Four nights. Three Towns. One Unforgettable Road Trip.
Heading along the Overlander’s Way? Connect up with the Big Sky Drive for an epic journey through Cloncurry, Mount Isa and Camooweal – an unforgettable stretch of Outback Queensland.
The Big Sky Drive will see you travel across a landscape defined by wide horizons, frontier history and the kind of stories you won’t find anywhere else. This is not a polished postcard version of Australia. It is the real thing – vast, resilient and full of character.
Day 1: Cloncurry
Optional extension:
Chinaman Creek Dam for birdwatching and kayaking.
Day 2: Mount Isa
Travel west toward Mount Isa, stopping at Fountain Springs (seasonal) and exploring the historic Mary Kathleen uranium mine site. Consider a guided interpretive tour for deeper insight.
Day 3: Mount Isa
Optional extension:
Lake Moondarra, 4WD trails, or event experiences.
Day 4: Camooweal
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
John Flynn Place Museum
Located in the heart of Cloncurry, John Flynn Place Museum and Art Gallery tells the remarkable story of how one bold idea transformed life in remote Australia.
Mary Kathleen
Discovered in 1954 and officially opened in 1958, the Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine once powered a thriving outback community. At its peak, the nearby township was home to around 1,000 people, complete with schools, shops, a cinema, hospital and swimming pool – a fully functioning town built to support the mine. When uranium reserves were exhausted in 1981, operations ceased and the town was dismantled. Today, concrete slabs and remnants of the original layout remain scattered through the landscape, offering a quiet, haunting insight into the rise and retreat of Australia’s mining frontier.
Outback At Isa
Outback At Isa is where Big Sky Drive’s stories come together. Part museum, part hands-on experience, this is the place to go underground, step back in time and hear the deeper stories of the region. Explore the Hard Times Mine on a guided underground tour, uncover ancient history at the Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre and Laboratory, and gain insight into life, culture and country through Indigenous-led experiences and creative workshops
Underground Hospital
Carved beneath the surface of the city, the Mount Isa Underground Hospital tells a remarkable story of ingenuity and community spirit. Built during World War II by local miners volunteering their time, Australia’s only underground hospital offers a powerful glimpse into life on the frontier. Wander through the original tunnels, step inside the heritage-listed Tent House – a clever response to the mining boom housing shortage – and explore the Beth Anderson Museum, where early medical equipment charts the evolution of outback healthcare.
Drovers Camp
the Drovers Camp is dedicated to preserving the stories and traditions of Australia’s droving heritage. Run by a passionate volunteer committee, the Droving Heritage Centre offers insight into the people, journeys and resilience that shaped life in the outback. Each August, the site comes alive during the annual Drovers Camp Festival, when former drovers, locals and visitors gather to share stories, music and traditions passed down through generations.
Camooweal Caves
A short drive south of Camooweal, Camooweal Caves National Park reveals a hidden geological world beneath the wide-open Barkly Tablelands. Spread across vast grass plains and open woodland, the park is home to ancient caves and dramatic sinkholes formed over hundreds of millions of years as water carved through layers of dolomite. Short walking tracks lead to viewpoints at Little Nowranie and Great Nowranie Caves, offering a glimpse into this remarkable underground landscape.