Saturday 31st August to Thursday 12th September September 2019 Gold Coast to Mt Isa
From To Distance
Day 1. Sat. 31/8/19 Gold Coast Dalby 259km Dalby Roma 270km 529km
Day 2. Sun. 1/9/19 Roma Charleville 266km Charleville Quilpie 212km 478km
Day 3. Mon 2/9/19 Quilpie Windorah 246km
Day 4. Tues 3/9/19 Windorah Stonehenge 164km Stonehenge Longreach 156km 320km Day 5. Wed 4/9/19 Longreach
Day 6. Thur. 5/9/18 Longreach Winton 180km
Day 7. Fri. 6/9/19 Winton Middleton 169km Middleton Boulia 193km 362km
Day 8. Sat. 7/9/19 Boulia Dajarra 149km Dajarra Mt Isa 155km 304km Day 9. Sun. 8/9/19 Mt Isa
Day 10. Mon. 9/9/19 Mt Isa McKinlay 228km McKinlay Winton 240km 468km
Day 11. Tues. 10/9/19 Winton Ilfracombe 207km Ilfracombe Blackall 188km Blackall Tambo 102km 497km
Day 12. Wed. 11/9/19 Tambo Morven 210km Morven Roma 177km Roma Miles 142km 529km
Day 13. Thur. 12/9/19 Miles Toowoomba 210km Toowoomba Gold Coast 180km 390km
Total 4303km
Cloncurry
McKinlay
Dajarra Middleton Queensland
Ilfracombe S.A. Stonehenge
Junda Tambo
Charleville Moven Miles
Toowoomba
Ride Notes Speed: As some of us require a ‘Clean’ licence for employment, all speed limits and road rules will generally be adhered to. Anyone who wishes to ride at a higher speed can do so at their own risk. We would ask however you do so with at least one other rider for your own safety.
Ride Protocol: As some of the roads we will travel on are isolated, we ask that each rider keeps the rider traveling behind in view at all times. This way if a rider suffers a problem, eventually all riders will turn back to assist. The constant flashing of high beam & sounding of horn from a bike behind will indicate the bike behind needs to stop. If a group of riders wish to split from the main group at any time, ensure the ride leader is made aware of your decision and agree on a meeting place at the next town. The ride will pause at any main road junction if we are diverting from a main road to ensure no rider gets left behind or lost.
Essential Items: • Sun Screen. • Insect Repellent. • Octane Booster for bikes that require 95 or 98 octane. • Puncture & Tool Kits. • Drinking water. • Snacks. • Phone / Camera
Accommodation: For those camping a group booking with numbers will be made in advance. Those that are opting for the comforts of Motel or Cabin accommodation, you will be required to confirm tour own bookings. See the list of recommended accommodation on next page.
Accommodation
Roma Villa Holiday Park Address: 67/75 Northern Rd, Roma QLD 4455 Phone: (07) 4622 1309
Quilpie Channel Country Tourist Park Address: 21 Chipu St, Quilpie QLD 4480 Phone: (07) 4656 2087
Windorah Windorah Caravan Park (Council Owned – No Office) 2 Victoria St. Windorah.n
Western Star Hotel / Motel Address: 15 Albert St, Windorah QLD 4481 Phone: (07) 4656 3166
Longreach Longreach Tourist Park Address: 12 Thrush Rd, Longreach QLD 4730 Phone: (07) 4658 1781
Winton Matilda Country Tourist Park Address: 43 Chirnside St, Winton QLD 4735 Phone: (07) 4657 1607
Middleton Hotel / fuel Ph (07) 4657 3980.
Boulia Boulia Caravan Park Address: Diamantina Developmental Road, Boulia QLD 4829 Phone: (07) 4746 3320
Desert Sands Motel Address: 50 Herbert St, Boulia QLD 4829 Phone: (07) 4746 3000
Mt Isa Mt Isa Caravan Park Address: 112 Marian St, Pioneer QLD 4825 Phone: (07) 4743 3252
Winton Matilda Country Tourist Park Address: 43 Chirnside St, Winton QLD 4735 Phone: (07) 4657 1607
Tambo Tambo Mill Motel & Caravan Park Address: 34 Arthur St, Tambo QLD 4478 Phone: (07) 4654 6100
Miles Miles Cross Roads Caravan Park & Cabins Address: 132 Murilla St, Miles QLD 4415 Phone: (07) 4627 2165 The Journey
Day 1. Gold Coast – Dalby – Roma
Dalby A taste of life as it used to be is what’s in store when you stay a while in Dalby, an easy 85 kilometres west of Toowoomba along the Warrego Way. To get the best from these charming locals and delve into the history and stories that give it a character all its own. Hit the Heritage Trail to explore on foot some of Dalby’s historic buildings. Start at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, built in 1921, and discover the old police station dating from the mid-1860s; the Art Centre, which was once the Bath House; and Mary’s Commercial Hotel (1885) – one of the oldest and most legendary pubs on the Western Downs. You can delve further into the local history at Pioneer Park Museum. Exhibits include working farm machinery from the late 1800s and early 1900s, early fashions and household memorabilia and an extensive collection of minerals, rocks and fossils. Of notable interest is the handwritten letter by Ned Kelly asking authorities to allow his mother to visit him in prison.
Roma Only 350 kilometres north-west of Toowoomba, Roma Outback Queensland is home to the southern hemisphere's largest sale yards. Visitors can get a feel for the outback by perching on a fence or taking a coveted possie on the viewing platform to watch the action at Roma Saleyards. Be sure to time your visit for a Tuesday or Thursday and you can witness the sale of up to 12,000 head of cattle in a single day. To get a real feel for the town itself, take a walk along the heritage-listed Heroes' Avenue, which is planted with more than 100 bottle trees. Each tree is a memorial to a local soldier who lost their life in WW1. For a dose of history, head to the Mount Abundance Homestead, built in 1860, which is the site of the region's first settlement. The homestead has important links to early explorers Sir Thomas Mitchell and Ludwig Leichhardt. Don't miss the Big Rig Oil and Gas Interpretative Centre and Night Show for an interactive insight into the hardships and heroic stories of oil drilling and exploration. Visit the 'Oil Patch' to get up close to impressive rigs and one of the first diesel powered rigs ever used in Australia.
Day 2. Roma – Charleville – Quilpie
Chareville
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. 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.
Quilpie
Quilpie is a town and a locality situated in the Channel Country of South West Queensland, Australia. The town is the administrative centre of the Quilpie Shire local government area. In the 2011 census, Quilpie had a population of 574 people. The economy of the area is based on the grazing and mining industries.
Explore the Shire Museum, Military History Museum, Rail Museum and Regional Gallery all attached to the centre. Enjoy access to free Wi-Fi and even make your National Park bookings here! An outback adventure would not be complete without enjoying a sunset from Baldy Top Lookout. A 10-minute walk to the top and you will be rewarded with complete panoramic views sure to take your breath away. Home to “The Jewel of the Outback”, the beautiful boulder opal, Quilpie displays it in the most unique of ways. See the opal in all its glory at St. Finbarr’s Church with the spectacular Opal Altar, Font & Lectern or try your luck at the free opal fossicking area 2km west of town. Don’t miss the literal ‘End of the Line’, Bulloo River Walk, the old Powerhouse Museum and the Mini Museum at the airport. There is something for the whole family to enjoy in Quilpie!
Day 3. Quilpie – Windorah
Windorah
Windorah is the Aboriginal word meaning "Big Fish" and is located 35km south of where the Thomson and Barcoo Rivers join to form the multi-channelled Cooper’s Creek.
From here the mighty Cooper commences its epic journey towards Lake Eyre. Pushing through a mosaic of channels and flood plains that stretch outwards from its banks for up to 100kms, Cooper Creek in flood is surely the beating heart of the Channel Country.
With waterholes spanning up to 10kms in length there is generally great fishing to be had with catches of yellow belly, catfish and bream. Smaller channels are great for catching fabulous yabbies - one of the great bush delicacies.
A 12km nature drive from just outside town to the Cooper’s Creek crossing is a must to learn about the huge range of flora native to the area.
The sand hills 12km to the west of town are the deepest red you will ever see. A western sunset over these magnificent hills is very photogenic and there is definitely no shortage of them just a short distance from town on the road to Birdsville.
An original slab hut, circa 1906 built on the banks of the Whitula Creek has been relocated to the grounds of the Visitor Information Centre and forms the centre piece of the Whitula gate museum. The museum features in an interesting historical display, retelling the history of the town and its people.
80kms west of Windorah lies the JC pub ruins, once part of the township site of Canterbury, the ruins and the small-town cemetery is a poignant reminder of the vulnerability of our early pioneers and their children whilst living in the outback.
Windorah is also now home to an amazing Solar Power Farm, and definitely worth the stop at the viewing bay to observe the farm and learn about generating power from the sun, this plant supplies Windorah with most of its energy requirements.
The Information and History walk/drive around the town of Windorah is a great way to learn about the points of interest around the town. You will learn about the old court house which is now an icon of the town, to discovering the beautifully maintained and unique town cemetery. Day 4. Windorah – Jandah – Stonehenge – Longreach
Jandah
Nestled safely above the floodplain of the Thomson River, downstream from Stonehenge, Jundah is the Administration Centre for the Barcoo Shire. Tranquillity is the drawcard, offering a carefree lifestyle abound with country hospitality. The river so close to town, offers the avid birdwatcher and fisherman the chance to take things easy or if it’s some physical action your seeking kayak the serene waters. The Settlers' Nature Drive meanders along the river bank before venturing through diverse land types. Plant species are identified along the way. The Native Well, located 32 kilometres north of Jundah on the Stonehenge road, was a valuable water source for indigenous people in days gone by - marvel at how these wells were manually created. Magee's Shanty (of Banjo Patterson's Bush Christening Fame) lies about 100 kilometres to the south east of the town. Call in at the information centre to ask for directions. Unique "Welcome Signs" to the town replicate the historic shop front still to be seen in the main street of Jundah. Each of the signs is linked together by a walking trail and contains different information giving an insight into the early years of the township. A little further towards Stonehenge, you crest the jump-up and Swanvale Lookout. -
Stonehenge
Situated 151 kilometres from Longreach on the Thomson Development Road, Stonehenge heartily welcomes all visitors. When asked what they most enjoy about Stonehenge, people say the warm welcome and peace and quiet. Chat with the local residents to discover some of the history or follow directions to the John Egan Pioneer Track to see some fantastic landscapes and views. Situated close to the Thomson River just out of flood reach Stonehenge is the ideal spot to relax for a few days. To sign the visitors book Stonehenge style, you write your name in stone directly beside the main road not far from town. This tradition started years ago by the then mailman - the rest is history! Take some time to read through the many names and places. Please remember if leaving your mark not to remove stones already in use. XXXX Hill is a scenic vantage point with breathtaking 360-degree views of the Thomson River flood plains and surrounding Johnstone Ranges. Less than six kilometres from Stonehenge and completely unexpected is a series of magnificent rock holes framed with ghostly white gum trees.
Day 5. Longreach
Longreach is a town in Central West Queensland, Australia, approximately 700 km from the coast, west of Rockhampton. The town is named after the "long reach" of the Thomson River on which it is situated. The town was gazetted in 1887, and the railway reached the town in 1892, causing the population to grow.
Points of Interest:
Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame – Pays tribute to Australia’s pioneering legends and outlines our Outback history. Includes artefacts, electronic displays, photographs and films.
Qantas Founders Museum – This world- class attraction commemorates the founders of this great Australian company that became a leader in world aviation. Be guided through a passenger jet, take a wing walk or test your skills in the flight simulator.
Cruises & Outback Shows – Step aboard Outback Pioneers Cruise Experience and spend an evening on the Thomson River complete with entertainment; or enjoy an intimate candlelit dinner and bush entertainment after soaking up an outback sunset, aboard Outback Aussie Tours Longreach Explorer.
Outback Aussie Tours – Benefit from 25+ years outback touring experience with individual or package tours. Station Tours, river cruises or dinner with entertainment. Visit the office at the Longreach Railway Station.
Outback Pioneers – Experience the pioneering past on a Cobb & Co. coach, historic Working station tour, visit the Station Store and enjoy the Old Time Tent Show. Dine at the Changing Station Café.
Camden Park Station Tour – Meet the Walker family on their property as you experience a working sheep and cattle station. Walk through the historical Homestead Gardens, Shearing Shed and Cattle Yards then tour the farm after a scrumptious smoko.
Longreach Region Visitor Information Centre – For all your Information on where to stay, tour availability, bookings and unique gifts.
Longreach Powerhouse Museum – The largest preserved rural generating facility in Australia. Unearth local history with exhibits that include the powerhouse generating equipment and examples of social and commercial life in years gone by.
School of Distance Education – Take a fascinating tour through one of the largest classrooms in the world.
Queensland Helicopters – Offer a fantastic range of scenic flights in the region.
Longreach Arts and Crafts Centre –This beautiful building houses a gallery of local artists’ work.
Nature Walks – Longreach Botanic walkway is a 2.5km interpretive native flora walk between the town centre and the Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Iningai Nature Park, located on the Longreach Town common. includes sections of floodplains and waterholes.
Cemetery Tours – Step back in time for a guided tour amidst the fascinating history of Longreach Cemetery. Day 6. Longreach – Winton
Winton: Winton is a town and locality in the Shire of Winton in Central West Queensland, Australia. It is 177 kilometres northwest of Longreach. The main industries of the area are sheep and cattle raising. The town was named in 1876 by postmaster Robert Allen, after his place of birth, Winton, Dorset.
Winton is the Dinosaur Capital of Australia, home of Waltzing Matilda and Queensland’s Boulder Opal; abundant in nature, culture and heritage.
“Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong…” You’ll be forgiven for relentlessly whistling this famous tune while you’re in Winton, as it’s the very home of Banjo Patterson’s ‘Waltzing Matilda’. Reputedly inspired by an 1894 shearer’s suicide at the nearby Combo Waterhole and first performed in Winton’s North Gregory Hotel on 6th April 1895, you can learn all about Banjo and the adopted national anthem at the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton.
The Waltzing Matilda Centre Completed in 1998 at a cost of $3.1 million the Waltzing Matilda Centre combined Winton's existing Qantilda Museum with an impressive range of new attractions many constructed around the story of the swagman as told in 'Banjo' Paterson's 'Waltzing Matilda'. The centre burnt down in June, 2015 and by 2017 a new centre was under construction.
Arno's Wall The walls reach two metres high and extend for at least 70 metres. They are constructed of concrete and rock brought from Arno's opal mine at Opalton and studded with rusted lawnmower parts, boat propellers, vintage typewriters and sewing machines and even a couple of complete motorbikes.
Winton’s Diamantina Heritage Truck and Machinery Museum Bring the whole family along and take a nostalgic trip into transport history by visiting Winton’s Diamantina Heritage Truck and Machinery Museum. The museum features historic trucks, vehicles and machinery as well as photographic and transport memorabilia. It’s a fun and educational day out for the whole family…
Day 7. Winton – Middleton – Boulia
Middleton.
Population: 3. Middleton made history in 1862 when the first white men, John McKinlay and his search party for Burke and Wills entered the area. Middleton later became the site of the Middleton Hotel in 1876 and was a Cobb & Co. staging post. The small town that grew up around the hotel has since disappeared, leaving the pub with the distinction of being one of the most isolated hotels in Queensland. You can still stop off for a drink at the Middleton Hotel and with a spectacular scenic drive to Middleton and Cawnpore Lookout, you won’t be disappointed.
Cawnpore Lookout It’s well worth the walk up the track to the first level – and even more worth walking the steep, slippery, rough goat-track to the 2nd level where the unbelievably magnificent panorama has another-worldly quality tempting to even amateur photographers …
Boulia. There are a lot of bush yarns and legends in this Outback country, but the people of Boulia reckon the pick of the bunch are the ones about the mysterious Queensland icon, the Min Min Light. Here is a yarn about the Light they would like to share with you. It was shortly after the Min Min Hotel was destroyed by fire around 1912, when a stockman had one of the first experiences with the Min Min Light: "About 10pm I was riding to Boulia and passed close to the Min Min graveyard. The night was somewhat cloudy. All of a sudden, I saw a strange glow right in the middle of the cemetery. It got bigger until it was the size of a large watermelon. I couldn't believe my eyes as I watched it hovering over the graveyard. I broke into a cold sweat as it started coming toward me. It was too much for my nerves. I dug the spurs into my horse and headed for Boulia as fast as I could go. Every time I looked back the light seemed to be following me. It only disappeared out of Boulia". To preserve the history and myths surrounding the Min Min Light, the Boulia Shire Council created the Min Min Encounter Complex. You can be a part of the 45-minute show introducing you to characters like Gunna and Bluey who have seen the light! As Boulia was also a part of Australia's inland sea more than 100 million years ago, you will be amazed by the extensive marine fossil display and the array historical artefacts from early settlers, including machinery, saddlery and hospital instruments. This can all be discovered at the Boulia Stonehouse Museum. Day 8. Boulia – Dajarra – Mt Isa
Dajarra. Believe it or not Dajarra was once the largest trucking depot in the world. Dajarra is now a quiet, laid back town in the far north of Outback Queensland. The older people of the area who remember Dajarra's heyday say that the area trucked more cattle than Texas in the United States of America. Drovers would bring cattle from as far away as Western Australia to put them on the train at Dajarra. Then came the road trains and soon the railway was turned into just a memory. The town also has a rich aboriginal heritage and is home to aboriginal tribes from around the Diamantina River, the Gulf and the Northern Territory. The old culture is upheld here. The aboriginal language is taught at the school by a couple of elders and one local elder shows the children how to make boomerangs, what wood to use and what timber is best for didgeridoos. They still know where to find the bush foods and the 'bush lollies' on the Gidyea trees after rain, berries, wild oranges at Christmas and wild bananas on the road to Mount Isa.
Day 9. Mt Isa Affectionately known as the 'oasis of the outback', Mount Isa is a gleaming mirage on the horizon for travellers from all directions. Nestled among the ochre-red Selwyn Ranges, on the banks of the Leichhardt River, Mount Isa is a bustling melting pot of culture and industry and also home to the world's third largest rodeo. It's grown from strength to strength over the years but the harsh picturesque landscape has barely changed, becoming one of the main draw-cards for visitors each year. Mount Isa has ample places to fish, camp or relax and enjoy an outback sunset. The rugged terrain is a four-wheel- driver's haven, and visitors can explore the region just as the pioneers of the region did many years ago. The twin jewels in Mount Isa's crown are the spectacular Lawn Hill Gorge in Boodjamulla National Park and its neighbour, the world heritage listed Riversleigh Fossil Fields. A must see is the Outback at Isa complex, incorporating the award-winning Riversleigh Fossil Centre, Hard Times Mine, Sir James Foots Building, Outback Park and Visitor Information Centre. The Hard Times Mine is a working replica mine designed and operated by actual miners where you can gain an insight into the industry integral to Mount Isa's economy. Mount Isa's existence and its main financial base is the huge Mount Isa Mine, the world's largest single producer of copper, silver, lead and zinc. In 1923, John Campbell Miles found a silver- lead ore outcrop. This rich deposit is still producing high volumes of ore and is classed as one of the world's great mines. Other attractions are the School of the Air, which provides an education to students on remote properties as far as 1000 kilometres away via satellite internet. Mount Isa is also home to one of Queensland's largest Royal Flying Doctors bases, the National Trust Tent house, a WW2 Underground Hospital and the Beth Anderson Museum.
Day 10. Mt Isa – Cloncurry – McKinlay – Winton
Cloncurry. The ‘Curry’, as it is affectionately known by locals, is 120km east of Mount Isa and 400km south of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Few places can claim to be as influential in shaping Australia, as Cloncurry. Birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and destination of the first Qantas flight. Cloncurry is a community that celebrates outback life, the true Australian way. Founded by Ernest Henry in 1867 with the discovery of copper, Cloncurry’s core industries include grazing, transport services, copper and gold mining.
Spend a couple of days in the ‘Curry’ and don’t miss out on seeing some of the area’s most popular attractions including Cloncurry Unearthed Visitor Information Centre and Museum, John Flynn Place Museum & Art Gallery, Chinaman Creek Dam, Cloncurry Lookout.
McKinlay
John McKinlay left Adelaide in 1861 in search of Burke and Wills. He found the grave of a European, supposed to be Charles Gray, near Cooper Creek. Soon afterwards, McKinlay learned that the remains of Burke and Wills had also been found. McKinlay headed for the Gulf of Carpentaria hoping to find HMAS Victoria which had been sent to meet Burke’s party. By 20 May 1862, the shore of the Gulf was thought to be only 8 km away but the intervening country was very difficult and it was decided to turn east and make for Port Denison. The party returned by sea to Adelaide. McKinlay received a grant of £1000 from the government and a gold watch from the Royal Geographical Society of England.
More than 100 years later, Mick Dundee helped to put McKinlay on the map with the filming of Crocodile Dundee taking place in and around town.
Today, you will recognise countless original film relics such as Mick’s Truck and the original bar set on proud display at the Walkabout Creek Hotel. Whilst in town, you will also notice Queensland’s smallest library and museum situated in Middleton Street or the Crafty Old School House’s Coolibah Tree handcrafted from vintage metal objects collected from local stations.
Day 11. Winton – Ilfracombe – Blackall – Tambo.
Ilfracombe. Today Ilfracombe is a tiny settlement on the vast flat plains of western Queensland with a single hotel, a cafe, a few houses and a remarkable "Great Machinery Mile" museum which stretches the length of the town. It is hard to imagine that there was a heyday, back in the 1890s, when the town had three hotels each with its own dance hall, a soft drink maker, a coach builder, two general stores, a billiard saloon, a dressmaker, three commission agents, a couple of butchers, a baker and a saddler. The huge properties which once characterised the area have been broken up into smaller units. Despite the changes Ilfracombe still survives as a service centre to the surrounding sheep and cattle stations although, with Longreach only 27 km away, its importance as a rural centre has waned.
Blackall. Nestled on the banks of the mighty Barcoo, Blackall’s friendly locals always give visitors a warm welcome. Literally growing on the sheep’s back, Blackall became a thriving outback township in the early years. Today, you can discover the region’s wool heritage at the Historic Blackall Wool scour, the last remaining scour in Australia, a virtual living museum, where friendly volunteers can take you on an intimate guided tour through the complex.
Blade shearer Jack Howe put Blackall on the map in 1892 at nearby Alice Downs Station, when he set a world record by shearing 321 sheep in seven hours and 40 minutes. It took another 58 years before anyone matched this feat and this was by machine shears. Jack Howe is memorialised in a bronze sculpture that can be viewed when wandering along the Shamrock Stroll, a historical walk around the town. Blackall has the reputation as the Arts Capital of the West, boasting an outdoor gallery of public artworks created by local and well renowned artists, which range from scrap metal sculptures, wool carvings and hand-painted murals to large bronze depictions of the town’s most famous. The first artesian bore in the outback was drilled in Blackall in 1885 and today visitors can rest, relax and revive in the natural artesian waters at the Blackall Aquatic Centre’s thermal spa and swimming pool.
Blackall is the home of the Black Stump which was used for surveying purposes and permanently marks the original Astro Station established in 1887. Anything west of this point is said to be ‘beyond the black stump’.
Tambo.
Step back in time when you arrive in Tambo, enjoy the slower pace and all the history that the oldest town in the Central West has on offer.
Tambo has a relaxed atmosphere and visitors are encouraged to wander around and enjoy a self- guided walk along the banks of the Barcoo or around the town’s historical buildings. Meet and chat with local volunteers at the town’s heritage Post and Telegraph buildings where you can try your hand at Morse code and learn of the town’s rich history.
Take a picnic to the Tambo Dam where an abundance of birds will keep you entertained with their antics, or you can pull up in the middle of town at the EE Parr Park which has a well-equipped picnic area with a playground to allow those little travellers to work off any excess energy.
Across from the park, the Grassland Art Gallery is well worth a visit, a contemporary art space showcasing artworks from local and regional artists, the exhibitions change every six to eight weeks so there is always something different to see.
A trip to Tambo, the Outback Teddy Bear Capital is not complete without a visit to the Tambo Teddies workshop where you can marvel as these pure wool teddies in a variety of colours and styles come to life.
Day 12. Tambo – Morven – Roma – Miles.
Morven. Morven is a town in South West Queensland in Shire of Murweh, Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the Warrego Highway, 91 kilometres east of Charleville and 665 kilometres west of Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Morven had a population of 276.
Roma. Roma is a town, locality and the administrative centre in the Maranoa Region, Queensland, Australia. The town was incorporated in 1867 and is named after Lady Diamantina Bowen, the wife of Sir George Bowen, the Governor of Queensland at the time. At the 2016 census, Roma had a population of 6,848.
Miles. Town booming because of the surrounding mining and coal seam gas production - known for its exceptional Historical Village.
Miles is one of those towns which, for most of its life, was a sleepy service centre surrounded by the rich soils of the Darling Downs. Recently it has become central to the development of coal seam gas in the Surat Basin and, as such, it has boomed. Prices reflect the wealth of the miners who move through the area; there are plans for huge gas developments; the local community is conflicted about the prosperity which has brought both jobs and financial pain. In the midst of all this it has one of the most impressive historical villages and museum in the country.
Day 13. Miles – Toowoomba – Gold Coast (Home)