Most visitors to Australia dream of exploring the outback but find themselves quite daunted by its treacherous reputation. Luckily, there are now many Australian vacation packages that make visiting the Queensland Outback easy, and with the comfort of luxury travel as well.
Because it was once part of a huge inland sea, the Outback is particularly rich in dinosaur fossils. Vacationers looking to experience Australia’s ancient past will want to head out on the Dinosaur Trail, a tour of the area that hits all the major prehistoric attractions. Visit museums in Hughenden, Richmond, and Winton, as well as the Riversleigh Fossil Centre in Mount Isa. The Lark Quarry Trackways is home to the largest fossilized dinosaur stampede. In certain areas you can even dig for your own fossils or, if you are interested in a truly unique experience, join an organized dig.
Another outback must is a visit to a local pub. Long known for their quirky atmosphere and colorful regulars, these pubs have been immortalized in movies and popular culture and are a great way to really get to understand the local culture of the Outback. Another fantastic way to enjoy Outback culture is on a station stay. Similar to a dude ranch, these stations raise cattle and sheep, and offer visitors a chance to try their hand at such chores as sheep shearing, mustering, and fencing. Most offer extensive horse-back riding as well, allowing visitors to explore the land in a unique way.
Those who enjoy four-wheel-driving and fishing will find an abundance of possibilities in the Outback. The area is home to more than twenty national parks, giving visitors an excellent opportunity to explore the outdoors. Alternatively, the area can be toured simply for its heritage attractions. In any case, making the trek into the Outback has never been easier and once there, visitors will be sure to find a unique Australian vacation experience.
If you are looking to relive the old west, but with a twist, a visit to Queensland’s Western Downs should definitely be on your Australian vacation itinerary. Located in southwestern Queensland, about 140 kilometers from Brisbane, the region is dominated by rolling hills of farmland where you can expect to see wide fields of crops such as cotton and wheat, wineries, and ranches raising cows, pigs, or sheep. It is rural Australia at its best, and can offer visitors a very affordable vacation package.
The area is easily explored by following a few of the major highways that run through the region, particularly the Warrego Highway from Brisbane, the Leichhardt Highway and the Great Inland Way. This network of highways will take you through the major towns, national parks, and historic places in the Western Downs. Highlights of the Great Inland Way include Roma, the town where oil and gas was first discovered in Australia, Hebel, where Ned Kelly and his band of bushrangers hid out from the law, and the Nindigully Pub, one of Australia’s oldest pubs. The Warrego Highway takes travelers across the Darling Downs towards Charleville, a bustling Outback town, and is one of the oldest highways in Australia. If learning more about Australia’s first pilgrims interests you, you’ll find the Leichhardt Highway a great option with its many historical villages and country towns. Highlights in the area include the Carnarvon Gorge National Park, the town of Chinchilla, which is the melon capital of Australia, and the Miles Historical Village in the Murilla Shire. St. George is home to the Nindigully Pub, and is also a place to view uniquely carved emu eggs.
Visitors will find that accommodations are varied throughout the region and include motels, farm stays, and even country pubs! Roma is considered the service centre of the region, and makes a great place to stay while exploring the Western Downs.
For a seaside day trip, nothing can beat the scenic Cook Highway from Cairns up to Port Douglas. Along the way you’ll drive along the coast as well as through large sugar cane fields. Just outside of Cairns you’ll pass through a wonderful network of beaches with fabulous accommodations, restaurants, and golf courses. Swimming here is very popular, although beware of stingers and jellyfish from November to May when swimmers should stay inside netted enclosures.
Further up the coast you’ll see the quaint Palm Cove with its palm tree lined streets and grassy, landscaped beachfront properties. Palm Cove is a relaxed beachtown where visitors can enjoy swimming and tanning on the beautiful beach, golfing at the local course, and horse-back riding, especially sunset beach rides. Wild World is a local wildlife park and kangaroos still thrive here in the wild.
An interesting side trip from the Cook Highway is to the town of Kuranda, a little further inland. Karanda is a small village in the midst of a rainforest and is a very popular destination for tourists. To get to the village requires taking either the Kuranda train or the Skyrail cablecar, or some combination of the two. Once there, visit the Aviary, where you can walk through the birds’ enclosures or the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary where you can view the famous tropical butterflies of the region. Other highlights include the Rainforest Walk and river boat cruises.
Finally, Port Douglas is a wonderful place to get away from it all. A beautiful seaside town, here you can enjoy cruises to the Great Barrier Reef, a trip to the award winning wildlife park, Rainforest Habitat, or the markets held every Sunday. The more adventurous can take part in adventure water sports, and others can spend a lazy afternoon on the beach or taking in a round of golf.
