When you’re on a driving holiday with kids camping is the way to go. Kids love sleeping in the great outdoors and it’s excellent for parents too. Pitching your tent under the stars is a fun and affordable way to connect and immerse the whole family in an Outback Queensland experience. Here’s a few ideas the whole family will love!
Winner of the 2021 Queensland Tourism ‘Best Park in Queensland’ Award, this park rocks for families and well-behaved pets! Powered grassed sites are available for camping, and the park offers plenty of amenities with a laundry, communal camp kitchen facilities with BBQ, TV and fridge. All this AND superb Artesian bath houses on site!
If you don’t feel like cooking, try their famous 2-course campfire Bush Dinner available on Monday nights from June to September (subject to change). From Julia Creek you can explore the attractions of Banjo Patterson’s old stomping ground of McKinlay Shire via a fully sealed road network.
Catch an authentic Outback Queensland experience at Charlotte Plains, a family-owned sheep station 40 minutes from Cunnamulla. Book a tour to learn about the property’s history, the shearing sheds and some landmarks along the way. Kids can feed and visit the homestead pets or try their hand at catching yabbies.
If that’s not enough there’s heated outdoor Artesian bore baths to soak in as you watch a sunset and the stars come out over this charming rural retreat. Camp in an unpowered site by the baths or powered sites in open country 2km from the homestead. Local events include the annual Cunnamulla Fella Roundup in June featuring rodeos, live music, food and the best of the Outback lifestyle.
If you like fishing, you’ll love Lake Callide Retreat! With its well-deserved reputation for HUGE barra, red claw, yellow belly, saratoga and sleepy cod, this is an angler’s heaven and perfect for swimming, kayaking and water skiing too. You can even try your luck at fossicking with a Gemstone Treasure Bag! Located just 15 minutes from Biloela, the Retreat offers powered and unpowered sites with fantastic views over the dam and national parks. Facilities include a communal BBQ area and snack kiosk.
Ready for a touch of family glamping luxury? This 2021 Queensland Tourism Gold Award winning site offers ensuite tents with kitchenettes, sumptuous beds, crisp linen, deep baths and private decks for a 5-star camping experience. The larger Mulga tents are ideal for families with swags provided for the kids. An onsite saltwater pool is an extra treat and there’s books, boardgames and Wi-Fi to keep everyone entertained. Nearby attractions around Longreach include the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Qantas Founders Museum.
Nature loving families will adore idyllic bush camping within this stunning wetland on a 15,000-acre Station close to Barcaldine. Charge your camera batteries to capture birds, animals and the incredible landscape. Hot showers, flush toilets and a thermal Artesian mineral hot pool are provided, and each campsite has a campfire to create your own cosy evening dinner under the stars.
Enjoy the awe-inspiring beauty and solitude of the Outback among immense sandstone cliffs and the lush forest fringing Porcupine Creek. Explore the towering ‘Pyramid’ along a 2.4km roundtrip walking track and head to the lookout for scenic views over the gorge. There’s plenty of wildlife to spot too, including wallaroos, red kangaroos and numerous species of birds.
The Porcupine Gorge camping area contains 22 sites and basic facilities. Fires are permitted in the steel ringed fire rings only (bring your own untreated firewood) and some sites have wheelchair-accessible picnic tables. Book a permit and pay your fee online through the Queensland National Parks Booking Service.
Well you could choose to relax and enjoy the Birdsville Tourist Park’s billabong views, but with so much to see and experience around Birdsville you won’t want to miss any of the action! The park is an ideal base for trips out to the Simpson Desert National Park and Big Red Sand Dune (Outback surfing anyone?) and don’t forget to book ahead for the town’s world-famous events, including the Outback Masters, camel races, Big Red Bash and, of course, the iconic Birdsville Races. Powered and unpowered sites are available along with a communal kitchen, lounge, BBQ and laundry.
Located at the gateway to Australia’s Dinosaur Trail and the Outback Way this is a great HQ for a paleo-themed family adventure. Set within a desert landscape, the 100-acre Park currently offers 40 powered drive-through sites with additional unpowered sites, along with new, well-appointed facilities. Stock up on your supplies in nearby Winton just 1km away and prepare to kickback for some truly awesome sunsets!
What are you waiting for? Grab the kids, and head Outback! To help plan your holiday download our Traveller’s Guide to Outback Queensland or our Drive Outback Queensland Guide. Both available for free here on our website.