5 days driving the Adventure Way in Outback Queensland

Day 1: Brisbane to Dalby (210km / 2hr 40m)

Leave city life behind you and head west over the Great Dividing Range to the Garden City, Toowoomba.

With over 150 parks and gardens, there are ample opportunities for a morning tea pit stop, whether you decide to pack your own picnic or grab something from one of Toowoomba’s bustling coffee haunts, like Baker’s Duck or Ground Up Espresso. If you have the time, a stroll through Queens Park or through the art-filled laneways is just the refresh you need before jumping back in the car.

Just outside of Toowoomba, stop in at the historic Woolshed at Jondaryan (currently open to organised bookings only). Inside its 300,000-acre boundaries, you’ll find some of the best Australian pioneering history tales. The pièce de résistance is the woolshed, made of 5,000 sheets of corrugated iron. With space for 52 shearing stands and up to 3,000 sheep, it’s the world’s largest working woolshed.

Now that you’ve had your first teaser of Adventure Way’s history, travel 82km west to Dalby, where fields of wheat, cotton and sunflowers prove Australia really is a country of green and gold.

For a unique place to stay in Dalby, cosy up in the secluded guesthouse or countryside cabins at Jubri's Hideaway. Otherwise, pull in for the night at Dalby Tourist Park, which offers both cabins and campsites just a short stroll from a selection of restaurants; or camp at Lake Broadwater Conservation Park if you prefer to sleep under the stars.

Day 2: Dalby to St George (303km / 3hr 30m)

Fuelled with a hearty breakfast from Urban Paddock Cafe, make your way to Dalby Salesyards bright and early. This is one of Australia's most significant cattle markets and the live auction action kicks off at 7.30am every Wednesday. Tours are available every Wedneday between 5 April – 25 October, 2023.

Then it's time to point your bonnet west to St George. Stop off at Western Downs hamlets like Moonie and Westmar along the way for a taste of tiny country town charm.

Once you arrive in St George, fishing fanatics should head directly to the Balonne River. St George is dubbed the inland fishing capital of Australia, best known for its cod catches. If fishing doesn’t appeal, don’t give the Balonne a miss entirely. The Riverbank Walkway offers 2km of shaded riverside pathways, with not a hill in sight.

A special gem worth seeking out in town is The Unique Egg museum. Local artisan Steve ‘Stavros’ Margaritis has made a name for himself internationally, carving emu eggs into stunning, illuminated artwork. Hiding in an unassuming brick building in the main street of town, his collection is the world's only display of hand-carved, illuminated emu eggs. 

Afterwards, wander the Heritage Trail through the town's most historic sites, or venture further afield to discover a local vineyard, historic pub, or silo art in nearby Thallon. 

Tonight, park the caravan, camp or get cosy in one of the modern cabins at the Pelican Rest Tourist Park, which will quickly become your patch of paradise nestled in native bushland.

Day 3: St George to Cunnamulla (295km / 3hr 30m)

Prepare for your first dose of red dirt today, as rich black soil gives way to the vibrant red of Outback Australia as you make your way from St George to Cunnamulla.

The first thing you’ll notice in town is the Cunnamulla Fella, a bronze statue that immortalises the famous Slim Dusty song.

Get to know the region with Out The Back tours, who share the real Cunnamulla, a town that’s home to natural sand dunes, native birds and rich Indigenous history. Choose from a range of tours that invite you to take part in authentic outback experiences, from sheep shearing and wool handling, farming demonstrations, fishing and kayaking on the Warrego River, to sand boarding, camp oven dinners and sunset river cruises. 

For a different side of the region's history, book a visit to Cunnamulla All Aboard - a 3D sound and light show and tour at the Cunnamulla Railway Station

If you can, plan your visit to coincide with the Cunnamulla Fella Festival or Music in the Mulga to really see this town of 1,200 people come to life.

Want to extend your authentic outback experience through the evening? Make your way to set up camp at Charlotte Plains, a family owned and operated sheep station located 40-minutes outside of town. Best known for their outdoor artesian bathtubs, the property offers camping and cabin accommodation. 

Those happy camping and caravanning near town can pull up for the night in the Cunnamulla Tourist Park. If a hotel suite or a night of glamping is what you’re in the mood for, settle into The Club Boutique Motel. Good to know: Their on-site restaurant dishes up delights from oven baked barramundi to reef & beef - but if you're in town on a Sunday be sure to join in on the campfire dinner and show.

Good to know: Cunnamulla Hot Springs is set to open soon. A series of hot and cold plunge pools, naturally heated by the artesian basin that flows underground, invite travellers to soak beside Warrego River - and you'll be able to indulge in a range of wellness experiences while you're here. 

Day 4: Cunnamulla to Thargomindah (196km / 2hr 10m)

To see why they call this part of the Adventure Way in Outback Queensland ‘Mulga Country’, head further west to Eulo, 68km from Cunnamulla through mulga tree-lined highway.

If you haven't already soaked up outback surrounds from a bathtub, Eulo’s Artesian Mud Baths are the perfectly refreshing pit stop before heading back on the road. Prefer to throw a line in? Five Mile Waterhole is the spot to catch yellowbelly, catfish and yabbies - or enjoy the peace with some bushwalks and birdwatching. 

Back on the road, take the turnoff into Lake Bindegolly National Park for a spot of wetland bird watching before arriving into Thargomindah for the night.

For a taste of local history, visit the old Thargomindah Hospital and Leahy Historical House, built in 1885 out of locally-made Bulloo River mudbricks and once home to cattle king Sir Sidney Kidman.

At sunset, you’ll see for yourself how the town name lives up to its Aboriginal derivative meaning “cloud of dust.”

Settle into the Oasis Motel or Explorers Caravan Park for the evening - with powered and unpowered sites, as well as cabins and bunkhouses. Those who want to try their luck can cast a net into the Bulloo River directly behind the caravan park to nab themselves some big blue yabbies for dinner.

Day 5: Thargomindah to Innamincka (413km / 10hr 30m)

Save the biggest day of driving till last. It’s a little over 5 hours from “Thargo”, as the locals call it, to the tiny town of 21 people just across the South Australia border, Innamincka.

If there are two must-stops before you cross the border: the historic Noccundra Hotel on the banks of the Wilson River, which was first licensed as a pub in 1886, and The ‘Dig Tree’ on Nappa Merrie Station, about 40km north-east of Innamincka. The Dig Tree tells an important story of Australian history as it was the base camp that Burke and Wills returned to, only to find the rest of the party gone.

For accommodation, if you’re keen on camping or caravanning, try the picturesque Town Common campgrounds nestled between the town and the banks of Cooper Creek. Otherwise, seek creature comforts at eco-friendly The Innamincka Hotel whose restaurant and bar draws most of the town’s population on any given night.

Looking for a different route back to Brisbane? Tackle the famous Birdsville Track, then head east through the heart of the outback.