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Archive: 25 November 2006
Mangali Outback 4WD Tour
Dean Miller took a trip to the outback for a taste of true iconic Australian bush hospitality and to experience the glorious landscapes. He was joined by former “Blue Heelers” actor Rachel Gordon on a tagalong tour with Mangali 4WD off-road Tours.
The flavour of any Mangali tour is to take the road less travelled. They like to re-trace the routes carved out by the early settlers, it’s also much more of an adventure this way! There’s a fair bit of distance between towns and the beauty of Mangali is you don’t have to stop at a town for lunch. You can stop wherever you want because the kitchen comes with you.
The itinerary started with a journey to Adavale and continued north west until Lawn Hill National Park – before the team turned tail back down to Mt Isa.
The town of Adavale is 291 kilometres north-west of Charleville and 316 kilometres south of Blackall. It sprung into existence when opal was found nearby in the 1860’s. It wasn’t long after the discovery that it became a prosperous settlement with five hotels to wash the dust from the miners’ throats. These days, with a population of around 12, she’s no more than one pub, a scattering of houses and a few old relics standing from the good old days.
The next stop, Windorah, is 340 kilometres north-west from Adavale. The area between Adavale & Windorah is said to be the spot where Patrick Durrack first came to live in Queensland.
It’s private property these days, but touring with Mangali means you have access to cut through and have a look at places you wouldn’t normally see. The name “Windorah” happens to be Aboriginal for “Big Fish”, which you’ll find in nearby Coopers Creek.
Stonehenge sits 150 kilometres north of Windorah and resembles nothing of its namesake in the UK. If you travel five kilometres out of Stongehenge on the road to Longreach you’ll find their version of the ‘visitors book’. This is a place where you can collect rocks on the side of the road and shape your name in the dirt.
The next stop is Warbreccan Station. Chris and her husband Paul have been living on this property for around five years. It was a case of they met, fell in love and she moved from Perth to the Queensland Outback.
Diamantina National Park is a further 340 kilometres from Warbreccan Station. Given its remote location, Diamantina National Park would probably be one of Queensland’s least visited parks. The closest town is Boulia, just over two hours drive away. It’s a mix of sand dunes, red-capped ranges, floodplains and the Diamantina, one of the state’s longest rivers.
The park covers a massive 500,000 hectares and before it was dedicated in 1992, it was one of the biggest pastoral holdings in the far west, carrying 12,000 odd cattle and employing up to 20 stockmen. Relics from those days are still found around the place.
We camped the night at Hunters Gorge right on the banks of the mighty Diamantina.
If you’d like more information about travelling these outback roads, or to book a tagalong trip with the highly professional team from Mangali 4WD then have a look at their website or call them for a chat.
Contact:
Mangali 4WD Off-road Tours
Ph: 3892 4523
www.mangali4wd.com.au
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