Kidman Way

Longreach has plenty to see,Qantas 747, Qantas museum, Stockmans Hall of Fame, you won't misss the 747 , she looks beaut and can see the white Roo on the red tail from a couple of Ks , Ilfracombe has a big line up of machinery from the past from one end of the town to the other thats worth a stroll and read the plates on them.

Site Link

Site Link

Those two links will tell you a lot, In Barcaldine there is a Caravan Pk but also the oval has camping , power, and a good clean Toilet/Shower block, see the caretaker in the Donga on the left as you enter S23 33 05.6 E145 17 37.1 is the co-ord for the gate , when in Barcaldine turn R at the BP head East to Pine St on the left , go over the Railway and there it will be on your right, Dogs allowed

Doug

Julie,

Are you going up and back the same way? If you don't mind dirt roads then the road from Balranald, Ivanhoe to Wilcannia then up to Hungerford is an interesting alternative to the Kidman Way for one leg of the trip. That would give you a loop up and back to Longreach.

There would be plenty of places to bush camp and some National Parks such as Currawinya just over the Qld border from Hungerford, Welford and Lochern near Windorah and Stonehenge. The towns along the way are interesting too. After Wilcannia you could take a detour to White Cliffs then on to Wanaaring. You open the gate to get into Qld at Hungerford and the old pub there is really worth a look. Eulo is a great little place to stop and look around, so is Thargomindah and you already said you're going to Yowah and Quilpie. The road from Windorah up to Longreach is all bitumen now and is some of the prettiest country around out there.

The Queensland Tourism used to put out a magazine regularly updated on the Matilda Highway and it was full of interesting things to do/see and places to stay. The Blackall Woolscour is definitely worth a visit.

A while back someone put in a post about camping near Bourke at a place, I think it was Mays Bend. That could be worth checking out. Mt Hope has an old pub with photos from the early days in the bar and Hillston has a really good caravan park

The Kidman Way is a good road and we always go that way when heading up to Qld. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Viv

spent some time playing out there last year..........make sure you settle down for the sunday night bbq with Noel and Gina at the quilpie cara. pk....great hosts and a good time. was given good pointers by the 'opal hunter' - he has a shop come house in the main street of quilpie. hdg sth from longreach i turned right onto a dirt road and ended up camped at a station run by the nat pks - good place, quiet and plenty of birds to see. from there I ended up on the barcoo river and then into quilpie - all good dirt tracks/roads but not if it has rained. from quilpie down to toompine pub - free camping with power and good food and company - what more could you ask for. yowah - hmmm - i drove through and had a look - just not for me.............there is a dirt road that brings you out sth of yowah onto a hwy then wherever you want after that i guess. a great part of aust. and good times. oh yeah and longreach is ok but very very crowded. rgds