The historic towns of Mount Isa, Cloncurry and Julia Creek form part of the Outlanders Way, a 1100km stretch of road overland from Townsville to Mount Isa. It’s a veritable timeline of Australian history from the dinosaur era right through to the pioneering past.
While the drive for the entire journey is extraordinary, there is an option for those who wanted a shorter outback experience. Take a flight into Mount Isa and collect a car, before going on a week trip through four of the closest towns.
Mount Isa
Driving the Overlanders Way in Outback Queensland. Credit: Kate Webster
Described as an oasis in the Outback, Mount Isa is a thriving hub in the Gulf Country region of Queensland, Australia. Set on the banks of the Leichhardt River and nestled among the ochre-red Selwyn Ranges, this mining town was born of the mining boom back in the early 1900s. The town is divided into what I am told is the town side and the mine side, evident on the drive from the airport as you pass the mine site.
Starting with the mining past, jump on the Hard Times Mine tour. Escorted by a miner who has worked in the mines for most of his life, the tour came with many an entertaining story of the good and hard times in the mines. Try your hands at the air-leg drill to feel the earth rumble with the firing of the blast face.
Visit the Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre showcasing the fossils from the Riversleigh World Heritage Area. Here you will find of the most significant fossil deposits in the world. The centre tells a unique story of the evolution of Australia’s wildlife while interactive displays let the palaeontological experts tell you their stories of Riversleigh. Or you can wander through an impressive diorama to see what this ancient world looked like 25 million years ago.
Also in town is the Mount Isa Underground Hospital and Museum. After the bombing of Darwin hospital in 1942, precautions were taken to protect the Mount Isa district hospital in the event of an air raid. The Underground Hospital was carved into the hills near the base of the regional hospital and remains Australia’s first and only underground hospital.
Fountain Springs outside Mount Isa. Credit: Kate Webster
Travelling east of Mount Isa along the Barkly Highway, you will find the Heritage Trail. Enjoy the drive with landscape views full of spinifex covered terrain and rocky outcrops millions of years in the making. The trail journies past the site of three former townships that boomed in the early 1900s mining industry, and to the waterhole oasis of Fountain Springs. This waterhole sits at the base of a spectacular towering rock face of quartzite with a split through its middle. It is a place of cultural and spiritual significance for the Kalkadoon people, dating back tens of thousands of years. If you think it looks familiar, that is because it starred in the famous Crocodile Dundee movie scene, where the main character Sue Charlton gets surprised by a giant saltwater crocodile as she filled her water bottle.
The next stop, the town of Mary Kathleen on the Old Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine Tour by North West Tours. Mary Kathleen was established in 1958 when the nearby Uranium Mine started production. The uranium in Mary Kathleen mine was exhausted by 1981, and the town and its people soon became abandoned. All that is left today are the concrete slabs where the original buildings stood, remnants of the town’s layout and the mine itself.
Mary Kathleen Town Tour from Mount Isa. Credit: Kate Webster
Where to stay: The Redearth Hotel is a piece of Mount Isa history, adjoining the now known Isa Hotel which dates back to 1926. The Isa Hotel was built on the corner of Miles and Marian Street, by Samuel Allens and his team of tradesmen in a time when the mining town was booming. The hotel originally boasted coffee and dining rooms, a saloon bar and lounge, and a billiard room on the ground floor, with twenty-three bedrooms with balconies upstairs, plus stables and a garage at the rear. Today, the hotel still keeps its charm with an old-time heritage mixed with a splash of luxury.
Where to eat: You can’t go past the western-themed bar and grill, Rodeo Bar & Grill. Located in the Isa Hotel, this is the watering hole for locals and visitors which fills to its brim, especially when the Rodeo is on in town. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner here, seven days a week, with an open style outback steakhouse kitchen.
For more on Mount Isa visit outbackqueensland.com.au/town/mount-isa
Cloncurry
Cloncurry in Outback Queensland. Credit: Kate Webster
Known as ‘The Curry’, Cloncurry is just under 1.5 hours drive from Mount Isa. It is affectionately called the Friendly Heart of the Great North West, and in 2017, celebrated its 150th anniversary. Few places can claim to be as influential in shaping Australia, as Cloncurry. It is the birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the destination of the first Qantas flight.
Survivor Australia fans may have picked up that the 2021 TV series was filmed across multiple Outback Queensland locations, but primarily on two cattle stations in Cloncurry for most of the camps challenges and Tribal Council.
Start off by visiting Chinaman Creek Dam, the perfect for a spot of fishing, to do some bird watching, take a dip or enjoy sunset views that bring the beauty of this land to light. The landscape surrounding the dam is quite distinctive with its red craggy rock formations and red termite hills poking up from the surrounding low hills. Make a day of it as there are a number of free barbecue and picnic facilities for you to make use of while there.
The town of Cloncurry was put on the map being the birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor’s Service. The John Flynn Place Museum and Art Gallery celebrates an era when aviation and radio united the Outback, and the Royal Flying Doctors Service provided a welcome health service for its residents. Learn about Arthur Affleck, the first flying doctor pilot, and his story about how he hired a single-engine timber and material plane from Qantas for the first Royal Doctors flight.
Moving on to the Cloncurry Unearthed Museum, you will find an array of treasures from an extensive gem and mineral collection, information about fossickers licences and maps and a very famous water bottle. Early pioneers Burke & Wills passed Cloncurry on their ill-fated expedition and on that journey, Burke left behind his water bottle. It was moved from its final resting place out bush and now sits in the museum along with stories about their explorations.
John Flynn Place, Cloncurry in Outback Queensland. Credit: Kate Webster
Where to stay: The Gidgee Inn has something a little bit unique, with its rammed earth walls, you will be tempted to touch the walls just to feel the texture. Built in 1997, the rammed earth uses Cloncurry’s rich red soils, giving a sense that you are staying underground. This Australian styled 4-star motel also features a bar & grill, making it a great stop in this regional hub
Where to eat: The Wagon Wheel Motel serves up a hearty outback meal with a side of historic memorabilia from the town. Just make sure you order early as this place is a popular stop for hungry travellers and locals alike and the wait time for dinner might have you drinking a few too many beers before eating. If you are looking for a good coffee, head to the Red Door Cafe, a community initiative café that acts as a training facility for young and unemployed locals, addressing social, employment and learning barriers.
For more on Cloncurry, visit outbackqueensland.com.au/town/cloncurry
Julia Creek & Mckinlay
Julia Creek Caravan Park Cabins. Credit: Kate Webster
In the Shire of Mckinlay you will find the quaint town of Julia Creek. If you are driving the Overlanders Way, you will pass through this tiny town and most travellers will use it as a rest stop on their journey. What it is lacking in size, it makes up for in the atmosphere.
Before settling into an afternoon in Julia Creek, head on out to the neighbouring town of Mckinlay. You won’t be disappointed. A town of approximately 14 people, you would think there was not much going on here. As tumbleweeds rolled down the main street, I wondered why anyone would visit such a remote town. Until I saw the town pub, Crocodile Dundee’s Walkabout Creek Hotel. This pub was the backdrop for the famous bar brawl scene from the blockbuster movie, Crocodile Dundee and much of the town also featured in the movie.
If you fancy a swim, there are a few waterholes in the area. One is on the Flinders River called Punchbowl Water Hole which is 45-kilometers northeast of Julia Creek and the other is Sedan Dip, 100-kilometers north of Julia Creek.
The Artesian Baths at Julia Creek Caravan Park is possibly one of the most unique experiences you will find out here. Jump in and relax as you watch the sun set over the glorious landscape all while enjoying a cheese platter and a glass of wine (or poison of your choice). The bath areas are private and built with wood and corrugated iron to give you a true outback bush bathing experience.
Julia Creek Artesian Baths. Credit: Kate Webster
Where to stay: Julia Creek Caravan Park is where you want to be in Julia Creek. It caters for caravans, motorhomes, camping and even has self-contained units. The visitors here rave about the award-winning Bush Dinner nights each Monday night, where local produce is cooked by a local non-profit community group, and you can catch a live gig or hear a local yarn told by a true blue outback Aussie while sat around the campfire. All for just $15 per person!
Where to eat: Julia Creek Top Pub at Julia Creek Hotel is just that, a top pub in town to get your grub and a cold brewski. A piece of history, the first Julia Creek Hotel burnt down so the Metropole Hotel in Charters Towers was purchased and relocated to this site in Julia Creek where it was renamed the Julia Creek Hotel. Meals are large, tasty and at a great price too! The toughest part is choosing what to order.
For more on Julia Creek, visit outbackqueensland.com.au/town/julia-creek
