Destinations > Diamond In The Rough

Issue: November 2008

Words and photos by John McCann

Diamantina and Welford National Parks in far western Queensland are off the beaten track and not overflowing with tourists. Just the place for an adventurous Overlander then.

Diamantina and Welford National Parks in far western-Queensland are two excellent out of the way destinations that will appeal to anyone with an adventuresome spirit and a love of the natural world. The small Queensland outback town of Quilpie (population 600) is the start and finish for this interesting excursion, which weaves its way through a very isolated part of the country that sees very few tourists.
Situated on the Bulloo River 953km west of Brisbane, Quilpie is famous for its boulder opals that are highly sought after by amateur and professional fossickers alike. Make sure that your vehicle is in top condition before leaving this friendly little outback town as the RACQ breakdown and towing service that used to operate out of the service station in Windorah 250km to the west no longer exists.
If you want to get a good look at the sort of remote, timeless country that you will be driving through head out to Baldy Top lookout which is situated near the Thargomindah turn-off 4km west of Quilpie. It's a relatively easy ten- minute scramble up to the top of this rocky outcrop that is part of the Grey Range and one of the only high points in the region. On a clear day the panoramic view over the surrounding mulga lands seems to stretch on forever. Sunsets from the lookout can be spellbinding, but make sure you carry a torch in case you slip on the crumbly loose rocks on the way back down.

read on below advertisement



Road Carnage
It's best to leave Quilpie early in the morning so you will be feeling fresh for the 600km trip to Diamantina National Park. Driving at night is dangerous in this part of the country, as kangaroos and cattle can suddenly emerge out of the mulga onto the road. I saw the results of this nightly carnage just after dawn on the way to Windorah when I passed nine recently killed red kangaroos and a large Brahman cross bull on the bitumen strip.
Dead kangaroos are a magnet for hungry wedge-tailed eagles that are often themselves bowled over by speeding vehicles since they are too full of food to take-off. Having already seen two dead eagles the previous day, I stopped and dragged all the carcases 20m off the road so these magnificent birds of prey could feed in peace without fear of being knocked.

Cooper Creek
Around 26km east of Windorah you cross over the first of the channels that branch off Cooper Creek. From here it's another 16km further on to the famous creek itself that was immortalised in the poetry of Banjo Patterson. A concrete bridge now spans this magnificent inland stream which was named by the explorer Charles Stuart in 1845 and has since become firmly entwined in Australian folklore. There are a couple of excellent places where you can camp amongst the river red gums on the banks of Cooper Creek and it's would be well worth stopping there for a night on the way to or from Diamantina National Park.

next page »

 

« go back