A quick Outback Queensland trip: three days exploring red dirt country

Day 1: Cunnamulla

9AM: Meet the Cunnamulla Fella

Kickstart your outback adventure by flying into Cunnamulla, 800km west of Brisbane.

Cunnamulla is home to the Slim Dusty-immortalised, ‘Cunnamulla Fella’ and its obsession with the Aussie larrikin extends to the bronze statue in the main street, Visitor Information Centre, and an annual festival entirely dedicated to the icon (Cunnamulla Fella Festival).

Start your adventure by popping into the Cunnamulla Fella Visitor Centre to find out why the larrikin spirit runs so strong in this Outback town. Don’t forget to keep your camera handy for a souvenir photo with the bronze Cunnamulla Fella himself.

10AM: Discover the town

Even if you’ve arrived with your own car, it’s worth jumping aboard Out the Back Australia Tours for a Cunnamulla Town and Industry tour, led by long-time local Pieta Mills.

From the comfort of the air-conditioned bus, you’ll find out where to dial up your outdoor adventures, with local insights into the best spots for fishing, river kayaking and sandboarding.

You’ll also uncover the past with stops at the historic Allan Tannock Weir, local cemetery, the old sawmill housing, art-adorned Cunnamulla Water Tower, and the Darby Land Bridge.  

11AM: Relax by the shade of a Coolabah Tree

Escape the hottest part of the day down by the banks of the Warrego River with a DIY picnic from the Cunnamulla Bakery.

The Warrego River is the lifeblood of this desert region, with a history book filled with erratic patterns of flood and drought. If a picnic feels too sedentary for your liking, take a wander along the 1.6km Warrego Riverwalk or try your hand at kayaking, fishing and yabbying here.

Travel tip: If you fancy yourself a twitcher, you’ll want to add Bowra Sanctuary to your Cunnamulla itinerary. Find it 16km west of Cunnamulla, with more than 200 species of birds to tick off your bird book.

5PM: Set up camp on a sheep station

For an authentic outback experience unlike any other, end your day at Charlotte Plains - a family-owned and operated sheep station near Cunnamulla.

Visit the historic woolshed, take a tour of the property (available upon request), or soak into a deep artesian bore bath as you soak in the sunset. As for where you'll sleep, the property offers expansive unpowered camping as well as eight rooms within the 'Shearers Quarters'. 

Day 2: Cunnamulla to Charleville

6AM: Hit the road

In Outback terms, it’s just a short hop, skip and a jump (200km) to south-west Queensland’s largest town, Charleville.

Your first stop? Heinemanns Country Bakery for one of their legendary meat pies.

9AM: Discover the history of the docs of the bush

Pay a visit to the Royal Flying Doctors Service Visitor Centre to learn how this flying ambulance service started servicing the most remote parts of Queensland.

Built in 2014, the museum turns back the pages of history without being stuffy or static. Expect interactive displays and hands-on exhibitions that give insight into the RFDS’ history and continued operations.

11AM: See endangered bilbies

Meet some endangered Aussie natives at the Charleville Bilby Experience, run by the Save the Bilby Foundation. As the Australian capital of bilbies, Charleville makes waves on the research front for these marsupials, breeding bilbies for their reintroduction to Currawinya National Park.

You’ll be happy to know your visit donates to the Bilby cause, with all tour and souvenir proceeds going back to bilby research and conservation. 

2PM: Go undercover

Did you know that a section of the Charleville Airport became part of the United States of America in 1940? Head to the Milky Way (seriously, it’s a street name in Charleville), to discover the US Military’s most top-secret operations during WWII - which took place right here in Outback Queensland.

To learn more about Charleville’s red, white and blue history, you can join the WWII Secret Tour. 

5PM: Dine like a king

There's plenty of outback pubs to pull into when stomachs start rumbling, but do as the locals do and get yourself to The Rocks Motel. Its onsite restaurant, On the Rocks, is home to one of the best dinners in the bush, including an iconic Tomahawk steak complete with 30cm bone.

7.30PM: Tour the night sky

If you’ve been using the app Night Sky for a little while now, it’s time to upgrade to the real thing at the Charleville Cosmos Centre. With the aid of state-of-the-art Meade telescopes and a guide, you’ll be able to play eye-spy with star clusters 17,000 light years away, solar flares and craters on the moon.

Book in for the Big Sky Observatory (night experience), or learn how ancient cultures used the stars on the Universal Dreaming tour. Or if the stars don’t align and you find yourself here in the day, you can even do a daytime sun viewing, which is safe for the naked eye.

Day 3: Charleville to Quilpie

8AM: Hit the tarmac

Hit the road 210km west to opalescent Quilpie for a day of fossicking and relaxed sightseeing. Once you arrive a few hours later, it's time to dig deep.

A shovel and spade are all you need to strike it rich in this town, which is home to the iconic outback boulder opal - just head to the fossicking area and have a go. 

Alternatively, head to the Toompine opal field (between Quilpie and Yowah), which includes Duck Creek and Sheep Creek opal mines. For more free Outback Queensland experiences, swing over here.

3PM: Picnic by the river

The Outback isn’t all red dirt and dusty plains – and you can rebut this presumption with a wander along the pathway that follows the banks of the Bulloo River. Brimming with greenery and native species, the flora is conveniently signed so you know exactly what you’re looking at.

Feeling a little lethargic? Grab a shady spot under a tree and drop a line in, or head to Lake Houdraman for a quick picnic-style afternoon tea.

5PM: Catch sunset from up high

Sure, you could enjoy sundowners at Quilpie Imperial Hotel Motel, but it pays to hold off on drinks a little longer and take the 7km drive from downtown Quilpie to Baldy Top Lookout. This lookout has elevation on its side for the sun’s daily show.

With three days of red dirt under your wheels, you’ve got the option to fly back to Brisbane from Quilpie (via Charleville and Toowoomba) or continue your route along the Warrego Way for more Outback adventure. Either way, don't miss the opportunity to spend the night at another of Queensland's best outback stations: Moble Homestead.