Outback Top 10's
Choose your own Outback adventure
Where To Go
North West
Things can get wild in Queensland’s rugged North West. Visit the thriving mining town of Mount Isa, saddle up for the Mount Isa Rodeo, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, and drop in at the historic Underground Hospital built during WWII.
Canoe through vivid red gorges in the Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park and search for ancient fossils in the limestone outcrops of Riversleigh World Heritage Area. Head to Hughenden to see 'Hughie', the seven-metre Muttaburrasaurus and an impressive fossil collection.
And, don’t leave without visiting the Porcupine Gorge National Park.
Far West
Queensland’s Far West is the place for adventurers. Explore the rugged Simpson Desert by 4WD, see the Big Red sand dune glow at sunset and watch thousands of migratory birds flock to the wetlands of the Diamantina National Park.
If you’re looking for outback entertainment, catch a famous Australian band at the Big Red Bash or back a winner at the Birdsville Races.
South West
The closest section of Outback Queensland to Brisbane, the South West is home to colourful characters, wedge-tailed eagles and boulder opals.
Bathe in mineral-rich mud at the Eulo Mud Baths, meet a tiny endangered marsupial at the Charleville Bilby Experience Centre and peer into the heavens at the Charleville Cosmos Centre.
East
Banana Shire has many natural attractions including gorges, rivers and National Parks such as the Glebe Weir and Expedition National Park. Visit Lake Murphy, Kroombit Tops and Mt. Scoria Conservation Parks, or relax at Isla and Cania Gorges.
The Dawson River and Callide Dam provide many opportunities for fishing and water sports. The Shire can also provide many adventures for the 4WD enthusiast.
Central West
The Central West is the heart of Outback Queensland, a place built by pioneers and stockmen. Visit Longreach, the birthplace of an Australian icon at the Qantas Founders Museum and learn about the region’s fascinating history at the Stockman’s Hall of Fame. Learn about Waltzing Matilda in Winton where the song was original performed.
Longreach Airport is on the edge of town, with flights arriving from Brisbane and Townsville. You can also catch the Spirit of the Outback train from Rockhampton.
What To Do In The Outback
Meanwhile in #OutbackQueensland
Now, that's how you celebrate making it to Big Red 🥂 #OutbackQueensland photo by @digophotography1
Aug 17 Big Red Sand Dune
☔️ Rain in #OutbackQueensland earlier this year has resulted in fields of wildflowers! 🌼🦋 Have you spotted any? 👀😍 We love this shot by @charlotteallenphotography taken in Boulia 😍
Aug 17 Boulia, Queensland
🙌 Kicking off our weekends the right way with outdoor baths 🛁 and cheese 🧀 #OutbackQueensland photo by @georgiatestaa
Aug 16 Julia Creek, Queensland
Mission to Mars or a trip to discover dinosaurs in #Winton? 🌏 While it's rich landscapes may look similar to Mars, Winton is known as Australia's Dinosaur Capital - the perfect place to visit for dinosaur enthusiasts of any age 🦖🦕 #OutbackQueensland photo by @seapeoplephotography
Aug 15 Winton, Queensland
☀️🚤 If only we could spend every afternoon cruising down Longreach's Thomson River, 👀 spotting local wildlife 🦅 as the vibrant #OutbackQueensland sunset colours fade into starlight✨ Photo by @benjamin_crisp @jucyworld #jucyworld
Aug 13 Longreach, Queensland
🐍 Have you spotted the Betoota Serpent while travelling the Warrego Way? 🐍 #OutbackQueensland photo by @rnrwanderers
Aug 13 Betoota, Queensland
🤠 @isarodeo knows how to put on an #OutbackQueensland style celebration! 🐴 Complete with boot-scootin', live music and plenty of rodeo action ✔️
Aug 12 Mount Isa, Queensland
🤠 Did you catch any of the action at the @isarodeo over the weekend? 🤠 #OutbackQueensland
Aug 11 Mount Isa, Queensland
☄️☢️ No aliens here at the abandoned uranium mine in Mary Kathleen. If you're here in the middle of the day, see the waters turn bright blue when the sun hits it at full force 💦 Have you explored and camped at this spot along the @overlandersway? #OutbackQueensland photo by @liam_edward_brennan
Aug 11 Mary Kathleen, Queensland
🙌 Dune tobogganing our way into the weekend here in #OutbackQueensland, who needs snow anyway! ❄️⛄ Photo by @offgridozadventures
Aug 9 Big Red Sand Dune
🎇🎡 We're celebrating all weekend long in #MountIsa for the @isarodeo 🎉 Will you be there? #OutbackQueensland photo by @matthewmason_imagery
Aug 9 Mount Isa, Queensland
Located on the @Queensland-Northern Territory border, 188 kilometres from #MountIsa is the #OutbackQueensland town of Camooweal 📍🗺️ The area is honeycombed with rare sinkholes and caves, dating back to the Cambrian Period, about 500 million years ago 🌏 While exploring the area, park up at the free camp at the Camooweal Billabong 🏕️ @__wild_tribe__
Aug 8 Camooweal Billabong
#OutbackQueensland camping goals 🏕️✅ Lara Wetlands is a 15,000acre station stay found 28 kilometres south of #Barcaldine along the @matildaway 🚙 Park up to admire the sunset, or slide in to their artesian pool for some road trip R&R 💦 Have you camped at this much-loved spot? 📸@benjamin_crisp @jucyworld #jucyworld
Aug 8 Lara Wetlands
🌿 You won't find any porcupines at #porcupinegorge, but you will find waterholes 💦 with resident turtles 🐢 and wallaroos and red kangaroos among this national park's sandstone cliffs north of #Hughenden along the @overlandersway 🗺️ #OutbackQueensland photo by @4wardsmovingforward
Aug 8 Hughenden, Queensland
☀️ By day you'll find towering cliffs, colourful gorges, endless views and sites steeped in historic and cultural connections at 🌿 #CarnarvonGorge, by night all you need to do is sit back and look up to find the ✨ Milky Way ✨ #OutbackQueensland photo by @elouisestudt
Aug 6 Carnarvon Gorge
@seanscottphotography recently took on Australia's longest shortcut, the 2700km long @outbackway 🗺️From #Winton here in #OutbackQueensland to Laverton in Western Australia, you'll find plenty of iconic Australian outback sights - ☀️ sunsets and windmills included ✅
Aug 5 Winton, Queensland
🌿💦 You won't just find rock pools at the beach, you can find them here in #OutbackQueensland too! Photo by @lovechloejane
Aug 4 Carnarvon Gorge
💦🛁 Now, this is how every morning should start here in #OutbackQueensland☀️ @backroadsandbarstools agree, do you? 🙋
Aug 3 Charlotte Plains
🙌 Who loves a good old fashioned road trip? We do! 🙌#OutbackQueensland photo by @wanderingwilsons
🌚 Moon crater or an #OutbackQueensland golf course?⛳ Shoot for a hole-in-one instead of the moon in 2020 here in #OutbackQueensland to win $1M at the @outbackqueenslandmasters 🏌️ That's right, your chance to WIN big will be back, with the $1M golf hole teeing off in #Longreach in 2020 🎉 📸 @australias_outback
Jul 30 Winton, Queensland
How about kayaking 🛶 through Lawn Hill Creek at @adelsgrove for some crocodile 🐊 spotting? 👀 This place was once set up as a botanical garden 🥀 and today still holds unique flora like the bamboos 🎋 and makes a pretty good kid’s playground 😉 #OutbackQueensland photo by @awolfamily
Jul 29 Adels Grove
✨☀️ With sunsets like this, we'll guarantee that you'll fall in love with #OutbackQueensland over and over again 💕 Photo by @annehartung.photography
Jul 29 Camooweal, Queensland
🗺️🚙 Driving the @overlandersway? We've found your ultimate pitstop! 🛑 Julia Creek's artesian bath houses 🛁 paired with nibbles 🧀 and a glass or two 🥂 are the perfect way to get some R&R while road tripping 😍 #OutbackQueensland photo by @theblondenomads
Jul 28 Julia Creek, Queensland
🏕️🚙 Weekends are made for camping (with a cheeky glass or two 🍷) here in #OutbackQueensland 😍 Do you have a favourite camping spot? 🤔 Photo by @lovechloejane
Jul 27 Lara Wetlands
📅 Less than 2 weeks to go until the legendary @isarodeo 🎉 Did you know the adrenaline-fueled event is celebrating its 60th year this August? 🐎 #OutbackQueensland #isarodeo
Jul 26 Mount Isa, Queensland
You can't say you've done an #OutbackQueensland road trip 🚙 unless you've spotted a windmill or two! 🔎 Photo by @maddi_evansxoxo
Jul 25 Boulia, Queensland
⛳ The chance to WIN $1M with @outbackqueenslandmasters tees off this Friday in #MountIsa 🏌️ We love this #OutbackQueensland photo by @australias_outback
Jul 24 Winton, Queensland
🤟🎶 Rocking The Simpson 🎶🤟 Thousands gathered to dance from dawn to dusk at the Big Red Sand Dune 🌌 for the @bigredbash #outbackqueensland
Jul 23 Big Red Sand Dune
🐾🐶 We’re paws-itive everyone had a good time at Australia’s only pooch friendly music festival 🐶🐾 @bigredbash #OutbackQueensland
Jul 22 Big Red Bash
🌈🏃♂️The Adventures of Priscilla, @bigredbash style 💃 Raising money for @royalflyingdoc 🛩festival goers dressed to impress in the annual ‘Running of the Drags’ 😂 #OutbackQueensland
Jul 22 Big Red Bash
