10 Outback Queensland road trips that’ll knock your socks off

GUIDE

Woman reads a book on deck of outback glamping accommodation while partner starts a campfire

By Danielle Reckless

Published 3 months ago

Reckon it's time for a new adventure? Point your bonnet towards Outback Queensland.

Forget the notion that it's just red dirt (though we've got plenty). Out here, you'll climb towering cliffs, dig up dinosaur bones, hunt for gemstones, and stand gobsmacked in front of ancient Indigenous art. You'll find tiny towns where history runs deeper than the local waterhole and pubs where "just one beer" quickly becomes three.

Feeling the call of big skies and wide open spaces? Here are ten ripper Outback Queensland road trips to get your wheels spinning.

1. Journey through the heart of the outback: Matilda Way

Guests sit at tables beside campfire in outback setting as a singer performs on the verandah of an iron shack — Smithy's Outback Dinner and Show, Aussie Outback Tours, Longreach, Outback Queensland

Where: Cunnamulla to Karumba

Time recommended: 10 days (one way)

Distance: 1,800km

This road trip's the full bottle. Endless blue skies, sunsets that'll stop you in your tracks, and pit stops at the outback's most legendary towns: Charleville, Longreach and Winton, before you hit the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The Matilda Way zips straight up Queensland's middle, but rush it and you'll miss the good stuff. Kick off with the Cunnamulla Fella Roundup if your timing's right, then swing by Charleville to meet some endangered bilbies and get starry-eyed at the Cosmos Centre.

Roll through character-packed towns before hitting Longreach. Spend a few nights here – Thomson River sunsets are magic, and you can't skip the Qantas Founders Museum or Stockman's Hall of Fame.

Head north and you're in dinosaur country at Winton. The big lizards might be long gone, but you can still dig for their bones and gawk at Australia's largest dinosaur fossil collection at the Age of Dinosaurs. From there, it's outback vistas all the way to Karumba, where the fishing's as epic as the sunset show.

Get planning with this Matilda Way guide.

2. Travel coast to country: Overlander’s Way

Couple meet a texas longhorn cow on an outback station — Texas Longhorn Tours, Charters Towers, Townsville

Where: Townsville to Camooweal

Time recommended: 6 days (one way)

Distance: 1,100km

Swap Magnetic Island views for Mount Isa's rugged beauty on this northern outback adventure.

Start in Townsville (linger a bit before hitting the road), then head west for dinosaurs, cowboys, pioneer tales and dramatic landscapes that'll have you reaching for the camera. Eyeball record-breaking Texas longhorn cattle, dive into Gold Rush history, and cast a line in Charters Towers before hitting the real red dirt at Hughdenden – your first taste of the Australian Dinosaur Trail.

Detour to hike the staggering rock formations of Porcupine Gorge, push on to Julia Creek, then dig into early Aussie history at Cloncurry. Pack your Akubra for Mount Isa – this is proper cowboy country and home to the southern hemisphere's biggest rodeo (held each August). The journey wraps up smack on the NT border.

Here's the complete guide to Overlander’s Way.

3. Embark on a 4WD adventure: Warrego Way

Sand dunes just outside of Birdsville — Simpson Desert, Birdsville, Outback Queensland

Where: Brisbane to Birdsville

Time recommended: 12 days (one way)

Distance: 1,500km

From city skyscrapers to sky-high sand dunes, this epic trek takes you from Queensland's capital to one of Australia's most remote outback towns. We’d recommend grabbing a 4WD for this one – you'll want to veer off-road to explore historical sites and national parks along the Warrego Way.

Cruise through the lush food bowls of the Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba before hitting cattle country. Time it right in Roma and you'll see the Southern Hemisphere's largest cattle yards in full swing, with auctions every Tuesday.

Soak up the history and scenery through Quilpie, Windorah and ghost town Betoota (population: zero), before rolling into teeny tiny Birdsville. It's home to Big Red, the race that stops the outback, and the world's most remote music festival. Visit during events when the town's buzzing, or when it's just you, the locals, and a guaranteed seat at the legendary Birdsville Hotel. Feeling brave? Continue onto the infamous Birdsville Track.

Get the full details here.

4. Outback with a tropical twist: Savannah Way

Couple kayaking along a green hued creek surrounded by trees — Lawn Hill Creek, Boodjamulla National Park, Outback Queensland

Where: Cairns to Burketown

Time recommended: 8 days (one way)

Distance: 900km

Fancy an outback adventure with a dash of tropical flair? The Savannah Way takes you from the Great Barrier Reef to red dirt country, deep into Queensland's Gulf Savannah where our state nudges the Northern Territory.

The full slog actually stretches 3,700km to Broome in WA, but Queensland’s leg packs plenty of punch. Step into the world's longest lava tube system formed 190,000 years ago, fossick for dinosaur bones, paddle through the emerald waters of Cobbold Gorge, and dive into Gold Rush history in Normanton before reaching fishing paradise in Karumba.

Don't miss Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park, an outback oasis rich in natural beauty and Indigenous culture. Geology nerd? The World Heritage Riversleigh Fossil Fields – dubbed one of the world's most significant fossil deposits by Sir David Attenborough himself – is just a stone's throw away (in outback terms, that is).

Follow this speedy six day itinerary or grab the kids for a family road trip. For even more sights, take Overlanders Way back home to the coast.

5. Walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs: the Australian Dinosaur trail

Couple learn how to uncover fossils with a guide at a dinosaur dig site — Kronosaurus Korner, Richmond, Outback Queensland

Where: Richmond to Winton

Time recommended: 4 days (one way)

Distance: 330km

Got a wannabe palaeontologist in the family? Make tracks to the biggest footprints in Queensland. Step back to when dinosaurs ruled on a road trip linking Winton, Hughenden and Richmond – the Australian Dinosaur Trail.

Explore Australia's largest fossil collection, dig for ancient bones, find evidence of a dinosaur stampede, and feel tiny against the towering walls of Porcupine Gorge National Park. The character-filled towns along the way are just as memorable as the prehistoric treasures.

6. Gemstones and gigantic gorges: Central Queensland Outback Drive

Couple taking a self-guided walk through Carnarvon Gorge exploring the sandstone cliffs — Carnarvon Gorge, Carnarvon National Park, Queensland Country

Where: Longreach and back, via Rockhampton

Time recommended: 9 days (round trip)

Distance: 1,985km

No 4WD? No worries. This fully sealed outback drive works for just about any vehicle. Kick off in the heart of Outback Queensland – Longreach – with a history lesson at the Stockman's Hall of Fame and Qantas Founders Museum.

The Central Queensland Outback Drive leads to the remarkable Carnarvon National Park – an oasis bursting with prehistoric plants, birdlife, and towering sandstone cliffs. It's home to one of Australia's most significant Aboriginal art galleries, telling stories from the local Bidjara and Karingbal people. Lace up your boots – this place is best explored on foot.

Experience true Aussie country hospitality in the outback towns before hitting Rockhampton. Stretch your legs on Mount Archer's trails or grab a pub feed at the Great Western Hotel, famous for hosting country music legends and rodeos. In Rubyvale and Sapphire, try your luck finding treasures in the Southern Hemisphere's largest sapphire fields and peek into an underground mine before looping back to Longreach.

7. Big skies and bigger character: Winton to Tambo

Couple on a road trip stop at the 'Winton: Way Out West' sign — Winton, Outback Queensland

Where: Winton to Tambo

Time recommended: 5 days

Distance: 500km

First timer in the outback? This scenic drive from Winton to Tambo gives you all the highlights without the rough stuff.

Kick off with a cold one at Winton's North Gregory Hotel – the birthplace of Waltzing Matilda's first public performance – before a night at the flicks (outback style, at Winton’s open-air theatre). Check out the Australian Age of Dinosaurs before cruising to Longreach for two days of Aussie history, from QANTAS tales to stockman stories and sunset cruises on the Thomson River.

Next stop: Barcaldine for the goat races (yes, really – just come in May), then onwards to sheep-shearing hub Blackall for a soak in an artesian spa.Finish up in Tambo where you can grab the town's famous souvenir – a handcrafted Tambo Teddy.

Here’s how to do it.

8. For nature's finest: Adventure Way

Couple enjoying a wine on the sunset cruise along the tranquil Balonne River with Sandytown River Cruises, St George — Sandytown River Cruises, Balonne River, St George, Outback Queensland

Where: Brisbane to Cameron Corner

Time recommended: 5 days (one way)

Distance: 1,100km

From the Bunya Mountains to Australia's largest billabong, Adventure Way takes you from Brisbane to our most tranquil country corners, finishing at a famous one – Cameron Corner, where Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales meet.

Hike amongst ancient bunya pines, meet the outback's largest mob of roos and wallabies at Cunnamulla, and wet a line at St George, Australia's inland fishing capital. Rest those driving muscles with a soak in Eulo's ancient artesian mud baths, then brush up on Aussie history at the Dig Tree, where explorers Burke and Wills met their fate.

Here’s your guide to the Adventure Way.

9. The Beef Capital to Barcy: Capricorn Way

Woman watches sheep herded into gates at an outback station — Barcaldine Tag Along Tours, Dunraven Station, Outback Queensland

Where: Rockhampton to Barcaldine

Time recommended: 4 days (one-way)

Distance: 600km

Short on time but keen for red dirt and rocky wonders? The Capricorn Way delivers.

Starting in Rockhampton, climb Mount Archer for knockout views, then head underground at Capricorn Caves to explore ancient limestone formations. Journey through the Central Highlands to Emerald, gateway to the Sapphire Gemfields. Strike out fossicking? Console yourself with a truly unexpected outback sight – a 25m tall replica of Van Gogh's Sunflowers right in the middle of town. Chuck a line in at Lake Maraboon and you might snag a barra or red claw crayfish for dinner.

Roll into Alpha to explore the 'Town of Murals' and grab a feed at The Alpha Hotel before reaching Barcaldine – site of the 1891 shearers' strike that led to the Australian Labor Party's formation. Stick around to learn a thing or two at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre, and get a taste of life on the land with a tag-along tour at Dunraven Station.

Pro tip: Arrive a few days early in Rockhampton for epic off-the-grid beach and reef adventures in Yeppoon and nearby Southern Great Barrier Reef islands.

Start planning now.

10. An outback quickie

Two people look through telescopes at night sky full of stars — Cosmos Centre, Charleville, Outback Queensland

Where: Cunnamulla to Quilpie via Charleville

Time recommended: 3 days (one way)

Distance: 400km

No annual leave? No drama. You can still get an outback fix in just three days on this compact journey through Queensland's southwest.

Start in Cunnamulla (fly in to dodge the 800km drive from Brisbane), meet the Cunnamulla Fella statue, chill under a Coolabah tree by the Warrego River, and smash some bakery treats. Ask the locals where to river kayak, fish or hit the sandboards. Head north to Charleville to visit the Royal Flying Doctors Service and meet some endangered bilbies at the Bilby Experience. But the biggest drawcard? The night sky – the Charleville Cosmos Centre will show you stars like you've never seen before.

Last leg – push west to Quilpie for a day of opal fossicking and sightseeing to cap off your mini adventure.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Ready to hit the road? Pack the Akubra, queue up some country tunes, and discover why Outback Queensland road trips should be on every Aussie bucket list.