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Outback Queensland and Gulf Savannah
Gulflander Train near Normanton, Outback Queensland © Tourism QLD
Scroll down for details of Outback North West, Outback Central West, Outback South West, Gulf Savannah/Western Cape

Outback QLD and Gulf Savannah - Introduction

This is a vast and sparsely populated region. The Gulf Savannah region borders the Gulf of Carpentaria and extends from the Great Dividing Range in the east to the Northern Territory border in the west. To the south, the Gulf Savannah runs into the Queensland Outback, a massive, ill defined area roughly marked out by Mt Isa, Cloncurry, Hughenden, Barcaldine and Charleville and stretching inland to the borders with Northern Territory, South Australia and inland New South Wales.

Outback Queensland

 Red sand hill, Outback Queensland © Tourism QLD
Where the Outback begins and ends in Australia is a matter for debate and you won't find it defined exactly on any map.   We define the Queensland Outback as a massive area roughly marked out by Mt Isa, Cloncurry, Hughenden, Barcaldine and Charleville and stretching inland to the borders with Northern Territory, South Australia and inland New South Wales.  This is a purely subjective view but it does at least indicate the general area covered.

OUTBACK QLD - North West

Tourism Queensland suggests that the following are places to visit in the North West Queensland Outback:Driving on the Flinders Highway near Torrens Creek © Tourism QLD

Camooweal Julia Creek Prairie
Cloncurry Kajabbi Quamby
Dajarra Kynuna Richmond
Duchess McKinlay Stamford
Hughenden Mount Isa Torrens Creek (pictured)

Moorrinya National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Moorrinya)

Porcupine Gorge National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Porcupine Gorge)

White Mountains National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(White Mountains)

OUTBACK QLD - Central West

The region where Qantas evolved, where stockmen became part of Australian folklore and where the bush poet Banjo Paterson conceived the ballad 'Waltzing Matilda', inspired by the landscape of the area. Tourism Queensland suggests that the following are places to visit in the Central West Queensland Outback:Aerial vista of Diamantina National Park, Outback Queensland © Tourism QLD

Aramac Ilfracombe Tambo
Barcaldine Isisford Urandangi
Blackall Longreach Winton
Boulia Middleton Yaraka
Corfield Muttaburra  
Emmet Opalton  

Bladensburg National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Bladensburg)

Diamantina National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Diamantina)

Idalia National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Idalia)

Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au

OUTBACK QLD - South West

The QLD South West Outback offers picturesque bushwalking trails and unspoiled wilderness, with wonderful birdwatching opportunities.  Tourism Queensland suggests that the following are places to visit in the South West Queensland Outback:View from Baldy Top nera Quilpie, Outback Queensland © Tourism QLD 

Amby

Cunnamulla

Noccundra

Augathella

 Eromanga Quilpie (pictured)

Bedourie

 Eulo Stonehenge

Betoota

 Evadale Thargomindah

Birdsville

 Hungerford Toompine

Cameron Corner

 Jundah Windorah

Charleville

 Mitchell Wyandra

Cheepie

 Morven Yowah

Cooladdi

 Mungallala  

Currawinya National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Currawinya)

Diamantina National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Diamantina)

Mount Moffatt Section, Carnarvon NP www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Mount Moffatt)

Welford National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park(Welford)

Gulf Savannah - including Western Cape
The area bordering the Gulf of Carpentaria is known as the Gulf Savannah region and extends from the Great Dividing Range in the east to the Northern Territory border in the west.
The Savannah Way is a road stretching from Cairns to Broome and is sealed from Cairns as far as Normanton, on what is called the Gulf Developmental Section of the road. In this remote area, the roads are virtually impassable in the wet season and flying is the only option. If you want to explore yourself, a 4WD is a necessity for most of the roads.

Another rather unexpected transport option here is the train. There are two trains called the Savannahlander and the Gulflander.
Savannahlander Train, Outback Queensland © Tourism QLD Savannahlander Train: (pictured) runs on a Wednesday from Cairns to Almaden where it stops for the night and then continues on Thursday to Forsayth. On Friday it continues to Mount Surprise and returns to Cairns on Saturday morning. 
Gulflander Train: this is a much shorter trip of about 4 hours between Croydon and Normanton (pictured at top of page).
A number of local tour operators offer small group safari-type trips to the Gulf Savannah and several incorporate parts of the rail trips into their schedules. These tours usually depart from Cairns/Port Douglas.   Much closer to Cairns are the Undara Lava Tubes which can be found as a day trip from the coastal hotels.

The main settlements in the Gulf Savannah region are:

The Club Hotel, Croydon, Outback Queensland © Tourism QLDCROYDON is 150 km west of Georgetown and the scene of a goldrush in the late 1880s. It still has some well preserved buildings and there is a hotel (pictured) and a campsite.
NORMANTON  is inland on the Norman River and was established in 1868 as the Croydon gold rush port and you can still see its Victorian railway station. Like Karumba, Normanton is also good for birdwatching. It is about 720 km by road from Cairns (via Georgetown and Croydon) and has a motel.
KARUMBA  lies at the mouth of the Norman River on the Gulf of Carpentaria and is a centre for prawn fishing. It is set in extensive wetlands with meandering saltwater tidal estuaries, home to a wealth of birdlife including pelicans, black swans, cyrus cranes and brolgas and of course saltwater crocodiles.

Western Cape Area
Bridge over the Archer River, Outback Queensland © Tourism QLDThis is the remote and sparsely populated area on the western side of Cape York, facing the Gulf of Carpentaria. It stretches from the Aurukun Aboriginal Community in the south to near the tip of the Cape York Peninsula in the north and its main centres are Weipa, Aurukun, Napranum, Mapoon and New Mapoon. Weipa is the only town of any size.
East of the Aurukum Aboriginal land is Mungkan Kaanju National Park www.epa.qld.gov.au(Mungkan) which is dissected by the Peninsula Developmental Road, the Archer River (pictured) and the Coen River.
WEIPA with a population of around 2500, is the main settlement in the Western Cape and is 900 km from Cairns on the Gulf of Carpentaria near the tip of Cape York. It was built in the 1960s by a mining company and mining is still a significant industry in this region, together with cattle farming and increasingly in recent years, tourism. Respect for the Aboriginal community and for their traditions is an important part of life here and permits are necessary to visit certain parts of the land.
 
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Truly Australia have attempted to give an honest and objective description of the topics covered on this page and have deliberately avoided regurgitating tourist office media releases. The information shown has been compiled from a variety of reputable sources and our own experiences. We check and review this information from time to time, but we assume no responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the details given.