Barkly Highway Touring

Do you want to experience the diversity of Australia? Here is a trip that will cover the magnificent ocean, the mountains, the dry outback and a long, straight road running from one state to another.

TAKING THE BARKLY

To be exact, it is the Flinders Highway that runs from Townsville to Cloncurry, then continues as the Barkly Highway from Cloncurry to Three Ways, just over the border into the Northern Territory. That’s 755km of great Australian scenery.

Townsville is a thriving large city, right on the sparkling Pacific Ocean, and has a lot to offer in its own right. A lesser known feature is the Commonwealth War Graves site, one of only a few in Australia, but similar to those you see in places like northern France. It is a glimpse into our past and the effects of war on our doorstep.

But we are leaving Townsville and heading due west, beginning by crossing the Great Dividing Range into Charters Towers, Qld, an old gold mining town full of history and beautiful buildings. Call at the information centre to find out about this charming town, visit the old Stock Exchange, take a guided tour (even a ghost tour) and re-visit the joys of the drive-in theatre!

The road becomes flatter for the rest of the trip, and hotter and drier, so keep the fuel up as well as your drink supplies for the car. Hughenden and Richmond, Qld, are two parts of the ‘dinosaur triangle’, the other being Winton, which is a deviation from the Barkly Highway. Our prehistoric past is alive and well here and worth an exploration on its own.

Richmond is a great place to break the journey at a lovely caravan park by a lake, with ‘Kronosaurus Korner’ offering a fantastic display of ancient marine creatures. You can even see palaeontologists at work. If you are keen, there is a public fossicking area where you can dig up your own little pieces of dinosaur.

TO MOUNT ISA

On now through Julia Creek and Cloncurry to the famous town of Mount Isa, Qld. This mining centre is a fascinating multicultural place where you can learn about the huge mine and the adaptations of the locals to the remote and harsh environment.The School of the Air, the Flying Doctor and the underground hospital give you an idea of life in the bush.

Camooweal is a small place with not much more than a service station, a pub and a caravan park, but a real treasure is to be found there so make sure you don’t just drive past. On the Georgina River, there are some permanent waterholes where you can camp. It is a gathering spot for all types of birdlife. A peaceful, beautiful place to stop for a day or two, just to enjoy the tranquility. The Drovers Camp offers an intriguing insight into the lives of the old drovers, once a common sight on dusty roads but sadly no longer.

INTO THE NT

You are now ready to cross into the Northern Territory. The Barkly terminates at Three Ways on the Stuart Highway, where you either turn left to Alice Springs or right to Katherine and Darwin. There’s one last stop, however, before you make that turn.

Barkly Homestead has everything for the traveller. As it is in a remote area, it can be a busy overnight stop for trucks and caravanners. They have supplies, fuel, a bar and restaurant, a motel and cabins, good powered campsites and great showers.

What a trip, one of the best for showing you Australia. You can easily spend a couple of weeks or more doing this trip but, if necessary, you could complete it in three or four days. If you have the time, stop off at every little place as each one has something unique to discover. Now, which way to turn? Another adventure awaits.