BRILLIANT blue skies, vivid red-orange earth and the grey-green leaves of the local mulga make the tiny Queensland town of Quilpie an intense experience of colour long before you see your first brightly hued opal.
Quilpie is considered both the start and end of the railway line, as it is the centre from which cattle from the channel country and beyond are railed. Sheep, as well as wool, pass through in large numbers, either by rail or road. By virtue of its position, Quilpie is also an important mail centre. Twice a week, nine mail trucks set out in various directions with their loads of mail, stores, fuel and property requisites.
Around sunset, you may see brolgas flying to their night sanctuary along the Bulloo River. The Quilpie Shire comes to life with the evening’s cooler climate enticing all sorts of wildlife towards the famous riverbanks. Take a stroll along the Bulloo River Walk on the shady banks of the Bulloo River. Interpretative signs are positioned along the way to inform you about the variety of trees and plants. This is an ideal spot for birdwatching.
Quilpie Cafe and Fuel Stop
Brolga Street, Quilpie Qld 4480
Phone (07) 4656 1207 Fax (07) 4656 2155
Open seven days: Takeaways, sit-down meals, fuel and oils, showers and toilets, maps |
Just 6.5km northeast of Quilpie on the Adavale Road is Lake Houdraman. This natural lake and swimming hole is a habitat for many native animals. Lake Houdraman is a beautiful expanse of water set among shady gum trees. Seasonally, millions of glorious cream white lilies line the banks in the shallow water. The lush setting makes you forget for a while that you’re in the outback. The lake is a tranquil oasis amid the mulga and gidyea channels of Quilpie. Lake Houdraman is an ideal spot for a swim with the family or just to drink in the scenic atmosphere. Only 10 minutes’ drive from town off the Charleville-Quilpie Road, it’s a “must see” for all travellers.
Quilpie opal experience
QUILPIE is famous for its opals, and an opal experience in the Quilpie region can range from admiring the opal altar, lectern and font at St Finbarr’s Church to getting down and dirty at the fossicking area only 1.5km from town. Look for your own opal to take home! This free fossicking area offers people from all ages an opportunity to find a treasure within easy access of town. People who are a little more serious about finding colour will need a map and a fossicking licence (available at the visitor centre) so you can visit the designated fossicking areas at Duck Creek and Sheep Station Creek.
Meads FoodWorks
Cnr Boonkai and Chulungra Streets, Quilpie Queensland 4480
PHone (07) 4656 1188 Fax (07) 4656 1146
Groceries, fruit and vegetables, deli products, general merchandise
Email: meads.aur@bigpond.com |
Baldy Top
A red rocky outcrop, formed naturally over millions of years, is Quilpie’s own famous Baldy Top lookout. It is one of the few elevated points in the southwest. Although Baldy Top looks quite small in its surroundings, once on top this section of the Grey Ranges, you’ll be amazed by the breathtaking panoramic views the hill offers. As ancient as the land itself, Baldy Top offers some of the most stunning sunset views in the country.
Dowling Track
Quilpie has recently become the crown of the newly named Dowling Track. Travel in the footsteps of Vincent James Dowling and other pioneers who discovered the area, known as the Plains of Promise more than a century ago.
Take the journey along the Dowling Track from Quilpie to Toompine to Thargomindah and then Bourke. This track is an excellent diversion off the main track and an opportunity to view the outback landscapes of this unique part of the world. This road is accessible for all travellers. Along the way there are magnificent camping and fishing areas.
Races … and more races
Birdsville Races, here we come! Get involved in the Birdsville Trail and make the most of your journey to the outback. As a warm-up for the Birdsville Races, get into the outback spirit with the Quilpie Street Party on the Tuesday before the Birdsville Races. Camp the night in Quilpie then head to Windorah for the International Yabby Races. Then travel on to the Birdsville for its famous day. On the way back, don’t miss the Racing Spectacular at the Quilpie Races on Saturday, September 22.
Lowes Petroleum Service
Brolga Street, Quilpie Queensland 4480
Phone (07) 4656 1134
Bowser fuels, oils and lubricants |
Other places
The Quilpie Shire is full of diverse activities. Visit the two-man town of Cheepie and spend some time imagining how this small township has emerged over time to what it is today after hosting a variety of services include blacksmith, railway station, tent boarding houses, butcher shop, bakery and vegetable gardens. See if you can meet the whole population of one town on your holiday!
Another place to visit is Toompine, commonly referred to as the “Pub with No Town.” Toompine is the type of place where you meet the locals and understand why people come to love this outback way of life. Just a stone’s throw from the Toompine Pub is the beautiful Bulloo River. This stretch of river is a stunning camping and fishing spot.
While you’re in the area, find out why the historical Toompine cemetery is called a cemery not cemetery. Have a game of golf with the unique outback sand greens.
The oldest rural community in the Quilpie Shire is Adavale. Here, you can find graves dating from the early 1800s. See the relics at the old butchery that is now a mini-museum. Have your photo taken with the giant can of beer outside the Adavale Pub.
Imperial Hotel Motel
Brolga Street, Quilpie Queensland 4480
Air-conditioned units, PubTab, Sky Channel, dining/counter meals
Email: quilpiehotel@bigpond.com |
Station stays
There are two station stay facilities in the Quilpie Shire. Colac Station is a 70,000ha sheep and cattle property northeast of Quilpie. Activities include station activities, tennis, fishing, birdwatching, opal fossicking and bushwalking. There is a two bedroom cottage where you can self cater or have your meals with the hosts.
Ray Station was settled in 1874 by Patsy and Sarah Tully (nee Durack). Ray Station remains one of a select few properties in Australia never to have changed hands since white settlement. It offers a range of activities including guitar and poetry entertainment around the campfire, day tours of the property including a pioneer cemetery, plus the chance to view the restored homestead complex.
How to get to Quilpie
MacAir offers two flights a week from Brisbane and daily flights from Brisbane to Charleville and return. Queensland Rail also provides a train and bus service from Brisbane twice a week. If you are planning to drive to Quilpie, the roads from the east and west are sealed, and those from the north and south are a combination of sealed and well maintained gravel roads.
Ask at the Quilpie Museum and Visitor Centre for more information. Phone the Quilpie Information Centre on (07) 4656 2166 or visit the website at www.quilpie.qld.gov.au.
