Capricorn.

While the Sapphire Gemfields (see page 40) usually gets top billing on the list of attractions in

the Central Queensland Highlands, read on to discover its other gems.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Central Queensland Highlands

Emerald

Located at the heart of the Central Queensland Highlands is Emerald.

This bustling town is an excellent base to refresh, restock and relax, but also has its fair share

of its must-see sights.

Make Morton Park your first port of call to look up to the world’s biggest Vincent van Gogh Sunflowers

replica, a nod to the town’s past as a major sunflower producer. Journey back in time by

following the Centenary of Federation Mosaic Pathway, which uses intricate tile designs to reflect

on Emerald’s history.

The region’s accredited Visitor Information Centre, also at the park, is an attraction itself. The

walls are made of barley straw bales covered in lime and earthen renders, and an Eastern Bearded

Dragon, an art piece of welded recycled farming equipment, sits at the centre’s entrance.

From a rainforest to a rose garden, the Emerald Botanic Gardens are brimming with plant life.

There’s 6km of walking and bike tracks winding through the 42ha site, on the banks of the Nogoa

River. The playground’s flying fox and monorail are always a hit with the kids.

Near Emerald is Lake Maraboon. By day, it’s a popular spot for barbecues, swimming, kayaking

and red claw fishing, but stay for the sunset. The lake’s one of the few places in Queensland

where the sun goes down over water, serving up a majestic double dose of colour.

Blackdown Tableland

A sandstone plateau rising abruptly from the surrounding plains, Blackdown Tableland National

Park is home to rare fauna, diverse vegetation, and spectacular views.

The centrepiece is an oasis named Gudda Gumoo – or Rainbow Falls – which creates its own

rainbow when the light shines just right on the trickling water.

Walking tracks, with varying distances and fitness levels, lead to other waterways, caves, and

rock art reminders of the Ghungalu people’s connection with this land.

No trip to Blackdown is complete without calling into the Yaddamen Dhina lookout. It’s just a

Van Gogh Sunflowers replica

five-minute walk from the carpark, the gently

sloping sealed track is wheelchair accessible,

and the sweeping views of distant ranges are

magnificent.

Elevate your adventure by following the 4WD

loop, which passes along magnificent sandstone

outcrops, basket ferns and king orchids,

and calls into Mitha Boongulla lookout for

more fantastic views.

Give yourself more time to explore by spending

the night at Munall, Blackdown’s one and

only camping area. Bookings can be made on

the QLD National Parks website.

The winding road up to Blackdown is not suitable

for caravans and heavy trailers. High

clearance 4WDs are highly recommended –

essential after rain – to venture past Yaddamen

Dhina.

44

Blackdown’s Gudda Gumoo

Minerva Hills National Park

Carnarvon Gorge

Carnarvon Gorge National Park is without a doubt a bucket-list destination!

Over millions of years, water has carved into the landscape a deep

and dramatic gorge system, complete with towering sandstone cliffs,

pristine creeks and streams, and a lush forest teeming with wildlife.

Mickey Creek Gorge walking track, a 4km drive from the national

park’s entrance, will whet your appetite for the rest of your Carnarvon

adventure. It’s a relatively easy and quick hike (3km return) but it’s also

beautiful, especially when it branches off to Warrumbah Bluff.

Give yourself at least a whole day to walk the park’s main track, which

starts near the visitor centre and branches off to Carnarvon’s most

famous attractions, including the Art Gallery that boasts some of the

Explore Even More

Minerva Hills National Park, on the town of Springsure’s doorstep, ticks

all the right boxes for an awesome daytrip adventure. You’ll have your

pick of walking tracks and lookouts to explore the park’s moonscape of

rocky peaks and plateaus. 4WDs are highly recommended.

At night, head to Springsure’s Lions Park to see the floodlit Virgin Rock,

a niche in the eastern side of Mount Zamia with a weathered likeness to

the Virgin Mary holding her child.

Explore the Central Queensland Highlands’ agricultural and pastoral

history at the Capella Pioneer Village. Its exhibits include the 1869

‘Peak Downs’ Homestead and vintage farm machinery, many still in

working order.

Drive 1km south of Capella to the Peak Range Lookout for a view of a

striking and picturesque chain of mountains.

Carnarvon Gorge’s Wards Canyon

finest Indigenous engravings and paintings in Australia.

Ward’s Canyon is another must-do side-track. This naturally airconditioned

pocket is home to King ferns— the world’s largest — and flowing

streams made bright with red algae-covered rocks.

Those with more time, supplies and experience can take the Great

Walk circuit trail to venture deeper into Carnarvon’s rugged and remote

landscape.

Private tours in the national park are available. Seeing gliders, microbats,

and possums makes the night walk particularly special.

Camping near the entrance to the park is available during Easter,

June-July and September-October school holidays. Privately-run accommodation

is available nearby and year-round.

The Comet community has gone to great lengths to record and re-tell

this tiny town’s fascinating history since European settlement. The selfguided

Comet Tales and Walking Trails takes in 16 sites, including the

Coolabah tree trunk that explorer Ludwig Leichhardt engraved in 1847.

Get your education about the region’s mining industry all in one hit by

heading to the Blackwater International Coal Centre, which includes

a museum and café. Head outside to take in the serenity of the Japanese

Gardens, which were built as a symbol of the relationship between

Blackwater and sister city Fujisawa, Japan.

Just down the road is the town’s Lions Park, home to one of the largest

displays of national flags in the world, a restored 1953 train engine and

railway station built in the 19th century.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Central Queensland Highlands

45

Carnarvon Gorge

Springsure Lions Park

Minerva Hills National Park

BARCALDINE

ON THE MATILDA WAY

A PROUD HERITAGE AND A FRIENDLY WELCOME

Tree of Knowledge

Spend a few days experiencing and exploring the rich history of

Barcaldine, or Barcy as the locals call it. Whether you are interested

in history and heritage, arts and culture, adventure and events or

nature, Barcaldine has something for everyone.

The fi rst stop on your Barcaldine tour is a visit to the award winning

Tree of Knowledge Memorial. In 1891, striking shearers gathered

under a ghost gum in front of the Barcaldine railway station in protest

of the working conditions of the day. This led to Barcaldine becoming

the birthplace of the Labor movement in Australia. The illusion of

a canopy over the Tree is a highlight for a night time visit, with the

colours changing to different themes throughout the year.

Stroll along the main street and fi nd more attractions including

murals, musical instruments and a historic windmill. Learn more of

Barcaldine’s history as you walk along the Between the Bougainvilleas

heritage trail. Maroon signs featuring a windmill logo have been

placed at signifi cant historical sites around Barcaldine, showcasing

some of the town’s varied and colourful history. A booklet including a

map of the trail can be obtained from the Visitor Information Centre.

The beautiful gardens in the main street refl ect why Barcaldine is

known as the Garden City of the West. If you feel like doing a spot of

retail therapy, Barcaldine has all of the goods and services you need

including souvenirs, camping gear, clothing, groceries and locally

made arts and crafts.

You can now access the Australian Workers Heritage Centre

through its new entrance in Oak Street. Enjoy a meal and a coffee

in the newly furbished centre and pick up a gift before exploring the

history of our nation’s worker through 14 buildings and 22 displays.

You can even get an ice cream cone to enjoy by the billabong.

Soak up more history at the Barcaldine and District Historical

Museum which is home to a collection of memorabilia from early

days in Barcaldine. If you are here at the end of the month during

winter, miniature trains run at the museum on the last Sunday of the

month.

Don’t forget to pay a visit to the Visitor Information Centre, located

on the corner of Oak and Willow Streets. The building was originally

the Globe Hotel and has been renovated to become a hub for arts and

tourism. The history room houses displays on the colourful history of

the region and the Galilee Gallery is used for art and cultural displays

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Barcaldine

46

and functions. While there, take the time to appreciate the 360

degree views from the Pat Ogden Tower. Bring along your camera

to capture the sights.

The gates are now open on the Barcaldine Rec Park for you to enjoy

a wide range of water sports, non-water recreation or just sit on the

deck and enjoy the lapping of the water. The lake is 1,100m long and

250m wide with a maximum water depth of 3.2m and is compliant

with international and Australian water skiing standard. The facility

is approximately 1km from the town centre so it is in easy walking

distance for the local community and also provides large areas for

cars and trailer parking. Further development is planned for the park

so there is no reason not to come back and check on progress.

For the adventure seekers, Barcy Red will be opening in the middle

of the year for all motorbike enthusiasts. The course has been

designed by international Dakar Rally superstar Rodney Fagotter

and encompasses more than 100km of purpose-built motorbike trails

with options to suit all skill levels. It is adjacent to Barcaldine Rec

Park. Visit the www.barcaldinerc.qld.gov.au for more details.

If you enjoy arts and culture, you must visit the Desert Dreaming

Centre, home to Trackers Tours. Trackers Tours provide authentic

Aboriginal and Paleontological experiences and tours.

Barcaldine Rec Park

Another excellent bush camping experience in the area is Lara

Wetlands. They offer tranquil shady camping spots, a thermal

Artesian mineral pool, kayaking and bird watching. They are open

from Easter to October and there is no need to book as there is

plenty of room and the friendly staff at the offi ce can help you with

anything you need.

If you have always wanted to learn about the pastoral industry of

western Queensland, Barcaldine Tag Along Tours at Dunraven is

just for you. Visit a working family property and see farm animals,

wildlife and learn about property life from a family that has been on

the land for fi ve generations. Tours operate on Tuesday and Friday

mornings and experiences you can witness include mustering,

shearing and fencing depending on what is happening on the day. If

you would like to spend more time on a property, try on-farm camping

at Dunblane. Dunblane offers various private camping sites around

their property as well as self-drive tours and woolshed walking tours.

Barcaldine is also the gateway to the Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail,

one of the biggest, permanent, outdoor sculpture exhibitions in the

world. Learn more about the Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail in the section

of ‘More towns of the Barcaldine region’.

The Globe

FESTIVAL FUN

Barcaldine is a vibrant community with

a full events calendar so why not plan

your trip to coincide with one of the many

events. The May Day long weekend is

the perfect time to visit Barcaldine with

a jam-packed program of events. There

is something for everyone to enjoy at the

Barcaldine Tree of Knowledge Festival

from goat and horse racing, Barcy

RevFest to the May Day March. Join in

for this great weekend from Friday 28

April to Monday 1 May 2023 with a variety

of top class events and experiences

only found in the outback. Add a few

days on to your trip and enjoy all that the

Barcaldine region has to offer.

No matter how you are travelling, Barcaldine has you covered. There

is an extensive range of accommodation options from motels to

caravan parks and camping grounds. Experience a famous outback

meal at one of the hotels or motels or grab a smaller bite from a

bakery or café.


47

LIFE ON A WORKING PROPERTY

At Dunblane Pastoral Holdings, just eight kilometres off the Landsborough Highway, you

can experience what life is like on this 15,000 hectare wool sheep grazing property. A selfdrive

tour is available where you will inspect sheep, do a water run and check for dingo tracks.

There is plenty of wildlife to spot on the rounds, including emus, echidnas, eagles, kangaroos

and brolgas, and while out on the property you will also see the wild dog fence, water points

and an old Chinese dam that was dug out by hand. A tour of the woolshed is also available.

Make the most of the experience by staying at one of the private campsites, where you can

light a fi re at night, have a dip in the hot tubs, take the dog for a run, and let the kids explore.

Amenities are available depending on the site booked.

Bookings can be made at https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/land/queensland-dunblane

ON THE TRAIL OF THE DINOSAURS

STUMKAT DESIGNS

From the age of 13, Paul Stumkat started

tour, a two hour drive will see you arrive at

With 45 years experience in museum exhibi-

sorting fossil specimens and making casts

Barcoo Interpretation Centre in Isisford,

tions, Paul Stumkut has cultivated skills in

of Plesiosaur moulds at the Queensland

which houses the ancestor of all crocodiles,

palaeontology, dinosaur sculpture and display


Museum. With the wealth of knowledge that

Paul has gained over the ensuing years, a

whole new world will open up to those who

join Paul, aka the Dinosaur Hunter, along

the Dinosaur trail. Jump on the bus or tag

along in your own vehicle to visit well known

locations throughout the Outback. Tours

range from two hours for local sites to up to

one week if you wish to make the most of

your journey out west and see fossils and

dinosaurs unique to each site. Camping

on private properties is available at some

locations.

For those with only enough time for a short

Paul’s Ichthyosaurus at Kronosaurus Korner

Isisford duncani, who lived around 98 million

years ago.

South of Barcaldine at the Eromanga

Natural History Museum is Cooper, the

largest dinosaur found in Australia, while at

the Boulia Heritage Complex is an almost

complete Plesiosaur fossil. On the way to

Boulia is the Australian Age of Dinosaurs

at Winton, with Lark Quarry, home to the

famous dinosaur stampede, a “short” drive

south of Winton.

In the Flinders Discovery Centre at

Hughenden is “Hughie”, the life-sized replica

constructed by Paul while at the Queensland

Museum. The tour will also take you up to

Richmond where you will see giant models

of Elasmosaurus, Ichthyosaurus and Penny

the Polycotylid, reconstructed by Paul

during his time there as curator.

For more information about the tours, visit

www.dinosaurhunter.com.au or you can

contact Paul Stumkat on 0427 557 834 or at

paul@dinosaurhunter.com.au.

design and construction. This has enabled him

to produce innovative displays and the production

of world class exhibitions.

His experience of working in an accurate historical

subject matter has been incorporated

into many sculpture commissions, including

with the Queensland Museum, National Parks

and Wildlife and multiple Regional Shires. With

his skills, Paul has created numerous scientific

models for museum display galleries.

Paul’s ability to work with a number of mediums,

from stone, marble and wood has seen the creation

of outstanding sculptures and exhibitions.

Available for commisions, Paul can be contacted

at paul@stumkatstudios.com.au or on

0427557834. Visit www.stumkatstudios.com.au

for further details.

48

THIS CAFE LIVES UP TO ITS NAME

The name says it all ... this café authentically

is ‘ridgee didge’... from its very own blend of

coffee to its honest food, freshly prepared,

cooked and served in house by locals. The only

backpackers you will fi nd here are among the

diners. The prices at The Ridgee Didge Café

are very reasonable too. So if you’re looking for

more than a warmed up stodgy pie on the run

and looking to just chill out ‘outback ‘style in air

conditioned comfort, the Ridgee Didge Cafe is

the place for you.

The menu selection is broad and guaranteed to

please most tastes. Enjoy the all day breakfast,

including the new offering, the ‘Barcy Eggs

Benny’ roast of the day or beef lasagne with

salad. There are hot and cold lighter options too,

including the Barcy BLT, as well as sandwiches,

wraps and salad bowls.

If you’ve popped in to enjoy the unique Coolamon Coffee, select from a range of delicious cakes and

desserts to complement your cuppa. There is also a selection of unique Keep Cups for sale, with

authentic Aboriginal designs, perfect for your coffee! Look for the daily morning tea specials which

are likely to feature freshly baked scones or slice. There are also lunch specials, served Tuesday to

Friday with take-away service being available also.

While at the cafe, browse the range of wonderful Aboriginal giftware, including handbags,

boomerangs, cushion covers, scarves, drink coolers, bush medicines and food.

Cheryl Thompson, a Yiningai woman, is passionate about serving quality, fresh food and great

coffee, as well as providing a meeting place where locals and travellers alike can yarn and laugh

together as well as be guided to a range of authentic Aboriginal products, artworks and experiences

via the cafe or the Desert Dreaming Centre located adjacent to the cafe. What better place to start

your immersion into Aboriginal Australia than at the Ridgee Didge Cafe.

And Cheryl is certainly well qualifi ed to do just that. This café has been in her family for many years.

Known originally as the Blue Danube, it became an iconic stop for interstate truck drivers to pull in

for a truckie-size feed from Cheryl’s father, Davey Thompson.

Remember, you’re in the Outback. What’s the rush? Come and sit for a while, give yourself some ‘me’

time, time to absorb and refl ect on the remoteness and the uniqueness of the space you are in. Even

better when you can complement that time with great coffee and great tucker.

The Ridgee Didge Café is open seven days, from 6.30am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday and 8.00am

to 2.00pm on weekends.


49

EXTRA-ORDINARY SALUTE TO AUSTRALIAN WORKERS

Many heritage sites or museums tell the story of a well-known person, a building or an event in

our history. But the Australian Workers Heritage Centre in Barcaldine is very different. It captures

the spirit of working Australians, telling their stories and celebrating their contributions to the nation

we know today.

Every Australian is a worker ... and workers build nations.. Opened in 1991 by then Prime Minister,

Bob Hawke, the museum style exhibits tell the stories of everyday working Australians in a wide

variety of fields. And there couldn’t be a more fitting place to honour the efforts of Australian workers

than Barcaldine.

The industrial battle between shearers and pastoralists during The Great Shearers’ Strike of 1891

was to profoundly affect Australia’s industrial, social and political future. Shearers set up ‘base

camps’ on the northern outskirts of Barcaldine and held their strike meetings in the shade of

perhaps Australia’s most well-known ghost gum – ‘The Tree of Knowledge’. Fortunately the strike

didn’t lead to civil war as widely feared. Instead, the striking shearers used the ballot box to make

their voices heard.

Situated on the site of the former Barcaldine State School, the Australian Workers Heritage Centre

comprises 18 buildings housing 22 displays focusing on workers from such diverse fields as

the power industry to postal services. The site is spacious, with buildings arranged around a

very pleasant billabong. Pick up a map at the entrance and take your time to wander from building

to building, enjoying the stories of Australia’s working history through artefacts, re-creations,

restored buildings, artworks and multi-media presentations.

The 'Young-Un”

Other buildings are also an integral part of the

story being told within. If you went to a small

country school, the historic classroom from

the 'One Teacher School' at Torrens Creek will

bring back some memories. The contribution

of railway workers is honoured in the original

Kunwarara Railway Station, built in 1915.

The oldest and most iconic building is the Shearers’ Hall, built in 1887 in Blackall by the Queensland

Shearers’ Union, moved to Longreach after the strike, and relocated to the Centre. It has

been transformed into a quality exhibition space, presenting and interpreting a unique chapter in

Australia’s working history – and illustrating how the building is part of this story.

Home of the ‘Young-Un’, the only direct offspring of the heritage listed ‘Tree of Knowledge’ planted

in the AWHC grounds in 2005, continues to thrive. Standing strong and proud, ensuring this symbolic

icon of our national working history is secure for future generations.

“One Teacher School” Display


50

The Salute Continues . . .

Stories of Australia’s working women are told and celebrated. Curated

by the Queensland Museum, the exhibition entitled ‘A Lot on Her Hands’

reveals the extraordinary lives of some famous and not-so-famous Australian

women through photos and artefacts, as well as the moving documentary,

‘Unsung Heroes’. Visit the 'Working for Health’ Exhibition, which

celebrates the outstanding contribution and heritage of our Emergency

Services and health workers.

along a picnic to enjoy beside the billabong. Barbecue facilities, picnic

tables and a children’s playground are provided.

Working for Health Display

Uncover the history of the Golden Casket, set up to fund public hospitals

with a major focus on maternity units. An education room for children and

adults forms part of the display. A fascinating film begins as you enter.

Take the time to watch, listen and learn about the medicine man and the

bush medicines used by local indigenous people. Modern medicine is

now drawing on these ancient wisdoms to provide medical relief for a

range of ailments.

The most striking building in the complex is The Celebration Theatre

(‘The Tent’), constructed as the centrepiece of the tent city convey, which

toured Australia as part of Australia's Bicentennial Celebrations. The

'Bicentennial Theatre' arrived onsite in 1990, and The Workers Heritage

Centre was seen as an appropriate home and location as a fitting tribute

to the shearers who set up their 'tent city' in the area during the strike of

1891. In 'tent years', being over 30 is an impressive achievement and the

structure has earned the wrinkles and wear and tear from the harsh outback

sun, meaning the displays inside today are now minimal. However,

the viewing inside this massive structure and the associated history of the

six years of inspiration and perspiration involved with 100+ staff bringing

this project to fruition is truly inspiring. Exciting plans are on the drawing

board to re-purpose this structure so it can be fully utilised.

You might have gathered there’s a lot to see at the Australian Workers

Heritage Centre, but you can enjoy the exhibits at your own pace. The

beautifully landscaped gardens with shady trees and the bore-fed billabong

provide a cool and relaxing outback oasis. You’re welcome to bring

Grounds and billabong

The Australian Workers Heritage Centre strives to achieve environmental

sustainability within the complex. The billabong is fed from an old

recommisioned bore which also waters the six acre landscaped site and

solar panels offset the majority of power consumption.

Please check the website or socials for opening hours. And don’t forget

to browse the retail store for distinctly Australian gift lines, souvenirs,

unusual memorabilia and eclectic homewares, jewellery and accessories.

And take the time to relax and refuel with a coffee, meal or light

refreshment from our cafe.

AWHC ENTRANCE @ 127 OAK STREET

The Centre’s multi- purpose entrance building located on Oak

Street (Barcaldine’s main street) features beautifully landscaped

surrounds and houses the museum’s entrance and access to

the 6 acre site and exhibitions and displays. The entrance building

is also home to a unique retail destination stocking a wide

range of products, with something for everyone. As well as an

onsite cafe and outdoor undercover eating space where you can

enjoy a barista coffee, meal or light refreshments in a pleasant

and comfortable air-conditioned setting; all designed to further

complement and enhance the visitor experience at the Workers

Heritage Centre.


51

MUTTABURRA

A MATILDA BYWAY

THE LITTLE TOWN IN THE HEART OF QLD

Muttaburra is the closest town to the geographical centre of the state,

making it offi cially the heart of Queensland. Take your photo at the

Centre of Queensland Monument next to the Dr Arratta Museum and

read about its history on the brick timeline and the pipe rainfall for

Muttaburra spanning over 100 years. Travel Muttaburra’s Heritage

Trail to uncover some of its history and see the natural attractions of

the area. The trail features a cemetery with graves dating back to 1878,

the Union Camp where shearers set up a campsite during the great

shearers’ strike in 1891 and Union Hole where the striking shearers

drew their water. Throw in a line, commune with nature and look for the

remains of the shearers’ campsite.

About 6km from town, the Broadwater is a popular spot for skiing,

birdwatching and bushwalking. Quite a few self-suffi cient visitors

camp here for a couple of days or even longer. It’s a safe spot where

you can soak in the peacefulness of being off the beaten track. There

are no amenities, so be prepared for bush camping. If you don’t like

roughing it, there’s accommodation in town—a motel and a hotel.

Collect your supplies from the Muttaburra Shop and Fuel. Try the

famous Muttaburra burgers. You can buy diesel and unleaded fuel,

groceries, fruit and vegetables, burgers, sandwiches, hot chips,

cappuccino coffee and homemade biscuits/cakes. There is also a

range of handy small hardware such as brooms, buckets and hoses.

Shop proprietors are Peter (Winky) and Fiona Turnbull, so drop in to

say hi if you’re a return visitor to town. The shop is open 8.00am to

6.00pm Monday to Friday and from 9.00am to 2.00pm on weekends.

The local post offi ce has banking facilities and also serves as an

information centre and gift shop. The post offi ce is open Mondays,

Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 5pm (closed between 1-2pm),

and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 1pm.

The Exchange Hotel serves the coldest beer in town, along with great

pub meals that are very reasonably priced. Dinner is available from 6pm

seven days a week. Raffles are held every Friday night. There is free,

unpowered camping at the back of the pub as well as free use of the

amenities. The accommodation at the pub is old country style, kept cool

with air-conditioning. Enjoy a yarn with the locals and staff and take in

the stunning sunset while relaxing with a cold drink on the verandah.

With the friendly atmosphere of an outback pub, the Muttaburra Pub

is well worth the stop in, you may find it hard to leave!

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Muttaburra

52

Also in town is the primary health centre and the aquatic centre, with

a 25m pool, heated spa and a little skatepark, open all year round.

Check with the library for opening hours. A 24–hour laundromat is

located next to the post offi ce.

Learn about the Muttaburrasaurus langdoni, found by a local grazier

in 1963 and one of the most complete fossilised dinosaur skeletons

discovered in Australia. See the replica and read the story about how

it was found near Muttaburra at the Muttaburrasaurus Interpretation

Centre located across the road from the shop.

The history of Muttaburra and that of more recent times can be found

at the Dr Arratta Memorial Museum. Originally the town’s hospital,

it combines a hospital display and a general museum section. The

original hospital, built in 1884, was one of the fi rst buildings to be

established after the town of Muttaburra was gazetted in 1878. The

hospital complex was replaced on the same site in 1957 with the

current building, and was functional until 1971 when doctors were no

longer sent to Muttaburra. It then functioned as an outpatients clinic.

A new medical centre was built in the town in 1989, with the hospital

building being converted to a museum in 1993. The museum is named

after Dr Joseph Arratta, who came to Muttaburra in 1925 as a 25 year

old after applying for the position of Medical Superintendent. The

application for this position in Muttaburra was unintentional, with Dr

Joseph Arratta having misread the Queensland map. He stayed for 35

years, becoming an integral contributor and much respected member

of the community.

Dr Arratta Memorial Museum

The Cassamatis Store, the general store in town from 1918 to 1978,

has been restored and is now also a museum. The Cassamatis Store

was built by Andrew Cassimatis and his son George, who came to

Australia from the Greek island Kythera in 1911, leaving their family

behind. They lived in a room at the back of the store, until George

married in 1930, at which time he moved out and eventually bought

the cottage on the eastern side of the store. After his father’s death in

1942, George’s wife, Stavroola, who never learnt a word of English,

managed the store until she died in 1977, while George was the local

“Jack of all Trades”, even improvising equipment for Dr Arratta and

accompanying the doctor on some emergency calls out of town,

as the doctor and machinery didn’t always see eye to eye. George

became a pillar of the community, also serving as an Aramac Shire

Councillor. The store closed after his wife’s death, with George moving

to Brisbane in 1982 to live with his daughter. He passed away shortly

after his 100th birthday. In 2001 the old store building was converted

to a museum, housing old store items, along with a myriad of items

donated by local residents.

In tourist season, May to September, the museums have a tour guide

with opening hours Monday to Friday from 10.00am – 12.00pm at A.A.

Cassimatis Store & Cottage and 12.00pm to 2:00pm at the Dr Arratta

Museum. Weekends are volunteers.

To organise a tour of the museums in the summer months, ask at the

library or Post Offi ce if any guides are available. The library is open

from 9.00am to noon and from 1.00pm to 4.00pm on weekdays. Drop

in or call during those times on 07 4658 7191.

Geocaching has become quite popular in Muttaburra, with a number

of geocaches throughout the township and district - what better way to

explore than while on a treasure hunt!

Marvel at the ingenuity of scrap metal artist Andrew Whitehead as you

enjoy the ‘Shearer and Sheep’ artwork at the Longreach entrance to

town. Also see Barb the Dinosaur. Kilometres of barbed wire fencing

that was no longer needed has been upcycled by Milynda Rogers

to create an amazing wire sculpture located just opposite the rest

area. Other sculptures gracing the town, with many made by Milynda

Rogers, include brolgas, a plane, a big chair, a rain tree made from

wire and a yellowbelly crafted from shearers’ combs and cutters. After

the sculpture competition two years ago, a number of new sculptures,

all made locally, now grace the township. Winning entries were a

stone art of a Muttaburrasaurus dinosaur emerging from its shell, a

yellowbelly made from metal and a steel grass tree.


53

CAFE WITH A DIFFERENCE

For great coffee and selection of sweet and savoury food, pop into the Rivers and Roads

Coffee Shop. . This cafe is certainly not your everyday shop. Built from corrugated iron in the

late 1800s, the building is one of the oldest in Muttaburra. While the building has always been

a shop from its very beginnings, selling a vast array of products, food was the one thing that

you wouldn’t fi nd here until recent times.

Visitors are now spoilt with this little gem of a café, where they can experience amazing coffee

in a small outback town. Along with ham and cheese croissants, quiches and, when available,

muffi ns, cakes and the all-time favourite, scones with jam and cream, you will also find dairy–free

and gluten–free options, along with some healthy snacks.

While you wait for your coffee, have a browse through the shop, with a collection of paintings,

knitted and crocheted blankets and metal work placed throughout to catch your eye, or maybe do

a bit of shopping, with goats milk soap, fluoride-free toothpaste, sprays for aches and pains and

pot plants being just some of the products also available in this quaint cafe. You can even grab

some fi rewood for the chilly winter nights. The cafe is open during the tourist season only, with

hours from 7.30am to 11.30am Tuesday to Sundays and closed Mondays.


MUTTABURRA EVENTS

The annual Muttaburra Races, held

on 5 August 2023, are a community

event not to be missed. Enjoy the gastronomic

delights prepared by a local

club and party into the night. Entry

to the races is free and there is free

camping at the race track on the race

weekend. Everyone in this small town

of 88 residents gets involved - and you

can too. Experience true country community

spirit at the Muttaburra Races.

Other events in the area are the Tower

Hill Picnic Races, just 40km from Muttaburra,

on 28–29 April. There is also

free camping available all weekend.

The Muttaburra Stock Show will be

held on the fi rst Saturday of June.

A WARM WELCOME AT THE MUTTABURRA MOTEL

For a warm welcome, stay in the centre of Muttaburra at the Muttaburra Motel. . The motel is

perfectly located for dinner, being right next to the Exchange Hotel, and it’s a very short walk to

the Muttaburra Shop if you are after a great lunch in town. Directly opposite is the Intrepretation

Centre, so you don’t have far to go to greet the local Muttaburrasaurus.

Under new ownership, the motel has four rooms – two with queen beds, one with a connecting

room to two single beds, and the spacious family room that also has cooking facilities. All rooms

are air-conditioned and have an en-suite, TV, fridge, microwave, tea and coffee facilities and

toaster. A continental breakfast is available for a very small fee.

54

ARAMAC

A MATILDA BYWAY

ALPHA

A MATILDA BYWAY

JERICHO

A MATILDA BYWAY

MORE TOWNS OF THE BARCALDINE REGION

BIRDWATCHING, RAIL HISTORY AND THE STUFF OF FOLKLORE

While in Aramac, take the opportunity to visit the Tramway Museum - a tribute to the town’s

self–suffi ciency when the government made the decision not to include Aramac on the rail map

more than a century ago. See Aunt Emma, the little tram that represents the ingenuity and

determination of the Aramac people all those years ago.

The Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail is a great bucket list adventure - at 200kms it is one of the

longest outdoor sculpture exhibitions in the world and bronze winner of the Best Sculpture Park

or Trail in the Australian Street Art Awards for 2020. Located north east of Aramac, take a day

or two to appreciate the 40 sculptures along the trail, with the local sculptor always working

on something new. Along the way, visit Gray Rock, a large sandstone rock that doubles as

a unique visitors’ book dating back to the days of Cobb and Co passengers, and once the

site of a hotel. Also see Horsetailer’s Gorge, where Cobb and Co horses were once held

and take a quiet moment at the Healing Circle. Stay a night or two at Lake Dunn for some

water sports, birdwatching or tennis. There are over 80 different bird species, making this a

birdwatchers paradise. Powered and unpowered sites are available. The trail is popular with

locals and visitors alike, so pack a picnic and stop for smoko, lunch and afternoon tea at one of

the many amazing sculptures on your visit to the trail. And don’t forget to check you have plenty

of fuel before heading out!

Due to the ongoing drought in Central West Queensland, one of Aramac’s popular events,

ALPHA—LITTLE TOWN OF MURALS

Alpha is a quaint little town well known for its murals. Large albizzia trees create glorious shady

areas and a delightfully old-fashioned atmosphere in the main street. Make your fi rst stop the

tourist information centre, open in the mornings (closed weekends).

While in the vicinity of the information centre, you might take the opportunity to visit the

town’s historical centre, the Tivoli Museum and Beta Hut. Also within walking distance is the

Fossilised Forest, a work of art made from sandstone and petrifi ed wood by Antone Bruinsma

of Cedar Creek. Alpha is known for its petrifi ed wood. People with an interest in timber might

like to take the designated bushwalk where 19 varieties of trees can be seen, along with two

natural jump-ups.

FAMOUS NAMESAKE IS CELEBRATED AT JERICHO

Take a break on the green lawns in the main street and stop by the Crystal Trumpeters, a

structure created by local historians to tell the story of how Joshua won the battle of Jericho.

The latter-day Jericho’s history dates back to 1885. The town owes its beginnings to the railway

and even today the old railway station is in service—as an information centre! It even has its

own miniature attraction, a little clay village which replicates Jericho’s businesses and houses.

Time your visit with the once a month double feature showing at the smallest operating drive-in

theatre in the southern hemisphere, which holds just 36 cars. Then spend a night or two

camping along the serene banks of the Jordan River at Redbank Park. Bring your fi shing

rods and binoculars as it is a great place to cast a line and bird watch. Both Redbank Park and

Langston Park have a playground, picnic area and amenities.

the Harry Redford Cattle Drive has not been

held since 2014. Nevertheless, you can still

soak up the history and learn the story that

is part of our Australian folklore—the tale of

Henry ‘Harry’ Redford’s daring cattle duffi ng

feat—during your visit to Aramac. Browse

through the Harry Redford Community

Centre, situated in the Rural Transaction

Centre building in Gordon Street and learn

the story of the white bull which was nearly

his undoing. You may even see little white

bulls throughout Aramac with a collection of

14 Adorabulls.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Aramac/Alpha/Jericho

55

LONGREACH

ON THE MATILDA WAY

The Drovers

LONGREACH—HEART OF OUTBACK QUEENSLAND

As you roll into Longreach ‘Heart of Outback Queensland’, don’t be surprised if you feel just a

tinge of ‘Aussie’ pride. The unmistakable red and white livery of a Qantas Jumbo Jet dominates

the skyline from kilometres away. Inside the dedicated museum, you’ll uncover many a story

linked to the founding of Australia’s national airline that just so happened to grow up in Longreach.

Across the road, you’ll spot the shimmering curved roof of another Australian icon. Just like Hugh

Sawrey’s famed artwork A Vision Splendid, the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame pays tribute to

the Aussie Stockman. His dream was shared by other famous Australians including RM Williams,

a bushman and entrepreneur. The themed galleries and cinematic experience also celebrate the

stories of Indigenous Australians, pastoralists and explorers. It’s the place of Aussie legends!

Supercharge Your Outback Experience

Feel the surge of adrenaline as you’re transported full-tilt in a restored Cobb & Co stagecoach

along the original Longreach-Windorah mail route. Do you know that it’s the only stagecoach

gallop in Australia? Supersize your experience with an exhilarating scenic helicopter fl ight. Follow

the winding curve of the Thomson River or capture the golden glow of a perfect outback sunset

from the air with Queensland Helicopters. Snap on a harness and step out on the wing of a Jumbo

Jet at Qantas Founders Museum – guaranteed to get the heart pumping!

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Longreach

56

The History of the Region’s Power

The Powerhouse and Historical Museum was once the energy heart of Longreach and the

central-west before electricity came through long distance transmission lines. Take a walk

through giant engines and generators unchanged since they last ran in 1985. See how electricity

was generated before the age of computers when it depended on the skills and knowledge of the

engineers who walked among these iron monoliths. The Powerhouse and Historical Museum is

heritage-listed and is the largest preserved rural generating facility in Australia. Additions to the

museum include the historical building housing the memories and history of past generations in

the region, Nogo Cottage, a boundary riders hut from the nearby station that was built a century

ago, outdoor displays and the old swimming baths.

Leap into the Thomson River Entertainment

Heighten your sunset experience with a river cruise and authentic outback entertainment. Choose

to glide the waterway in old world style aboard a paddle wheeler before a traditional campfi re

dinner and old-time sound and light picture show. Or, relax on the top deck of a fully licensed

catamaran as it cruises to Sunset Bend. Top it off with a two-course camp oven dinner and live

entertainment on the river stage. But why should you choose? Experience the best of both worlds

and do them all!

Discover what’s on the Menu

Saunter into downtown Longreach for a smorgasbord of dining options.

Harry’s Restaurant and Bar is named after local legend, Harry Redford.

It’s also legendary with the locals for top notch chef-prepared dishes

created with fresh, seasonal produce. The Welcome Home Stonegrill

brings traditional campfi re methods of cooking inside for hearty outback

dinners. Cook your choice of meat or fi sh the way you like it on the hot

stone at your table. If great value pub dining is the order of the day then

head to the RSL, Longreach Tavern or Birdcage Hotel. The smorgasbord

continues with Woodsy’s Pizza, Happy Valley Chinese and Little Star

Indian Restaurant.

Treasure our Country Lifestyle

Join in on a tour of Camden Park Station, an 18,000-acre property just

a short drive from town. This historic property has been in the Walker

family for 5 generations. See the ‘Dry Bottom’ Chinaman’s well built in

the 1920s, visit swaggies grave and see the huge solar farm. Enjoy a

delicious Ploughman’s lunch in the shearing shed while listening to

stories of when royalty came to visit. The heart of outback life is the

station and it’s at Nogo Station that the Kinnon family really share their

world. From the merino story in the historic shearing sheds to the cattle

and camels on the amazing station safari, you’ll see it all through the

eyes of your Kinnon family host – Richard, Jeremy or Lane. Relax with

a saddle-bag lunch under the gum trees (with billy tea of course) while

the Kinnon’s tell you more.

Relax by the Thomson River

The Apex Riverside Park on the Thomson River is a great place to

base yourself if you like bush camping or have self–suffi cient set up,

for a small daily or weekly charge. There is a boat ramp for those who

have brought their boats, kayaks or canoes, while others can choose

to refresh themselves with a swim. Facilities at the river include picnic

tables, toilets, caravan and camping sites and walking tracks.

LONGREACH SCHOOL OF THE AIR

Longreach School of the Air welcomes you to come

share the story of the students, staff and families

and visit one of the world’s largest classrooms.

with the lesson materials and their teachers. This was an excellent example of the use of technology to

provide a high-quality education to children who would otherwise be relying on their families. The whole

experience was inspirational”.

Twice daily from Monday to Friday, March through

to October (excluding public holidays) you can get

an insight into how distance is overcome and bring

school and learning alive for the students who are

spread throughout Western Queensland, Australia

and internationally.

The experienced tour guides will give you a glimpse

into the history of distance education and the

evolution of lesson delivery and learning over time,

sharing a few genuine recollections of their days in

the schoolroom.

They’d love to share the vastness of the classrooms

with you and show you firsthand what learning

looks like for the staff, through a purpose-built glass

walled studio, and for the families, in their homes,

school rooms and paddocks across the outback.

You’ll hear from the students and get an insight into

what their lives are like and revel in its uniqueness

and their achievements, talents, and creativity. You

will experience a teacher’s perspective and find

out what makes the school so special and why

the connections between home and school are

legendary.

“This was a great tour. Kids and adults both enjoyed it. What fabulous teachers, kids, families, and

community. You should be so proud”.

“Great facility and a really fascinating tour. Thank you for allowing us to see and learn how the school works“.

For more information or to book a tour visit www.lsodetours.com.au

Come see the great school for yourself; they look forward to welcoming you.


57

Here’s what some of the visitors have to say about

this ‘must-do’ Longreach experience:

“This tour was a highlight of our trip to northwest

Queensland. As a retired teacher it was

encouraging to see the students actively engaging

Book your visit at

LSODEtours.com.au


58

ARTS AND CRAFTS IN HISTORIC BUILDING

At the Arts and Crafts Centre in Longreach you will fi nd a perfect blend of artisan endeavour

and historical architecture.

This building, which was originally built in 1921 at 111 Ibis Street as an Ambulance Station, is

now listed by the National Trust and is the home of the Longreach Arts and Cultural Association.

A wide variety of crafts as well as artworks by local artists can be found for sale in the upstairs

gallery. Crafts includes silverwork, paintings, leatherwork, pottery, photographs and jewellery,

all of which are locally made. The gallery is open from 1.00pm to 4.00pm and some mornings

seven days from April to October.

A number of groups, including pottery, fi bre arts, jewellery making and arts meet here regularly.

Check their Facebook page for more information. The history of the building and the emergence

of the Longreach Arts and Cultural Association are recorded in a book, “Saved by the Bell.” The

exterior of the building mimics bricks, but is actually pressed metal, as are the ceilings both

downstairs and upstairs.

One of the upstairs rooms is dedicated as

a memorabilia room for when the building

was the ambulance station. Entry is free,

but a gold coin donation would be greatly

appreciated.

SMOKO IS STILL A DAILY TRADITION AT THIS FRIENDLY PARK

The smoko bell used to toll out the message that it was time for a hot cuppa and a break from

toil. This early Aussie bush tradition might have fallen from favour on most properties, but it’s

a practice that has never gone out of fashion at the Longreach Caravan Park.

Here the smoko bell rings twice a day—10.00am and 4.00pm—and guests wander over to

have a cuppa and biscuit supplied by park hosts Shane and Kerry Morgan. Just BYO mug!

Many friendships have been made and travel inform ation exchanged during the laidback

smoko time at the park. It’s a warm, friendly gathering.

This is a poignant reminder that the accommodation you choose when on holidays can

make all the difference to the kind of day you have when you’re ‘at home’ between bouts of

sightseeing.

For the Morgans, smoko time is a chance to be with their guests on a personal basis and to

tell them about some of the attractions around Longreach. And they have local maps and

brochures to back it up.

If you arrive by train or coach, you can easily organise a transfer to the park through Shane

and Kerry. Book one of the fi ve en suite cabins for your stay. For larger families or small

groups, the caravan park also offers a three-bedroom house in their accommodation line-up.

A seniors discount is offered on accommodation. If you’re camping, you can prepare your

meals at the camp kitchen. A small kiosk carries frozen bread, milk, cold drinks and icecream

and there is a supermarket just two streets away.

During the main visitor season from Easter to October, there’s often a bit of entertainment.

Someone might croon out a bit of music with a guitar or recite a little bush poetry. Impromptu

music nights organised by the guests themselves happen quite frequently too, so staying

there can be quite entertaining!

Shane and Kerry have had the park for 24 years and they pride themselves on being friendly

hosts. With everyone welcome, they like their visitors to feel that the park is a home away from

home. It’s comfortable, with grassed and shaded areas and a relaxed welcoming atmosphere.

“We get a lot of repeat visitors because of our attitude—we really like to look after people. If

someone needs a part for their car or something for a caravan, we’re always happy to give

them advice on where to fi nd what they need,” Shane said.

“When people come for the fi rst time, they always think that it’s not a very big park, but we get

13,000 visitors a year—give or take a few—so we must be doing something right! We reckon

it’s the really personal service we give and the fact that we’re genuinely friendly people.”

With the caravan park currently for sale, the

Morgans hope that the park will continue to

be as popular in the years ahead, providing

a friendly, relaxing stay for all visitors.

Mural in the park

LONGREACH

Arts & Crafts Centre


59

GEAR FOR THE OUTDOORS

Longreach Outdoors Centre is your locally owned, independent family camping store

at 153 Eagle Street. With the convenience of day caravan parking, you can duck across

and get your toilet chemicals, caravan spare parts and repairs, high quality water filters,

comfortable chairs, bait, opera house nets and fishing gear.

While in store check the range of camping equipment, including locally made flat pack fire

pits, eco-billies, jaffle irons, camp ovens, barbecues, backpacks, swags, stretchers, knives,

gas accessories, tarps and ground mesh.

The centre stocks great brands like Oztrail, Companion, Engel, Thermos, Stanley, Avanti,

Weber, Victoronix, Abu Garcia, Shakespeare, Led Lenser and Leatherman.

For a great edge to your knives, they are also the local knife sharpening experts.

For friendly, helpful advice come and say g’day to Kel and Juliette or call 0477553360. You

can also find Longreach Outdoors Centre

on Facebook.

FRESH BREAD AND HOT COFFEE DELIGHTS ALL THE SENSES


Two of the most appealing aromas in the

world must be the early-morning scent of

fresh, warm bread and the delightful smell

of coffee.

Follow the aroma to the Merino Bakery.

Known as ‘the local bakery’ because it’s

been in operation since 1969, the Merino was

taken over in 2016 by the locally born and

bred Martyr family - not that it was new for

Amie and Chloe - they had already chalked

up ten or so years in the business when their

parents joined them. The Merino Bakery

roasts its own beans for a fresh, aromatic

coffee experience so as well as serving

piping hot coffee from early mornings, they

sell their own Merino Bakery blend, Flinders

Coffee.

As well as preservative-free bread freshly

baked on the premises, the bakery offers

design-your-own sandwiches, rolls and salads for the perfect healthy meal or grab-and-go

options for those in a hurry. Their pies are superb—Merino Bakery has won an enviable

number of medals over the years at the Great Aussie Pie Competition, and recently entered

three varieties, winning two silvers and a bronze. With about 15 flavours, there’s a pie to

satisfy all palates. And for something sweet there are all sorts of treats from cakes to slices.

Merino Bakery has both al fresco and inside dining, and offers free wifi. The air conditioning

is very welcome on warm days, and so is the Nörgen-Vaaz icecream in nine flavours (or

Slushies for the kids). So come and spend your ‘merino money’ ($2 discount voucher) here

and enjoy the shearing memorabilia which gives the shop its name.

Merino Bakery is located in the main street opposite IGA. It is open from 5.00am to 5.00pm

weekdays, 5.00am to 1.00pm Saturdays and 7.00am to 1.00pm Sundays.

60


61

RECONNECT WITH RAIL ABOARD THE OUTBACK’S NEWEST ATTRACTION

Explore Outback Queensland with multi-award

winning tour operator, Outback Aussie Tours.

Proudly family–owned and operated, this ecocertified

Savannah Guides operator has been

hosting visitors to the Outback for 35 years.

Call in to see them at their Longreach railway

station office to book a ticket aboard their Outback

Rail Adventure, Camden Park Station tour, a

Thomson River cruise, or table-service dinner

under the stars.

Outback Aussie Tours provide their visitors

with ‘real’ outback experiences. They achieve

this through genuine local connections and a

commitment to supporting local communities. It’s

truly heart-warming for visitors to be welcomed

onto nearby cattle and sheep stations by local

graziers. These multigenerational grazing families

share their stories about living on the land and

Sue and Alan Smith

dish up appetising hospitality to boot! As ‘Smithy’

likes to say, ‘Our guests leave as true friends of

the Outback’.

Outback Rail Adventure


62

The Outback Rail Adventure experiences will reconnect passengers with the

romance of rail as they explore the vast plains of Outback Queensland. Join

Outback Aussie Tours to discover Queensland’s heartland town of Longreach.

Relax aboard their historic 2000 series rail motor as they bring alive the

stories, scenery and heritage from the Darr River Run in the west, to the

historic hub of Ilfracombe in the east, or savour sunset with gourmet canapes

and refreshments on board this one-of-a-kind experience of a lifetime. Fancy

all the above? Ask for the whistle-stop package!

Unwind and relax by rail on any of the six unforgettable Outback Rail

Adventure experiences. All tours will have unique rail journeys including

over the Thomson River and its floodplains, or other landscapes from the

Dreamtime of the Inningai, our First Nations people. This most enjoyable

interpretive guided rail tour takes in inclusions such as a visit to the Wellshot

Hotel for lunch, an exclusive smoko with billy tea and damper, drinks and

canapes, and highly recommended adding to your itinerary – a visit to

Smithy’s table service camp oven dinner and show with live entertainment.

What an atmosphere!

Cruise, Dinner & Show to Remember

You can also enjoy the river cruise experiences aboard the catamaran the

M.V. Longreach Explorer, or go along to an Outback dining experience under

the stars.

All aboard the Longreach Explorer! Explore the morning light of the mighty

Thomson River, followed by smoko and a yarn. Alternatively, you may prefer

a relaxing afternoon cruise over a wine, beer or soft drink. Take your seat

on the top deck of the Longreach Explorer with 360-degree views of this

incredible waterway. Your skipper will keep you entertained as you glide

peacefully along the mighty Thomson River spotting wildlife as you go. This

cruise includes time to disembark and visit local Aboriginal shield trees up

close, also known as canoe or scar trees.

Have a read of their Trip Advisor page to find out just how good their musicians

are when they perform live on the river stage. Take your dancing shoes, too.

Your evening is rounded out with damper before your transfer home.

The award-winning Smithy’s Outback Dinner and Show experience is new

and improved in 2023. Starting with canapes on the pontoon, enjoy Outback

hospitality at its best while enjoying a Thomson River sunset. Twinkling lights

and colourful lanterns will herald your arrival at Smithy’s Outback Dinner &

Show, your riverside dinner venue. A corrugated iron shack and a campfire

add to the outback flavour as you are shown to your table. Relax under the

stars, with faultless table service and a fully licensed bar—everything from

beer to champagne—you’ll find it’s an appealing mix.

25% Second Tour Saver

Looking for the best deal in the west? Save 25% on the second tour deal. With

nine rail and cruise experiences to choose from, it is the perfect way to package

your unforgettable Longreach stay. Book a Drover’s Sunset Cruise including

Smithy’s Outback Dinner and Show and receive 25% off the Great Darr River

Run. To book, call Outback Aussie Tours on 07 4658 3000. Terms and Conditions

apply.

Outback Guided Holidays

If your visit to Longreach and Winton has given you a real hankering

to see more of Outback Queensland, then you need to have a chat to

the Outback Aussie Tours’ reservations team. They offer guided holiday

tours travelling southwest to remote Birdsville and northwest to the

majestic Gulf Savannah and Cape York. Tailored guided tours can also

be arranged to your group’s needs.

For bookings ph. 07 4658 3000 or visit their website:

www.outbackaussietours.com.au.


63


64

LIVE THE PIONEERING STORIES WITH OUTBACK PIONEERS

Longreach is the perfect place to be part of the outback pioneering story.

Here, in the heart of outback Queensland, you’ll live and breathe what

life was like for the early pioneers – and be inspired by the ingenuity and

resilience that still lives here.

Your hosts for the Outback Pioneers experience are the Kinnon family

– graziers whose family-owned business was founded in 2006 in

response to drought.

No outback trip is complete without a station visit and the Nogo Station

Experience, included in your pass, is the ultimate choice. At the station,

your Kinnon family host will inspire, educate and entertain you with

behind-the-scenes insights and yarns. You’ll visit the historic shearing

sheds to hear the Merino story. Then ride by open-top, double-decker

overlander bus on the station ‘water run’ and onwards across sunlit

plains, where local wildlife mingles with iconic cattle breeds, stockhorses,

camels and more.

Be prepared to be entertained and enlightened as they and their crew

take you to the heart of outback life, past and present. Their quirky

humour and genuine passion have helped earn them multiple major

tourism awards and TripAdvisor Hall of Fame recognition.

Do More with the Live-It Saver Pass

A simple and cost-saving way to enjoy all the Outback Pioneers

favourites is Outback Pioneers’ Live-it Saver Pass, which gets you

aboard all three of the signature experiences. You’ll need 2-3 days in

Longreach to do them all (check website for days of the week). One

of the highlights is the Starlight’s Cruise Experience aboard the Pride

of the Murray paddlewheeler, which was transported overland on an

amazing 1750-kilometre journey from Echuca last year, or the historic

Thomson Belle paddlewheeler. After cruising the Thomson River at

sunset, gather around the crackling campfire for a stockman’s campfire

dinner under the stars, bush entertainment and Starlight’s Spectacular

Sound & Light Picture Show.

You’ll also enjoy the unique Outback Pioneers Cobb & Co Stagecoach

Experience, which should be on everyone’s bucket-list! As soon as

you step aboard the stagecoach, you’ll feel as if you have slipped back

in time. Travelling along the original mail route, you’ll see life through

pioneers’ eyes. Hold onto your hats for the gallop. It’s the only place in

Australia where you can experience this! On your return, enjoy smoko

and hilarious pioneer entertainment with the indescribable Old Time

Tent Show.

These experiences are also available individually and you can add a

Winton Day Tour, plus entry to Qantas Founders Museum and Australian

Stockman’s Hall of Fame.

For an extra special evening, treat yourself to the Sunset Stagecoach

Experience. Aboard a stagecoach pulled by all-grey horses you’ll meet

legendary stagecoach driver, Ned Devine for a journey through the bush

and refreshments at sunset. Back in Longreach, you’ll enjoy an outback

gourmet dinner with Ned.

The experiences run during the April to October holiday season.

Live the Outback Life Day and Night

Stay at The Staging Post – pioneer-inspired accommodation in the heritage

heart of town on Eagle Street. There’s a choice of room configurations,

all with en-suites, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi and boutique outback style.

It’s open year-round.

A few minutes walk away is the historic The Welcome Home where you’ll

find the Outback Pioneers booking office and their friendly, helpful crew.

It’s also the home of Longreach’s best buffet breakfast (Monday-Saturday

during the season), as well as evening dining. On Tuesday, Thursday

and Friday evenings, there’s the must-do Stonegrill®. On Wednesday

and Saturday evenings, enjoy Country Classics Dining (Reservations

essential. BYO alcohol for evening dining).

The Welcome Home Restaurant and Tearoom is open during the April to

October season.

While you’re in the heritage heart of town, don’t miss the Kinnon family’s

The Station Store in a historic building at 126 Eagle Street. This incredible 65

outback emporium recreates the excitement of the traditional stores that

were a big day out for pioneers. The Station Store is open year-round –

see website for opening hours.

Book in Advance

The Outback Pioneers experiences and accommodation get fully booked

at busy times so book your chosen dates before you reach town. Read

more and book online at outbackpioneers.com.au or phone 07 4658 1776.



66

COMMUNITY SHARES THE STORY OF QANTAS

The multi-award-winning Qantas Founders Museum is dedicated

to telling the story of Qantas. Queensland and Northern Territory

Air Service (QANTAS) began in the Western Queensland region of

outback Queensland in 1920, a fitting home for the airline known as

‘the Spirit of Australia’.

Qantas Founders Museum is an Australia-wide community and

volunteer project funded entirely through public support to “preserve

the history and innovatively present the captivating story of Qantas

and its founders”.

The Museum tells this story of the founding of Qantas through

interpretive displays, interactive exhibits, replica aircraft and an

impressive collection of genuine artefacts. The Museum collection

incorporates five of the world’s most significant airliners—the Super

Constellation, Consolidated PBY Catalina Flying Boat, the Douglas

DC3, the Boeing 707 and the legendary Boeing 747. In addition,

there are full-scale replicas of the De Haviland DH-61 Giant Moth,

the De Haviland DH-50 and the Avro 504k Dyak; Qantas’ first-ever

aircraft.

Admission to the Museum gives visitors access to the main exhibition

hall filled with interpretative displays, artefacts and interactive

exhibits; the Catalina Flying Boat and the National Heritage-listed

Original Qantas Hangar containing the replica DH-50 and DH-61

aircraft.

Guests can enjoy guided tours of the Museum’s Boeing 747, Boeing

707, Super Constellation and DC-3 aircraft. On these guided tours,

guests will learn about the history and significance of the Museum

aircraft, their incredible instruments and gain access to parts of the

aircraft not normally seen by passengers. This tour is particularly

special when visitors explore the interior of the Boeing 707 which was

Qantas’ first jetliner and in later years was converted into a luxury

private jet. Guests also enjoy the restored Super Constellation and

its interior display explaining the history of Qantas Constellations.

The Museum’s Luminescent Longreach sound and light show night

experience uses state of the art projection and sound technology

to tell the history of Qantas projecting onto the fuselage of the

Museum’s Boeing 747 – a one of a kind experience in Outback

Queensland.

There are tour upgrades available allowing you to walk on the wing,

sit in the flight deck, access the 9m viewing platform and explore the

cargo bays of the jet aircraft.

Bookings are essential please visit www.qfom.com.au to book.


67

UNWIND AT THE BIRDCAGE

With great food, entertainment, friendly, helpful staff and amazing service, The

Birdcage Hotel is the perfect place for a meal, whether it be a family lunch or a

night out with friends. Return visitors will fi nd the hotel has a brand-new look, with

major renovations completed last year. This family-friendly hotel offers something for

everyone, including a kids room for the little ones and a pool table and dance fl oor

for the big kids! Sports fans can watch Fox Sports Live on one of the two big screen

TVs, and there is a modern gaming room equipped with the latest machines for those

who wish to try their luck, along with TAB and in-house keno. For a quieter time, join

in the bingo, which is held every Thursday from 6.30pm.

Relax with a drink in the large outdoor area or in air-conditioned comfort of the newly

updated bistro. Meals at the bistro will not disappoint, with seafood, schnitzels, grilled

steaks and more available for lunch and dinner, with a range of burgers to choose

from for lunch and a fantastic selection of pizzas on the evening menu. Lunch is

served from 11.30am-2pm, with dinner running from 5.30pm-8.30pm. There is also a

selection of meals for the kids available, with a choice of chicken nuggets, fi sh and

chips, bangers and mash or cheese burger sliders.

A courtesy bus is available from 5pm for pick up and drop offs to and from your local

accommodation, allowing for a relaxing evening out.

The hotel also boasts a function room. With two bars, large screen TVs, karaoke and

dance fl oor, this is the ideal venue to hold birthday parties and fundraising events.

Once a month you can enjoy live music at the hotel - keep an eye on their Facebook

page for details.


68

ILFRACOMBE

ON THE MATILDA WAY

A WELL TRAVELLED LITTLE PUB

Machinery Mile

Walk through the doors of the Wellshot Hotel

for a blast from the past. This gem of a pub

stands exactly as it was some 120 years ago.

Originally the Withersfi eld Hotel near Anakie,

the Wellshot Hotel made a number of moves

back in the 19th century following the railway

west. The hotel came to Ilfracombe in 1890

and was renamed the Wellshot.

Sidle up to the wool-press bar and gaze

up at the ceiling covered with money from

across the globe. Donations on the bar side

are for the Machinery Mile and donations in

the restaurant go to the Royal Flying Doctor

Service. Don’t be shy and give it a try yourself.

There’s also an impressive display of wellloved

Akubras and historic photos lining the

walls.

Owners, Tracy and Paul, say they serve

the coldest beer in the west - and the locals

agree! Lunch and dinner are available seven

days. A popular lunchtime choice is the

famous Wellshot Burger. The dinner menu

offers three courses.

The Coffee Hatch, a window opening out

onto the highway, is open from 6am to 12pm

Monday to Saturday, and 8am to 12pm

Sundays. Here you can sit and relax while

enjoying a freshly brewed coffee,

2021 and 2022 – making this pub one you

can’t drive past.

Just outside you’ll spot a mind-blowing line-up

of historic machinery, aka the Machinery

Mile, stretching for more than 1km along

the highway. This display is a unique and

graphic timeline of mechanisation in the west,

showcasing the enormous skill required to

build these prized machines back in the day.

Soak in the Artesian

It’s not every day that you get to soak in a prehistoric spa. By this we mean water from the

Great Artesian Basin, one of the largest underground fresh-water reservoirs in the world.

There is strong scientifi c evidence to prove that these waters are ancient, possibly millions

of years old. Imagine the therapeutic benefi ts of these mineral waters. And, the good

news is that you can try it for yourself at Ilfracombe’s Artesian Spa in Memorial Park. Bring

the family and enjoy the swimming pool, children’s playground and barbecue facilities.

Capture the Water

With comfortable air-conditioned rooms,

stay a night or two and enjoy some good old

fashioned country hospitality.

The hotel has won a number of awards –

2019 OQTA Visitor’s Choice Best Outback

Queensland Pub; Queensland Hotel

Association Outstanding Community Service

and Achievement Award Winner 2022; and

Grey Nomad Awards - Best Pub Stay in 2020,

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Ilfracombe

69

A great example of bush craftsmanship ingenuity can be seen at The Twelve Mile,

just 12 miles (20km) south of Ilfracombe. Thousands upon thousands of naturally

formed fl agstones were carefully sorted and meticulously placed together to form a

leak-proof reservoir guaranteed to retain precious water. Just imagine the time and patience

needed to construct this stone pitched overshot back in the 1890s. It’s believed

that Chinese tradesmen may have contributed special skills and worked on this project.

The site was favoured by the Cobb and Co run as a watering stop for tired horses.

YARAKA

A MATILDA BYWAY

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Yaraka

Drive around two and a half hours south from Longreach or two hours

west of Blackall and you’ll be rewarded with views of some astonishingly

beautiful mesa hills. You’ve entered Yaraka country and what a

treat. If you are driving from Blackall, you can also take the sealed road

to Yaraka via Emmet.

Muse with the Masters

‘On the Outer Barcoo where the churches are few, And men of religion

are scanty, On a road never cross’d ‘cept by folk that are lost, One

Michael Magee had a shanty.’

About an hour south-west of Yaraka is a turn-off to the ruins of Magee’s

Shanty. According to local folklore, Banjo Paterson wrote the

iconic poem ‘A Bush Christening’ at this very site. Nearby are the ruins

of a Cobb & Co pub and the lonely grave of goldminer Richard Magoffi

n who perished in 1885 chasing his fortune. To access the area, you’ll

cross a vast clay pan, so be prepared to kick up some dust! Yaraka

Hotel operates a tour to the Shanty if you’d prefer not to drive. Check

tour details with the publicans on arrival in town.

Pinpoint the Beginning

You could be correct in saying that Yaraka ‘grew on the sheep’s back’.

The region began as a large paddock fi lled with prized Merino sheep

belonging to the massive Milo Sheep Station. It came into its own

when the State Government split up the Milo leases. The town was

offi cially founded in 1917 with the opening of the rail line from Emmet.

The new station was named Yaraka (the Indigenous name for white

spear grass) and ultimately became the end of the line.

Chill Out and Chat at the Yaraka Hotel

It’s not unusual for overnight visitors to extend their stay in Yaraka.

This probably has a lot to do with the local publicans who also run the

accommodation and camping ground. A personal welcome to town is

more the norm than not. You’re sure to be introduced to other happy

travellers as you enjoy a cool ale in the bar. Meals are served seven

days a week from April to November. Stay at the hotel or just a stone’s

throw away are the Longreach Council owned powered caravan sites,

tennis court and a pristine swimming pool. This standard in-ground

swimming pool has a million-dollar view of the beautiful Yang Yang

Ranges. What better place to cool off and relax in the Outback.

For fuel, there is IOR diesel behind the railway station.

Journey to the End of the Line

Make sure you pop into the End of the Line Museum housed in the

original railway station. While there, you’ll learn about the Great Western

Rail project and how it impacted Yaraka. If you love stories about

trains and the railway, then you won’t want to miss this attraction.

Along with the stories, there are some really interesting artefacts from

Yaraka’s days as a railway town. Let’s face it, it’s not every day that you

travel to the ‘end of the line.’

Amplify the Awesomeness

Have you ever witnessed a view that left you absolutely gobsmacked?

The 360-degree outlook from Mount Slowcombe will leave you shaking

your head in disbelief, wondering why so few people are aware of this

gem. Join the daily sunset tour from Yaraka Hotel for the short 8km

drive to the lookout. These trips are extremely popular and prebooking

for seats should be made at the hotel. Access is easy via a sealed road

winding its way to the top, so drive yourself if you prefer. There’s even

an electric barbecue, covered seating and a ‘loo with a view’! Take your

favourite nibbles and drinks for a spectacular sunset. The tour raises

funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, so while there is no fee for

the tour, donations for this necssary service are happily accepted.

70

ISISFORD

A MATILDA BYWAY

ALONG THE BARCOO

Eaves Drop on Some Aussie History

There’s something about Isisford and the Outer Barcoo. It’s been the inspiration for many an

Australian poet including Banjo Paterson. The magnifi cent two storey Clancy’s Overfl ow Hotel

was said to have been re-named in honour of Banjo’s iconic poem. If you are interested in stories

of how places came to be by default, then plan a visit to Whitman’s Museum. Put quite

simply, the Whitman brothers broke an axle while attempting to cross the Barcoo. They decided

to settle on the banks of the river and proceeded to establish a hotel, butcher’s shop,

store and saddlery to service surrounding stations. Many of the original buildings still stand today.

It’s easy to picture life in more gentler times as you stroll Isisford’s heritage streetscape.

Snag a Yellowbelly

It’s hard to miss the Outback’s biggest Yellowbelly glistening in the sunlight as you arrive

into town. It measures 12 metres long and stands a lofty fi ve metres high. Look closely

and you’ll discover windmill parts, corrugated iron and thousands of pop rivets gathered

from surrounding properties. This impressive metal art sculpture is a celebration of

the Yellowbelly Fishing Competition held annually on the last weekend of July. The event

is held at Oma Waterhole and it draws masses of keen anglers from across the country.

Delve into the Barcoo

Oma Waterhole is one of many permanent waterholes fed by the much-celebrated Barcoo River.

It’s a favourite recreation spot for lovers of camping, fi shing and most things water related.

There’s even a boat ramp. Overnight campers appreciate access to the hot showers and toilet

facilities. Find it on the Isisford Yaraka River Road, just 16km from Isisford. Back in town, saunter

down to the Barcoo Weir, also a popular camping site. It was built back in 1934 to provide greater

water security for the community. A pipeline linking Oma Waterhole to the Weir was constructed

in 1960. No doubt a much more appealing water source for the locals than in earlier times

when water was sourced from rain catchment or by hauling supplies from the local waterholes.

Snag a Yellowbelly

2023 marks 21 years of the Isisford Fishing Competition. Mark your calendars, contact your

mates, families or just bring yourself! A weekend of fishing, camping and fun. Great cash prizes

to be won, catch a Yellowbelly, Catfish or a Black Bream, there are cash prizes for all categories

from fi rst to third placings. Major draws for both Junior and Adults, including multi random draws.

There will be food, a bar, entertainment and activities happening over the weekend. Friday night

is meet and greet. Make a great weekend of it - if you are planning a trip, this is the one to put on

your list. Bring your family, friends or just yourself to enjoy a great weekend. See you at the Oma

Waterhole, on the good ole Barcoo River, SW of Isisford.

Taste the Country Flavours

Whether you prefer to self-cater or let someone

else do the cooking, you’ve a number

of options in town. Restock your supplies

at Ando’s Food Mart or enjoy great coffee

and lunchtime delights at the Outer Barcoo

Interpretation Centre, Whitman's Café.

Make sure you call in and have a cold one

at the Golden West Hotel offering a full bar,

beer on tap plus tasty pub meals. Relax in

the beer garden or chat to the friendly publicans.

There’s a story or two to be told!

Birdwatchers Delight

There are maintained bushwalking tracks

along the Barcoo at the eastern end of Isisford,

wth hides along the banks for birdwatching.

The countryside is a birdwatcher’s paradise,

with numerous birds that are regularly

sighted. There are also hides along the

banks of the Weir, Oma Waterhole and at

the showgrounds. Bird species that can be

spotted include Sacred Kingfi sher, Rufous

Songlark, Nightjar, eagles and falcons.

ISISFORD EVENTS 2023

• 25 April – ANZAC Day – Isisford and

Yaraka

• 20 May – Isisford Sheep & Wool Show

• 1 July – Isisford Golf Club Open

• 1–2 July – Yaraka Horse & Motorbike

Gymkhana/Team Penning

• 28–30 July – “Isisford Fishing

Competition”

• 16–17 September – Yaraka End of

the Line Draft

• 21 October - Isisford Ross Cup

Races

• 16 December - Yaraka Christmas Tree

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Isisford

71

WINTON

ON THE MATILDA WAY

Waltzing Matilda Centre

WINTON HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Winton

Think of Winton and a few things come to mind. Back in 1895 Banjo

Paterson was inspired to write Waltzing Matilda in the neighbourhood.

It is where most of the big dinosaurs in Australia are found and a host

of movies have used the Winton landscape to make iconic Australian

fi lms.

Winton is home to stunningly diverse landscapes with rolling Mitchell

grass downs, mesa formations, starkly beautiful red earth, spinifex

country and channel country. Undulating plains stretch as far as the

eye can see with a myriad of dry channels, waiting for the wet season.

Winton has a rich history with links to the great shearers’ strike,

Waltzing Matilda and Qantas, but today the town is almost as well

known for something far more ancient...dinosaurs. The Australian Age

of Dinosaurs Museum, 24km south east of Winton on the Longreach

road, has the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils

and some of those bones belonged to absolute giants! From bones to

footprints, you can also visit the world’s only recorded evidence of a

dinosaur stampede at the unique national monument at Lark Quarry

Conservation Park 110km southwest of Winton.

See editorial page 81

After the fl oods in February 2019 more prehistoric discoveries have

been made. Palaeontologist Dr Stephen Poropat, who worked on the

dig site west of Winton said, “We’re dealing with front footprints that

are about half-a-metre wide, back footprints about a metre long. They

are completely distinctive from all the rest of the Sauropod footprints

that have been found anywhere else in the world.” This set of dinosaur

footprints that lay in the dry creek bed for 95 million years have been

moved to Australian Age of Dinosaurs where they are on permanent

display.

The award-winning Waltzing Matilda Centre, which opened in April

2018, continues to attract visitors from all over the world. The museum

is the fi rst museum in the world dedicated to the memory of a song.

Here you can learn about Winton’s contribution to WW1, and interactive

displays tell the stories of life in Winton in days gone by. Take a walk

through the art gallery and enjoy a coffee and a delicious meal at the

cafe. The Centre is open seven days a week 9am to 5pm, and 9am to

3pm on public holidays.

Start your sightseeing from the visitor centre with the Royal Open Air

Theatre and Opal Walk Tour (there’s a nominal fee). The opal walk

gives a brief introduction to the gemstone of the area and the Royal is

an icon of the town. In fact, it’s one of only two original open-air theatres

still operating in Australia. Renovations to restore the theatre to its

natural beauty are continuing with its canvas seating and the addition

of the Royal Theatre Museum adjacent. The theatre has nostalgia

nights every Wednesday from April to September with black and white

fi lm shorts, slides from yesteryear and movies on Tuesday, Friday

and Sunday nights. The Royal has even become the headquarters for

Winton’s annual Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival!

Experience some of Winton’s free attractions. Play a tune on the

72

Bladensburg National Park

Musical Fence and get percussive with the junkyard band instruments.

Then marvel at the eccentric Arno’s Wall where just about everything

can be found … even the kitchen sink! Then take a self-guided walk

through the Willie Mar Heritage Site, an authentic piece of Winton

history celebrating the significant contribution of Chinese settlers and

their market gardens to local health.

Drive your own natural adventures in Winton Shire at Bladensburg

National Park, located only 7km from Winton, where you can view

spectacular flat topped mesas, plateaus and sandstone ranges.

Camping is available at Bough Shed Hole, a popular swimming spot.

There are a variety of bird species in the area, which makes it popular

with bird watchers. Further off the beaten track are Old Cork, Cawnpore

Lookout and Diamantina National Park—or try your luck fossicking for

opals at Queensland’s Capital of Boulder Opal, Opalton.

For further information call the Winton Visitor Information Centre:

1300 665 115.

ENJOY A SUPERB MEAL AT THE TATTS

Most people would agree that meeting the prime beef to seafood. People rave over the food! The dining room is worth a mention just

locals is part of the fun of travelling. And for its origin ality. It’s done out in real outback decor, with rustic old gear, corrugated iron

in the very busy and convivial atmosphere features and a colour scheme of ivory, terracotta and green. While at the hotel, take note of

of the Tattersalls Hotel in the main street the beautiful fanlights above the doors. Even though they are fairly new, the leadlight artistry

of town, you could do just that and find in them is very much in keeping with the age and era of the building,

yourself hearing about cattle and sheep

If you’re feeling lucky, play Keno or the pokies. Tattersalls bottle shop at the rear of the hotel

stations of the Winton area, local opal

has a good range of wines, spirits and beers. If you’re towing a van, the Tatts Hotel Caravan

mining endeavours, long road train hauls or

Park is opposite the hotel, off the main street. With toilet, shower and laundry facilities and

dinosaur discoveries.

lots of grassy powered sites, the park guarantees a comfortable stay with easy access to the

Publican Paul Neilsen and his team extend hotel’s facilities as well as being central to the town’s services. The hotel is also a booking

their famous hospitality to visitors and agent for Red Dirt Tours, a local tour company.

locals alike. Paul has extensive knowledge

of the area’s natural environment which can

often enhance the experience of visitors to

the region.

Tattersalls is a gracious old building, built in

1882, situated right in the middle of Waltzing

Matilda country in Elderslie Street, close to

all services.

At the hotel, there’s a large selection of

packaged beers, red and white wines.

Lunch and dinner are available seven days

a week and you can tuck into anything from


73


74

WALTZING MATILDA: A SONG FOR EVERYONE

Bush Ballad. Unoffi cial Anthem. National Treasure.

The song ‘Waltzing Matilda’ is one of the most recorded songs in the world. Over 500 versions

have been recorded in just about every language and style since it was fi rst written by Andrew

Paterson better known as ‘Banjo’ in 1895 at Dagworth Station and performed in Winton on the

6th April 1895. Did you know that Waltzing Matilda was also broadcast from Outer space? This

is just some of the trivia you will discover within a new exhibition at the Waltzing Matilda Centre,

Winton.

This year will mark the song’s 128th anniversary and to celebrate visitors to the museum will

be able to experience rare objects, hear unique recordings and learn more about the song

Waltzing Matilda. This exhibition was made possible with the acquisition of a 1500 piece

‘Waltzing Matilda’ music collection from a private collector – Mr Peter Burgis in 2017. The

museum’s Exhibition Coordinator and Curator of the exhibition Karen Stephens said, “The out

of the blue letter to the Winton Shire Council with news of the music collection at this time was

a godsend. The entire music collection and interactives that visitors enjoyed so much was lost

in the 2015 fi re. Our chances of fi nding a ‘Waltzing Matilda’ music collection like this would be

near impossible so for Mr Peter Burgis to come forward at this time and support our museum is

an unexpected act of extreme generosity.”

Within the exhibition – Waltzing Matilda: A Song for Everyone, visitors can experience the time

line of the song through musical mediums from traditional pianola rolls, vintage records and

compact discs. There will be some rare items on display and a few surprises, too! The exhibition

has taken over one year to curate and was made possible with funding from the Queensland

Government’s Community Gambling Benefi t Fund.

The Waltzing Matilda Centre fi rst opened in 1998 and was built to house, research, maintain

and develop the cultural legacy. The centre is the fi rst of only two museums worldwide that is

entirely dedicated to a song. The other museum is the ‘Silent Night’ museum in Austria. It’s

exciting to think of where the development of the song could lead as we travel further into the

future.

The ‘Waltzing Matilda’ music exhibition will accompany the main museum where visitors can

understand more about the song and also the people and place of where the song was born.

Some unique items on display include copies of original handwritten manuscripts of Waltzing

Matilda by Christina Macpherson and Banjo Paterson and rare fi lm footage. The immersive

‘Billabong Experience’ by Arterial Design in the heart of the main museum projects video and

animated graphics inside and out with sound from the local landscape. For those wanting to

dig a little deeper the Banjo Paterson Reading and Research Room is a fabulous spot to settle

down in with a coffee from the Tuckerbox Café. A visit to the Qantilda Museum adjoining the

centre is a historical treasure trove and not to be missed.

The Outback Regional Gallery is one of three exhibition spaces within the Waltzing Matilda

Centre. Visitors to the art gallery will be surprised by an innovative program that cultivates

‘CJ’ Lucy Culliton, 2015, oil on board, 40cm x

40cm. Part gift of the artist & acquisition Outback

Regional Gallery

contemporary arts and culture and highlights

the uniqueness of outback Australia. The

gallery is one of the only 24-hour climate

controlled, purpose-built galleries in central

Queensland able to display artworks from

regional, state and national institutions.

Visitors of all ages can enjoy a diverse mix

of local exhibitions and touring exhibitions.

Highlights from the 2022/ 2023 program

include Beforehand: The Private Life of a

Portrait (National Portrait Gallery), Kirrenderri:

Heart of Channel Country (Anthropology

Museum, The University of Queensland)

and ‘Thunderclouds’, an exhibition by local

photographer Matt White.

Winton’s annual signature art prize - The

John Villiers Outback Art Prize attracts

entrants from around Australia with artworks

that depict the theme, Outback: A Sense of

Place. Now worth $17,500, the prize is rated

as one of Australia’s leading art prizes for

Adult and Emerging Youth. Since 2012, the

prize has been generously sponsored by The

John Villiers Trust.


75

WINTON OUTBACK FESTIVAL - THE PLACE TO BE IN 2023

Whip out to Winton this September for Australia’s quirkiest event, the

Outback Festival.

Five days of quintessential outback fun will take over the Outback

Queensland town of Winton from 19 – 23 September, during the

Queensland school holidays. Perfect for families and anyone who loves

the Australian outback.

The festival’s signature event, the Quilton Australian Dunny Derby,

draws intrigued competitors internationally to race in this ‘Only in

Australia’ event for more than $5,000 in prize money and trophies,

including the golden throne.

In this true celebration of all things outback, the program features

action-packed days with warm country hospitality and nightly live

entertainment. Sports fans can test their skills in the True Blue Aussie

Sports, Outback Ironman and Ironwoman, Century Cycle Challenge and

an adventure trail run. There’s a swag of novelty events including whipcracking

championships, wool bale rolling, bushman’s egg throwing and

strongman challenges. Combine this with bush poets breakfasts, live

bands, roving artists and kids outback fun, this is an event to put on

your bucket list.

What began as a small town celebration in 1972 now sees the historic

town of Winton swell from less than 900 locals to over 8,000 visitors

from across the country (and the world) to embrace this truly iconic

celebration of Australian outback fun.

There aren’t many towns that can live up to being as truly Australian

as Winton, located in the heart of Queensland’s outback. Winton is

the birthplace of Waltzing Matilda and Qantas, and holds the title as

Australia’s Dinosaur Capital. It comes as no surprise that Winton was

voted Queensland’s Top Tiny Tourism Town in 2022.

Bring your own swag or sleep under the stars of the Milky Way at the

festival’s Club Paterson Tent City, in spacious cabin-style tents with

bedding and all your creature comforts set up for your arrival. Caravan

camping is available with all-day free festival shuttle transfers.

Don’t make a galah of yourself, book your tickets and camping now to

Whip Out to Winton 19 – 23 September. outbackfestival.com.au.


76

WINTON TRUCK MUSEUM CELEBRATES THE TRUCKIES

Trucking enthusiasts across the country

are invited to make tracks to Winton for the

Truckies Reunion being held in conjunction

with the Outback Festival.

The reunion will be held over the weekend

of the 23 and 24 September, featuring truck

related events such as truckies’ backing

competition, Show & Shine as well as a

Grand Parade Spectacular.

Don’t miss the action and make sure you put

the dates on your bucket list.

The Heritage Truck & Machinery Museum

proudly boasts a continually growing

collection of vintage and heritage trucks and

machinery.

Some of the featured exhibits on show are

a 1910 Talbot Tourer vehicle, 1926 3 Tonne

International Truck, London Cab, ‘’Bare Foot

Bills’’ 1975 Mack Prime-Mover which has

travelled 8.5million km, ‘Toots’ Holzheimer

the Legendary ‘Lady Truckie’ original MAN

Prime-mover, a number of vintage Fire

Engines, a fully restored 1949 Leyland Hippo

Roadtrain combination, and not to be missed

is the display of the exceptional number of

working stationary engines.

Spend some time in the memorabilia room

viewing the range of merchandise and the

‘Life on the Road’ Story Boards or listen

to the audio exhibition as it pays tribute

Leyland Hippo and trailer

to the transport pioneers who made a

signifi cant contribution to the development

of Queensland’s Road transport system from

the early 1930s.

There is a great photographic collection

and transport memorabilia displays and the

amazing team of volunteers will make you

feel very welcome.

The Truck Museum opens daily from 9am

to 4pm and is situated on the Winton to

Hughenden Highway. Visit us on Facebook

to keep up-to-date with the latest news and

events.

Truckies Parade

NEWSAGENCY WITH A DIFFERENCE

The Winton Newsagency, open seven days

a week, is not your average newsagency,

with the owners, Melanie and David, offering

services and products above and beyond

that of a newsagent. If you need to arrange

your Outback travel, you can book here for

your Greyhound bus tickets, and they even

arrange freight services. Regional Express

(REX) airfares can be booked over the

phone or instore as they are also the agent

for your fl ight needs.

You won’t be able to pass up on their

unique gourmet food, including the best

nougat found in the Central West. Browse

the extensive range of local souvenirs in

home and garden. They even stock plants,

fl owers and veggie seedlings in the cooler

months.

As an added surprise, there is now the

newly opened “Coffee Cube” located inside

the shop. You can order a barista made

coffee, sit down to a sweet treat or take the

family out for lunch. They have thought of

everything! In the cooler months you can

sit outside in the back enclosed enchanted

garden to enjoy your beverage. Take away

is also offered along with phone order, too.

Melanie and David also offer document

printing, scanning and laminating, and if

you need mobile phone credit or phone

the lovely air-conditioned shop, which also accessories, these are also available

features beautiful giftware for that someone in-store. And of course you can also

special. New to the establishment is the purchase magazines, newspapers and

“Rustic Tin Shed” for all things rustic for your stationery while you are there!

The Rustic

Tin Shed


77

AN OPEN-AIR EXPREIENCE NOT TO BE MISSED

The Royal Open-Air Theatre Winton is one of the world’s most unique

cinematic venues and is only found under our outback Queensland sky.

Established in 1918, the theatre is one of the oldest and largest remaining

open-air theatres of its kind operating in Australia and it is a destination

attraction in its own right!

The Royal Open-Air Theatre Winton is centrally located on the main street,

next to the iconic landmark North Gregory Hotel, where Waltzing Matilda

was fi rst performed. The theatre’s grand art deco style exterior, with the

black glass adorning the retail shop fronts, creates a strong presence

and draws visitors through the prominent front doors. Visitors step into a

glamourous foyer with double height ceilings, chandeliers, exposed original

brick walls from 1918, art deco fl oor tiles, historic artefacts and a striking

full wall mural, including images of over 250 movie posters unearthed from

the theatre.

Guests are invited to explore the museum and learn about its unique past.

Hear stories from when it was built in 1918, through to the purchase by the

Evert family in 1938, the devastating fi re just two weeks after Bill Evert’s

purchase, the rebuild, the family history of running the theatre for over

84 years, the cultural signifi cance and impact to Winton, how the theatre

operated, through to its modern-day evolution. On display are all original

artefacts from the theatre, including historical photos, fi lm winding reels,

movie posters, glass advertising slides, projector equipment, ticketing

systems, historical operational systems, roller skates and more.

Moving into the main theatre, guests are amazed as they walk through the

doors and fi nd a large, oversized theatre arena, unlike anything they have

seen before.

As a day-time experience, take a guided tour to discover the stories and

cultural signifi cance of The Royal. Learn how the theatre could hold

700 people in its day, why the fl ooring is made up of bricks and why the

corrugated iron walls of the theatre are different heights. Discover the

venue’s uses including hosting balls, dances and regular skating nights.

Hear the secrets of what is behind the big screen, sit on a canvas deck chair

and see the original projector equipment still in place.

The evening experience is a transformation from the day. Upon entering the

main theatre arena, the evening sky shines a pathway to the canvas seats

and the smell of popcorn fl ows through the theatre. Grab the popcorn, sit

back in a canvas deck chair and enjoy a unique and authentic outback

experience not found anywhere else.


Don’t forget to stop off at Middleton Hotel, 170km west of Winton, once one of nine changing

stations on a Cobb and Co route and now the only one still standing. While you’re there, take

a photo of one of Lester and Val Cain’s prized possessions—the Cobb and Co coach. Have

a meal and a welcome cold drink. The pub offers breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days.

Book into a room at the hotel or if you’re a bit more self suffi cient there’s an area where you

can camp overnight for free.

For all your pharmaceutical needs, from

vitamins to e-scripts, drop in to the Winton

Pharmacy. There’s a little of the feeling of

yesteryear with some nostalgic memorabilia

here and there—mortar and pestle display,

the old scales, medicine bottles and even

old cameras. The pharmacy also carries

sunnies, hair accessories and gifts.

78

WINTON’S QUEEN OF THE OUTBACK

- A 1950s VISION SPLENDID

The imposing North Gregory Hotel has long been a landmark in the

centre of Winton. The interior has been refurbished in keeping with

the original elegant fi ne art decor, which was award winning at the

time the building was built in the 1950s.

One of the beautiful original interior features are sandblasted glass

paneled doors. Daphne Mayo, one of Australia’s most prominent

sculptors, created the art with themes depicting some of the history

of the region. The upstairs rooms capture the look of the era, with the

modern comforts of split systems, en-suite, free wi-fi and bar fridge.

Climb the magnifi cent stairway or take the lift to fi nd your room and

the shared balconies overlooking the main street and beer garden.

After a day spent exploring the sites, soak away the day’s stresses

in a luxurious tiled spa, fi lled with therapeutic water from the local

artesian bore.

Don’t miss seeing Australia’s champion Bush Poet, Gregory North,

who performs every afternoon at the hotel during the season.

Gregory provides amazing insight into the life and poetry of Banjo

Paterson and brings them to life, even dressing as the famous poet.

The North Gregory Hotel has live music under the stars on select

days throughout the season, with Australian musicians keeping you

entertained after dinner.

The entertainment is in an outdoor shaded garden area, with cooling

or heating available and a state of the art stage with screen and

audio. There are hanging gardens throughout, making the Gregory

into a green oasis in the red lands of interior Queensland.

The restaurant is open daily with a range of light options including

salads and burgers for lunch, and home-crumbed parmis, great

steak and other delicious meals for dinner. Meals can be enjoyed in

Daphne Mayo’s Dining Room or Banjo’s Beer Garden or they can be

purchased as a take-away to enjoy at the park or on the road. Every

morning, the Musical Fence Cafe is open to serve a superb baristamade

coffee to get you started for the day or an ice-cold milkshake if

you prefer a sweeter treat.

More than a great building, it captures a bright happy atmosphere

with friendly staff and a welcoming feel. It’s the perfect place to drink,

eat and stay in style while exploring the historical building and the

many attractions Winton has to offer.

OLD-FASHIONED SERVICE WITH A SMILE

Winton has some great little businesses that

will give you service with a smile.

Searles Menswear has been serving Winton

for over 70 years. Bernie Searles has worked

in the shop for sixty four of those years, fi rst

with his father who established the business

and now with his son Richard who will take

over the shop when Bernie decides to hang

up his tape measure. Not surprisingly in this

climate, Searles’ wide range of Akubra and

Barmah hats are popular. They also stock

boots and an extensive range of men’s and

ladies’ shirts. They can even sell you camping

chairs. Searles Menswear is situated across

the road from the North Gregory Hotel. Good

old-fashioned service is guaranteed.

The Spar Winton Supermarket has

been family owned for over 35 years! This

friendly business has parking for vehicles

with caravans, an ATM and a wide range of

products including a comprehensive selection

of gluten-free foods. Mobile and internet

recharges are available. The store won a

number of awards recently and supports the

community, sponsoring the Outback Festival

and local sporting teams.


79

Ph: 07 4657 1254

F: 07 4657 1202 37 Vindex St, Winton

sparwinton1@gmail.com

LET RED DIRT TOURS DO THE DRIVING

Driving is a great way to see the countryside, but the driver misses

much of the scenery and dirt roads in the outback can be tricky.

The spectacular, ancient landscape around Winton deserves your

full attention so sit back, relax and let Red Dirt Tours do the driving

for you.

Vicki Jones, owner and operator, offers full, half and three-quarter

day tours in an air-conditioned 4WD vehicle. Vicki will take you onto

private property and introduce you to the local landscape and natural

and cultural histories of the region.

Tour destinations include the Dinosaur Stampede, Carisbrooke Station,

Australian Age of Dinosaurs, the Diamantina River and Bladensburg

National Park and Merton Gorge, Rangeland Rifts and sunset.

Refreshments are included.

Bladensburg National Park - Scrammy Gorge

Vicki is an experienced Savannah Guide. Her local knowledge will

take you to places you didn’t know existed and tell you the stories

only locals know - all with a touch of delightful outback humour.

CHARISMATIC CARISBROOKE

Carisbrooke Station is colourful - in more ways than one. Situated

about 70km south west of Winton in the picturesque Cory’s Range

and William’s Valley, Carisbrooke is a working cattle station with a

rich history.

Tours of this spectacular property are run by local company, Red

Dirt Tours.

Carisbrooke is ancient land. Opals formed in the time of dinosaurs

have been mined here, there are rock formations of geological interest.

This spectacular and colourful country, with its distinctive

escarpments and breath-taking panoramas will leave you on an

emotional high and with a full camera.


Carisbrooke was named after a sailing ship. and was once the Williams

outstation of the historic Bladensburg property. In 1942 it was

the scene of a forced landing by a US Flying Fortress on a mission

for President Roosevelt and carrying the future President Lyndon B.

Johnson. Fortunately the pilot rightly identifi ed the clay pan in front

of the homestead as a safe landing strip.

80

THE “AUSSIE” - BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

Part of Australian history has been brought back to life in the outback. The Australian Hotel

in Winton celebrated 125 years last year. After being closed for a period, this historic pub has

been revived by new owners Joe and Kristi Minehan.

The Aussie Hotel boasts a real country feel and welcoming ambience. The walls are adorned

with Australiana and many mementos from local sheep and cattle stations. The town of

Winton is rich in history from the shearers’ strikes in the 1800s, the discovery of Boulder Opal

nearby to becoming the Dinosaur capital of Australia.

To celebrate the important role the sheep industry had in Australia and in particular in Winton,

the Aussie has opened the Stockyard Beer Garden. The Stockyard Beer Garden is now

complete and will be providing regular live sheep and Kelpie shows. In the lunchtime Kelpie

Show learn about the important role the Kelpie and other dogs have played in the sheep

industry. Enjoy a two course dinner with campfi re cooking and listen to the Winton Sheep

Story of how Winton grew “on the sheep’s back” with a sheep mustering demonstration.

You can stay in one of the new cabins or in the “old style pub budget accommodation”. There

are also sites for self-contained motorhomes.

While some of the old fl oors may have a slant, this adds to the character of the hotel.

The “Aussie” has grown to now include a renovated dining room, footpath dining and the

Stockyard Beer Garden. The furniture includes tables of Australian timber slabs and homemade

“rustic” pallet tables and benches.

The menu is very Australian and includes campfi re cooking, Australian wild caught Barra, as

well as the speciality, Low & Slow - home smoked or spit roasted meats. Customers claim

that the Aussie have the best pizzas in the outback, but you can be the judge of that!

If it’s a cool night, you can warm yourself

under the outback stars beside one of the

campfi res, and even toast a marshmallow

or two. Look up and enjoy the clear outback

skies, close to the only Dark Sky sanctuary

in Australia.

Enjoy the local history and relax with a great

meal and cold beverage or two. You can

even have a great coffee and breakfast in

the new Great Aussie Cafe and Takeway.

To share the rich history of Winton, the

Aussie Hotel conducts Horse and Wagon

Town Tours. Join them on a relaxing tour in a

100 year old Landau carriage. They’ll tell you

all about the town’s history as Stormy and

Kenny pull the carriage through the main

and back streets of town.

HISTORY, ANCIENT AND MODERN

Heritage Listed and therefore historic in its

Born in a similar era but transformed to a

own right, the Corfield and Fitzmaurice

building is a keeper of all kinds of history as

well as displaying a range of crafts for sale.

Two pioneering teamsters established

the general store in 1878, with the store

servicing Winton and the surrounding

pastoral properties through two world wars

and beyond before ceasing operations in

the late 1980s.

The store reopened in 1994 as a craft

shop, where you will fi nd all sorts of crafts

from all over the country. It’s a good spot

to browse among opal jewellery, silver

jewellery, handcrafts and books ranging

from CWA recipe books to publications on

the Great Artesian Basin.

thing of beauty over aeons is Australia’s

national gemstone, the opal. The

Queensland Boulder Opal Association has

an interesting display showcasing the local

opal industry.

Fast forward to the more recent past and

you see hanging from rafters inside the

building an intriguing graphic display of

double-sided fl oating panels showing how

the store—and Winton itself—began in the

days of bullock wagon, horse and cart.

Another display highlights the importance

of the wool industry to the region and

showcases wool wagons, wool classing

and pressing.


You can enter the Combo Crafts part

of the complex for free. For a gold coin

81

donation, visit the informative displays

including a life-sized diorama which

features prehistory and the probable story

behind 3,300 fossilised dinosaur footprints

at the Heritage-Listed Dinosaur Stampede

National Monument at Lark Quarry

Conservation Park.

AUSTRALIAN AGE OF DINOSAURS—

A UNIQUE WAY TO SHARE THE DINOSAUR DREAM

Prehistory comes to life at the multi-award-winning Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum

of Natural History. Just 24km south-east of Winton is a giant mesa called The Jump-Up,

a primeval place with huge cliffs and gorges and panoramic views of the rolling plains. It’s

a different world—a beautiful wilderness area and home to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs

Museum and Australia’s first International Dark-Sky Sanctuary.

From humble beginnings as a fossil preparation workshop in a farm shed, the Museum has

grown rapidly to become the most productive Fossil Preparation Laboratory in the Southern

Hemisphere with the world’s largest collection of Australia’s biggest dinosaur fossils.

The Museum’s success and popularity can be attributed to the discovery of vast quantities

of fossilised dinosaur bones and the hard work and enthusiastic support of hundreds of

people who love to work, live and breathe the dinosaur dream. A guided tour of the Museum

includes the holotype specimens of Diamantinasaurus matildae (Matilda), Australovenator

wintonensis (Banjo), Savannasaurus elliottorum (Wade), Ferrodraco lentoni (Butch), and

Confractosuchus sauroktonos (Chookie).

Tours start hourly from 9am and run for

three to four hours. The last full tour starts

at 1pm. Please arrive at least 15 minutes

before start time. Also in the complex are

the Cretaceous Café and Museum Shop.

To find out more, go to the website at

australianageofdinosaurs.com or phone 07

4657 0078.

The Ultimate Dinosaur tour of the Museum includes a guided tour of the Fossil Preparation

Laboratory, Collection Room in the Reception Centre, the “March of the Titanosaurs”

exhibition and a self-guided exploration of Dinosaur Canyon.


82

While on tour you will explore how the Winton area evolved through deep-time, where and

how the dinosaur bones are found and what’s involved in digging them up. See fossils being

worked on and revealed for the first time in at least 95 million years, then meticulously pieced

back together again, researched and displayed for everyone’s fascination and enjoyment.

Walk among life-sized bronze dinosaurs at Dinosaur Canyon, explore the March of the

Titanosurs exhibition, featuring a relocated 55m-long sauropod trackway, and see some of

the darkest night skies in the world at the meteorite-inspired Gondwana Stars Observatory.

Countless visitors recommend the Museum as a ‘must see’ experience and for many, a

guided tour sparks a greater interest and desire to get involved. One program offered to

members of the public is the Prep-A-Dino experience. If you’d like to experience the thrill

of working with real dinosaur bones, new to science and each a national treasure, you can!

Work with Museum staff to remove rock from the fossils with pneumatic scribes prior to

them being studied by palaeontologists.

The Prep-A-Dino experience includes the option to stay onsite in the Museum’s purposebuilt

accommodation facility.

The Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum is open daily from April to October, and six days

a week from November to March (closed Sundays, Christmas Day and Boxing Day).

The Australian Age of Dinosaur Museum’s

turnoff is 13km south-east of Winton

on the Landsborough Highway towards

Longreach. Watch for the dinosaur signs.

From the turnoff, the road is sealed all

the way to The Jump-Up. Caravans can

be towed to the top, although visitors are

advised to leave their vans at a parking

area at the foot of the hill if they’re towing

with a small 2WD vehicle.

The Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum

of Natural History is a not-for-profit,

grass-roots conservation initiative and

an Australian icon in the making. The

Museum’s progress can be supported

through membership, yearly and life, which

includes a beautifully presented annual

journal on Australian fossil-focused natural

history.

IN THE TRACKS OF A DINOSAUR STAMPEDE

A dramatic tale of hunter and hunted has been frozen in time

at the Dinosaur Stampede National Monument at Lark Quarry

Conservation Park, the site of the only known dinosaur stampede

on the planet. In a remarkable piece of scientific detective work,

palaeontologists have discovered over 3,300 dinosaur footprints of

dinosaurs that lived in Outback Queensland 95 million years ago.

In stark contrast to the arid climate of today, the landscape in the

age of dinosaurs was characterised by a great river plain, with

towering conifers and lush vegetation interspersed with sandy

channels, swamps and lakes brimming with freshwater mussels,

lungfish and crocodiles.

It was in this setting that a herd of around 300 dinosaurs, some

as small as chickens (such as the carnivorous coelurosaurs) and

larger plant-eating ornithopods were drinking on the muddy shore

of a lake when, out of nowhere, a large meat-eating dinosaur

appeared and the panicked herd bolted for cover. Unfortunately,

this was an ambush! Trapped by water, the herd was forced to run

back towards the predator, colliding and running over each other

until eventually they were able to run past the fearsome theropod

and herd back together before fleeing the site. This prehistoric

activity was recorded in the mud, preserved by the natural

environment, immortalised in stone and uncovered by accident

in recent times to become the only known record of a dinosaur

stampede in the world.

Guided tours start from 9.30am and run for 45 minutes. In winter (April

to November) tours run daily at 9.30am, 11.00am, 12.00pm, 1.00pm,

2.00pm and 3.00pm. In summer (October to March) tours run six

days a week (closed on Sundays) at 9.30am, 11.00am and 2.00pm.

More details are available at www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au.

In a unique twist, the footprints of the meat-eating predator at the

Dinosaur Stampede National Monument have now been shown

to potentially match the foot of Australovenator wintonensis or

Banjo—a dinosaur found near Winton. The holotype bones of

this ferocious predator are on display at the Australian Age of

Dinosaurs Museum.

Preserved inside a modern building, the amazing Dinosaur

Stampede National Monument is accessible to everyone at Lark

Quarry Conservation Park. The beautiful red earth and spinifexstudded

landscape is a dramatic contrast to the moist green world

that existed at the time of the dinosaurs. The Dinosaur Stampede

National Monument is located 110km south-west of Winton. The

road to the trackways is suitable for conventional vehicles, however

approximately 65km of the road is unsealed.

Find out more at the Winton Visitor Information Centre (1300

665 115, www.experiencewinton.com.au).

To stay on the dinosaur trail after Winton, head for

Kronosaurus Korner in Richmond and the Flinders

Discovery Centre in Hughenden. More details at

www.australiasdinosaurtrail.com.au


83

OPALTON

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Opalton

84

THE CLUE IS IN THE NAME

Opalton, a spot on the map situated a million miles from modern life but

just 127km south of Winton. Here, the biggest piece of pipe opal ever

found was brought to light in 1899. It was more than 3m long and as thick

as a man’s thigh. And that set the scene for an area that has entered

into folklore and that everyone should visit at least once. Enjoy a bit of

your own opal fever with some fossicking or enjoy a stroll along the many

walking tracks for some birdwatching and wildlife spotting.

The drive out from Winton takes about one-and-a-half hours on a good

but unsealed road through plains, valleys and creeks. You might come

across a bit of corrugation occasionally and it’s definitely a fair-weather

road, but getting off the bitumen is all part of the adventure.

After opal was discovered in these parts in 1888, a small township sprang

up and by the turn of the 20th century, 600 people lived here, lured by

the promise of opals to be found. A plaque remembering those days can

be found at the old cemetery just over the creek, or take one of the new

Historic walking track loops starting at the Bush Park.

The Opalton Bush Park is a great outback headquarters, whether you’re

staying just for a day or kicking back for a few weeks. Most people bring

their own van, trailer or tent but there are some rustic sheds if you’re up

for a unique bush-stay. The showers in the amenities blocks are heated

by a donkey and the water is caught from each roof and stored in tanks,

just to remind you that you really are out in the sticks. A pizza oven gets

a good workout (people use it for bread and roasts as well as for pizza

baking) and there’s even a barbecue plate that can sizzle enough steak

and sausages for 50. An unofficial happy hour seems to happen at the

end of every day when people converge to talk about everything under

the sun, including, of course, the opals they have found.

To do your own fossicking, start by buying a fossicking licence and getting

some basic equipment from the park caretaker, who can also provide you

with a mud map to show where you can noodle to your heart’s content.

Opalton is famous for having three kinds of opals— pipe opal, matrix and

fairystone. There’s even a tour in the mornings so you can pick up a few

tips.

If you watch Outback Opal Hunters on TV, you will already know that

opal mining is still carried out around Opalton. There’s every chance you’ll

meet an opal miner, and it might even be one of the characters from that

show. They’re a friendly mob out here, so meeting the locals is always

fun.

While Opalton is a fair way from civilisation, you’re not totally cut off. Wi-Fi

is available and a Telstra tower services the area. Although fuel is not

available at Opalton, the park caretaker has basics like ice, bread and

milk. But you will need to bring cash to make all your purchases.

For the twitchers, even more exciting is the chance to meet some

quaint birdlife including three of the rarest grass wrens in Australia. One

even bears the name, Opalton grass wren. A dam close by means that

sightings of wildlife are common, which adds another dimension to a stay

at Opalton.

Back in Winton, perhaps your visit will coincide with one of the opal events

held in the main street of town. Traders sell a whole spectrum of opals,

from rough parcels and cut stones to finished jewellery items. And if

you’re there on July 7th and 8th this year, the main street will come alive

as the venue of the Winton Opal Festival . The Queen of Gems Jewellery

Design Awards entrants will be on display at the Waltzing Matilda Centre

Art Gallery from 8th to 24th July for your viewing pleasure.

Historic Walking Tracks

The latest addition to Opalton is over 7 km of walking tracks. Five

separate loops ranging from only 500 metres to 4 km take you to

historic sites such as the old township, cemetery, dam, lookout, horse

and slaughter yards. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of walking through

the bush and keep your eye out for some opal or a rare bird. Tracks are

well marked and all start at the notice board at the Bush Park.

Directions

To get to Opalton from Winton, take the Jundah Road for 15km then

turn left. Travel 120km of unsealed road through the plains, valleys,

and channels. Winton to Opalton usually takes about one-and-a-half

hours. From Opalton, you can also take a loop drive to the Dinosaur

Stampede National Monument at the Lark Quarry Conservation Park.

It takes approximately four hours to drive the entire loop, making it

perfect for a day drive while you’re headquartered at the Opalton Bush

Park.

If you don’t like the idea of driving on unsealed roads and you’re not

looking to stay but you do want to have an Opalton experience, a full

day fossicking tour is available through Red Dirt Tours.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Opalton

85

KYNUNA

ON THE MATILDA WAY

KYNUNA - HOME OF WALTZING MATILDA

Kynuna is slap bang in the middle of Waltzing

overshot dams built by hand by Chinese

Matilda history. For such a little place, it

labourers in the early 1880s. The precision of

certainly packs a poetic, historic punch. So

the work and the technical excellence means

you defi nitely don’t want to drive straight

they have survived to this day. A 2.5km return

through.

track to the waterhole takes you through

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Kynuna

Make it your home for a night and get a

feeling for the region that inspired the verse

which has been loved by Australians ever

since Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson wrote

it in 1895.

The poet, as well as the swagman and the

squatter about whom he wrote, were all

known to have visited the Blue Heeler Hotel,

which was only a couple of years old at the

time and was known back then as the Kynuna

Hotel.

To soak in the atmosphere of the district,

visit Combo Waterhole Conservation Park,

which is just 16km east of Kynuna. See the

Mitchell grass and beside the Diamantina

River. Birdwatching opportunities abound.

You might see Australian pranticoles,

weebills, rainbow bee-eaters, spotted

harriers and sacred kingfi shers.

Although you’re not allowed to camp at the

park, you can take the opportunity to have a

picnic under the shade of a coolibah tree.

While there is a monument celebrating its

links to Waltzing Matilda at the entrance

of the park, Combo Waterhole is almost

certainly not the billabong featured in Banjo

Paterson’s poem, which was based on an

event that happened during the Shearers’

Strike. The ‘Swagman’s Billabong’ is just

1.8km east of Kynuna and is believed to be

where Samuel Hoffmeister committed suicide

in 1894 by shooting - not drowning. The oldest

and shadiest coolibah trees are in the middle

of this tiny billabong (only 150 by 15 metres),

so when a man wanted to boil his billy in the

shade, he would have to be in, rather than by,

the billabong. This explains Banjo Paterson’s

original words, “There once was a swagman

camped in a billabong under the shade of a

coolibah tree”.

If you have your camping equipment or are

towing a caravan, set up for the night at the

Kynuna Roadhouse which has a caravan

park with 20 powered sites (drive-through)

Swagman’s Billabong

of the popular meals is steak with chips,

vegies, gravy and a bit of bread and butter—

no fancy stuff here - just good honest food.

The roadhouse also has icecreams, drinks

and a whole fridge dedicated to chocolates.

The in-house licence means you can have a

beer or a glass of wine with your meal.

If you need to fi ll up, the roadhouse has

diesel, unleaded, Vortex fuels and AdBlue (no

autogas).

Kynuna is not a big place. With just two

businesses and a population of 20 people,

it’s pretty tiny in the grand scale of things.

But Waltzing Matilda has cemented itself in

the Australian psyche and Kynuna is very

close to the spot where our unoffi cial anthem

was penned, so you should defi nitely raise

a glass while you’re there to salute this little

town’s place in our history. While there, grab

a copy of Richard Magoffi n’s book, “Waltzing

Matilda”, which gives the history and origins

of our famous Australian song.

86

and a camping area. Individual shower and

toilets are popular with the guests. A coinoperated

laundry is available (the Dexter

washing machines are brilliant!) and there is

a dump point.

The roadhouse is open from 6am to 7.30pm

with meals available all day. The truck drivers

love the food served up in the air-conditioned

restaurant—they call it Mum’s cooking! One

MCKINLAY

ON THE MATILDA WAY

CROCODILE DUNDEE’S WATERING HOLE

How the time has fl own! It seems like just yesterday that Hoges

starred in a budget fi lm that became a runaway success, not only in

America—the audience it was aimed at—but throughout the world.

‘Crocodile Dundee’ was the second highest grossing fi lm in the United

States that year—1986—and became a worldwide box-offi ce hit. For

his role as the likeable and unfl appable bushman, Mick Dundee, Paul

Hogan won a Golden Globe best actor award.

The fi lm was set in the Australian outback and in New York. And it

has to be said, even with multiple viewings over the years, the Aussie

part has never lost its appeal for Croc Dundee fans and perhaps

that’s because there was more than just a touch of authenticity

about it. At least, the Walkabout Creek Hotel was a real hotel in

the real Australian outback (even though the movie’s surrounding

countryside was actually Kakadu National Park). It was just not in the

Northern Territory (a bit of writer’s licence crept in there!), but in the

tiny township of McKinlay, Queensland. And the rest, as they say, is

history.

McKinlay returned to normal and the hotel went back to its daily trade,

without the antics of bumbling Wally, the beer-balancing Donk and

the laidback, friendly Mick Dundee but with a new name in honour of

its place in the fi lm.

In 2016 McKinlay celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fi lm’s release

with a street party in April. The original movie set was given to them

by the fi lm‘s producer John Cornell, and you can’t get much more

authentic than that! Apparently it was all packed up after the second

movie, but the set and all the props are back in town! The bar has

been placed in the beergarden and operates for functions - but you

can sit there and imagine Mick Dundee is raising his glass while you

enjoy a coldie.

You can’t miss the Walkabout Creek Hotel when you drive into town.

Just look for the Never Never Safaris truck that was in the movie. It’s

parked out the front. Still in working order, the old truck takes Santa

to the town Christmas party every year.

For Frank and Debbie Wust, owning the Walkabout Creek Hotel for

the past few years has been an adventure in the Mick Dundee story.

The Walkabout Creek Hotel was fi rst named the Federal Hotel back

in 1900 but the funny thing is that it has actually lived up to its current

name, going walkabout at least once! The pub was moved to its

current site fronting the Matilda Way in 1996 and is now a welcome

stopping spot for travellers and local stockmen alike.

Meals are served for lunch and dinner during the tourist season. You

can enjoy good country pub food, including steaks, fi sh and chips,

and of course, the Dundee burger as well as healthy options like

wraps and fi lo pastries. Saturdays are pool comp days, with pizza

on the menu and cold beer of course. There is also a special bonus

for anyone who turns up in a Hawaiian shirt, which the locals have

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // McKinlay

87

turned into an outback tradition. So be sure to pack your Hawaiian

shirt if you’re planning to be in McKinlay on a Saturday night.

There is a caravan park with clean restrooms and laundry out the

back of the pub. Single accommodation is also available.

LITTLE TOWN’S BIG HISTORY

McKinlay was discovered by the famed explorer John McKinlay

during his great 1862 transcontinental droving feat when he travelled

from Adelaide to the Gulf of Carpentaria looking for missing explorers

Burke and Wills. He named many mountains and rivers as he

travelled this way with his party of horses, cattle, camels and sheep.

He named McKinlay River, and the small town that was established

nearby took its name. John McKinlay is still remembered 150-plus

years later and visitors can tap into that early history by visiting the

John McKinlay statue across from Centenary Park. The storyboards

at the park share some historical information of interest.

Queensland’s smallest public library

Wander around the cemetery’s old gravestones. See the old

schoolhouse and take a photo of the metal tree outside—the art

represents the four roads from McKinlay. A playground is nearby, if

you have children who need to burn off excess energy.

Make sure you’re in McKinlay for their annual race meeting, held

every June, with camping, horse races, foot races, live entertainment,

food and beverages plus a whole lot of fun.

Tree art

McKINLAY’S BIG DAY OUT—THE RACES!

McKinlay has just one race day a year - but it’s worth waiting a whole

year for! The quality of the racing and the prizemoney for everything

from the races to the fashions in the field is incredible.

Yet for the locals, it’s as much about community, family fun and great

entertainment as it is about horse racing. (Some of them know so little

about racing they don’t even know how to place a bet!) For the vast

majority of the property owners in the region, the McKinlay Races is

their one big day out together. And they love to be joined by visitors!

The day features a six-race program with $85,000 in prize money.

The main race of the day is the $30,000 Outback Racing Series

Final/South 32 McKinlay Cup, which is run over 1500 metres. If you

feel like a flutter, on course betting is available. The racetrack is fully

accredited and the facilities are amazing. A full bar and catering

facilities operate during the event.

Fashions in the field is always hotly contested, and with a number of

categories anyone can be a winner! Add to that a big lucky gate prize

and you don’t even have to be lucky with the horses to be in with a

chance of going home with more money than when you arrived.

88

The area is pretty as a picture, whatever the season. Someone once

dubbed the racecourse the Flemington of the Outback because

of how good it looked, and the name has stuck. And it does have

appeal, thanks to one of the property owners who brings truckloads

of potted flowering roses to place along the fenceline.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // McKinlay

And the fun doesn’t stop when the races have been run. With live

music afterwards, the entertainment continues until late. Join the

recovery breakfast the next morning!

Visitors who are coming to the races can camp free at the racecourse—

you can arrive after about 3.00pm on the Thursday and stay for a

day or two after race day. Join in the fun at the Walkabout Creek

Hotel on the Friday night, with live music to keep you entertained and

barbecued food on the menu. With a courtesy bus running between

the race track and the hotel, there is no excuse to miss out on a

fabulous night!

For more information about the races, jump onto the McKinlay Race

Club Facebook page.

And you couldn’t get a better day for children, with foot races

and loads of fun activities. The iconic lolly drop from the Agro Air

gyrocopter is always a winner. All the kids activities are free.

BOULIA

A MATILDA BYWAY

ON THE ROAD TO BOULIA

It’s the kind of outback scenery that’s rugged and picturesque and

makes you think, “They should make a fi lm out here.” Well, they have.

“Goldstone” was entirely fi lmed among this arid beauty. A little cabin

about 8km from Middleton is all that remains of the movie set. Still,

the scenery is just as awe-inspiring as it has always been. Discover

for yourself the beauty of this vast land on a byway that can take you

all the way from Winton to Mount Isa.

The Min Min Hotel was a staging post for Cobb and Co on the Matilda

Byway, it was destroyed by fi re way back in the early part of the

20th century and it was in this area that the eerie, mysterious Min

Min lights were fi rst offi cially documented. However the traditional

owners of the area, the Pitta Pitta claim it has been around for a

long, long time and that it represents the spirits of their ancestors. To

this day there is no scientifi c explanation for these lights.

When you get to Boulia, you can ‘see the light’ for yourself and learn

about this unexplained phenomenon at the Min Min Encounter and

Visitor Information Centre complex. A 45-minute animatronics

show takes you through six scenes, each with special effects and

a story of a Min Min light sighting. One of the scenes is a depiction

of the bar at the Min Min Hotel. At the Centre, you can also gather

On the way to Boulia

Sports and Aquatic Centre

information on the area from the visitor information desk or buy some

souvenirs of your visit.

Next on your ‘must see’ list is the Boulia Heritage Complex. The

complex consists of several buildings showcasing the many decades

of Boulia’s history. One of the buildings is a heritage listed stone house

fully furnished as it was over 130 years ago. Also on the property is

Tom Howard’s Cottage, an early 1900s construction which houses

a combination of Indigenous, hospital and early education displays.

The cottages are part of a bigger complex which has some amazing

marine reptile displays with fossils from 100 million years ago. Set

in the yards of the Heritage Complex are a number of machinery

and wagons, which were once used in the region at the turn of the

century. Check at the visitor information centre for opening times.

Visit the old police barracks outside of town, with the waterhole a

perfect place to have a picnic.

Boulia Caravan Park, off Winton Road, is a picturesque park along

the Burke River, with plenty of shady, grassy spots for camping and

caravans. The park has both powered and unpowered sites. With a

self-contained cabin, riverfl at units, en suite units and two dongas

there is accommodation to suit everyone, and pets are more than

welcome!

The caravan park is a beautiful spot for guests to cook up a barby on

the gas barbecue, and the offi ce sells general merchandise and icecreams.

A laundry is on-site, along with two large amenity blocks.

For entertainment or a relaxing time unwinding, the offi ce also has a

DVD library and book swap.

Children will love the farm animals and with plenty of birdlife to spot,

bird watchers are always welcome.

Make sure you book in advance as the rooms fi ll quickly during peak

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89

Boulia Caravan Park

The Waddi Tree

season. No bookings are required for camping.

When it’s time to stock up on groceries, browse among hardware supplies or get a tyre fi xed,

you can’t go past Boulia’s Min Min Store. Bob and Val Spilsbury have been building up the

business for over 45 years and it’s almost a case of what they don’t have in their shop isn’t

worth having! For an easy lunch, grab a hot chook or some pies and sausage rolls while

you’re stocking up on supermarket goods, with even non-prescription medications for sale.

The Thrifty Hardware section has everything from power tools to garden furniture. Out the

back, Bob’s Tyres offers a full tyre repair and fi tting service. The store is open Monday to

Saturday from around 6.00am to 5.30pm.

The Waddi Tree, open from April to September, houses a souvenir shop and art gallery. The

Waddi Tree is so named as Waddi trees are only found in Boulia and Birdsville and typify the

outback. The Pitta Pitta art gallery features unique bark paintings from local Aborigines. Why

the name Pitta Pitta? Pitta Pitta was an Aboriginal language, now extinct, spoken around

Boulia, and with a number of very talented artists in the area, the Spilsbury’s wish to share

their work with everyone.

While in Boulia, also see the corroboree

tree, the last recognised corroboree tree of

the Pitta Pitta tribe and one of Australia’s

arboreal rarities. It is a Waddi tree, found in

only a couple of areas of Australia and they

can live for 200 years or more. While in the

district, fi sh or birdwatch at the Burke River.

A little further afi eld is Urandangi, where you

can fi sh at the Georgina River, have a drink

and lunch at the pub and wander around the

pioneer cemetery.

The land that the buildings are situated on has been turned into a wildlife haven, with Val

an accredited wildlife carer. Injured and orphaned joeys are frequently brought to Val, who

nurses them to health and then releases them into the wild when they are old enough.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Boulia

Boulia’s calendar of events includes the Easter Races every year. The horse races are on

Saturday and the action continues throughout the weekend with a rodeo and campdrafting.

The campdraft has a big following and attracts competitors from all over. .

Boulia’s most famous event of the year is the Boulia Camel Races, held every third weekend

in July. The races have the longest race in Australia with a 1500 metre camel cup. Camels

come from all over Australia to compete, and often as many as 40 camels race on the

weekend. With a band on Saturday night and lots of market stalls along with food and drink

vendors, the whole atmosphere is fantastic. There’s even a fi reworks display. The Bedourie

Camel Races are the week before and the Winton event is the week after, so if you have a

passion for seeing these creatures racing, you can follow the fun on an outback camel circuit.

90

MOUNT ISA

A MATILDA BYWAY

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE IN ‘THE ISA’

Explore the fascinating history of Mount

Isa, Queensland’s ‘Oasis of the Outback’,

with glorious scenery and unique activities

on offer. Discover 25-million-year-old fossils,

embark on a 4WD outback adventure

or just go jump in the lake (Lake Moondarra,

that is). You can even journey way down

below the surface of the earth to experience

a maze of underground mine shafts

and tunnels.

Located within the Outback at Isa Visitor

Information Centre is the Isa Experience

Heritage Display, Hard Times Mine Underground Tour, Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre,

Outback at Isa Café, Regional Art Gallery and Outback Park as well as the Rodeo Hall of Fame.

The Hard Times Mine Underground Tour will give you a fascinating insight into Australia’s

deepest underground mine network where you’ll be taken through Mount Isa’s mining history,

from its early twentieth century origins to today.

If viewing prehistoric wonders has not been high on your bucket list, the Riversleigh Fossil

Centre will change your mind. The interactive exhibit brings to life the ancient world and introduces

visitors to the many species of animal and plant life that existed in the Riversleigh Fossil

fi elds area from up to 30 million years ago and shows how our current world is shaped by them.

The Riversleigh fossil deposit is world-renowned as one of Australia’s richest and most important

fossil fi eld discoveries with some of the planet’s most unusual mammals being discovered

here, including feather-tailed possums, marsupial moles and the extinct marsupial lion.

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91

OUTBACK AT ISA -

BUSH TUCKER EXPERIENCE

Walk alongside an Indigenous heritage bush guide as you explore

the beautiful Outback at Isa native botanical garden right here in the

heart of Mount Isa. On the tour you will learn about the traditional bush

methods used to make tools, medicine and food fi rsthand.

Plants were utilised in many ways such as food, seasoning, herbal

drinks and medicines used to treat common ailments. They were also

used for dyes, cleaning, clothing, crafting, building shelters, weapons

and much more. These techniques and knowledge about the native

fl ora and fauna have been passed down for generations by the legal

custodians of this land, the Kalkatungu (Kalkadoon) people, as well as

other indigenous tribes such as the Gangalida, Yanuwa, and Garrawa

whose people have lived and thrived in this harsh outback country for

over 65,000 years.

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92

The tour includes a short guided informational session through the

Mount Isa history museum to not only admire some beautiful Aboriginal

artwork and artifacts, but to understand their meaning and historical

importance.

Also included in the tour is 30 minutes behind the scenes at the local

neighbouring fi sh hatchery where you can get up close and personal

with the native fi sh in the viewing tanks while learning about the different

species and their connection to Aboriginal culture and history.

Tours run for approximately two hours. Comfortable walking shoes,

along with a water bottle, hat, sun-safe clothing and sunscreen are recommended

as the tour includes wandering through the Outback Park.

The visitor information centre and outback park are wheelchair accessible

with some uneven areas along a dirt path.

Outback at Isa is happy to accommodate specific requests relating to

tour times and duration where possible, however all requests are to be

made at the time of your booking.

For more information or to make a booking, please contact the friendly

team at Outback at Isa by phoning (07) 4749 1555, emailing info@outbackatisa.com.au

or visit https://discovermountisa.com.au.

Onsite facilities include public toilets and showers, a cafe and gift shop

and shaded outdoor seating.

A miniumum of two people are needed to make a booking, with a maximum

of 25. For large group bookings, two tours are able to be run

simultaneously.

JULIA CREEK

A MATILDA BYWAY

At the Creek

BIG SUNSETS, A BIG HEART AND LITTLE DUNNARTS

Located on the picturesque creek of the same name, Julia Creek is a small town with a big

heart to match its big sunsets. Get to know the area at the Visitor Information Centre, known

as ‘At The Creek’.

Situated on the main street and housed in historic fettler’s cottages, this award-winning Centre

is the perfect place to discover the region’s exciting and colourful history. ‘Beneath The

Creek’, part of the Visitor Information Centre, allows you to see life, both past and present,

within the McKinlay Shire through different eyes via the interactive displays and videos.

Have you ever seen a Dunnart, or a fat-tailed Dunnart to be precise? Never heard of it? Visit

the Dunnart display at the Julia Creek Visitor Centre and learn about these cheeky, energetic

little creatures, and even watch their daily feeding shows. The Julia Creek Dunnart is listed as

critically endangered, with the Centre part of a successful re-establishment program. There

is a small fee for entry to ‘Beneath the Creek’ and the Dunnart Display. By purchasing your

GATEWAY TO THE GULF

ticket, you can feel proud of contributing to keeping this program viable.

Whilst visiting, you can also take part in a virtual reality cattle muster. Don a headset and

headphones, relax and immerse yourself into being on the back of a dirt bike, inside a

chopper, or sitting on the rails of a cattle yard, all in air-conditioned comfort!

Dunnart

Julia Creek offers a 96 hour stay for RVs

and other fully self-contained caravans and

motor homes, and is located beside the

creek. Although free, you do need to register

for your permit to camp here by getting your

Julia Creek

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93

permit from the Park Hosts during April to September, or calling into the Visitor Information

Centre. This is a lovely spot where you can set up beside the creek, enjoy the breeze, the

brolgas and magnifi cent sunsets. Once your 96 hours is up, book in and power up at the Julia

Creek Caravan Park. The Caravan Park has plenty of powered drive through sites, powered

van sites, unpowered grass sites and large grassed areas for camping. There are also selfcontained

air-conditioned units, equipped with a kitchen, dining area, bathroom, satellite tv,

lounge suite, along with a cosy deck to enjoy the afternoon sunset. The cabins are suitable

for up to four or six guests, and there is a separate accommodation block with rooms suitable

for one to two people, also with air-conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Rates are very reasonable.

The swimming pool, dog park and tennis courts are located just across the road and guests

of the Caravan Park receive free entry to the pool and water park.

Artesian bath houses offer guests the opportunity to indulge in a luxury experience and

reminisce of a by-gone era in the houses developed along the theme of ‘Boundary Rider

Huts’. Each bath house holds two claw-footed bath tubs, which allows enough space for the

whole family to soak their cares away while enjoying the most breathtaking outback sunsets.

Cheese platters and pamper packs are available from reception. Bookings are essential

during tourist season due to the ever-increasing popularity of people willing to experience the

therapeutic properties of water from the Great Artesian Basin.

In the cooler months, join in the award-winning Bush Dinner nights at the caravan park each

Monday night, where you can enjoy the warmth of a campfi re and hear a local yarn from a true

blue outback Aussie. Everyone is welcome. Bookings can be made online via trybooking.com

and don’t forget to bring your own cutlery, drinks and chair for a great evening’s entertainment.

Check atthecreek.com.au.

Artesian Bath House

The Julia Creek Roadhouse is familyowned

and operated providing a friendly,

relaxing place to fuel up, unwind and

recharge. The Roadhouse offers an on-site

retaurant with delicious food and barista

made coffee, clean amenities and fantastic

service, seven days a week, 6am to 9pm.

You can enjoy a delicious home cooked

meal, either dine-in or takeaway, with

daily specials available. So when passing

through, why not drop in and fuel up, grab a

freshly brewed barista made coffee or cold

drink and a snack from our extensive menu.

They would love to see you!


94

Bush Dinner night at the Julia Creek Caravan Park

Other accommodation in the area, for those wishing to stop for a while, are Julia Creek Villas,

Julia Creek Hotel, Gannon’s Hotel and Julia Creek Motel. Julia Creek Villas is located

near many of Julia Creek’s local attractions, restaurants and takeaways. There is a range of

accommodation to suit individuals, families and groups, at affordable rates. The motel style

units are self-contained with cooking facilities and air-conditioning. There is also a laundry

onsite, a pool and plenty of off-street parking. If you are looking for somewhere convenient

and affordable, Julia Creek Villas makes for the perfect stopover.

At the Creek

P 07 4746 7690

E: tourism@mckinlay.qld.gov.au

www.atthecreek.com.au

Cnr Burke and Julia Streets

MCKINLAY ANNUAL EVENTS

April - Julia Creek Dirt and Dust

Festival

May – Julia Creek Campdraft

June – McKinlay Races

June – Saxby Round-Up (Rodeo,

Campdraft and Gymkhana)

August – Sedan Dip (Races, Rodeo

and Campdraft)

October - “Big Weekend” - Town vs

Country Rugby League Ball

AROUND TOWN

If you love history, you’ll enjoy the Duncan McIntyre Museum, located on the northern

side of Burke Street, which is home to countless relics from a bygone era. You’ll see a

decommissioned railway carriage, a Willy Jeep Truck, once used by the Julia Creek Fire

Brigade, a steam engine, tractor, plus an array of fossils formed in the Eromanga Sea, items

from the district’s wool heritage, history of the hospital, radio and telecommunications and

much more. Entry is free.

The Opera House, tucked in behind the Civic Centre (Council Chambers) in Julia Street, is

home to a photo gallery of the past century in and around Julia Creek. The Opera House, so

named from opening the same day as the Sydney Opera House, is full of history and is open

Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5:00. Entry is free.

The Water Tower, a 30 metre wineglass shaped tower, was opened in 1971 and has a

454,000 litre capacity. Not only does it provide the town with great water pressure, but

it also serves as large scale water-cooling infrastructure for the water extracted from the

Great Artesian Basin that can reach temperatures in excess of 60ºC. At night, the tower is

illuminated, making for spectacular photos and an unusual sight from a distance.

Next on the list is Samson, the Spirit of the Light Horse statue. This incredible masterpiece

was created by artist, Sue Tilley, from a range of vintage metal objects collected in the

local region. With the surrounding metal silhouettes depicting the Light Horse Brigade in full

charge, Samson forms a prominent tribute to the spirit of the Anzacs. Make sure you stop

and have a good look at all the odds and ends that make up this incredible creation, and to

remember the Anzacs!

For something different, visit the remains of a concrete building which housed a generating

plant supplying power to a RAAF High Frequency/Direction Finding Station, called the

‘Round House’, which was installed in 1942 as part of a series of stations. The building is

located near the cattle yards at the western end of town. The stations proved to be of great

importance as navigational aids during WWII and assisted in the detection of Japanese

aircraft across Northern Australia. There were only ever two Round Houses constructed of

concrete, the other being at Tolga on the Atherton Tablelands. Using explosives, the Round

Houses were demolished at the end of the war.

November - Beach Races

to Combo Waterhole and the Blue Heeler

Hotel which both hold strong historical ties

to Banjo Paterson and his famed ‘Waltzing

Matilda’ poem, and McKinlay is home of the

Walkabout Creek Hotel made famous by the

Crocodile Dundee films.

As you will soon find out, Julia Creek and

the McKinlay Shire have a wide array of

activities and attractions to suit all needs

and there is enough to keep you occupied

for a few days. If you are also able to time

your travel, you may also be able to stumble

across some of the area’s most famed

events. Naturally, the Dirt N Dust Festival

is high on many people’s bucket-lists, but

the region also hosts iconic local events

including the Julia Creek Turf Club Artesian

Express Raceday, Julia Creek Campdraft,

McKinlay Races, Saxby Round-Up (rodeo

and campdraft), Sedan Dip Campdraft,

Rodeo and Bush Sprints and Town vs

Country Rugby League and Netball. Be sure

to keep an eye on McKinlay Shire Council

social media channels to plan your trip to

experience true blue outback events.


95

While in Julia Creek, don’t pass up the opportunity to have a go on the new water slides, or

for those who like to keep fit, you can do some laps of the pool. Entry is free if you are a guest

at the Julia Creek Caravan Park.

McKinlay Shire is also encapsulated by three surrounding townships each with their own

special pieces of history and place within the community. Nelia, McKinkay and Kynuna are

all within an approximate 100 kilometre radius of Julia Creek and make the perfect daytrip

destination. Nelia is home to the world’s largest brolga sculptures, Kynuna is home

The Water Tower

HUGHENDEN

A MATILDA BYWAY

OUTBACK TOWN, ENDLESS HORIZONS

The Pyramid, Porcupine Gorge National Park

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96

Long, long ago, terrestrial dinosaurs thrived here in a lush environment alongside a vast prehistoric

inland sea which was once the underwater home to many great marine reptiles. Today,

Hughenden honours—in ways both fun and serious—the memory of those creatures, great and

small. You’ll see them in the street, at the local museum and as works of art throughout the

town itself.

While in town, be sure to stop in at Hughenden Spar supermarket, one of the largest Spar in

Queensland. In 2016 the store won the General Merchandise Department of the Year as well

as the Best Store of the Year. There’s plenty of travelling gear in store, including butane gas

and gas barbecues. The store is open Monday to Fridays, 8:30am to 5:30pm, and Saturdays

8:30am to 12pm. With a large car park, there is ample room to park your caravan or motorhome.

The must-see attraction in the Flinders Shire is Porcupine Gorge. Five hundred million years

in the making and half a day to discover. The drive to the gorge is all bitumen and can be

accessed by all vehicle types. Be sure to pick up a drive guide to the Gorge from the Discovery

Centre which highlights points of interest on the drive out. Porcupine Gorge National Park has

a clear, fl owing creek, towering cliffs of vibrantly coloured sandstone and dense vegetation. The

gorge, which extends for more than 38km along Porcupine Creek, provides a striking contrast

to the surrounding sparsely wooded, dry, fl at plains. Hundreds of millions of years of geological

history show in the strata of sedimentary rocks and basalt that have been carved away over

millennia to form this impressive canyon.

The Gorge can be appreciated from two distinct areas. The fi rst point is a lookout giving a

view deep into the gorge below. The second is a National Park campsite area. From here, the

walking track takes visitors to the base of the gorge where the Pyramid formation is a prominent

feature. Intermittent waterholes line the base of the gorge, which makes it great for a swim! The

Porcupine Gorge National Park offers camping, birdwatching, swimming, bush walking/hiking,

opportunities for nature and landscape photography and a diverse range of fl ora and fauna.

Don’t forget to stop off at the Eagle Hawk Gorge Lookout, where you can see the southern start

of the Porcupine Creek Gorge.

The remote Moorrinya National Park protects 18 land types in one of Australia’s most

important water catchments, the Lake Eyre Basin. Here, the dry, fl at plains are criss-crossed

by watercourses and covered in woodlands and grasslands. The Park is a wildlife refuge for

Australia’s native animals, as well as threatened species such as the square-tailed kite and

Julia Creek Dunnart.

Camping sites can be booked online at www.

qld.gov.au or at the Flinders Discovery

Centre, Hughenden. Campers must book

before arrival at any of the National Parks in

QLD.

Travelling south of Prairie brings you to an

oasis in the desert. Kooroorinya Nature

Reserve is a spectacular waterfall during

the wetter months of the year and retains a

secluded billabong during the drier months.

Kooroorinya offers swimming, fi shing, bush

walking, bird watching and some excellent

photographic opportunities. Camping sites

offer modern toilet facilities, hot showers and

wood fi red barbecue. Visitors can book by

contacting the caretakers on (07) 4741 7460.

Just 10km south on the Muttaburra Road of

Hughenden is Mount Walker, which has six

lookouts scanning the district’s landscape

360 degree views. Its name is a little piece

of history, as William Landsborough named

the landmark after fellow explorer Frederick

Walker. Sunrises and sunsets on Mount

Walker are beautiful. Picnic tables and

shelters, free barbecues and public amenities

are available at the top. The road is sealed

to the top but there is a 16 per cent incline

so the road is not recommended for large

vehicles like motorhomes, buses, caravans

or campers.

DINING OUT ON THE TOWN

Eating is unarguably one of the pleasures of life … especially when

someone else does the cooking! Whether it’s a burger with chips,

Chinese fare or a juicy steak, you’ll fi nd something to suit your

taste at Hughenden.

Friendly Service and Great Food at Cheng’s Chinese

Lunch and dinner are available seven days at Cheng’s Chin ese

Restaurant in Brodie Street. You can bring your own wine or beer

or buy non-alcoholic drinks at the restaurant. A sit-down meal is a

pleasant experience or you can order takeaway.

Ornaments at Chengs Chinese Restaurant

Good Food and Cosy Accommodation at the Western

The Royal Hotel

Try Your Hand at Pool at the Royal

Have you ever played pool on a round table? Well, even if you’re

not a keen pool player you might want to try the table in the main

bar at the Royal Hotel in Hughenden—simply to be able to say

you’ve done it. Just don’t expect any corner pockets! Meals are

available, but it is best to check ahead if you plan on dining in at the

Royal Hotel during your stay due to the uncertainty of COVID-19. If

you like a bit of a fl utter, the Royal also has TAB facilities, Keno and

gaming. Separate motel accommodation is offered at the complex,

with three self-contained rooms, family rooms, single rooms, twin

rooms and a three bedroom cottage which sleeps up to eight. All

rooms have an en-suite, TV, tea and coffee making facilities, bar

fridge, microwave and air-conditioning. Free Wi-Fi is available in

the bar area.

The original building where the Great Western Hotel stands was

built in 1877 as a two-fl oor hotel. A fi re completely destroyed the

top storey in 1976, with the bottom fl oor able to be renovated.

The hotel has eight self-contained cabins and free Wi-Fi and

all rooms have an en-suite, TV, tea and coffee facilities and airconditioning,

with some rooms having a microwave. Relax on the

verandah with a chilled drink, or have a game of pool on one of the

two pool tables. Lunch and dinner is available during the week,

Monday to Saturday, with a good range of meals on the menu -

pasta, schnitzels, risottos, salads, pizza, fi sh of the day and more,

including meals for the kids. It is currently recommended to check

on the availability of meals before your arrival as the days may

change due to COVID-19.

Great Western Hotel

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE

// Hughenden

97

CHILLAGOE

A MATILDA BYWAY

EXPLORE THE HIDDEN WORLDS OF CHILLAGOE

GETTING TO CHILLAGOE

It looks like the land of the hobbits, was

Chillagoe is a real outback town with a variety

Chillagoe is 215km from Cairns,

once a thriving mining town and is home to

of historic and geological attractions and

via Mareeba, along the Burke

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Chillagoe

magnifi cent limestone caves and ancient

Aboriginal rock art. This is Chillagoe - claimed

by scientists to have the most diverse geology

in the world.

Situated 140km west of Mareeba, Chillagoe

was named after William Atherton’s (of

Tablelands fame) pastoral property and comes

from an old sea shanty: ‘ikey, crikey, psyke,

mikey, chillagoe, wallabadorie’. It’s fi tting that

this playful line inspired the name of a town

in the midst of this savannah landscape,

dotted with massive limestone towers and

striking limestone karsts. With the discovery

of copper in the late nineteenth century, a

large smelting plant was opened in Chillagoe

in 1901, remaining in production for 40 or so

years. The chimneys still stand, adding to the

mystique of this surreal landscape.

abundant wildlife. It’s easily accessed via the

Wheelbarrow Way from Mareeba, so called to

honour the gold mining pioneers who trudged

out this way with all their worldly goods

packed into a wheelbarrow. An annual foot

race with wheelbarrows on this road between

Chillagoe and Mareeba commemorates the

‘wheelbarrow pioneers’ each May. A metal

sculpture of a man with a wheelbarrow is an

eye-catching and fi tting town tribute to these

hardy souls.

There is much to see in and around Chillagoe,

so it’s worth planning to stay for more than one

night. Visit the Chilllagoe Visitor Information

and Interpretive Centre, known as ‘The Hub’

to fi nd out what to see and where to stay.

Don’t leave town without exploring the

Chillagoe Smelters, a fascinating, wellpreserved

ruin with a drive-around museum

complete with interpretive storyboards. Follow

the walking tracks and take advantage of the

viewing areas with informative plaques to

appreciate this unique heritage site. Be sure

to stay within the visitor’s area. Old tanks and

pits make the site unstable and there are

contaminants, including asbestos, present.

Developmental Road. There are some

unsealed sections on the last 32km,

but it is suitable for 2WDs. It’s a 130km

trip from Herberton via the Herberton-

Petford Road and Burke Developmental

Road. While there are some unsealed

sections, it is suitable for 2WDs. The

200km from Undara via a mostly

unsealed road is recommended for

4WDs only.

Or why not sit back and let someone else

do the driving? The Savannahlander

from Cairns will get you to Chillagoe for

cave tours and an overnight stay. This

iconic train departs Cairns early on

Wednesday mornings.

Those taking the cave tours leave the

train on Wednesday after lunch to be

bussed to the Chillagoe-Mungana

Caves and then to Chillagoe for the night

before rejoining the train for more sightseeing

on Thursday morning. Travel in

style while enjoying the scenery and the

many attractions visited each day at a

leisurely (and indulgent!) pace in this

classic 1960 rail motor.

Go to www.savannahlander.com.au for

tour information and prices.

98

CHILLAGOE-MUNGANA CAVES—TOURING DOWN UNDER(GROUND)!

Image from 2018 - V29 Guided tour with couple

Chillagoe Caves offers an experience that has been millions of years in the making. The

Chillagoe area is rich in geological wonders, both above and below ground. Visitors can tour

spectacular cave systems, where you can let your imagination run wild as you learn about the

caves’ formation over millenia. Chillagoe is limestone country. The limestone was formed from

an ancient coral reef that thrived in the area 400 million years ago, when it was a shallow sea.

The limestone was folded and tilted by major earth movements. Over a long period of time, the

limestone was sculpted by water erosion to form a landscape dotted with tall karsts (outcrops)

above ground, and extensive cave systems below. This remarkable limestone landscape is

protected within the Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park, close to the Chillagoe township.

Of the many limestone caves in the area, six are open to the public—three caves are accessible

on a Ranger-guided tour and another three caves are open for self-guided exploration. All

caves are graded for degree of diffi culty, ranging from ‘easy’ to ‘diffi cult’. Knowledgeable Park

Rangers are passionate about sharing the magnifi cence of the caves they help you explore.

Daily tours kick off at 9:00am with a one-hour tour of Donna Cave where you will discover

magical columns and sparkling crystals in the illuminated hidden world. Access to Donna Cave

is steep and this tour is graded as ‘moderate’.

If properly equipped, you can explore the

Archways, Bauhinia and Pompeii caves

without a guide. The Archways is a semiopen

cave system and graded ‘easy’.

Bauhinia and Pompeii caves however are

graded ‘diffi cult’: you need a high level of

fi tness and experience to visit these caves.

If you plan to visit a self-guided cave, go with

another person, carry two torches and wear

sturdy footwear. Check with the Hub before

venturing out and tell someone of your plans.

While you’re exploring Chillagoe, take the

440m walk to the spectacular limestone outcrop

known as Balancing Rock, and make

sure you see the Wullumba art site nearby.

Tours are open nearly all year round. For

more information and to book your Chillagoe

cave tour, visit the Hub or phone (07) 4094

7111. Choose from a single tour or a two or

three cave tour packages. Family packages

are also available.

The 45-minute guided tour of the Trezkinn Cave begins at 11:00am. Considered by Rangers to

be the most strikingly beautiful, Trezkinn is also graded ‘moderate’ because of the steep access.

Once inside, exploration is made easy with a steel catwalk encircling the limestone mass. Spot

lighting helps you discover the mysterious secrets of this underground world, including the

‘chandelier’, a spectacular cluster of stalactites.

Exploring a cave without electric lighting provides an entirely different experience. A guided tour

of Royal Arch leads you through a labyrinth of passages and high caverns using the torches

supplied. You’ll catch glimpses of darting bats, identify ancient marine fossils and marvel at

limestone formations. Three daylight chambers add ventilation and light. With a grading of

‘easy’ to ‘moderate’, this is the most suitable cave for those with mobility diffi culties.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Chillagoe

99

SAVANNAH WAY ART TRAIL

The Gulf Savannah region of North Queensland reaches west from

the Atherton Tablelands to the Northern Territory border. The Savannah

Way Art Trail runs through this region with artworks in the towns of

Georgetown, Croydon, Karumba, Normanton and Doomadgee.

In January 2019, Arts Queensland and the Regional Arts Services Network

worked with Doomadgee, Etheridge, Croydon, Carpentaria and

Burke Shire Councils on the development of a cohesive series of largescale

feature artworks.

Through a collaborative and consultative process driven by councils,

residents and arts communities, each Shire determined a narrative that

represents its unique local identity. These are reflected in public art installations

and curated to connect the towns in the telling of a regional

story.

Kapok - Georgetown

“Inspiration for the art is drawn from the Kapok flower identified as

a significant plant species and considered to be Georgetown’s floral

emblem.

Granite boulders also indicative of local landscape will be incorporated

into the design as Kapok trees appear to grow out of the granite

boulders.

We acknowledge Traditional Owner David Hudson for his contribution

of design elements for the sculptural work. Five granite boulders

arranged in a circle represent the elements Air, Fire, Water, Earth with

the fifth rock representing the Spirit of Humanity.” - Manning Daly Art.

In 2021, CQ University secured partnership investment through the Regional

Arts Services Network to project manage the Art Trail project and

engage a lead artist to develop the five large scale public artworks.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Mt Surprise

The development and production of the project has involved a collaborative

and consultative process between local councils, traditional owners,

residents, members of local arts communities and the lead artists

on the project, Manning Daly Art.

Local First Nations artists were invited to contribute surface designs to

the sculptures in Croydon and Doomadgee. Siyesha Douglas, Krystal

Spencer and Kelly Barclay worked with Manning Daly Art to contribute

designs of cultural significance to the sculptures.

100

Returning Boomerang - Croydon

Locals have said that Tagalaka land has always been a meeting place –

a place visited and returned to, over and over again. People from neighbouring

Indigenous nations would visit sites on the land to perform traditional

ceremonies, rituals, and initiations. The boomerang represents

this cyclical departure and return to Tagalaka lands and landscape. It

communicates the history of the Tagalaka people, and the connection

to Country that compels them to return.

Community members described the significant immigration that characterised

Croydon throughout the gold rush of the 1880s, and a strong

desire to acknowledge the contribution that First Nations People, Chinese

and South-East Asian migrants, and women, made and continue

to make to Croydon’s past, present and future. The Returning Boomerang

sculpture functions as a beacon for these ‘hidden groups’ – the

cultures that underpin Croydon’s history and shape its future, but have

previously not been recognised through works of public art.

Dancing Brolgas - Karumba

The floodplains of the Gulf of Carpentaria offer a fascinating event of

musical symphony and dance. Brolgas take centre stage in a duet

which expresses and reinforces their commitment to each other. The

scene depicted in the sculpture is a courtship display marked by graceful

leaps, bowing, spreading of wings, and circling.

The accompanying music includes trumpeting, wing beats, feather rustling

and beak snapping. As time passes a couple’s song and dance

becomes more intricate and synchronised. The display signifies bonding

and showcases vigour to rival pairs.

Dirriwalda - Doomadgee

Carpentaria Lily Wetlands - Normanton

Just a short walk from the Visitor Information Centre and sculpture you

will find the Mutton Hole Wetlands Conservation Park which is home

to an array of waterbirds and a breeding ground for crocodiles. Here,

visitors can enjoy this magnificent natural environment and the species

that were the inspiration for the Normanton artistic composition. Simply

follow the walking tracks through the seasonal wetlands to view the

Normanton Waterlily and Magpie Geese throughout summer months.

The Normanton lily is as resilient as the people who live in the region

and has a unique ability to flower 24 hours a day for up to nine days.

Amongst the lilies you will find intricate floating rafts, made of woven

grass, created by the Magpie Geese to house their developing eggs

during the wet season.

Doomadgee is an Aboriginal community located on the traditional lands

of the Wanyi peoples. The Nicholson River is a prominent natural feature

within both Doomadgee Shire and the traditional lands of the Gangalidda,

Gadrawa and Waanyi peoples who live in and around the Shire

borders.

The waters of the Nicholson provide a vital source of food and livelihood

for the people of Doomadgee – both Traditional Owners and non-Indigenous

residents – and is home to a diverse array of fish and aquatic

wildlife.

The Dirriwalda Janjarrawa, or Black and White-Striped bait fish, native

to the Doomadgee Shire region and common to all local Traditional

Owner groups, was identified by the community as a significant species.

Locals talk of how the Dirriwalda is the first fish that children learn

to fish, the little fish that helps you catch the bigger fish, and is also used

as a traditional natural medicine..

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Mr Surprise

101

MT SURPRISE

A MATILDA BYWAY

MT SURPRISE LIVES UP TO ITS NAME

The sculpture in town signifi es

the history of the town when the

railway line was established back

in 1911. The miner represents

the discovery and mining of tin

at the O’Briens Creek area and

the subsequent discovery of rich

topaz gemstone fi elds that had

formed among the tin deposits.

The cockatoo represents the

fl ocks of black cockatoos known to

frequent the region.

Mt Surprise was named when a loud pioneer party surprised a group

of Aboriginal people who were resting at the base of the mountain in

1864. Ever since, Mount Surprise has been surprising and delighting

visitors with its wealth of history, gems, natural beauty and unusual

landscape.

Proximity to the immense Undara lava fi eld and O’Brien’s Creek

gemfi elds make Mt Surprise a popular stopover for tourists. Explore

the lava caves in Undara National Park or try your luck fossicking for

topaz, quartz and aquamarine. It’s also a stop for one of Australia’s

great rail experiences - the weekly Savannahlander train running from

Cairns to Forsayth and return.

In town, see military airstrips from WWII and visit the railway station

display. Look for the heritage signs around town. Don’t miss the Anzac

Memorial - a pink granite rock - in the community park.

With a fully fenced playground in the park, Mt Surprise makes the perfect

place for lunch or for a rest while passing through on to your next

destination. The children can expend their energy in the shaded playground

while you soak up the country atmosphere or cook up a meal

on the barbecue. With the service station just across the road, you can

quickly duck across for some cold drinks. If you are lucky, you might

see the Savannahlander pull up while you are at the park.

While in Mt Surprise, relax by Elizabeth Creek and enjoy the soothing

sound of the water fl owing while admiring the basalt formation of this

local swimming hole – it’s a great way to cool down, unwind and watch

the glorious sunset.

GEMS AND MINERALS, BIRDS AND MINIATURE HORSES

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Mt Surprise

See a fascinating and diverse range of minerals and gems, birds and miniature horses at the

Mt Surprise Tourist Van Park and Motel. The licensed café/restaurant serves freshly ground

Tablelands coffee, with dine-in or takeaway

available. There is a range of accommodation

to cater for all needs, from air-conditioned

cabins with shared facilities, en-suite motel

rooms, powered caravan sites and shady,

grassy camping spots. Barbecue areas are

dotted throughout the park, cook up a delicious

breakfast or enjoy a barbecue in the

cool of the evening. With a pool and spa set

in a tropical enclosed area, you can cool off

and relax, soaking any troubles away.

102

GEORGETOWN

A MATILDA BYWAY

NATURAL BEAUTY IS THE TRUE WEALTH OF THIS REGION

Gold fever once gripped this land and while it’s true that people

still fi nd gold here, the real wealth of this region is its many natural

beauties. So come and Unearth Etheridge for yourself!

Gold was discovered at the Gilberton Gold Field, but it was quickly

replaced by other goldfi elds. The town of Georgetown was fi rst

settled in 1870 and was then named Etheridge. The shire—which

retains the town’s original name—also features spectacular

gorges, golden savannah lands, Cobb and Co history and railway

lines which are unique in the world.

Georgetown is the administrative centre of this fascinating shire

and is accessible along the fully sealed Gulf Development Road,

known as the Savannah Way. A major attraction is the TerrEstrial,

which incorporates the Ted Elliott Mineral Collection, a fully

accredited tourist information centre, library, Centrelink access

point and home to the newly completed Unearth Etheridge

display, an interactive and informative tribute to the brave women

and men who have made this part of the world the vibrant place it

is today. It is open from 8.30am to 4.00pm seven days from April

to September (Monday to Friday other months). The TerrEstrial

Centre has won a number of awards since its inception and should

be your fi rst stop in Georgetown. The whole complex is of interest

and is a cool 24 degrees all year round!

The Ted Elliott Mineral Collection is considered the most

comprehensive privately owned collection in Australia and has

more than 4500 specimens. It is presented in nine themed rooms

including one on the Etheridge region featuring agates from Agate

Creek and topaz from Mount Surprise. There are also displays

of gold and precious minerals, fl uorescent minerals, overseas

minerals and a room showing how minerals can be polished to

great effect in the display named ‘Rough to Smooth’.

Visit the Georgetown Peace Monument garden behind the

TerrEstrial, dedicated to the champions of world peace, including

Dr Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, Eddie

Mabo, Helen Caldicott, and Julian Burnside.

Places of historical interest in town include Savannah House,

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Georgetown

103

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Georgetown

originally a residence for the mining warden of the district. In Greens

Park on the eastern entrance to town is Nugent’s Battery, a five-head

stamp battery. The Etheridge Shire Hall, in St George Street, dates

back to 1908. Don’t miss seeing the Ant Bed House, the heritage

listed adobe residence, rare for its use of antbed instead of mud.

Visit the newly completed Charleston Dam. Access is off Cemetery

Road between Georgetown and Forsayth. There is day visitation

only (no camping allowed), there are toilets, barbecues and picnic

shelter on site. Allowable activities include swimming, fishing and

boating.

While in the region, visit the remnants of Cumberland Mine about

20km west of Georgetown. A chimney stands as a lone relic from

the gold crushing plant that was built by Cornish miners. Next to

the Cumberland Chimney is Cumberland Dam, a popular watering

spot for birds, both local and migratory, with over 140 bird species

sighted here, including the rainbow bee eater, Gouldian finch, blackthroated

finch and comb-crested jacana. Bird signage aids visitors

in the identification of birds they see.

Cumberland chimney

If prospecting is your thing, less than an hour from town you will

find Flat Creek and Western Creek Stations, although you need

to check with the TerrEstrial Centre for information regarding

regulations and licensing requirements, along with a list of other

properties available for fossicking. You can acquire a fossicking

permit via the Queensland Government webpage.

courts and an air-conditioned gym. There is also a free entry pool in

Greens Park (you need to pick up a token for the gate from TerrEstrial

and most of the businesses in town) and Heritage Park with free

electric barbecues, shaded tables and children’s playground.

With so many attractions in and around Georgetown, it’s well worth

spending some time here.

To help plan your trip to the Etheridge region, visit

www.unearthetheridge.com.au, your one stop shop with all the

information you could possibly need at your fingertips. The website

provides information on events (Bush Race meetings, Rodeos,

Campdrafts and the famous Bushman’s Ball) and attractions

in Georgetown, Mt Surprise, Forsayth, Einasleigh and other

settlements in the shire. There is certainly plenty to see and do

in the region, visiting the famous Undara Lava Tubes, Cobbold

Gorge, Talaroo Hot Springs, Copperfield Gorge, fossicking for gems

and/or gold, National Parks, a short trip on the Savannahlander

and more relaxing days viewing displays of mineral collections

and the Unearth Etheridge display. You will also find details on

accommodation, camping and links to tourism operators are also

provided. So jump online to make the most of your visit, you may be

pleasantly surprised at some of the information you find!

Something to be aware of is there is only Telstra phone coverage

and there are no chemists in the Etheridge Shire - the closest being

Ravenshoe, Charters Towers and Normanton.

104

Among the designated fossicking areas in the region are Agate

Creek, O’Brien’s Creek and Moonstone Hill Resources Reserve.

Agate Creek is famous for its world class agates in beautiful colours.

At O’Brien’s Creek, fossick for topaz, citrine, beryl and aquamarines.

At Moonstone Hill you will find moonstone.

On the western edge of town is Burton Park, which is home to the

Kapok Pod art sculpture and is Georgetown’s contribution to the

Savannah Art Trail..

Georgetown’s facilities include a golf course, a sports complex with

a multi-court for tennis and hoop games, a bowling green, squash

FORSAYTH

A MATILDA BYWAY

A FOSSICKER’S DELIGHT

Agate Creek Camping Ground, nestled among the trees by the creek,

is the perfect place to relax and unwind and forget about the stresses

of modern-day life. Out in nature and surrounded by wildlife and the

unique scenery, here you will still fi nd the basic facilities available to

make your camping experience a truly enjoyable one. While there

is no power, there are septic toilets, showers and drinking water,

which is supplied by a bore. The enchanting ‘Lake Louise’ is also

available for the enjoyment of the campers for picnicking, swimming

or kayaking, however no powerboats are permitted.

The area is world renowned for agates of superb colours and

patterns and is very popular with fossickers, some staying for weeks

and even months. Along with agates, thunder eggs, quartz, citrine

and amethyst crystal can also be found in the area. There is a

designated gemfi eld at Agate Creek and you still are able to fi nd

agates in the creek and even just lying on the ground - children will

love searching for them! If you wish to fossick for agates, make

sure you purchase a fossickers licence at Georgetown or online at

www.qld.gov.au before arriving at Agate Creek. There are a number

of tracks throughout the fossicking fi eld if you wish to explore the

area more, where you will be able to view some amazing sandstone

formations, or you may even come across some brumbies!

Agate Creek Camping Ground is approximately 70km south from

Forsayth, which is the nearest town, so make sure you bring plenty

of supplies. The site is well signposted and is on the same road that

goes to Cobbold Gorge. The camping ground is open all year round

weather permitting, with access by gravel road, so if there has been

any rain it is advisable to call David and Dot to make sure that the

road is still accessible.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Forsayth

105

CROYDON

A MATILDA BYWAY

Heritage Precinct

HERITAGE CAPITAL OF THE GULF WITH A GOLDEN HISTORY

A spectacular Outback Sunset fi lls the

sky with pinks and purples. Old-fashioned

streetlamps fl icker on. Feature lighting

illuminates the beauty of Croydon’s lovingly

maintained heritage buildings. Galahs

chatter, mixing with voices of locals, as a

warm and welcoming glow spills from the

pub.

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Croydon

Croydon is a small town on the Savannah

Way where you can experience things you’ll

remember forever.

In the late 19th century Croydon was a

bustling town feeding the hustle of dozens of

mines. 23,675 kilograms of gold came from

these fi elds over 35 years. The community

included one of the largest settlements of

Chinese immigrants anywhere in Australia.

Learn about this history at the Visitor

Information Centre, home to museum

displays sharing stories of Croydon and its

people. In the centre’s garden you can visit

replica miners’ cottages and imagine what

life under those corrugated iron roofs was

like. Inspect old mining equipment, vintage

cars, and A10 locomotives.

All heritage buildings are open and free to

visit. You’ll fi nd displays, historic artefacts,

and, in the courthouse, listen to a recreation

of a 1902 trial. The courthouse is more

than 125 years old and while it hasn’t been

Lake Belmore

in session since 1926, the courtroom retains its furniture, including the judge’s bench,

defendant’s box, witness stand and jury bench. Explore the police station and gaol taking

care not to wake the prisoner.

Riding the Gulfl ander train is unforgettable. Running from Normanton every Wednesday, it

stays overnight in Croydon before returning in the morning. Experience a historic journey

through Savannah country following the gold strike route. In peak tourist season the Golden

Sunset Tour departs Croydon at 5 pm, stopping at Golden Gate Railway siding for a meal

before returning to town.

If you feel overdue for a bit of sport or exercise, Croydon has much to offer with a swimming

pool, tennis courts, bowls green, 9-hole golf course, and an asphalt pump track. There are

kilometres of gravel tracks and roads to be explored on foot or bicycle and Lake Belmore, 4km

from Croydon, is a great spot for fi shing, boating and a barbeque. For the birdwatchers, there

is a hide located along the lakeside for spying on a wide variety of bird life.

On the way to Belmore explore ruins of a Chinese Temple and take in an expansive view from

Diehm’s Lookout.

A Freedom Camping area is lcoated near town (register and donate at the Visitor Information

Centre, forms and an out of hours drop box available).

106

HISTORICAL CROYDON PUB

If you’re looking for a good meal, served with a passion for freshness,

the Croydon Club Hotel offers an extensive and inviting menu for

breakfast, lunch and dinner. A full hot breakfast or continental breakfast

is available 7.00am to 9.00am on Thursday mornings, so if you’re

planning to catch the Savannahlander for the return trip, you can enjoy

a hearty breakfast before departing at 8.00am.

For lunch and dinner, be tempted by either Gulf-caught Spanish

Mackerel or Barra, or locally sourced rib fi llet or rump steaks. All

mains are served with your choice of chips and salad or vegetables.

There’s a good variety of menu options for lunch, including toasties,

wraps, burgers and seafood basket. Have a refreshing ice cold beer

or two at the Poddy Dodger Bar and have a yarn with the locals, you

will probably hear an interesting story or two!

There is also a variety of souvenirs available as a reminder of your

visit to the area, with the famous Poddy Dodgers t-shirt, mugs, magnets

and more to choose from.

The Club Hotel has accommodation options to suit all needs, including

newly renovated self-contained units and double or twin motelstyle

rooms with shared facilities. For more information and bookings,

go to http://www.croydonclubhotel.com.au/.

MORE THAN JUST A ROADHOUSE

The Gulf Gate Roadhouse, open seven days a week from 7am to 7pm, not only provides

great, friendly service, but great food as well. For lunch and dinner, options include burgers,

steak and salad and lamb chops, with ice cold drinks available to refresh yourself. The roadhouse

has diesel, unleaded, oils, swap and go gas, a post offi ce, mini mart, tyres, car batteries

and also operates as a Trans North bus agent.

Accommodation at the roadhouse consists of donga style rooms, all with en suites, tv, bar

fridge, air-conditioning and tea and coffee.

A range of souvenirs are available to remember your trip by, including shirts, magnets and

mugs, so don’t forget to have a browse while you are there.

TWO GREAT PLACES TO VISIT IN CROYDON

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Croydon

107

NORMANTON

ON THE MATILDA WAY

FROM BUSY PORT TO BARRAMUNDI CAPITAL

Established in 1867 on the Norman River, Normanton became an important port which,

according to some, rivalled Darwin in its day. With the discovery of gold at Croydon, the port of

Normanton boomed and, even today, remains the terminus of the historic Normanton to Croydon

Railway. It is the second oldest town in the Gulf and is the government and administrative

centre for the Carpentaria Shire, which stretches from the Mitchell River in the east to the

Leichhardt River in the west.

First stop for visitors should be the Burns Philp Building at the northern end of town, a

reminder of the glory days of the port at Normanton. The building houses the Normanton Visitor

Information Centre and Library where you can browse through the interesting displays. Pick up

a town map and discover the history of Normanton as you view 30 well–preserved historical

sites including the Normanton Railway Station, complete with a museum, original rolling stock

and the famous Gulfl ander which still travels the line between Normanton and Croydon. The

Burns Philp Building was constructed in 1879 and still has its original strongroom and safe.

While on your walk, see the handsome two-storey Carpentaria Shire Council chambers, learn

some of the history of the river and Aboriginal burial grounds then visit the lookout, Normanton

Hospital, Mrs Loy’s, the school, general store, aerodrome and TAFE. Visit the old wharf where

some original sections still stand. The boat ramp dates back to the 1880s when a winch punt

was used for river crossings.

Today many people regard Normanton as

the ‘Barramundi Capital’ of Australia. If you

enjoy fi shing, there is a jetty next to the boat

ramp or there is a fi shing bridge over the river,

with barbecue facilities nearby. It is highly

recommended that you get advice on where

to fi sh and take every precaution possible, as

this area is home to the dangerous saltwater

crocodile.

For an information pack about the region,

phone (07) 4747 8444 or send your request

to the Visitor Information Centre by email at

tourism@carpentaria.qld.gov.au.

Normanton Railway Station

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Normanton

108

INDIGENOUS STOCK WORKERS, RODEO RIDERS AND STOCK WOMEN’S DISPLAYS

The Normanton Visitor Information Centre includes three displays work on this display has been internationally recognised, being

commissioned to capture and recognise the contribution, resilience, awarded fi rst prize in the Taylor Wessing Photography Portrait

spirit and sheer hard work of the Indigenous men and women that Prize 2021 in the United Kingdom.

played a vital role in establishing the cattle industry in the Gulf

Region. The displays include:

• Indigenous Stockmen: featuring the names and stories of local

stockmen from the Gulf of Carpentaria

• Indigenous Rodeo Riders Exhibition: featuring cattlemen who

followed the rodeo circuits with accompanying poems by local

author Ian McIntosh depicting life in the rodeo arena

• Working on Cattle Stations: Aboriginal Women’s Stories, featuring

portraits from Australian photographer David Prichard, whose

NORMANTON’S GOLDEN GIRL

At the Top Servo you could easily fi nd yourself

being served by an Aussie sports heroine.

Diane Reeves, winner of a Commonwealth

Games gold medal for trap shooting is one of

the owners of this ‘top’ business.

Nowadays Diane contents herself with club

shoots, and if you’re a trap shooter, you can

also enjoy the friendly company at the local

club’s trap shooting competition on May 27

and 28. There’s always a campoven dinner on

the Saturday night, followed by entertainment.

Most people shoot, then spend the rest of the

week fi shing and sightseeing. So if you’re a

trap shooter, defi nitely plan to be in Normanton

for the comp.

The service station offers 24-hour diesel,

ULP95 and unleaded 91 (Outdoor Payment

Terminal - card machine when fuel offi ce is

closed) and has a fully equipped workshop.

Along with log book servicing, repairs,

wheel alignments, air conditioning servicing,

windscreens and tyres (new and repairs)

you can also buy batteries, spare parts and

accessories. The service station has become

a family business with Diane’s son, Dean,

joining the team as the lead mechanic.

ENJOY DIVERSITY AT MUTTON HOLE WETLANDS

With its diverse and complex habitats, freshwater and estuarine wetlands, the Mutton Hole

Wetlands Conservation Park offers fabulous wildlife observation opportunities. The park has

an outstanding array of waterbirds and is a breeding ground for crocodiles.

Eleven internationally recognised conservation signifi cant bird species have been recorded in

the area. The wetlands covers 7860ha and is the largest continuous wetland area in Northern

Queensland. Part of the wetlands is visible from the road between Normanton and Karumba

and birds provide a magnifi cent spectacle as you pass. There’s a stopping bay with a telescope

for longer, more detailed viewing. Brolgas and Sarus Cranes are a common and spectacular

sight as they graze on the mud and weeds, seemingly unconcerned by the traffi c on the highway

not ten metres away. After extensive fl ooding during the wet season, the shallow water attracts

a menagerie of birds and you’ll often fi nd masses of gorgeous water lillies that seem to hover

above the surface of the water ... not to be mistaken for birds!

Turn off the highway about 1.5km from John Whyte bridge and a few hundred metres down the

track you’ll come to a large waterhole. Leave your vehicle in the carpark and walk to see more

of the waterholes. The whole area is a natural waterway for wild life which is a joy to experience,

but be mindful that this is crocodile breeding territory - so be croc wise. Do not enter the water!

You cannot enter this area while towing, so leave your caravan or camper-trailer in town.


109

TAKE A TRIP ON THE GULFLANDER

Victorian architecture, nostalgic rail travel on one of Australia’s most

famous little rail motors and a railway line that has its own place in

the history books make the Normanton Railway Station one of the

most loved attractions in town.

RM93, known as the Gulflander, pulls out of the Normanton Railway

Station every Wednesday at 8.30am to travel along the most original

railway line in the world. The trip from Normanton to Croydon is rich

in Gulf landscape and the area’s past. It takes four to five hours to

travel between Normanton and Croydon the old-fashioned way. On

this route, you travel over the historic line and its famous submersible

hollow-based, mud-filled steel sleepers created more than 125

years ago by George Phillips, engineer in charge of the design and

construction of the Normanton Railway. Even if you don’t have time

to do the full Normanton-Croydon trip, charters run regularly for a

shorter nostalgic rail experience.

The grand old Normanton Railway Station is an attraction in itself. It

was constructed in 1889 and is still in mint condition. Enjoy a selfguided

walk around the station precinct and museum. Explore the

vintage locomotives, carriages, Heritage-listed buildings and awardwinning

station gardens. Pick up a handy map from the station

and start exploring. Don’t miss the other star attraction, a former

Gulflander known as RM60. It’s been around since 1931! With a

museum, souvenir shop, cafe and a multi-award-winning garden, it’s

well set up for day visitation. Gulflander tour times and information

can be found at www.gulflander.com.au.


THINGS TO DO – NORMANTON AND KARUMBA

Burke and Wills Camp 119 – Follow in the footsteps of the early explorers and visit Camp

119. Listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, this historic site is just 34km from Normanton

travelling along the Normanton-Burketown Road. Here Burke & Wills made their most

northerly camp, which can be identified today by 10 remaining blazed trees, used by the party

to mark buried non-essential supplies.

Normanton and Karumba Heritage Walks – Embark on a journey celebrating the stories

of Normanton and Karumba. Highlights include the Normanton Railway Station, housing the

Gulflander train and a walk through the salt pans of Karumba. Maps are available at the Normanton

and Karumba Visitor Information Centres or online at: www.carpentaria.qld.gov.au.

Krys the ‘Savannah King’ – Normanton is home to a life-sized replica of the largest crocodile

ever caught or killed in Australia. The 8.64m croc was shot in the Norman River in 1957 and

named after Krystyna ‘Krys’ Pawlowski, the country’s first full-time female crocodile hunter.

Mutton Hole Wetlands – located between Normanton and Karumba these seasonal wetlands

are part of the largest continuous wetland in Northern Australia, teeming with a wide

variety of wildlife, including rare migratory birds.

Morning Glory Cloud – this rare meteorological phenomenon is a spectacular display showcasing

a huge roll cloud, typically over 1,000 kilometres long and 1-2 kilometres wide. The

Gulf is one of only two places in the world that this phenomenon regularly occurs and is most

commonly observed between September and November.

Karumba Heritage Walk

Karumba Heritage Walk

Krys the Croc

110

Mutton Hole Wetlands Burke and Wills Camp 119

KARUMBA

ON THE MATILDA WAY

SPECTACULAR SUNSETS

ACROSS THE SEA

Ahhh the serenity… Karumba, a hidden gem in the mouth of the Norman River is home to the only beach accessible by bitumen road where

you can watch the sun sink into the Gulf of Carpentaria. The smell of salt air is a welcome change when you have been inland so long, with

Karumba offering a truly unique ‘Outback by the Sea’ experience.

Amongst the natural treasures on offer are spectacular fi ery sunsets, blazing starlight nights, coastal wetlands teeming with rare migratory

birds and of course barramundi. It is world renowned as ‘Barradise’, a dream come true for those seeking a fi shing adventure.

The waters are teeming with metre plus barramundi, threadfi n salmon and grunter, just to name a few… The friendly charter operators will

take you on the trip of a lifetime under their expert tutorage or you can launch your own boat at Karumba or Karumba Point boat ramps. If

you’re not keen on fi shing, you can have a wonderful time out on the water on a sunset cruise or enjoy a birdwatching and wildlife cruise

along the river.

There is no need to despair if you don’t have saltwater running through your veins, you can experience the wet and wild side of life on land at

the Barramundi Discovery Centre, an Australian Outback Tourism Icon and the only hatchery in the world to breed the genetically distinct

Southern Gulf Barramundi. Whether it is hand feeding, discovering the secrets of the hatchery or enjoying barramundi as a culinary delight,

the Barramundi Discovery Centre has it all.

BARRAMUNDI DISCOVERY CENTRE AND HATCHERY

Discover the amazing secrets of the mighty barramundi. It is the only hatchery to breed

the Southern Gulf strain of Barramundi. General admission is free and includes access

to the interpretive centre, art gallery, theatre, café, gift shop and accredited Visitor

Information Centre, offering plenty of caravan parking.

Book a ‘Feed-A-Barra’ tour to get up close and personal - hand feed metre plus

barramundi in the 10 metre diameter feeding tank.

Or join the “Behind the Scenes Tour”, a comprehensive tour of the hatchery, including

the feeding experience, delivered by an expert guide with access to all areas including

the “Love Shack”.

The knowledgeable and friendly staff are on hand to assist with tour and travel

information, with expert knowledge on both the local and regional attractions, as well

as road conditions.

Barramundi Discovery Centre Cafe

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111

OUTBACK BY THE SEA FESTIVAL

The ‘Outback by the Sea Festival’ is held from 25th to 29th September 2023. Get lost in

the moment in the land of drought and fl ooding rains where the Outback meets the Sea. Join

the festival celebrating the legendary barramundi, live music, arts and crafts. The festival will

kick off with a range of workshops and activities, such as birdwatching, stargazing, ghost net

art workshops and painting sessions, closing with an evening concert. There is something for

everybody... it’s an event not to be missed! Keep up to date with the festival line-up, events

and activities as they are announced on the ‘Outback by the Sea Festival’ Facebook page or

website www.barracentre.com.au.

SUNSETS AND CROC SIGHTINGS


A sunset cruise with The Ferryman is

guaranteed to be relaxing, entertaining and

spectacular.

The Ferryman has been giving people an

introduction to Karumba’s water delights for

more than two decades, catering for various

sized groups and offering daily tours.

The sunset tour has been their signature

cruise for many years. Their Gulf Sunset and

Croc Spotting Cruise departing Karumba

Point at 3.30pm and then departing the

‘bridge pontoon’ at the town boat ramp

Gilbert St at 4pm. The tour takes about

three hours and includes river cruising and

Gulf scenery. In the winter, low tide is in the

early evening … and that’s when you’re most

likely to see crocodiles! The Norman River is

lined with mangroves and alive with wildlife.

And of course the sunset over the Gulf water

is a spectacular part of the cruise. Enjoy

prawns, savouries and a sweet platter and

a fascinating, informative commentary. The

tour runs from Easter to mid October.

Two boats operate, depending on the

occasion—The Ferryman 10m x 4m and the

Ferryman2, a 6m southwind.

Glenn and Allison Newton also offer specialist

birdwatching tours on demand. You could

see white-breasted whistlers, red-headed

honeyeaters, Arafura fantails, broad-billed

fl ycatchers, mangrove gerygone, Brahminy

kites and eagles.

After 16 years of operating the Ferryman,

Glenn and Allison have reluctantly decided

to sell the business, along with the house.

If you think you would love the lifestyle of

the Gulf, then this would create the perfect

opportunity to start a new life!

FUEL, ICE AND MORE

Do more than simply put fuel in your vehicle

when you drop into Cam’s Corner Servo

and Mini Mart, pick up postcards and

souvenirs to prove it to your friends you

have made it to the Gulf.

Stock up on all your groceries and snacks,

cold drinks, bait, ice, everything you need

whether you’re in the Gulf for fi shing,

travelling through or staying for awhile.

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SPOT A CROC OR A JABIRU

. . . OR CRUISE AT SUNSET

Karumba Sand Island Sunset Cruises, operated by Croc and Crab

Cruises Karumba, offer a unique sunset experience. Sunsets in this

part of the country are famous for their beauty, so make sure you

have your camera with you. The cruise begins with a port tour, and

while not specifi cally a croc spotting tour, should any happen to be

seen along the river, the cruise will certainly stop for you to have a

look. Seven kilometres out into the Gulf of Carpentaria you will reach

the Sand Island, Karumba’s best spot for viewing the sunsets. Here

you will disembark, where you have the opportunity to dip your feet

into the waters of the Gulf or enjoy a stroll along the beach before

enjoying fresh cooked local gulf prawns, platters, fruit platters and

drinks. Toast the setting sun with your choice of red or white wine

(bottled), beer, bubbly or soft drink. Enjoy the moment as the sky

changes from gold to glowing red in front of you, and blue to pastel

pink behind you as the sun disappears into the waters of the Gulf.

Karumba Sand Island Sunset Cruises run most evenings from May

to mid September, but bookings are essential as the trips fi ll quickly

during peak season.

Croc and Crab Tours also run their signature cruise, the morning

nature tour. The 3 hour cruise includes a port tour, morning tea, crab

pot pulling, croc spotting and bird watching and feeding. Birds that

you may spot include jabirus, kites and magnifi cent sea eagles. The

morning cruise runs most Tuesdays and Saturdays and other days if

numbers demand. Bookings are essential.

Photos courtesy Ken Nottle Tours


113

RELAX BY THE SEA

Ash’s Holiday Units is ideally located at Karumba Point – where the

Outback really does meet the sea with Savannah grasslands, scrub/

marine plains and mangroves coming together. Walk across the road

to the Gulf coastline where you can enjoy fabulous sunsets and marine

vista’s and the Sunset Tavern, or take a short walk to the Norman

River mouth as it meets the Gulf waters and Karumba Point boat

ramp. Then explore the walking track from Karumba Point to Karumba

town, where you pass through salt/fl ood plains and over mangrove/

marine creeks. Interpretive heritage/history signs are located around

Karumba and Karumba Point. For the location of these signs, pick up

a map from the Karumba Visitor Information Centre.

Ash’s Café is located centrally within the Ash’s Holiday Units and has

an all-day menu including breakfast, lunch, snacks and salads with

gluten free, vegetarian and other options available. The café is popular

for the local fi sh ‘n’ chips (Barramundi being top of the list), along with

burgers, fresh cooked Gulf prawns, coffee, mango and berry smoothies,

soft serve icecreams and sundaes. For large groups, catering is

available. The café carries a large range of souvenirs with many oneof-a-kind

designs. Select from shirts, caps, hats, glassware, stubby

coolers and much more.

The units, cabins and two-bedroom cottage are all self-contained with

air-conditioning, a full-sized refrigerator, full cooking facilities and free

Wi-Fi. The units are open plan and can accommodate up to six people,

with a choice of a queen bed and four singles or six single beds. The

bunk bed in the cabins is perfect for the children, with a double bed

in the main bedroom. These cabins are ideal for the single traveller,

couples or small families.There is a laundry facility on site with three

washing machines and a dryer, room service during kitchen hours, a

swimming pool and a barbecue area with shaded seating.

Ash’s can be your home away from home while you explore, relax and

enjoy a variety activities, from bird watching, walking, croc spotting,

photography, or just getting away from it all.

Ash’s can offer transfers to and from Normanton with prior arrangement

as well as free pickup and drop off at Karumba airport.


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BURKETOWN

A MATILDA BYWAY

EXPERIENCE THE GULF IN ALL ITS GLORY

From the moment you arrive, you get the feeling that Burke Shire is imbued with the spirit of

both the original inhabitants and the intrepid trailblazers. Perhaps it’s the relative isolation

of the area, or the knowledge that the bushland has looked much the same for hundreds,

perhaps thousands, of years.

Burketown is the administrative centre of the Burke Shire which covers 40,000 square

kilometres. The town is 25km from the coastline of the Gulf of Carpentaria and is situated

on the Albert River. It forms the meeting place of wetlands and savannah grasslands. The

wetlands to the north are the breeding grounds of crocodiles, prawns, birds and one of

Australia’s favourite eating fi sh, the barramundi. Fauna of the savannah area include a myriad

of birdlife, marsupials and reptiles. You might even get to see brolgas dancing on the plains

as part of their courting rituals.

To add to the mystique of the area, Burketown is the home of a very rare weather phenomenon,

known as the Morning Glory. Here, on the doorstep of the Gulf of Carpentaria, you could be

lucky enough to see this spectacular cloud formation. And we can virtually guarantee that you

won’t ever have seen anything like it! This unique cloud formation rolls across the sky in a

distinctive tubular shape in spring, reaching up to 1000km in length – and the Burke Shire is

one of only two places in the world where it is known to occur. For years, gliders have surfed

the Morning Glory at every opportunity, taking on the largest dynamic wave in the world.

No wonder it’s on many people’s bucket list and visitors come from all over the world just to

witness this wonder of nature.

The Morning Glory clouds usually appear between September and November ... and, of

course, the weather conditions need to be just right. Locals will tell you that if your stubbie

is dripping with condensation, there’s a northerly blowing and a heavy overnight dew, you

should be in luck. Be sure to rise early so you don’t miss it. The cloud is usually visible

from around 6.00am until about 8.30am. As with all weather phenomena, the Morning Glory

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Burketown

115

Morning Glory cloud formation. Photo courtesy Judy Hawkes

The old artesian bore

Historic machinery at the Information Centre

Artesian bore


cloud’s appearance is unpredictable – but it’s definitely worth staying

longer in the area just to experience this unique event.

If stories of people surfing on clouds give you the notion that this is

a land of adventure, you’d be right! But it’s also a place where you

can relax thoroughly. Many visitors love the lifestyle on the southern

shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria so much that they stay an extra

day or two—after all, what you can’t fit into today, you can always do

tomorrow. Some people enjoy it so much that they stay for months!

Opening hours for the Burketown Visitor Information Centre vary

depending on the time of year. Check out signage on the building

door for times. You’ll also find a contact number to speak to someone

outside of those hours if need be.

Built in 1887, the Information Centre was once the Post and Telegraph

Office. The Centre, operated by Gangalidda and Garawa Services,

carries a large range of brochures, information sheets and mud maps

as well as having some pieces of local Aboriginal art for sale. A ramp

is installed at the side of the building to facilitate accessibility.

.Visit the Burketown Library and browse the range of books, movies

and other media available. Tennis and basketball facilities are also

available here. The Nijinda Durlga (‘Our Place’ in the local Gangalidda

language) Community Hall provides a modern venue for meetings and

functions. Drop into the Burketown Visitor Centre for information on

local attractions and for information on what’s on in Burketown while

you’re here.

Wander around to your heart’s content. Learn some of the history

of the area by visiting some of the older attractions. Colonial Flat

is a significant site in the history of Australia. It is the site of the

116

There are some great photo opportunities on the road between Burketown

and Normanton. Take it easy for this leg of the journey and

really enjoy the outback scenery.

Landsborough Tree and the depot camp which was set up during the

search for missing explorers Burke and Wills. Check out the remnants

of the Queensland Heritage listed Boiling Down Works constructed in

the late 1800s which utilised by-products from the cattle grazing on the

Gulf plains to make canned goods for export. The nearby river is the

final resting place of the brig, Firefly, which was used in the search and

was the first ship ever to have entered the Albert River.

The old town bore is a sight to behold with a century-plus of mineral

deposits built up around it from the flowing artesian water. Boiling

water still comes from the bore and forms a billabong where you’re

likely to see a number of birds. If you’re a birdwatcher, birds you might

see while you’re in the Burketown region include jabiru, brolgas, stilts,

sea eagles and kites.

Visit the cemetery and read the gravestone inscriptions, a stark

reminder of the tumultuous early days of the town and the ravaging

effect of the Gulf Fever—probably malaria. Visit the Frederick Walker

Monument at the Leichhardt River crossing, inside the gates of

Floraville Station – his final resting place after succumbing to Gulf

Fever. Walker’s story included the search for Burke and Wills, accurate

mapping skills and surveying an electric telegraph line which was to

have gone from Bowen to Burketown. This area is rich in fascinating

stories of the past, so discover more of the land’s Aboriginal heritage,

the tales of explorers and the early days of primary industry while you’re

here.

BURKE SHIRE EVENTS

Traditionally, the Easter weekend sees the Burketown Barramundi

Fishing Championships with lots of prizes and a fun time for all the

family. May Day long weekend hosts the annual Saddles and Paddles

horse racing at Gregory, followed by the Gregory Canoe Races

on the Sunday. The Gregory Campdraft and Children’s Horse

Sports have been held in mid June for over 40 years. In August there

is the Burketown Sprint Races and Rodeo as well as a campdraft.

Campdrating is one of the biggest equestrian sports in Australia and

showcases the skills of the Australian stockman. The Gregory Branch

of the QCWA holds their annual Horse Sports and Family Fun Day

each year in the September school holidays.

Keep an eye on Burke Shire Council’s Facebook page for an update

on these events and also on the Council’s website for an updated calendar

of events as these key events and others are rolled out throughout

the year.

STAY AWHILE IN TROPICAL PARADISE

Accommodation in Burketown is easy to organise. You will be pleasantly

surprised from the moment you walk into Savannah Lodge. The modern

cabin-style accommodation is set amidst a glorious, well-established

and cared for garden that can only be described as a welcome oasis.

The most recently added cabins will far exceed any expectations of

accommodation standards in the region. Guests can enjoy the little

extra touches that make you feel like you are appreciated as a guest. All

rooms have an en-suite, have a kitchenette, split system air conditioning,

a comfy couch and work desk or dining table set as well as many other

features. Guests will enjoy either a garden view or bushland view room

with a large deck. Keep an eye out for the local wallabies grazing of an

afternoon or the varied birdlife resident in the well-established gardens

The atmosphere of the whole property is peaceful, with meandering

pathways and raised walkways, shady gardens, barbecue and a crystal

blue pool. Poppy Joe’s, a licensed dining area for the guests, is an

amazing open-air bar, providing a resort-like feel in which to enjoy a

meal and a cold drink. Savannah Lodge also provides a free guest

barbecue, swimming pool, laundry facilities, Wi-Fi and free transfers

from the airport in Burketown. Savannah Lodge has been operated by

the same family for over 25 years and they are always ready to provide

a friendly and personalized experience. You can also enquire through

the Lodge about their aviation arm which offers scenic fl ights or fi shing

adventures to Sweers Island or a fl ight can be designed to capture your

particular interest! Check Trip Advisor for reviews or see the Savannah

Lodge website www.savannah-lodge.com.

BURKETOWN CARAVAN PARK

The Burketown Caravan Park offers air-conditioned cabins (many with en suites) and spacious

sites, along with free Wi-Fi. The big camp kitchen area has barbecue, electric stove, fridge,

freezer, toaster, electric kettle and a big TV. At the kiosk you can purchase bait, good fi shing

tackle, ice, icecreams, cold drinks, basic groceries and some souvenirs. Lots of long termers

(that’s what the locals call visitors who stay for three months) like to settle in at the caravan

park. Their main aim is to catch a fi sh or two, relax and enjoy the beautiful balmy weather

whilst teasing all those that are left behind in the southern chilly winter.


117

GOOD PUB GRUB

If you’ve been here before and remember the Burketown Pub as a rather

imposing green double storey building, let us just mention that now you’re

looking for a single-storey tilt-slab construction in beige and pale brown.

Inside, the welcome is as warm as ever—and it’s not just due to the

golden orange floors!—so most people feel right at home as soon as

they walk through the door. Memorabilia adds interest to the walls, with

historical photos, Aboriginal art, local landscapes and a photo wall which

is always changing. Even the merchandising adds colour.

Their Good Pub Grub keeps the place humming along. Lunch and dinner

are served up five days a week, and there’s usually a special for lunch

and dinner so look out for them if you’re watching your pennies. Local

barramundi is available during the tourist season. You can dine at the bar

or enjoy the quieter ambiance of the dining room. Wash your meal down

with a nice wine or a cold beer—you’ll find a surprisingly sophisticated

wine cellar and a very presentable range of beer.

The hotel has two separate bars—one with a pool table and jukebox and

a quieter, more relaxing back bar. As the unofficial community centre for

the town, it’s also a place where you can get a cuppa, have a meeting or

chat over a soft drink. If you’re a whiz with a cue, the pub holds a weekly

pool comp.

The pub is also the base and weigh-in station for the famous fishing

competition held in Burketown every Easter.

The donga accommodation is tidy and clean and has en suites, air conditioning

and comfortable beds.

TIRRANNA SPRINGS

At Tirranna Springs Roadhouse, 35km west of Burketown and 70km out of Doomadgee, you

will find great food and friendly staff. With a range of menu options, including steak burgers,

chicken burgers and fish and chips, the roadhouse is a great spot to stop for a meal, or just to

top up on fuel and refresh yourself with an ice cream and cold drink. Stay a night or two in one

of the en suite cabins, or for the single traveller there are single dongas with the amenities block

nearby. For the caravaners and campers, there is ample room to park or to pitch your tent. There

is plenty to do in the area, with fishing at the nearby rivers, wildlife to spot and bird watching. You

can even cook up your own barby and enjoy the tranquillity of the area. There are a number of

animals for the kids to see, they’ll love the chooks and pigs, these guys are full of personality!

Please call for any bookings and information 07 4748 3998.


CAMPERS AND CARAVANERS

Bush camping and superb fishing are now available through a permit system that gives visitors

access to Gangalidda Garawa country around Burketown. This land is clearly sign-posted.

Permits for day visits or camping can be purchased online or at the Burketown Visitor Information

Centre on the corner of Burke and Musgrave Streets. If you’re planning to arrive later in the day,

it’s advisable to obtain your permit prior to your arrival. With a day permit, you need to leave the

area by 8.00pm. All funds raised through the permit system go toward employment opportunities

and natural resource management projects for the Gangalidda people.

In a move that both protects the environment and shares the land with visitors, Gangalidda and

Garawa services now offers access to four camping areas established across the region, as well

as fishing areas under their control. They also share the Aboriginal culture of the area and cover

the saltpans, bush tucker and some of the local sites with occasional tagalong tours, so enquire

at the visitor centre if any are available during your visit.

118

YAGURLI TOURS MAKE HISTORY

The driving motivation of Gangalidda and Garawa Services (GGS) is to share their culture and

Country worldwide, as well as to provide homegrown economic opportunities and local employment.

The corporation started Yagurli Tours (Yagurli means “fish”) as a fishing charter operation

in 2017.

Yagurli Tours, in conjunction with Australia’s premier hot air balloon operator Balloon Aloft,

made history in July 2020 by hosting the first hot air balloon flights over the spectacular Gulf of

Carpentaria. Building on this success, in 2021 and 2022, the innovative company instigated a

commercial trial that brought enraptured visitors to the region to soar over the stunning vistas of

Australia’s largest aggregate of salt pans.

Yagurli Tours and GGS have recently had another history making event through a joint venture

with Balloon Aloft - the launch of their very own hot air balloon in Canberra on March 15 2023.

The fact that it is 100% Indigenous owned makes it a first for Australia, and a first for the world.

The Balloon will operate from the Hunter Valley for April and May before moving to Moungibi

(Burketown), Queensland for the tourism season of June through August. Flights will not only be

available for the morning, but it will be the first and only location in Australia where visitors will be

able to experience an afternoon/evening commercial hot air balloon flight.

For further information and bookings please visit

www.yagurlitours.com.au or contact Peter Ridley

at bookings@yagurlitours.com.au

SIGHTS AROUND BURKETOWN

Check out the magnificent Leichhardt Falls, about 70km south of Burketown. Wet a line, put

a pot in to catch a feed of cherrabin ( large freshwater prawns) but be mindful that swimming is

not advisable as crocodiles do inhabit the waters. Leichhardt Falls is a small plunge waterfall

with the river a raging torrent during the wet season. There are a number of smaller falls

and rapids a short walk north of the main falls. During drier times the falls are just a trickle,

however the scenery is no less captivating.

The Nicholson River is a freshwater river. It merges with the Gregory River just north of

Doomadgee Road and meanders through mangrove-lined banks and miles of saltpans to the

Gulf of Carpentaria. This region is known for its huge salt flats, some of which are 130 square

kilometres in area. It’s Australia’s largest aggregate area of saltpan – in excess of two million

hectares. During the wet season this area becomes Australia’s largest wetlands, providing

critical habitat for many species of migratory and nomadic birds.

Also part of Burke Shire is the settlement of Gregory. Take the short drive (it’s bitumen all the

way these days) and have a meal and a coldie at the historic Gregory Hotel. The river there is

a picture postcard spot and perfect for a cooling dip. The Burke Shire Council provides a free

low-impact camping area just across from the pub and ammenities block. Riversleigh Fossil

Fields, Boodjamulla National Park (formerly known as Lawn Hill) and the nearby picturesque

accommodation, Adels Grove, are also in the Shire as well as access to the world renowned

Salt flats

Leichardt Falls

Riversleigh Fossil Fields, noted by David

Attenborough as one of the top four fossil

sites in the world.

The Burke Shire is keen for you to enjoy your

stay in Gulf Country. If you’ve travelled these

roads before, you’ll know the volume of

tourist traffic during dry season. The weather

can be unforgiving too. Not surprisingly, local

councils struggle with road maintenance

at times so be patient and drive to suit the


conditions. In this relatively isolated country, 119

it’s crucial that you plan ahead. Make a note

of key contacts before you head north and

use the free Wi-Fi in the vicinity of Morning

Glory Park and in the Council library. Go

to www.burke.qld.gov.au and the Burke

Shire Facebook page for reports on road

conditions in this and neighbouring shires,

including the Northern Territory.

DOOMADGEE ROADHOUSE

Doomadgee Roadhouse, 100km west of

Burketown, is a 100% Indigenous owned

business, benefi ting both Indigenous and non-

Indigenous people. It illustrates what can be

achieved in an Indigenous community with the

right partnerships, fi nancial resourcing, good

management and corporate governance.

The roadhouse boasts 12 comfortable,

modern looking one-bedroom kitchenette

units, each with their own en-suite. You can

relax outside with a cold drink on the covered

patio and enjoy the serenity of the area. The

units are furnished with a double ensemble,

microwave, bar fridge, cooking and eating

utensils, plus an iron and ironing board.

A guest laundry, including dryers, is also

available on site. Complimentary coffee and a

continental breakfast is included in your stay.

Open seven days a week, you can grab a

takeaway for those on the go, as well as

pick up some groceries. The roadhouse also

stocks fi shing gear and there is also an ATM.

If you are looking to hire a 4WD, Doomadgee

Roadhouse has four Nissan X-Trails available.

Roadhouse management will need to approve

your travel requirements and destination for

insurance purposes, but once approved you

are good to go! Booking in advance is highly

recommended.

The roadhouse is located as you arrive into

Doomadgee at Goodeedawa Road and the

corner of the Savannah Hwy. To contact the

roadhouse, ring (07) 4745 8298.

There are limits to alcohol that may be taken

into the Doomagdee community. A ‘bona fi de

traveller’ exemption applies for tourists who

wish to use the Doomadgee Roadhouse.

However, the ‘bona fi de traveller’ exemption

does not apply if you wish to visit the larger

retail area of Doomadgee.


120

THROUGH THE PORTALS OF ‘HELL’S GATE’

The Savannah Way, linking Cairns in Queensland to Broome in WA,

is one of Australia’s most incredible drives. Heading west from Burketown

to the Northern Territory, the Savannah Way passes through

Doomadgee, with the Nicholson River providing some picturesque

views right along the roadside. There are plenty of photo opportunities

to be had along the drive, so be sure to stop and stretch your legs

and soak in the wonder that is the Savannah country.

50 kilometres from the Northern Territory/Queensland Border is

Hell’s Gate Roadhouse. The Roadhouse is located on Cliffdale Station,

a 171,000 hectare cattle property. The current owners, John

and Jenny Hays and family, took over the ownership of the Hell’s

Gate Roadhouse and Cliffdale Station in December 2015. The Roadhouse

offi cially opened in April 1986, assisting travellers and settlers

in this remote part of the country to safely reach their destinations.

For those curious about the name Hell’s Gate, the name comes from

the small gap in the escarpment that the road passes through, one

kilometre south of the Roadhouse. Back in the early days when the

Gulf was being settled, a police contingent would escort travellers

and settlers to the ‘portals of Hell’s Gate’. After this point, they were

on their own until they reached police protection at Katherine in the

Northern Territory.

The roadhouse, open seven days a week from 7.00am to 8.30pm,

also has a range of accommodation, from en suite cabins with air

conditioning, refrigerator and tea and coffee making facilities to unpowered

camping. Meals are available all day, and there is also a

restaurant and fully licensed bar. Doubling as a mini-store, you can

purchase basic groceries and supplies for your trip.

Not only is the roadhouse a stopping point for fuel and food, but it is

also the central hub for locals and outlaying stations, and is the place

to be on Melbourne Cup Day. Also Ladies day is a great event to be

involved in, with guest speakers and lunch. These are accompanied

with other events held throughout the year.

So if you are travelling along the Savannah Way, take a break and

stop for a night, or even a few, and enjoy the fabulous hospitality from

the friendly staff, who go out of their way to make sure you have a

wonderful stay.


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CAMOOWEAL

A MATILDA BYWAY

HOME OF THE DROVER

TRAVEL ACTION MATILDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE // Cramooweal

Just 12km from the Northern Territory border,

Camooweal is an outback country town with a

surprising number of services considering its

size. There were once bullock trains travelling

down the main street, and memories of those

times are still alive in historic photographs

displayed at the shire hall.

Camooweal is considered the home of the

drover. When you visit the town’s droving

museum, the Drovers Camp, (one kilometre

east of Camooweal on the northern side of

the Barkly Highway) the past is all but brought

to life before your eyes. In fact, this town was

once the drovers’ capital of Queensland.

Today, the Drovers Camp shares the story

of droving in a way that can keep visitors

enthralled for hours. The main tours start in

May and give people an unusual opportunity

to hear stories straight from the horse’s

mouth, so to speak. Old drovers who lived

and loved the life bring total authenticity to

the tales of how droving operations actually

worked, from the days of early pioneers like

Kidman to more modern times. Each tour

starts outside, where a map is set up and the

old droving routes are explained. Inside the

shed, the gear required for droving is laid out

and the guides flesh out the picture of this

travelling life. The third highlight of the tour

is a setting of a packhorse/drovers’ camp to

indicate the day-to-day happenings. The final

stop on the tour is an air-conditioned gallery

with plentiful portraiture and droving history display boards plus a shop where people can buy

souvenirs. The Drovers Camp is open every day in the season and there are usually three tours

a day. (You can also visit at other times by phoning ahead to arrange. The manager’s doors are

pretty much always open.)

The Drover’s Camp Festival is held on the fourth weekend of August each year (25-27 August

2023). Join in the fun by entering the Ringers Challenge novelty events, with money raised

going to the Royal Flying Doctors Service. There will also be a March Past, performance

poetry, photography, whip cracking competitions and live music. Enjoy watching our camp oven

cooking demonstrations and bronco branding throughout the weekend. There are limited bush

camping sites with water. During the week leading up to the festial there will be Walk Ups with

a backing band and a licensed bar and food. For more details go to www.droverscamp.com.au.

Camooweal Roadhouse Motel & Caravan Park is family owned and operated, servicing

Outback Queensland seven days a week, 6am to 9pm. Being the last fuel stop for 267km

over the border, they offer an on-site restaurant with delicious food, fuel and fabulous barista

made coffee. They even stock a few everyday travel essentials! The menu is extensive with

dine-in or takeaway options, and the clean, comfortable accommodation ranges from en-suite

motel rooms, budget rooms to caravan sites with free parking and a self-serve laundry. The pet

friendly caravan park features grassed and powered sites. So if you are passing through and

in need of fuel, accommodation, delicious food or just great coffee, call in and see the friendly

staff, they would love to see you!

Popular with visitors is the Georgina River, and fully self-contained campers can camp on

the banks for free for about 8km along the river. When there’s plenty of water, the birdlife is

incredible, with pelicans, ducks, brolgas and swans among the abundant birdlife. There are two

lovely waterholes, Lake Francis and Lake Canellan, where the birds congregate.

The Barkly Tablelands were discovered by William Landsborough in 1861 (there is a

commemorative cairn in town), but its history goes back much further to the Cambrian era

about 500 million years ago, when rare sinkhole caves were formed in the district. They can

still be seen today at the Camooweal Caves National Park about 20km south of Camooweal.

There are toilets but no power, and if you intend to camp there overnight, take your own water.

122

Travel Action Matilda Country Magazine 2023 - Volume 34

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