Five myths about travelling in Outback Queensland

1. Water is precious

Water is a precious resource, no matter where you live. A large region of central and eastern sections of outback Australia sit on top of the Great Artesian Basin and the remains of the outback sea.

At all major towns, you can top up your supplies. Always carry enough water when travelling from town to town. A minimum of five to seven litres per person per day is recommended.

In some towns, like Thargomindah, you may notice a strange smell to the water along with it being a little cloudy. This is due to sulphur. Simply let the water stand for a short while and the cloudiness and smell will dissipate. It’s some of the purest water you can drink.

TIP:  The little town 1000km west of Brisbane, was the third town in the world and the first in Australia to have hydro-electricity. Finally harnessing the power in 1898, it shot to world-class fame for a short while. Today you can view the working display at 4.30pm each day (April-September) for $3 –www.queensland.com and search for hydro power plant.

2. The flies will drive me mad

Well they might, but then they may not. Flies are active from sun-up to sunset and can be incredibly annoying. They are worse after rain, and as they’re looking for moisture, go to your eyes, nose and mouth first.

Fly veils may help keep these pesky insects a little further afield, but if you like to take photographs, as I do, I can find them bothersome. There are lotions and potions available and a twig from a mulga tree will help  swat bothersome black bush flies away.  

TIP: Before entering your vehicle make sure you do a quick swish of the front and back of your body for flies. Once the vehicle is going, turn the air conditioning low, which makes any flies less active and move towards the light – usually the windscreen or windows.

3. The roads are rough and dangerous and only suitable for a 4WD

Most major outback destinations are now joined by fully sealed roads and accessible for all vehicles.

Plan your drive. Don’t drive at night, sunrise or sunset when kangaroos and other wildlife are most active. Always check road conditions before heading out and let someone know your travel plans.

At the end of every road is a welcoming town.

TIP: Even if the road is a double lane, if you see a road train approaching, pull off to the left side and give them all the road. You will be rewarded with a big wave and will have far less chance of windscreen damage from rocks thrown if the road train needs to go onto dirt. If you’re travelling on dirt roads for any distance, consider decreasing your tyre pressure.

4. There is nothing to see

Wrong – there is so much to see. Pull up and look at the flowering desert plants on a sand dune, the tracks of lizards and kangaroos, field mice and all sorts of animals. You may even see a snake’s track.

Then there are the fabulous views, especially at night with sparkling stars from horizon to horizon and colourful locals to meet. At each town, attractions offer intriguing information on the area, its people and place in history.

5. It is hot

This is correct if you travel in summer, which no one does as everything is in “sleep” mode and it’s just too hot. Time your trip from autumn through to spring. Winter can be cold, however it presents glorious clear days and night skies – just remember to pack the winter woollies for a night around the fire, as it does get cold.

To avoid peak crowds, look at very early autumn or later in spring for your drive/tour.

And a little more...

Events such as races see the populations of little towns swell. There are fabulous places to meet the locals like the Birdsville Races but book accommodation in advance.

Don’t overlook local events that don’t get highlighted such as gymkhanas, field days and races.

Here’s a few of our favourite things in Queensland’s outback:

Charleville: The Bilby Experience, Cosmos Centre, fishing on the Ward River.

Longreach: Sunset river cruise on the Thompson River, the Qantas Museum and Outback Hall of Fame.

Winton:  Arno’s Wall, Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Lark Quarry, a Red Dirt tour for sunset, Bladensburg National Park.

Middleton: Call into the Middleton Hotel and say hi to Val and Lester Cain.

Boulia:  Min Min Centre, the big windmill in the main street.

Birdsville: The pub, bakery, old hotel ruins, artesian bore and nearby Carcory Ruins. A must is sunset from the top of Big Red, Australia’s largest sand dune in the Simpson Desert, a short drive away.

www.outbackqueensland.com.au

Danielle Lancaster is an award-winning photographer and travel writer who teaches photography and leads photo tours, retreats, workshops and online tutorials for amateurs and professional photographers – www.blue-dog.com.au