Things to do in Outback Queensland

To chat face-to-face to a local about all the best things to see and do in Outback Queensland, step into a Visitor Information Centre. 

Time is the only thing you’ll want to pack for an outback holiday if you want to explore and experience this unique, diverse and breathtaking region. From the main towns of Mount Isa in the north-west, Birdsville in the far west, Charleville in the south-west and Longreach at its heart, the Outback makes up more than 65% of Queensland’s footprint. 

Discover ancient paleontologic history by day and cosmic science by night, or time your visit with one of Outback Queensland’s iconic events that promise to cover your boots in layers of red dust and a lifetime of memories against a backdrop that you’ll not only never forget, but won’t find anywhere else on earth.  

Regardless of when you visit, your days will be marked by the passage of the sun as you catch an iconic sunset and watch the sky fall to darkness, before being illuminated by a ceiling of stars.

The colours out here have played muse to more than one iconic song, with endless red plains that meet iridescent blue skies, punctuated only by Mother Nature’s favourite Australian colour tones  – green and gold.  

Spend your days exploring tiny towns, uncovering Indigenous history and learning more of Australia’s pioneering past. And you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to experience its many wonders either —  Outback Queensland is surprisingly easy on the hip pocket and many of its top draw cards are free. 

For local insights, settle into one of the local outback pubs and strike up a conversation. You’ll soon see why new friends are the most common souvenir all travellers take away from a visit to Outback Queensland.