The Diamantina Visitors’ Guide Where the Desert meets the Channel Country The Diamantina Visitors Guide - Birdsville | Bedourie | Betoota Front Cover Photo: Waddi Trees 10km North of Birdsville by Rowan Bestmann Front Cover Photo: Waddi Trees 1 The Diamantina Visitors’ Guide - Birdsville | Bedourie | Betoota THE DIAMANTINA LIKE NO PLACE ON EARTH The Diamantina Shire is true frontier country. Its people, Rich in natural, cultural and pastoral heritage, the heritage, stories, places, landscapes and wildlife blend Diamantina covers 95,000 square kilometres yet is home together to create an authentic old-world Australian to just 11 cattle stations and 300 residents. It captures destination with a modern twist. People come from across the very essence of Australia’s outback, and is accessible the globe to visit and those who live as part of the local to most vehicles, caravans and motor homes. Experience community are from culturally diverse backgrounds, a 4WD adventure of epic proportions on a Simpson bringing with them a unique array of experiences Desert crossing, trek through the stunning Diamantina and energies. National Park and gaze in wonder at the Channel Country, a rich tapestry of vast gibber and grass plains The Diamantina is a land of extremes; searing hot days and stretching to the horizon. freezing nights, flood and drought, rare flora and fauna, national parks, channel country, the wide red desert and For the best Diamantina experience, visit us between glorious space as far as the eye can see. Teeming with March and October. wildlife, the area is home to one of the world’s most fragile and unique desert ecosystems. The Diamantina Visitors Guide - Birdsville | Bedourie | Betoota Welcome to Country We acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, all of whom have a deep attachment to the Diamantina Shire. We hope that you also are able to experience all of its beauty. We wish you a safe journey and ask that you respect this land and its traditions, past and present, by leaving Country as you find it. The Diamantina Visitors’ Guide - Birdsville | Bedourie | Betoota 2 TRAVEL PLANNER BRISBANE LEGEND 561 MITCHELL 650 89 MORVEN Distances in 71 Kilometres 737 176 87 CHARLEVILLE ROCKHAMPTON 947 386 297 210 QUILPIE 580 BARCALDINE Bitumen Roads 1193 632 543 456 246 WINDORAH 687 107 LONGREACH Unsealed Roads 1419 858 769 682 472 226 BETOOTA 866 286 179 WINTON Capricorn Highway WEIPA 1587 1026 937 850 640 394 168 BIRDSVILLE 1211 641 534 355 BOULIA Matilda Highway Adventure Way BARRINGUN Great Inland Way 119 CUNNAMULLA Kidman Way ARCHER RIVER 316 197 CHARLEVILLE Overlander’s Way 400 281 84 AUGATHELLA Savannah Way 519 400 203 119 TAMBO COEN 620 501 304 220 101 BLACKALL Warrego Highway 726 607 410 326 207 106 BARCALDINE Natural Sciences Loop YARRADEN 833 714 517 433 314 213 107 LONGREACH QR Traveltrain 1012 893 696 612 493 392 286 179 WINTON Traveltrain Coach 1170 1051 854 770 651 550 444 337 158 KYNUNA Connection 1353 1234 1037 953 834 733 627 520 341 183 CLONCURRY 1536 1417 1220 1136 1017 916 810 703 524 366 183 BURKE & WILLS JUNCTION Outback Regions A I COOKTOWN 1728 1609 1412 1328 1209 1108 1002 895 716 558 375 192 NORMANTON Gateways to the Outback R A 1799 1680 1483 1399 1280 1179 1073 966 787 629 446 263 71 KARUMBA LARRIMAH WOLLOGORANG T N E LAKELAND HELL’S GATE P R TOWNSVILLE A C 134 CHARTERS TOWERS F MOSSMAN MORNINGTON 292 158 TORRENS CREEK DALY WATERS O M i PORT DOUGLAS t ISLAND c h 381 247 89 HUGHENDEN F e r l e l v L L y n d R i CAPE CRAWFORD U 493 359 201 112 RICHMOND DUNMARRA G 83 116km to Borroloola MAREEBA CAIRNS 642 508 350 261 149 JULIA CREEK ‘LOST CITY’ IN SWEERS S m i t h b R i v e r AMBER RANGES u r ISLAND n e 108 GORDONVALE 780 646 488 399 287 138 CLONCURRY R i v e r SOUTH WELLESLEY CHILLAGOE ATHERTON 899 765 607 518 406 257 119 MOUNT ISA ISLANDS 83 NEWCASTLE 71 1087 953 795 706 594 445 307 188 CAMOOWEAL KARUMBA e i 88 INNISFAIL WATERS E i n a s l g h 45 NORTHERN R i v e r MOUNT GARNET 1102 968 810 721 609 460 322 203 15 NT BORDER ELLIOTT RAVENSHOE BURKETOWN NORMANTON TERRITORY 68 All distances shown are in kilometres DOOMADGEE 77 MOUNT TULLY 93 153 148 79 o n R i v e r TIRRANNA 148 SURPRISE N l s H i c h o e r To check road conditions call RACQ on 1300 130 595 or L UNDARA b CARDWELL CROYDON e r e t BOODJAMULLA 118 89 VOLCANIC i GEORGETOWN R RENNER SPRINGS c i Queensland Government Trac & Travel Information on 13 19 40. (LAWN HILL) h 192 G i l b e r t NATIONAL v h 108 NATIONAL PARK PARK e 105 a r r 225 ADELS GROVE 87 d INGHAM t LAWN HILL GORGE N THE LYND JUNCTION R o l l k GREGORY i R i v e r H i C r e e v r This map is indicative only. n m GREENVALE w 90 e a 52 B L DOWNS r 58 a Please obtain detailed road maps RIVERSLEIGH n u r BLACKBRAES r e BURKE & WILLS v R i d of the areas you plan to visit i v e NATIONAL e o r R JUNCTION r 380 r e g y 129 PARK k TOWNSVILLE before you leave. G i n QUEENSLAND 200 THREE WAYS WAGGABUNDI R 90 i P 471km to r 246 v A e e Tennant r C TENNANT CREEK GUNPOWDER v I i F BARKLY HOMESTEAD Creek 57 I 200 R F l i n d e r s BOWEN C WAYSIDE INN 70 134 KAJABBI r y BALFE’S O u r PORCUPINE WHITE C c CREEK E CAMOOWEAL n GORGE MOUNTAINS 74 26 235 CHARTERS A o R i v e r NATIONAL NATIONAL CAMOOWEAL CAVES l 158 TOWERS N C PARK PARK EPENARRA NATIONAL PARK 44 90 JULIA r HOMESTEAD e QUAMBY CREEK 50 PENTLAND DEVILS MARBLES v 43 134 MAXWELTON PROSERPINE i 44 RICHMOND DAVENPORT RANGE R CLONCURRY 46 WAUCHOPE NATIONAL PARK w HUGHENDEN LAKE DALRYMPLE e NELIA 50 TORRENS CREEK WYCLIFFE WELL (proposed) F r MOUNT 43 PRAIRIE ISA 119 80 112 106 115 150 64 MACKAY 110 STAMFORD 149 144 MOORRINYA McKINLAY NATIONAL DUCHESS 76 67 PARK 112 60 S BARROW CREEK 84 360 u KYNUNA CORFIELD t e r URANDANGIE 205 248 t e r R i v COMBO r WATERHOLE e G DAJARRA 209 v e CONSERVATION i MORANBAH 281 o 115 R r 83 FOREST g PARK i 229 DEN o TI TREE n 164 74 d a NATIONAL n a R WINTON PARK y i 146 MIDDLETON l v e e r MUTTABURRA B r e 118 v 114 63 LAKE 85 i 89 R DUNN CLERMONT a BLADENSBURG 22 67 n 110 BOULIA 73 i NATIONAL i v e r t LARK 179 116 R 54 n 125 PARK ARAMAC e 244 53 QUARRY c CAPELLA a i l 39 m CONSERVATION A a 100 52 i PARK RUBYVALE D OPALTON 67 113 131 ROCKHAMPTON 58 LONGREACH 27 ILFRACOMBE BARCALDINE SAPPHIRE EMERALD BLACKWATER ALICE SPRINGS r JERICHO 168 e v i 80 R 87 76 191 48 DIAMANTINA 53 61 n ALPHA 67 NATIONAL LOCHERN s o 168 LAKE 196 GLADSTONE m 89 101 PARK NATIONAL o MARABOON PARK h 151 T 44 106 120 SPRINGSURE ISISFORD 121 NORTHERN TERRITORY 101 46 104 71 MIRIAM VALE NORTHERN 112 BLACKALL 204 BILOELA BEDOURIE 99 STONEHENGE 102 47 22 TERRITORY r 12 SALVATOR ROLLESTON BANANA e ROSA 67 v 52 114 KA KA i 42 R 101 NATIONAL MUNDI EMMET IDALIA CARNARVON o PARK NATIONAL BUNDABERG JUNDAH o NATIONAL GORGE MONTO 253 c YARAKA PARK LAKE 92 r MUNGA-THIRRI a PARK 120 TAMBO NATIONAL THEODORE MACHATTIE B GIN GIN (SIMPSON DESERT) 50 r PARK 94 e MT MOFFATT NATIONAL PARK 164 r 192 CHILDERS v ERIDUNDA 209 e i NATIONAL PARK 109 v WELFORD R i EIDSWOLD BIRDSVILLE 52 119 R NATIONAL d o WINDORAH PARK r e g 106 MARYBOROUGH a r GAYNDAH 51 r r W TAROOM a BETOOTA 109 e MUNDUBBERA W v k i e AUGATHELLA KULGERA 168 e R ADAVALE 40 40 r 158 C o 187 BIRDSVILLE 12 r o INJUNE Haddon e l 109 p l o 84 91 Corner o u GYMPIE Poeppel C 85 Corner B 85 87 MORVEN 91 QUEENSLAND CHARLEVILLE 44 MITCHELL 22 TREGOLE KINGAROY 69 QUILPIE 74 CHEEPIE 88 141 MILES NATIONAL MUNGALLALA 45 AMBY NAMBOUR 37 PARK 65 ROMA CHINCHILLA INDULKANA EROMANGA 48 COOLADDI 99 74 127 161 167 r 209 e MARLA v 129 DALBY SOUTH i WYANDRA 210 R TOOMPINE 210 195 SURAT 84 n 36 AUSTRALIA 180 o s TOOWOOMBA BRISBANE OODNADATTA l 113 122 DIG TREE 5 i OAKEY W 55 120 82 98 PITTSWORTH IPSWICH INNAMINCKA 20 MOONIE CADNEY 46 NOCCUNDRA 23 25 7 180 The station had been named after his family’s estate,THARGOMINDAH Annandale,YOWAH CUNNAMULLA MILMERRAN k 13 177 113 SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT! e 191 BOLLON ST GEORGE e 131 68 97 r TWEED C EULO r LAKE BINDEGOLLY e in Gladstone. r 88 HEADS r v 215 NATIONAL PARK e NINDIGULLY WARWICK At the end of the famous Birdsville Track is the frontier town of e i p v 203 o R 164 i o 119 DIRRANBANDI C 122 R e INGLEWOOD Birdsville.