Outback Australia |
Mount Hope
One of the nicest places I've ever been! A pub, a tiny store and a few houses,
that's Mount Hope. A typical Outback settlement.
Having a beer in the pub in the evening, playing billiard with the cattlemen of the
neighboring stations, tellin' stories, ... just great. And before leaving next
morning another nice chat with the owner on the verandah behind the house.
Louth
A perfect example for yet another Outback settlement. Roadhouse / pub
and a few houses, ... that's it.
To get an impression on how live goes on out here there's no better
place. Just stay in / at / around the roadhouse for half a day / a day
and you'll see and learn more than anywhere else.
Wanaaring
Settlement like Louth. Roadhouse, pub, some houses, ... that's it again.
Oh no! Nearly forgot the police station and the hospital!
Bourke
Bourke
Bourke
Bourke is mainly known for its high criminal rate. Do you have a closer look
at main street will you tend to believe the statistics.
If you're staying more than just a day though, you will get to see
the other Bourke: a Bourke of very friendly and helpful people.
Was actually in Bourke where I met some most amazing people!
Cunnamulla
Cunnamulla
Cunnamulla
Eulo
Eulo
Eulo is surely worth a stopover. Not only because of its very friendly people
but also because of the "mud-springs" - natural valves of the
artesian basin.
Thargomindah
Thargomindah
Last chance for inland-bound travellers to stock up on food.
Nice little town, perfect to relax and thoroughly enjoy the
civilisation. 'Cause "after" Thargo, you'll find pure outback - even though it's paved
for a few more kilometer. Out there you'll find nothing but a handfull of those
legendary outback pubs.
Noccundra
Everything that's left of old Noccundra is the hotel. It's as famous as those
in William Creek or Overland Corner.
You can get an excellent counter meal, even stay at the hotel if you like, but
stocking up on food is not possible. You have to buy the food for your whole trip - before!!
- in Thargomindah (140 km) or Tibooburra (220 km). A few kilometers to the north is the
turn-off to the track to Innamincka (paved as far as Naccowlah Oil Field). Take this one
only if you're very experienced in cycling the desert !
Innamincka
Innamincka
Innamincka is most important for survival! It's the only store and pub / hotel
within hundreds of kilometers! Desert all around. If you plan on having
Innamincka as part of your route you should be very experienced in cycling
the desert !
Distances from / to Innamincka (only for very experienced cyclists!!):
Lyndhurst (south, 450 Km), famous and longest journey "Strzelecki Track"
Noccundra (east, 300 Km), shortest journey
Birdsville (north, 400 Km), most interesting journey
Birdsville (west via Walkers Crossing, 350 Km), most difficult journey
Birdsville
Birdsville
Between the thousand sand dunes of the Simpson Desert and the stony plain of Sturt's
Stony Desert lies Birdsville, the starting point (or the end) of the famous
"Birdsville
Track". Formerly known as "Diamantina Crossing".
Birdsville its hotel
is always worth a visit; and would it be only to have a look into the pub
and listen to stories from the old times.
In winter (Europe and North America's summer) Birdsville becomes overrun by lots of
4WD tourists. Most of them (usually city people) see a journey to Birdsville in a 4WD
as a challenge.
Bedourie
Bedourie
Bedourie is only good for a stopover. There's no reason (as far as I know) to
stay for more than a few hours. Even the pub, usually a good source of info
and stories, doesn't attract.
Boulia
Boulia
Don't miss a camp on the campground at the little river. If 'wet' will you
surely enjoy the fresh climate - not only because of the water but also because
of the otherwise very rare trees.
Dajarra
Dajarra Homepage
(!!)
Small town with about 230 inhabitants. Complete services available. The
pub's not only a source of ice cold drinks but also for the newest and
most astonishing outback-stories!
In former times Dajarra was one of the biggest
railway cattle towns in the world with about 90.000 head of cattle railed annually.
Duchess
A hotel, 15 people and lots of reminders of the "good old time", that's
Duchess.
To name some of the reminder there's the mine the town got named after, a limestone
quarry some kilometer to the north and of course the railway.
For most folks inhospitable does it take a place like this for
the real bloke to revive. Eatin' dust on the way into town, linger
over an ice cold beer in the nice little hotel and wash it all down the throat, then
eatin' dust again on your way going on!!
Quamby
Quamby, the pub with its own opening hours. But no wrong conclusions! It's worth to
wait a while til it opens! That is usually somewhen between 8am and 10am.
Burke & Wills Roadhouse
This is a popular halfway stop. Not only for cyclists. If you're interested in
roadtrains, their driver and everything that's to do with it, this is your
place.
Those in need of a regular shower will be happy. You even can have one without
staying overnight.
Normanton
Normanton
Normanton
One of the main attractions is the The
Gulflander, some kind of rail bus. It does regular trips to
Croydon
and back.
Also worth a visit are the pubs and the artesian bore.
Karumba
Karumba is the main center for barramundi and shrimp fishing. Out of town - at
"Karumba Point" - will you find the only beach accessable by road.
Planning on going to Cape York? You may want to check the "Gulf Freight Service Pty. Ltd."
as they run a freight ship between Karumba and Weipa.