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ABOUT Charleville

Immortalised in Slim Dusty’s song by the same name, Charleville is the largest town in Queensland’s south west and is a hub for visitors and pastoralists alike. In the heart of ‘mulga country’, Charleville and surrounding pastoral properties are rich in history, flora and fauna. Meander along the Charleville Heritage Trail to see some impressive examples of pioneer architecture and learn about the history of the town. The Save the Bilby Fund, at the National Parks Research Station, is worth a visit for an up close and personal experience with Australia’s most famous endangered marsupial.

Speaking of up close and personal, the Cosmos Centre provides an intimate look at the night sky, and with the outback’s low residual light, there’s no better place to do so.

If you time your visit with the Charleville Campdraft, one of the region’s largest, you’ll be able to see skillful demonstrations of timeless bush horse skills as riders and their horses work together to guide cattle through a timed course. Charleville also holds a rodeo, where cowboys and girls conquer their fears to ride wild and powerful beasts.

Gazetted in 1868, Charleville was named after a town in Ireland where the government surveyor of the day once lived. Rail transport from Brisbane reached the town in 1888 and is still in use as a passenger line today.

Cobb and Co, the famous coach company, based their largest coach making factory in Australia in the township of Charleville in 1890. The factory was moved to Charleville because the wood used in coaches made in factories closer to the coast would split and crack in the dry, dusty conditions of Western Queensland. On the subject of transport, Qantas scheduled its first fare paying passenger service from Charleville to Cloncurry, via Longreach and Winton, back in 1922.

Charleville is home to south west Queensland’s largest Royal Flying Doctor Service base that serves remote communities as far afield as Birdsville, 900 kilometres to the west.

Places to stay near Charleville

Things to see and do near Charleville

While at Charleville why not try these Tours

Travel West Outback Tours

3 km

Travel West operate Four Wheel Drive Motel Accommodated Tag Along Tours to Birdsville, Innamincka and the Corner Country.

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Outback Grave Keeper Tour

4 km

Join the mysterious Grave Keeper as he unlocks the secrets of the outback.

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Charleville Bilby Experience

4 km

See bilbies in their nocturnal house and learn how the breeding facilities are making a massive difference at saving them from extinction.

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Charleville’s ‘Magnificent 7’

4 km

Discover stars, WWII secrets and bilbies for starters on Charleville’s ‘Magnificent 7’ day tour in Outback Queensland. Morning tea, lunch and transfers included.

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WWII Secret Tag-A-Long Tour – Charleville

6 km

Discover why over 3500 United States Army Air Force personnel were stationed in Charleville during World War II.

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Outback Date Farms

6 km

Outback Date Farms is an Australian, family run enterprise based in Charleville, Queensland.

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Nullawokka First Nations Tours

222 km

Nullawokka First Nations Tours is based in Bollon, south west Queensland. The company is owned and operated by Bill Speedy.

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Eromanga Natural History Museum

251 km

The Eromanga Natural History Museum is committed to discovering, conserving and showcasing the fossil, natural and cultural heritage from the prehistoric and modern-day environments.

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Boobook Explore

256 km

Find inspirational small-group experiences revealing the unique landscapes, ecology and history of the southwest Outback Queensland region, including Carnarvon Gorge National Park.

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Roma Saleyards Val Harms Interactive Centre

260 km

The Roma Saleyards are the largest cattle selling facility in the southern hemisphere, seeing over 400,000 cattle a year.

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St George Heritage Tour

297 km

Discover the stories and legends of St George, including a visit to the Anchorage Homestead with a fully guided tour including morning tea.

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Cotton Farm and Vineyard Tour

297 km

Don’t miss out on experiencing the Cotton Farm and Winery Tour held from May to September.

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