ROAD TRIPS

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Want to truly experience the Australian outback? Take the scenic route along Queensland’s famous Matilda Way, which is named in honour of the iconic Aussie ballad of the same name.

Starting from Cunnamulla in the south west of Queensland and travelling all the way to the barramundi capital of Australia, Karumba in the Gulf of Carpentaria, this 1,812- kilometre road is the highway to unforgettable scenic and historic landscapes.

STAGE 1: CUNNAMULLA TO CHARLEVILLE

TRAVEL TIME APPROX: 2 Hours 5 Mins | 200KM

Kick-start your adventure in Cunnamulla with a quick trip back in time at the Cunnamulla Fella Centre (there’s a super-sized bronze statue of the famous fella out the front). Stop by the Artesian Time Tunnel to learn about the lifeblood of the region, the Great Artesian Basin.

About two hours from Cunnamulla is the town of Charleville. Before getting some shuteye, enjoy an observatory session at the Charleville Cosmos Centre to see the wonders of the outback glisten beneath a canopy of stars.

If history is more your thing, discover the top-secret Second World War US Air Force base just outside Charleville on a convoy tour.

STAGE 2: CHARLEVILLE TO BLACKALL

TRAVEL TIME APPROX: 3 Hours 12 Mins | 303KM

From Charleville, make your way north to Blackall, a town famous for its sheep-shearing legends. We’re not exaggerating when we say it’s famous – in 1892, a shearer named Jack Howe set a world record after shearing 321 sheep in just seven hours. When you visit, you can learn about Jack and the Australian wool industry at the Blackall Woolscour, which happens to be the last remaining steam-operated wool-washing plant in Australia.

STAGE 3: BLACKALL TO LONGREACH

TRAVEL TIME APPROX: 2 Hours 18 Mins | 214KM

Before heading off to your next destination, enjoy a morning dip in Blackall’s artesian pool — it is naturally heated to 32 degrees and packed with natural minerals, so it’s magic all year round.

Before arriving in Longreach, make a pitstop in Barcaldine. Here, you can visit the Australian Workers Heritage Centre that celebrates working Australians.

Grab a cuppa from Ridgee Didge Café where you can taste the outback’s first and only aboriginal coffee, Coolamon Coffee. While you sip, learn about the traditional owners of the land, the Inigai people.

You know you’re in the heart of the outback when you’ve arrived in Longreach. There’s so much to do here, but even more to discover about Australia’s rich history and unique character. Visit the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, the Cobb & Co. Stagecoach Experience and the Qantas Founders Museum.

STAGE 4: LONGREACH TO WINTON

TRAVEL TIME APPROX: 1 Hour 51 Mins | 179KM

If you’re wondering why it’s called the ‘Matilda’ Way, today you’ll find out. Famous Australian bush poet Banjo Paterson wrote Waltzing Matilda, his iconic ballad about a swagman camped by a billabong, when staying with friends near Winton in 1895. The song was first performed in Winton’s North Gregory Hotel.

Upon arrival in Winton from Longreach, discover the real story behind the song at the Qantilda Museum. Shop for opals, visit the Australian Age of Dinosaurs exhibition to see the skeletons of three dinosaurs found in the area, and watch palaeontologists at work – you can even join in with a prep-a-dino package.

Winton is known as the “Hollywood of the Outback”, with several films shot here. Winton’s Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival is an annual winter celebration of Australian cinema, held under a spectacular blanket of stars. But if you miss it, you can still catch a movie al fresco at the Royal Open Air Theatre, which has been screening movies since 1918.

STAGE 5: WINTON TO CLONCURRY

TRAVEL TIME APPROX: 3 Hours 42 Mins | 347KM

It’s a new day and there’s plenty more to explore, so get up, get dressed and get out onto the road for a four-hour drive to Cloncurry.

A tiny mining town with a heart of gold, Cloncurry is brimming with natural beauty and friendly locals, and even boasts its very own ‘ghost town’; nearby mining settlement of Mary Kathleen.

Make time to visit the John Flynn Place Museum and Chinaman Creek Dam.

STAGE 6: CLONCURRY TO KARUMBA

TRAVEL TIME APPROX: 5 Hours | 453KM

Break up the drive with lunch at the Purple Pub in Normanton, or continue on to Karumba to watch the sun slip into the Gulf of Carpentaria while enjoying a meal of barramundi and chips at the Sunset Tavern. You can have a yarn with the locals at the pub, or go fishing in the nearby tranquil waters — either way it’s a fitting finale to an epic road trip.

This article was written in conjunction with Tourism & Events Queensland.

For more information about road trips in Queensland, go to queensland.com.