Known as one of the friendliest towns in Outback Queensland, Tambo is also the oldest town in the west.
Small and sleepy, this little gem has a lot to offer travellers seeking an adventure along the Matilda Way.
Make time in your itinerary to stop and explore Tambo, starting off with this list of fun facts.
Tambo is where you’ll find the softies of Outback Queensland, with the famous Tambo Teddies store dialling up the town’s cuteness factor.
Discover more about the cuddly creatures with these 30 reasons to love Tambo Teddies.
If you’re in need of some one-on-one time with your 4WD, take a visit to Tambo and head east 135km along the Wilderness Way to Salvator Rosa Carnarvon National Park.
Here, 4WD tracks come a plenty, with drive routes taking you over 1200km through the rocky ranges where must-do pitstops immerse you in the sandstone wilderness and clear-water creeks.
The Outback’s sunset performance needs no introduction if you’ve read this blog, however you’ll want to be on time for its daily show.
We’re talking about the sky show that Tambo puts on daily at dusk, with undisrupted views of the candy-coloured hues of the sunset.
Yup – that’s right, Tambo takes the title as the oldest town in Outback Queensland – founded in 1863!
Grab a brochure from the Visitor Information Centre and follow pathways around the oldest town in the west; many of the original buildings are still standing today.
At the town’s heritage precinct, friendly locals are only too happy to chat and share the area’s sheep and wool industry, racing heritage and our early communications. While there, try your hand at Morse Code messaging.
If you imagine Outback Queensland as a house, Tambo would be the roof, with all annual rains sliding off into the five river systems that stem from the town.
Streaming down from the north, the water flows into the Burdekin, Bulloo, Fitzroy, Lake Eyre, and Murray River systems.
If you’ve only got time for a coffee and cake, you’re spoilt for choice in Tambo.
Located at the Royal Carrangarra Hotel is a little pie shop called the Pi Hole. There’s plenty to choose from with coffee, drinks, homemade pies, sandwiches, sweets, and snacks on offer.
The post office here in Tambo is not just any post office! They offer café style food (pies, sandwiches, coffee) which is worth stopping for.
And although currently closed for maintenance, Fanny Mae’s is another great place to grab a coffee. Keep this place in mind as it will be back up and running in time for this year’s season.
As you walk past the Grassland Art Gallery in Tambo, you might just mistake it for a corner store – the gallery kept the old-fashion shop front that once stood in its place.
The purpose-built display space presents an ever-changing program of local, regional and touring art exhibitions. A selection of handcrafted giftware is on display, just the place to find that one-off present for the hard-to-buy-for.
For a relaxing afternoon in Tambo, head to the Tambo Dam to stroll along its banks and the parklands, take a dip, have a picnic, or get out on the dam for an afternoon of water activities like canoeing and skiing.
For a change of scenery, take a leisurely stroll along the banks of the mighty Barcoo; the 3km Coolibah Walk starts at the town dam and circles back into town. Learn about the local flora and take a side track to the site of the only Qantas crash to ever occur, yes here in Tambo!
At 5.15pm every afternoon, head on to the Outback Club at the Royal Carrangarra Hotel and place a bet on one of Ben’s champion chickens.
The colourful chooks run wild at Ben’s Chicken Racing each evening, with the prize money going towards charity.
You won’t go hungry here – simply stop by the local FoodWorks to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables.
Have you been to Tambo? What did you learn while you were there?
Post sponsored by FoodWorks Tambo