The Wanderer
Few road trips capture the spirit of inland Australia quite like the route through the heart of Queensland. Stretching 1,040 kilometres from Charleville to Cloncurry, this journey follows the old stock routes and traveller trails across red plains, open downs and cattle country.
Allow at least two weeks to do it justice. Every stop has a story, from Charleville’s starry skies and Blackall’s wool heritage to Longreach’s aviation icons and the quirky towns of Winton and Cloncurry. We’d driven much of it before, but this time we really slowed down, ready to see what the outback would share.
Charleville eased us into outback life. We camped in our Winnebago Jervis at Cobb & Co Caravan Park for a few nights, where friendly hosts made us feel right at home. Charleville wears its history proudly, from the WWII Secret Base and the elegant Hotel Corones, to the charming bilbies with their great survival story, and the serene calm of the Outback Date Farms. Each tells a story of resilience and reinvention. Our favourite evening ended under the stars at the Cosmos Centre, where the Milky Way spread wide above the quiet town.
Heading north, we stopped in Tambo for a stretch, cuppa and overnight stop. Tambo’s small-town humour shines through its famous chicken races, when brightly coloured chooks dash around ‘Schnitzel Stadium’ at the Royal Carrangarra Hotel to a cheering crowd. The nightly races (April to October) raise money for children’s charity Little Windmills, and there’s a courtesy bus so punters can enjoy the action over a cold one.
An hour north, we rolled into the donation RV camp by the Barcoo River in Blackall (an RV Friendly Town), for a couple of nights. It’s a town that balances country hospitality with deep respect for its history. We joined a tour of the Blackall Woolscour – the last remaining steam-powered wool-washing plant in Australia. We stepped into living history when the belts turned and the rhythmic clank of century-old machinery echoed through the timber sheds. Back in town, we stopped by the statue of Jackie Howe – the legendary shearer who set a world record here in 1892 by hand-shearing 321 sheep in a single day.
The road from Blackall to Barcaldine cuts through vast, open country. Barcaldine is proud of its place in the national history books as the birthplace of the Australian labour movement; and the famous Tree of Knowledge stands at its heart. Beneath its sculpture canopy, we paused to read the plaques and imagine the voices that once filled the street during the 1891
Great Shearers’ Strike. Just around the corner, the Australian Workers Heritage Centre continues that story. Spread across more than two hectares, it celebrates the everyday people who shaped the nation – shearers, teachers, nurses and railway workers.
From Barcaldine, the road bent west – with Longreach waiting on the horizon. It’s a relatively short run of just over 100 kilometres from Barcaldine to Longreach, but the change in pace is stark. Longreach feels bigger and busier - a hub for outback travel and one of
Queensland’s true icons. We stayed at the Longreach Tourist Park, within walking distance of the Qantas Founders Museum – an unmissable stop for aviation lovers. The museum was fascinating, and the tour of the early Qantas planes was eye-opening. But the real highlight was stepping out onto the wing of the Boeing 747-200 that is on permanent display – a surreal experience in the middle of outback Queensland.
Afterwards we visited the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, another must-see attraction in Longreach. The exhibits honour the grit, skill and humour of the people who helped shape life in the bush, and the Outback Stockman’s Live Show brought those stories to life with incredible horsemanship, sheep wrangling, laughter and dust.
The drive from Longreach to Winton is a classic outback stretch – long and shimmering in the heat. Winton has a toughness about it; shaped by weather, distance and time. However, it’s also full of character for anyone willing to linger. We spent a morning visiting the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum, perched high on a jump-up (mesa) outside town. The fossil displays and guided tours are world class, and it’s humbling to think that this harsh country was once a lush, green landscape home to prehistoric giants. Back in town, we stopped by the Waltzing Matilda Centre (it’s near Winton where Banjo Paterson wrote the iconic song); before testing our rhythm at the quirky Musical Fence – an outdoor scrapyard of tuned wires and drums that invites anyone to play.
If you visit during the Winton Outback Festival (usually held in September), stick around for the famous Dunny Races. Watching teams sprint down the main street with decorated toilets in tow is pure outback fun, and the locals take it very seriously. Leaving Winton behind, we paused in McKinlay to visit the Walkabout Creek Hotel, made famous in Crocodile Dundee. It’s exactly what you hope for: cold drinks, friendly locals and a sense of nostalgia that makes you smile. Don’t forget to ask to see the famous “That’s a knife” blade, immortalised in the film.
From McKinlay we drove to Cloncurry, a town we’d only passed through briefly on a previous trip. We spent the cooler mornings exploring the Mary Kathleen Memorial Park and the John Flynn Place Museum and Art Gallery, tracing everything from local gossip to the origins of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. At the airport, the original Qantas hangar stands – still in use after more than a century. Afternoons were for air-conditioned mural-hunting drives, slow lunches at the Red Door Cafe, and the welcome cool of swimming in Chinaman Creek Dam.
Travelling from Charleville to Cloncurry really does feel like crossing the heart of Queensland – a road that connects history, humour and wide-open spaces in equal measure. It’s a classic outback trip that rewards you for taking your time. Each town has something to share, every stop a story waiting to be told. It’s also an excellent journey for families, with plenty to do and easy driving days between destinations. Whether you’re chasing big skies, local stories or a bit of history along the way, this road trip has plenty to offer – a genuine look at life in outback Queensland.
Charleville is about 740 kilometres west of Brisbane. The journey to Cloncurry is about 1,042 kilometres via the Landsborough Highway on sealed roads suitable for all RVs. Visit from April to September when the weather is cooler and attractions are open for the season. Watch out for road trains and wildlife, especially at dawn and dusk. Carry extra water, refuel frequently, and take your time.
caravanparkscharleville.com.au
cloncurrycaravanparkoasis.com.au
Category: Features
Written: Sat 13 Dec 2025
Printed: December, 2025
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