The Adventure Way runs from Brisbane on Queensland’s east coast all the way to Adelaide in South Australia. As you travel along the Adventure Way you will discover some of Queensland’s best outback towns including Cunnamulla and Eulo, or why not take a side trip to the tiny opal mining town of Yowah.
CUNNAMULLA
Cunnamulla is a small town on the Adventure Way which is located on the banks of the beautiful Warrego River. It started as a settlement in the 1860s before being established as a township by Cobb and Co in 1879 when the first coach drove through from Bourke in NSW.
The area is best known for its pastoral pursuits, mainly sheep and cattle along with some cropping as well. The area is also popular amongst bird watchers as it is home to many varieties of native birds.
VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE AND ARTESIAN TIME TUNNEL
Your first stop when you get to Cunnamulla should be the local Visitor Information Centre. Here you can pick up some info on all there is to see and do in the area. You can also explore the Artesian Time Tunnel. A visit to the Time Tunnel will transport you back 100 million years to when dinosaurs roamed the earth. You will learn all about the Great Artesian Basin through stories of the Aboriginal Dreamtime and early pioneers of the area.
THE CUNNAMULLA FELLA
The Cunnamulla Fella statue celebrates the iconic Aussie bushman. Based on the song of the same name, which was written by Stan Coster and sung by Slim Dusty. The concept for the statue was sketched by a former local policeman, Michael Nicholas. It was sculpted by Territory sculptor Archie St Clair.
"Now I'm a scrubber, a runner and a breaker too, I live on damper and wallaby stew, I've got a big cattle dog with a staghound cross, I never saw the scrubber we couldn't toss, 'Cause I'm the fella from Cunnamulla Yes I'm the Cunnamulla Fella"
CUNNAMULLA WATER TOWER ART
The Cunnamulla Water Tower was painted by renowned artist Guido van Helten in 2019. This impressive piece of artwork depicts some local children playing footy. If you visit the neighbouring town of Charleville, you will find another painted water tower with a similar theme. Both pieces of artwork represent the close sporting connection between the two communities.
WARREGO RIVER
Running through Cunnamulla is the stunning Warrego River. This mighty river is a popular spot for kayaking, bird watching and fishing. If you fancy a bit of exercise, head along the River Walk track. It is worthwhile timing your walk to take in the view of the setting sun from the Sunset Viewing platform.
THE REST OF CUNNAMULLA
There are lots of other things to do in Cunnamulla. We definitely only skimmed the surface. Whilst in town check out the following:
- Cunnamulla Bushlands – a 1.5-kilometre walking track featuring local plants.
- Sandhills Walking Tracks – a great spot to go sandboarding
- Follow the Heritage Trail – see the many historic buildings that tell the story of Cunnamulla
- Allan Tannock Weir – the main water source for Cunnamulla and its surrounds
- Charlotte Plains Station – soak in the mineral-rich artesian outdoor baths
- Hire a kayak – paddle along the Warrego River
- Cuunamulla Fella Roundup – time your visit to catch this outback Festival
EULO
Continuing west along the Adventure Way and just a little under 70 kilometres from Cunnamulla you will find the tiny town of Eulo. Once a bustling opal mining town, Eulo is now a great place to stop over as you make your way further west.
EULO QUEEN HOTEL
The centrepiece of Eulo is most definitely the Eulo Queen Hotel. This fabulous little outback pub has a rather interesting history. Its first publican was the infamous Isobel Robertson who is said to be something of a colourful character. She was an astute businesswoman, however, she ended up dying destitute. You can learn more about her colourful life when you visit the pub named after her.
The pub opens at 12 midday and has meals available for lunch and dinner as well as nice, cold beer! There is also a small but very tidy-looking
EULO SHOPS
For a small town, you will still find a couple of shops worth checking out. The General Store has basic grocery items, fuel and excellent coffee. The Paroo Patch sells the most amazing, handmade leather handbags and belts, whilst the Eulo Queen Opal Centre has a great selection of opal jewellery and also sells the local Yapunyah tree, honey.
EULO HERITAGE TRAIL
If you take a walk around Eulo you will discover some of its histories, including the Old Police Cells. Erected in 1923, they were decommissioned and later gifted to Eulo by the Queensland Police Service. They now act as a small museum.
Another unexpected find in Eulo is an air-raid shelter. It was built during World War II when Eulo was an important radio relay station. Made out of corrugated iron, it was once covered with sandbags and grass so that it resembled a dog kennel. It could hold 50 people standing up. It was never used.
PAROO RIVER, EULO
We chose to camp just out of town, on the edge of the Paroo River. This fantastic free camp is located just a kilometre out of town. There are sites on both sides of the river and the one we found was on the southern side of the main road. We were able to have a campfire every night and there was plenty of firewood laying around. The birdlife was amazing as well and we saw Whistling Kites, an emu and lorikeets. It was the perfect spot to relax and we ended up staying for three days.
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There are no showers or toilets, however, there are very clean amenities in town if you need them.
YOWAH
On a whim, we decided to take a detour off the Adventure Way and visit the tiny opal mining town of Yowah. What we found was a tiny town with a great sense of community.
DUCK RACES
Make sure you are in town on a Thursday so that you can attend the weekly Duck Races and Dinner held at the Artesian Waters
Held in the bore drain at the front of the park, about 80 odd, yellow rubber ducks are released to float down the short watercourse. Each one is numbered and you buy a handful of tickets before the race starts. If your duck wins or even if it doesn’t you can win a prize. It was lots of fun and for a great cause as well.
Dinner is two courses – a main and dessert. We had the choice of Roast Chicken or Roast Pork for mains and Apple Crumble and Pavlova for dessert. Our meals were delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed our night. Dinner costs just $25 per person. The restaurant is licenced for BYO so you are able to take your own drinks with you.
YOWAH ARTESIAN SPA
Yowah is in the heart of Artesian water country so it was no surprise to find they have their own Hot Artesian Spa pools. There are two pools that you can take a dip in. Both are the same size with the difference being that one is super hot – about 38` and the other is more warm bath temperature. We really enjoyed jumping in the hot one but found we couldn’t stay in for more than a few minutes at a time so we switched to the cooler one. Entry is $3.00 per person and there is an honesty box inside the pool complex.
THE BLUFF
For a birds-eye view of the surrounding area, take a short drive out of Yowah to the local lookout known as The Bluff. The views were nothing short of incredible and really show how vast the Queensland outback really is. It is also a popular spot to watch the sunset and there is even seating and a fire pit.
WHERE TO STAY IN YOWAH
We stayed at the Artesian Waters
Although a little bit rough to look at, Artesian Waters
OTHER THINGS TO DO IN YOWAH
- Try your hand at fossicking for opals
- Check out the Sunday markets
- Grab a coffee and a bite to eat at the Blue Wren Cafe
- Play a round of golf on the 9 hole golf course
- Head to Yowah in July for the Yowah Opal Festival
We absolutely loved exploring along the Adventure Way. It was a fantastic introduction to the Queensland outback.
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Interesting place to visit. We like Warrego River .
It is an interesting place to visit. Thanks for dropping by.