THE NORTHERN OUTBACK


CHILLAGOE MOUNT SURPRISE TO GEORGETOWN UNDARA LAVA TUBES
CROYDON NORMANTON BURKETOWN
KARUMBA MOUNT ISA CLONCURRY
JULIA CREEK RICHMOND HUGHENDEN
CHARTERS TOWERS "OVERLANDERS WAY" "SAVANNAH WAY"

Ah, the great Northern Outback, an untamed expanse of red earth, grass plains and arid landscapes, dotted by old mining towns with their typical Aussie bush pubs. It's an area rich in both ancient Aboriginal culture, and early pioneering history. The northern outback spans 425,000 square kilometres (almost the size of Spain) and in the north is crisscrossed with rivers and some of the continent's best 'secret' fishing spots. This is an ancient land where dinosaurs roamed; their fossilized remains can still be found. This is Australia's last frontier!

NOTE: THE MAIN ROADS THROUGH THE OUTBACK ARE SEALED. ONCE YOU LEAVE THIS MAIN ROAD, CONDITIONS DEPRECIATE QUICKLY, AND YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF ON A GRAVEL TRACK. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT OUR SAFE DRIVING SECTION.

Burketown is a tiny gulf outback town that proudly proclaims itself to be 'Australia's Barramundi Capital'. The town is very laid back with a very diverse cultural mix. You're sure to meet some real characters... Click to visit our Burketown page. Karumba is quite literally the end of the road; a small town of about 700 people, where the wide Normanton River meets the Gulf of Carpenteria. It's a friendly place, relaxed but still a little bit wild. Click to visit our Karumba page. Located close to the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Normanton is the major commercial centre of Carpentaria Shire, and is the northern terminal for Australia's most remote railway, the Gulflander. Click to visit our Normanton page. When gold was discovered in Croydon in 1885, the town went through an overnight boom and became one of the biggest towns in Queensland. What once was a bustling centre is today a quiet town with a very interesting past worth exploring. Click to visit our Croydon page. Nowadays, Georgetown is a sleepy little town but still is well serviced and a major point for visitors taking in the spectacular scenery and history of Australia's northern outback. Click to visit our Georgetown page. Undara Volcanic National parks is one of the highlights of Tropical North Queensland, and is less than 100 kilometres from Mount Garnet. Click to visit our Undara page. Described as the Oasis of the Outback - a luminous vision on the horizon for travellers coming from all directions - Mount Isa lies among the ochre-red Selwyn Ranges, on the borders of the Leichhardt River. Click to visit our Mount Isa page. Cloncurry is known as the friendly heart of the great north west because it is a welcome crossroads with a sparkling community spirit. Click to visit our Cloncurry page. Home to the Julia Creek dunnart, Julia Creek is packed with social and sporting events all year round, including the Dirt and Dust Festival or the Dunnart Bush Festival, both a major feature of the town's lifestyle. Click to visit our Julia Creek page. The town of Richmond has been recognised as one of the most attractive outback towns in Queensland, awarded with the title of Australia's Tidiest Town 2001 in the 'Keep Australia Beautiful' awards. Click to visit our Richmond page. There are many attractions around Hughenden, with gemfields, mountainous volcanic basalt country, sweeping black soil plains rich in fossils. Oh, the town is surrounded by four National Parks. Click to visit our Hughenden page. Charters Towers is a scenic gold mining city with proud heritage and history, a perfect example of the real Australia, surorunded by sprawling cattle stations and intensely coloured sunsets. Click to visit our Charters Towers page. Cairns is a tourist Mecca, and one of the most popular travel destinations in Australia. Click to visit our Cairns page. Townsville is the largest city in Tropical North Queensland, a bustling cosmopolitan city, and the stepping off point to popular Magnetic Island. Click to visit our Townsville page. Map of the Northern Outback region of Tropical North Queensland. Click on a destination to visit that particular page.The Gulf Savannah and the Northern Outback begin just west of Ravenshoe in the Atherton Tablelands, and extend across Queensland to the Northern Territory, and north to the Gulf of Carpenteria and the Cape York Peninsula. Once you've climbed the Great Dividing Range from the coast, you don't need to travel far before the lush forests start to thin out into woodland, and before you know it, you're in the arid grassland of the Gulf Savannah.

Less than ten percent of the Australian population lives outside the urban settlements on the coastal fringes. Towns out here in the outback are few and far between, and are mostly remnants from the mining boom of the late 19th century. It is a harsh country, and the towns have been shaped by a colourful and fascinating pioneering history.

The Australian outback is a confusing place for newcomers; with a city as big as Switzerland, a single school that covers almost a million square kilometres, and a doctor who travels hundreds of kilometres every day to makes house calls.

Visitors wanting to really experience authentic outback life can choose to stay on one of the working sheep or cattle properties that have been developed for overnight guests. A station stay provides much more than an accommodation option, but can be a holiday experience in itself, especial for city dwellers and overseas visitors. Apart from different styles of accommodation, station stays offer you the possibility to join in with the everyday activities of the station, such as drafting, mustering or shearing. There will likely be great fishing as well. For more information, just email us.

Not everybody will be up for the challenge of the great Australian outback - and this part of the country does provide its share of challenges - but we believe that the grandeur and vastness of the Northern Outback can be best experienced from behind the wheel of your own vehicle. For the freedom and flexibility to explore at your own pace, please visit our CAIRNS CAR HIRE page. We may be called Cairns Unlimited, but we can get you a great deal on a Cairns rental car, four wheel drive or campervan anywhere! Simply fill out our obligation free enquiry form, and we will get back to you - usually the next working day - with the best deal on a rental vehicle to suit your needs.

And on a side note... take extra care when proceeding to overtake a semi-trailer on outback roads. The truck you are intending to pass may not be quite what you expect.