Brisbane to Charleville (July 2020)

admin Outback Queensland N01

Wednesday 15 July 2020: Brisbane to Lake Coolmunda 269 km

With overseas travel prohibited due to Coronavirus and interstate travel doubtful, we decided to see outback Queensland by renting an Apollo Euro Tourer for a 6,500 km 5 week road trip.

First stop, lunch by the Condamine River at Warwick – birds nesting in a big old tree on the River
First night – camping at Lake Coolmunda
Temperature dropped below 0 during the night

Thursday 16 July 2020: Lake Coolmunda to Nindigully Pub 328 km

Dawn at Lake Coolmunda
Lake Coolmunda in the morning mist

Inglewood Railway Station
Inglewood Hotel
Toobeah Railway Station
Heading west into red clay country
Painted silos at Yelarbon (pop 364)
Pelicans in a billabong about 300 km inland
Silos at Thallon (pop 257)


Nindigully Pub, from 1864 is the oldest in Queensland
We had to have the famous 1.5 kg Gully Steak Sandwich
Once a jolly campervan camped by a billabong under the shade of a Coolibah Tree
(Camping beside the Moonie River at Nindigully)
The local beer is called Moonie Mud

Friday 17 July 2020: Nindigully to Charlotte Plains Station 297 km

Nowhere else in the world will you find emu egg carvings like these
Stavro (Steve) Margaritis has been carving emu eggs in St George for more than 60 years
Outback mailbox
Not much traffic on these roads except for the 53m long, 3 trailer Road Trains
We went for a walk along the Wallam Creek at Bollon
Emus drinking from a cattle trough

Bathing in the hot (45 degree) water from the artesian bore on Charlotte Plains Station
A water bird fishing in the warm bore water
Night sky at Charlotte Plains
Artesian bore at dawn
Outback shower

Saturday 18 July 2020: Charlotte Plains to Charleville 253 km

This dingo wasn’t here when we arrived at the Charlotte Plains turnoff yesterday

Cunnamulla Post Office opened on 1 March 1868
It has not been changed and looks as it did when it was first built
Cunnamulla is famous for Slim Dusty’s Cunnamulla Fella and …
Camel Burgers
Wyandra movie theatre
This house was built in 1887 as Charleville’s National Bank
Hotel Corones built 1924-1929 occupying the whole block and still has the original beautiful interior
I remember staying here a few times 50 years ago and was looking forward to a beer in what was the longest bar in the Southern Hemisphere but these days it’s closed on Saturday afternoons