Windorah is a great launch-point for a camping experience in outback Queensland.
Located in the heart of the Channel Country, visitors are guaranteed to live the full outback experience when travelling here. In every direction you will find vistas, ruins, national parks and historical sites. For a unique camping adventure, Windorah certainly delivers.
Welford National Park
Camping at Welford National Park is permitted on the banks of Little Boomerang Waterhole, which offers shade and stunning views of the surrounding bushland. The waterhole itself permits canoeing, kayaking and fishing, so there are plenty of ways to pass the day away. Keep an eye out for birds that seek refuge at the waterhole, including emus, cockatoos and parrots. Kangaroos and wallabies are another common site here.
While staying at Welford, you can choose between three self-guided scenic drives which take you past dunes, rocky outcrops and billabongs. The Mulga Drive takes about 4 hours, winding towards the eastern end of the park. On this trip, you will pass the Frances and Trafalgar waterholes, both ideal places to stop for a picnic and a quick swim. As you drive, you may also spot the historical cattle and sheep yards left as a reminder of Welford’s cattle station history. These sites are heritage protected, so make sure to leave nothing behind
Windorah Caravan Park
Windorah Caravan Park provides 64 powered sites, as well as several unpowered sites, and is open all year round. Staying here, you will have access to all the amenities you could need such as fresh water, a laundry, camp kitchens and fire pits. The caravan park is also dog friendly, so your favourite furry friend can come along for the ride.
The site is only a short walk from the centre of town, where you can shop at the local store and enjoy a hearty meal at the pub. While in Windorah, don’t forget to check out the Whitula Gate Museum. Based in an original slab hut from 1906, it has been designed to imitate an 1800s homestead. Inside, you will find household and riders’ station equipment, as well as Indigenous artefacts.
Cooper Creek Camping Area
Only 10km north east of Windorah sits Cooper Creek, with camping sites available on both sides of the water. This is an ideal spot for canoeing and fishing, and great for those seeking a quieter camping trip.
There are toilet facilities on the east side of the creek, and visitors are welcome to have an open fire, though you will need to bring your own firewood.
Idalia National Park
About three hours from Windorah is Idalia National Park. Camping is permitted at the Monks Tank camping area, which includes several open bush camping sites dotted in the woodlands. The site is unpowered, although you are permitted to bring a caravan or camper along.
Visiting Idalia National Park is a great excuse to try one of the many hikes through the tablelands. The Old Idalia walk takes about 45 minutes, leading you past the musterer’s hut and stockyards from the 1920s. At the historic site you will also find the remains of a wagon and a ship tank which was used to supply water for cattle. Another great hike is the Rainbow Gorge Walk. Heading downstream, you will come to a collection of white, red and yellow-stained sandstone. It is a beautiful spot to sit and admire the landscape.
Idalia is home to seven different macropod species, including wallaroos, swamp wallabies, black-striped wallabies and yellow-footed rock-wallabies.
To discover more things to see and do in Windorah, click here.
For a complete guide to adventure activities in Australia, click here.
Rex flies to Windorah. Head to the website and check out the route map below.
