With kilometres upon kilometres of untamed wilderness, it’s no surprise that Outback Queensland is a wildlife oasis for animals big and small.
In fact, you’ll find the animal population outnumbers the human one in some parts of this outback landscape.
Not just home to the Australian coat of arms, Outback Queensland has a bunch of famous animal faces you can spot during your next trip west.
Make like a Pokemon and try to catch em’ all with this list of Outback Queensland’s wildlife to spot.
The chance of spotting these adorable fur babies in the wild might be as rare as hens teeth, but there’s still is a way to stretch your bilby experience further than just a chocolate replica. The best spot to see these rare and almost extinct marsupials in the flesh is in Charleville at the Bilby Experience.
It’s a wildlife centre with a heart, and all visitor proceeds go towards their rescue and longevity, and assisting the Save The Bilby Fund.
With a tour, you can see their natural habitat and catch a glimpse of them scurrying in between their underground burrows. To get a close up of a live bilby, book into a daily show and learn about the species.
Ever seen a flash mob #outbackstyle? Well, you’re in for a treat if you come across a flock of brolgas, one of Australia’s largest wetland birds.
Also referred to as the Australian Crane, these majestic birds are renowned for bringing their moves to a pond or dam near you.
Flapping their wings and moving their long necks in a way you would think was choreographed and practiced, their dances are so legendary that they feature in historic indigenous stories.
Brolgas can be found in shallow swamps, wetlands, lakes and dams. If you want to get a catbird seat view of them though – Currawinya National Park in the south-west has two lakes that are abundant with these famous feathers. They are also regularly spotted in Outback Queensland towns, namely Longreach.
Look out for their grey/silver legs and feathers teamed with their bright red heads. With a wingspan of up to two metres these massive birds are hard to miss when gathered in a flock.
With a love for dry climate and hot weather, Outback Queensland is camel country, particularly the closer you get to its famous desert, The Simpson.
Despite growing to a whopping 600 – 1,000kg, these mobile creatures spend their days wandering around the outback, sometimes covering up to 70kms every day.
As with most things in the outback, towns get resourceful when they have an abundance of a certain animal, which is why the towns of Bedourie and Boulia host annual camel races – not to be missed for Outback fun.
Keep and eye out for these little critters crawling across the outback roads or grazing on its edges in search of ants for lunch.
As the oldest surviving mammal on Earth, growing only to a max of 5kgs and 45cm in length, spotting one is a somewhat rare and special occurrence.
If you’re lucky enough to spot one, don’t be fooled by their cuteness – they are covered in sharp spikes so don’t get too close.
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Emus – definitely one of the most fun wildlife to spot! They are always amusing to watch, and can be seen regularly along Outback roads – and in the streets of Outback towns (when food is scarce for them). They are very inquisitive creatures.
As the largest bird residing in the outback, these birds love their wide open spaces. The further you venture west to more remote areas, the more of a chance you’ll have spotting them.
Emus are flightless birds, meaning the way they travel is by foot – so don’t be surprised if you find yourself sharing the road with a group of feathered friends.
Fun fact: Emu dads do all the hard work. Emu fathers look after the chicks, and you can often see a male emu with numerous little chicks following him around.
If you see an emu, our best advice is to slow down so you don’t scare them, and to avoid an accident.
A popular place to spot emus is the Outback Queensland town on Yaraka – wandering through the town’s streets.
If you are driving to Outback Queensland, don’t forget to check out these tips for road safety and sharing the road with the native animal population.
You won’t have any trouble spotting a ‘roo or a wallaby in Outback Queensland. These creatures are as common as the red dirt they hang out on.
If you’re hopping mad for these animals, head to Cunnamulla in the south-west for the largest population of kangaroos and wallabies in Outback Queensland.
Travel another two hours south-east along the Adventure Way to Thargomindah and you’ll find yourself in a town whose claim to fame (aside from electricity) is having more kangaroos than population.
If all else fails and you want to keep the kids happy with animal spotting – head to Thallon to see the giant William the Hairy-Nosed Wombat statue.
Children can climb on William and learn all about wombats. Wombats are not common in the Outback, with most populations found along the southern and eastern regions of Australia. The Hairy-Nosed Wombat is one of Queensland’s most endangered species.