Local’s guide to Charleville

It would be easy to presume it’s all steak and snags out here, and while you can enjoy your fair share of prime beef, there’s some hidden Charleville culinary gems as well. One of the most recent additions, On The Rocks Restaurant is also considered the dining destination for special occasions. Locals love the likes of bamboo smoked panko crumbed prawns, and tamari and brown sugar roasted pumpkin, chased down by an affogato for dessert.

For a more old-school Outback experience, head to the historic Hotel Corones for your usual suspects of schnitzels and sausages and rissoles and ribs. Spice up your stay at the Lucky Elephant where residents flock for their fix of Penang curry and pad Thai. The Charleville RSL is also a popular haunt for its $12 lunch specials (think grilled Barra), and crumbed lambs’ brains, and if you’re fortunate to be here at 7pm on any evening, you’ll witness the place come to a standstill while The Last Post is played in respect of those Australians who fought and died in conflicts.

Drink

If cool beats, barefoot bowls and a frothy beer are your jam, the Charleville Bowls Club can offer you all three, plus a chance to rub shoulders with the locals. Look for the horns outside and you’ve arrived at the Charleville Cattle Camp Hotel where you can expect an ice-cold beer plus bottleshop. After you’ve experienced the History and Stories Tour at Hotel Corones, make sure you pull up a perch at its wide, central timber bar, slouch under its pressed metal ceilings, soak up the atmosphere and order a coldie off the tap.

Non-drinkers will appreciate the Charleville Splashe Cola – a cross between a cola and a sarsaparilla – which you can find at the Charleville RSL. Those who fancy something, well, more fancy, should head to On The Rocks Restaurant for arguably the best wine list in town as well as city-style cocktails such as espresso martinis.

Shop

This tiny town packs a punch when it comes to shopping spots. Charlotte's Nest is a treasure trove of gifts, homewares and fashion. Order a great coffee here, and while your brew is percolating, wander this store brimming with stylish wares. Locals love the Charleville candles replete with its map coordinates. The official name of her store is Judey's Browse In but ask anyone in Charleville, or the Queensland Outback for that matter, and she’s better known as Rude Jude. At the front of this eclectic store along the main drag of Alfred Street, you’ll find all the gear you need for fishing the Ward River here (think yellow belly), and the expertise to boot. Delve a little further and Jude also sells adult toys, served with a sense of humour and a splash of cheeky language.

In fact, Alfred Street is your main shopping stretch with Charleville Cottage Flowers and Garden peddling all manners of pretty homewares and fashionable goods, and the Mulga Lands Gallery and Made in Murweh Arts and Craft Shop featuring some lovely local art. Pick up some jewellery at EW Wilkinson & Co and all your Outback clobber at Golders which even sells beach gear and caters for kids with a Toyworld at the rear.

Play

Astronomers consider Charleville, with its clear night skies, low light pollution and latitude of 26 degrees (check out your candle from Charlotte’s), one of the most ideal destinations in the southern hemisphere from which to view the stars, and the Cosmos Centre offers the perfect platform from which to do so. Locals love to show off their big sky to visitors and the newest addition to this experience is the Planetarium, a huge white dome which projects various movies about the universe. Next door, and also relatively new, the World War II Secret Base & Tour offers an incredible insight into Charleville’s role in this major conflict, the 3500 American servicemen who were based here, and remnants of buildings that were used during this period in history. Residents delight in telling visitors that Charleville was considered a safe haven during the war as it was too far for enemy planes to refuel.

The Charleville Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre, next to the operational RFDS base, is home to old medical instruments and stories of Outback medical facts and feats. Pop into the Charleville Historic House Museum and meet with George, who knows everything there is about the region and even plays a number of musical instruments for visitors.

Locals adore the Graham Andrews Parklands and Recreation Complex for its Outback Native Timber walk which interprets native trees and their Indigenous uses, the Steiger Vortex Rainmaking Guns, disc golf course, barbecues and kids playground. For another taste of Mother Nature close to town, take the 1.4km Warrego River Walk, a pleasant, paved stroll brimming with wildlife and which forms part of an Indigenous cultural trail which pays homage to the local Mundagudda and Bidjara people.

Due to officially open in April 2021, the Charleville Botanical Reserve will offer a 22km driving track showcasing Outback fauna and flora which bursts into bloom in autumn and spring. While the Charleville Bilby Experience was closed to protect these endangered animals from Covid during 2020, locals report a bilby boom in the region. Follow their website for more exciting news to be announced in 2021.

Stay

For an authentic Outback stay, head to the Charleville Bush Caravan Park which offers 16ha of powered sites aimed at non-smokers and those travelling without pets. Just 2km from town, you could be miles away amid the old farm machinery and the special sunset lookout here. There’s even the charming self-contained Charleville Bush Cottage on site, camp oven food nights, a laundry and clean amenities among the wilga and brigalow trees. Charleville boasts a plethora of caravan parks and motels, and at the other end of the scale, The Rocks Motel touts itself as the place where “city style accommodation meets country hospitality”. Home to 20 stylish rooms and a pool, this is arguably the nicest place in which to rest your head if you are looking for something more upmarket.

Inspired to plan a stint here? Check out this Charleville itinerary.