[Updated November 2020]
Take the road trip through some of Australia’s most remote townships of southern Queensland to the iconic town of Birdsville. It’s a bucket list road trip that’ll take you to the junction of some spectacular off-road tracks. Yes, it’s in the middle of nowhere, but, should you make the drive? Without a doubt! If you’ve got the spirit of adventure, we’ve got a 4WD that’ll take you on an outback trip of a lifetime!
To inspire you to plan your Birdsville road trip, we’ve put together this complete guide. Here you’ll find a recommended route, driving distances, places we love to stay and eat, and all the best things to do both with and without your 4WD. But, don’t take our word for it, read on to find out why you should head off-road into the outback.
Distance from Brisbane: direct – 25 hours (1,580kms) or recommended loop – 68 hours (3,500kms)
Recommended road trip circuit from Brisbane:
Things to Pack:
And, of course, your sense of adventure! So, here we go…
Pick up your 4WD the night before you plan to leave, load it up and get a good night’s sleep so you’re ready to leave bright and early. Toowoomba is a great place to stop if you haven’t had breakfast. We like Sweet Talk Coffee with its delicious menu and sun drenched setting.
After some food, continue on to Goondiwindi on the border of New South Wales and Queensland. Have lunch at the striking Victoria Hotel, wander the shops or take a tour of a local cotton and gin farm. Don’t forget to take a walk along the Macintyre River to stretch your legs before you head off.
Time it right and you should also stop at the Nindigully Pub near Thallon, the Queensland’s oldest pub. After that, roll on into St George for the night.
Distance from Brisbane: 8 hours (550kms)
Things to do:
Where to stay: RiverLand Motor Inn (accommodation); Kamarooka Tourist Park (camping); Thrushton National Park (camping)
Where to eat: DeliCate Café; River’s Restaurant
Beyond St George the landscape really begins to change. Stop for lunch at the Boulder’s in Cunnamulla, kayak down the Warrego or sandboard down the dunes before hitting the road again.
Another worthwhile stop off point is the tiny township of Eulo. Here you’ll find the Eulo Mud Baths where you can soak in a claw foot bath in 40-million-year-old artesian mud. You can also visit Australia’s most remote vineyard and date farm.
Distance from St George: 6 hours (500kms)
Things to do:
Where to stay: Explorers Caravan Park (accommodation); Bulloo River Hotel Motel (accommodation)
Where to eat: Coffee on Dowling
Leaving Thargominah make sure you’re self-sufficient with plenty of water, food and fuel. The road is sealed for about 200kms and then turns to an unsealed 4WD only track. Shortly before you reach the Queensland-South Australia border, you’ll pass the ‘Dig Tree’ where Burke and Wills’ expedition ended tragically. Also, don’t forget to stop at the Cullyamurra Waterhole just outside of Innamincka to see the Aboriginal rock carvings.
Things to do:
Where to stay: Innamincka Hotel (accommodation); Innamincka Regional Reserve (camping)
Where to eat: The Outamincka (attached to the Innamincka Hotel – steak and mushroom pie is a must!)
Destination: Birdsville
From Innamincka there’s a couple of options to get to Birdsville. You can either take 226kms of the famous Birdsville Track or the more direct Cordillo Downs road.
On the Birdsville Track (one of Queenslands best 4WD tracks) you’ll need to drive with your lights on to see through the dust. It’s well worth the detour to experience as the vastness of the outback. Although the condition of this road is generally good, particular care should be taken after rain or during summer.
On the other hand, the Cordillo Downs road will take you via the heritage listed Cordillo Downs shearing shed which is the largest in the world. The track can be rough. Take it easy and don’t underestimate how sharp some of the turns are.
Once you reach Birdsville, be sure to stop at the Birdsville Pub for a well-deserved cold one!
Things to do at Birdsville :
Where to stay: The Birdsville Hotel (accommodation); Birdsville Caravan Park (camping)
Where to eat: Birdsville Bakery (grab a pie and a nice cold beer), The Birdsville Hotel
Birdsville to Brisbane Return Trip:
The drive back to Brisbane from Birdsville can be completed in two very long days of driving. If you want to shoot back quickly, overnight somewhere like Quilpie. This small town is the home of Australia’s largest dinosaur find and makes for an easy overnight stay.
Route to take: However, if you’re not keen for such huge drives, we recommend taking 3 days to get back to Brisbane. During the first day, cover 380kms (11 hours) to Windorah. There’s not much to do in town so grab a bite to eat at the Western Star Hotel (winner of the best outback Queensland pub) and get an early night. You can also sleep at this hotel but if you’d prefer there’s free camping 10kms down the road at Cooper’s Creek.
The following day, drive 724kms to Roma. Here you’ll find plenty of different places to sleep.
From Roma, you’ve only got 476kms to cover to Brisbane. It should only take you about 6 hours so you’ll be home in plenty of time to return your, probably now much loved vehicle.
What to do and where to stop for breaks:
For more off-road adventures on your way back to Brisbane, consider these interesting detours:
If you would like more information on these destinations, read our Inland 4WD track article here.
Beautiful 4WD roadtrip to Birdsville
So, are you keen to buckle up and venture out onto the dirt desert road?
It’s a trip of a lifetime that’s a total must-do for any 4WD enthusiast. If you don’t have your own 4WD or don’t want to put so many kilometres on yours, simply get a 4WD hire Brisbane from FleetCrew.
With a great range of recreational vehicles, serviced and ready to hit the track, we’ll help your Birdsville Road Trip run smoothly. All our vehicles come with comprehensive insurance, unlimited kilometres and 24/7 RACQ roadside assistance for complete peace of mind.
So, all you need to do is get in touch with one of our friendly representatives for a free quote today.
If you have an enquiry or would like more information then please fill in the enquiry form and we will get back to you asap during business hours.
If you are seeking a quote for a particular vehicle/s, please visit our Get A Quote page or if want to further information, please visit our FAQs page.
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