Follow the camels as they race through outback Queensland.
What is it about camels? Hardy, lumpy and notorious for spitting when they’re grumpy. Yet they’re still so damn adorable and just a little thrilling to be around. Now imagine red dirt flying, camels charging and crowds cheering throughout outback Queensland towns in one giant, month-long race. Enter Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail.
This all-new outback Queensland experience started in the tiny town of Jundah, made its way to the iconic town of Birdsville for a brand new event, the Birdsville Camel Carnival . And now the race will continue through four other towns until July 26 (with plenty of time to rest in between, of course). But how can you get involved?
Catch the camels after their fast start in Jundah. (Image: Danielle O’Brien)
July 12: Bedourie
Race over to the Bedourie Camel and Pig Races this weekend to see the races, of course, but also browse market stalls, enjoy a tasty lunch and experience the unique performance that is the Crack Up Sisters. From aerial circus stunts, knockabout clown acts, impressive whip cracking (no really, the sisters have won awards) to a whole lot of gags, a performance by The Crack Up Sisters goes big or goes home.
Watch the fun Aussie performance group, The Crack Up Sisters. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)
July 18 – Aug 2: Boulia
The Boulia Camel Races is a three-day event of camel racing, live music, performances and even a race for humans who don’t mind running in jocks and socks. It’s a true and quirky taste of the Queensland outback. Outside the festivities, you may even spot the famous Min Min Light: an unexplained phenomenon reported in the Australian outback, where a floating, fast-moving ball of light appears to follow cars.
July 26: Winton
Yet another reason to visit Winton, the camel racing will culminate in avibrant arts and music celebration in a nod to the town’s famous ties to outback storytelling (Banjo Patterson first performed Waltzing Matilda in a local pub here).
Saddle up to Winton. (Image: TEQ)
A good reason to stock the esky and hit the highway.
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
City buzz, gourmet trails, surf breaks and art scenes are all at your fingertips.
When it comes to planning a trip, picking a holiday destination is the easy part. The real dilemma is where to set yourself up for the night. Do you go coastal, city, or countryside? Somewhere remote and rugged, or right in the action? Luckily, the Sunshine Coast, and huge number of amazing Sunshine Coast day trips, have kindly made the choice for you.
Ditch the hotel-hopping and suitcase-lugging. Instead, base yourself at Novotel Sunshine Coast or Mantra Mooloolaba , where big-city culture, vine-covered valleys, and theme parks are all within a two-hour drive.
1. Sunshine Coast to Brisbane
Drive time: 1 hour 20 minutes (105km)
Shake off the sand from your sandals and swap the beach for the throb of the Queensland capital. Ease in gently with a bougainvillea-filled stroll through South Bank, iced latte in hand, before cooling off at Streets Beach lagoon – Brisbane’s answer to the coast (but without the waves).
Once firmly in big-city mode, hit up the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) , home to Australia’s largest collection of modern and contemporary artworks. Dive into the past at the Queensland Museum, where prehistoric fossils of Australian dinosaurs and megafauna collide with First Nations cultural collections and interactive science exhibits.
All this learning got you hungry? Howard Smith Wharves calls. Here, riverside dining delivers breweries with meat-forward menus, Japanese fine dining and overwater bars. If you’ve got room for more, Fortitude Valley’s shopping boutiques await you and your wallet.
Wander the Gallery of Modern Art. (Image: TEQ)
2. Sunshine Coast to the Scenic Rim
Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (170km)
Make your way inland to the Scenic Rim for the state’s best vineyards and age-old volcanic slopes. Start your day early (like, sparrow’s breakfast early) at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in Lamington National Park . Here, take a treetop walk through the canopy and hand-feed the wild birds who flock here.
Next, it’s your turn to eat. Here, the food scene operates where locally sourced produce is an expectation, not an exception. Order a picnic basket crammed with regional wine and cheese to devour next to the creek at Canungra Valley Vineyards . Or perhaps a grazing platter of vegan and non-vegan cheeses at Witches Falls Winery .
Feeling bold? Tackle the Twin Falls circuit in Springbrook National Park. Or keep the gourmet life going with a Scenic Rim Brewery tasting paddle, best enjoyed while taking in the rise of the Great Dividing Range.
Enjoy a cheese platter at Witches Falls Winery. (Image: TEQ)
3. Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast
Drive time: 2 hours (180km)
Surf, sand and sparkling skylines might be the Gold Coast’s MO, but there’s more to Surfers Paradise and beyond. Kick things off with a beachfront coffee at Burleigh Heads, then hike through Burleigh Head National Park to look over the ocean and whale sightings (dependent on the season, of course).
Cool off in the calm waters of Tallebudgera Creek before chowing down on the famously buttery Moreton Bay bug rolls at Rick Shores . Travelling with the kids? Then you can’t miss Australia’s theme park capital, with Dreamworld ’s big rides and Warner Bros. Movie World ’s Hollywood treatment at hand to keep the family entertained.
Dive into Tallebudgera Creek. (Image: TEQ)
4. Sunshine Coast to Tweed Heads
Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (200km)
Dare to cross enemy lines? Then welcome to New South Wales. Tweed Heads blends the laid-back attitude of the Northern Rivers with high-quality dining, experimental art, and farm-fresh indulgence – a combo worth the drive.
Start strong with a long, lazy brunch at Tweed River House , then swing by Tropical Fruit World for exotic finds like red dragon fruit, handfuls of lychees and black sapote. Next, hit M|Arts Precinct – an art deco hub of micro galleries, artist workshops and one-off boutiques.
Round off the day with sunset drinks at Husk Distillers among the glowing cane fields, and order one with their famous Ink Gin. You’ll thank us later.
Taste the famous Ink Gin at Husk Distillers. (Image: Destination NSW)
5. Sunshine Coast Hinterland
Drive time: 1 hour (70km)
Strap on those hiking boots and make tracks inland, where volcanic peaks, misty rainforest and hinterland townships beckon. Ease in with the Glass House Mountains Lookout Walk, or, if you have energy to burn, tackle the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk for a 360-degree sight of the surrounding summits.
Next: Montville. This township delivers European-style architecture and old-world appeal. Nearby, settle in at Flame Hill Vineyard, where a large pour of estate-grown wine comes with encompassing views of the countryside.
Not ready to leave the hinterland villages just yet? Of course not. Meander past art galleries and indie shops at Maleny. Nab some fudge from Sweets on Maple for a sweet fix. Or go salty at Maleny Dairies with a farm tour and a chunky wedge of their deliciously creamy cheese.
End the day among the eucalypts and rainforests of Kondalilla National Park. Here, the Kondalilla Falls Circuit winds down through trees humming with life to a rock pool beneath a waterfall – as if designed for soaking tired feet before heading back to the coast.
Take on the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk (Image: TEQ)
