Australia’s Outback is at the heart of our nation’s character. With startling raw landscapes, endless horizons and an atmosphere ‘to die for’, it’s there for us to explore - in relative comfort and safety! Come and revel in its simple elements and hard colours, and meet the laconic scattered people who, it must be said, stand out from the plain. The Outback will win your heart too. On this unhurried 7 day adventure tour by 4x4 coach, we’re exploring the diversity that is South West Queensland – from the prehistoric to the present. This is quirky country full of surprises. This is also an ideal tour if you haven’t been Outback before nor travelled on a 4x4 coach and would like to try it out.
Day 1– West to Charleville ‘grab your swag, so to speak!’ Swag or no swag, we’re waltzing into the Outback in our four wheel drive coach. Travelling the Warrego Highway across the Darling Downs, we pass through Chinchilla and Miles, pause in Roma and head onto Charleville, the ‘Gateway to the Outback’. Tonight over dinner we’ll get acquainted.
Day 2 – Channel Country, Windorah ‘budgies in the bushes’ Tour the local sights of Charleville, then we push further west through Cheepie to a place of fiery colours - Quilpie. On the Bulloo River, its key industries are opals, oil and gas. Watch for ‘Oil Donkeys’ on the drive to Eromanga, the furthest Outback town from the sea. Next we travel to Cooper Creek in the Channel Country where lies sleepy Windorah village.
Days 3-4 – Lark Quarry, Carisbrooke ‘meet your hosts’ Someway up Cooper Creek stands the tiny settlement of Jundah. We’ll drop in to say hello then keep up the track to Lark Quarry where a guide will try to explain how once some jolly dinosaurs stampeded by the billabong. At Carisbrooke Station Charles and Penelope look forward to welcoming us onto their property for the next two nights. Spend a day exploring with Charles. Here sheep and cattle share the land with wildlife and native vegetation. We can also fossick in the old opal mine. Altogether experience some famous outback hospitality, tea from the billy boiled - and tuck into scrummy homemade cooking.
Day 5 – Waltzing Matilda & the ‘Muttaburrasaurus’ We bid our hosts farewell and travel to Winton where ‘Waltzing Matilda’ was first performed at the North Gregory Hotel. Muttaburra was once a vast inland sea and is now famous for the Muttaburrasaurus, one of Australia’s largest dinosaurs. Onwards to Aramac, Jericho and we wind up today in Blackall on the Barcoo, said to be the home of the original ‘Black Stump’.
Day 6 – Carnarvon Range ‘teddies like tour travellers’ Stop by the oldest town in Western Queensland, Tambo, home of the ever popular ‘Tambo Teddies’. Travelling the dirt road east to Springsure the scenery is beautiful. Next we journey south through the Carnarvon Range, home of the impressive Carnarvon Gorge. Injune is the final night stop of our tour..
Day 7 – Roma, Surat and home ‘what a wonderful week!’ We return to Roma briefly and continuing down to Surat, where we turn east for home. We arrive back in Toowoomba about 4:00pm, Brisbane 6:00pm.
Cost of Tour: Twin/Double Share $2099 Single $2579
Join us on this adventure to explore the Outback of the state of Queensland. Phone Stonestreet's Coaches on 1 300 555 899 or 07 4687 5555 for bookings and enquiries.
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