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9 Day Outback Adventure

Brisbane to Brisbane

Duration: 9 days / 2531km

Pack your bags and leave the big smoke behind as you take on the 9 Day self drive Outback Adventure. This journey will take you through iconic south west Outback Queensland towns that offer experiences and adventure for every member of the family. Highlights of this suggested journey include the Big Rig Sound and Light Show, taking a dip in natural artesian water, Bonus Downs Farm Stay, fishing, sandboarding, The Cosmos Centre, fossicking for opals in Quilpie and more.

9 Day Outback Adventure

Itinerary

DAY 1

Brisbane to Roma

Day 1: Point the car west and travel along the Warrego Highway to Queensland's Garden City, Toowoomba. You can stop for morning tea at Picnic Point, best known for its expansive views across the Great Dividing Range, and its themed Magical Witches Forest playground is sure to be a hit with the kids. If time permits, call into the Cobb & Co Museum, before following the tracks of these original people movers to Chinchilla, the Melon Capital of Queensland. Relax on the banks of Charley's Creek with a picnic lunch. The next stop is Roma, home of the 'Big Rig' and the gateway to cattle country. Check-in to your accommodation and get ready for the Big Rig Night Show - a sound and light show spectacular, telling the story of Australia's oil and gas exploration.
DAY 2

Roma to Morven

Day 2: Today is a day of explorer and bushranger stories as you drive the short distance to Mitchell. The town is named after Sir Thomas Mitchell, explorer and Surveyor General of New South Wales, who explored the area in 1846. See the original courthouse where local bushrangers, the Ke iff Brothers were committed to stand trial then head to Arrest Creek, where they were captured. Cool off with a refreshing swim in the natural artesian water at Mitchell's Aquatic Centre. Travel just under 2 hours to Morven and visit the home of the Ooline trees and their black orchids located within the Tregole National Park only 10km south of Morven. Stay in town and experience the wonder of the handcrafted miniature building display that took over fifteen years to complete and is displayed at the Morven Museum. Step back in time and see the Kerosene hut from the 1930's great depression and other displays of a bygone era.
DAY 3

Morven to Charleville

Travel Distance:

220km

Day 3: Drive the short distance to Charleville to join the Up Close and Personal Bilby Experience. Meet this delightful marsupial, also one of Australia's most endangered species. Have a chat with the dedicated volunteers who will share their knowledge and passion for the Bilby preservation. Tonight, an experienced guide will take you on a tour of the Outback Night Sky through powerful Meade Telescopes. See star clusters, planets, nebulae and learn about the Milky Way.
DAY 4

Charleville to Quilpie

Travel Distance:

211km

Day 4: Today, you'll visit one of the smallest towns in Australia to retain its own postcode. Cooladdi, taking its name from an Aboriginal term for u201cblack ducku201d, was once home to 270 residents. Now only four remain. Call into the only business in town, the Fox Trap, a pub, post office, restaurant, motel and service station rolled into one!n On arrival in Quilpie, make your first stop at the Visitor Information Centre, Museum and Gallery. Relax in air-conditioned comfort and access the free WI-FI. Quilpie is home to the exquisite Boulder Opal. The whole family can have a go at uncovering this pretty gemstone at a free fossicking site just two kilometres west of Quilpie. Late this afternoon, drive approximately 7.4 kilometres from Quilpie to take in a spectacular sunset from Baldy Top, a magnificent boulder formation, millions of years old. The relatively easy ten-minute climb to the top will reward you with breathtaking panoramic vistas, the perfect sunset photo stop.
DAY 5

Quilpie to Eromanga

Travel Distance:

106km

Day 5: This morning, take the fully sealed Cooper Developmental Road to Eromanga, the furthest town from the ocean in Australia. Eromanga is home to the internationally recognised Eromanga Natural History Museum where you can meet Australia's largest dinosaurs including 'Cooper' and 'George', who are in the top 10 largest dinosaurs in the world. The one hour guided tour is a hands-on tour through the museum workshop, dinosaur and megafauna laboratories and collection room. The museum is 3 kilometres outside of Eromanga off the sealed Mt. Margaret Road. It is easy to spend a day or more in and around Eromanga, visit the Living History Centre next to one of Australia's iconic outback pubs, the Eromanga Royal Hotel est. 1885, Knoto-a-saurus and Opalopolis Park and enjoy a picnic near sand dunes or on the famous Kyabra waterhole.
DAY 6

Eromanga to Thargomindah

Travel Distance:

319km

Day 6: Take the sealed Cooper Developmental Road and begin your journey towards Thargomindah. Make a stop at Noccundra and visit the iconic Noccundra Hotel which was established in 1882. Across from the pub, the Noccundra Water Hole on the Wilson River is a great fishing spot. Noccundra is a popular stopover for visitors driving to the Burke and Wills Dig Tree and Cameron Corner. Thargomindah is home to Australia's first hydro-electric power plant, so take the opportunity to visit their Hydro Power Plant Complex where demonstrations are run between March and October. The Bulloo River Walk and Heritage Walk are great options for those looking to unwind at the end of the day. Thargomindah is perfectly positioned for day trips to Cameron Corner, Hungerford and Currawinya National Park.
DAY 7

Thargomindah to Cunnamulla

Travel Distance:

214km

Day 7: Head east from Thargomindah and take the short drive to Lake Bindegolly National Park which is a wildlife refuge featuring salt and freshwater wetlands. The park is home to more than 195 species of birds, 80 other kinds of animals and 300 species of plants. Travel through sheep and cattle grazing land to Eulo well known for its local honey and beeswax products. For something different, try a traditional mud bath at the Artesian Mud Springs (there are activities for children). Arrive in Cunnamulla early afternoon with time to relax before heading out to the natural sand hills for some exciting sandboarding thrills and spills. Alternatively, you can hire a kayak for a relaxing paddle on the Warrego River.
DAY 8

Cunnamulla to St George

Travel Distance:

293km

Day 8: As you travel east along the Adventure Way towards St George, call into the tiny town of Bollon. Take a stroll along the 1.2-kilometre creek-side walkway and keep an eye out for koalas, echidnas and emus. Drive the short distance to St George, then pack your picnic lunch and follow the Cotton Self Drive Trail to learn more about the local cotton industry. Late afternoon, board the Sandytown River Cruise and enjoy sunset on the Balo e River.
DAY 9

St George to Brisbane

Travel Distance:

534km

Day 9: Homeward bound, make a morning tea stop at Moonie on the intersection of the Leichhardt and Moonie Highways. At Moonie Crossroads you'll see brilliant murals depicting the history of the town and a giant cod caught in local waters. Visit the Woolshed at Jondaryan, the oldest and largest operating Woolshed in the world. Take a self-guided tour of the historic museum village and enjoy a casual lunch in the Damper Hut. Follow the Warrego Highway, via Toowoomba, returning to Brisbane late afternoon.