We left home on 28th June 2025 and arrived back 6 weeks later on 7th August 2025.

We’d traveled 5965 kilometres in a large loop from our home in the Riverina, NSW northwards via Dubbo, Tamworth, and Tenterfield.

We camped in the stunning bush at Bald Rock and climbed the rock in a blizzard.

Then we crossed the border into Queensland and went to Dalby via Stanthorpe, Warwick and Toowoomba. Rich and I caught up with old friends Carol & David at Dalby then it was on to the Queensland coast at Hervey Bay via Kingaroy and Maryborough.

We dawdled up the coast and explored Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Agnes Water & 1770, Rules Beach.

We snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef at Great Keppel Island, saw whales and dolphins, visited the Bundaberg Rum Factory and the Hinkley Hall of Aviation.

Continuing up the coast we visited Mackay and Cape Palmerston.

Our 5 night stay at Airlie Beach in the Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resport was a highlight, especially for the kids. They just loved the water park.

A big bucket list tick for everyone was the amazing day we spent visiting Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet. It was a perfect day.

A Crocodile Cruise on the Prosperine River was another bucket list tick.

Then it was time to head back inland and we caught up with old friends Bill & Bea at Charters Towers after spending a night on a mango farm camped under 100 year old mango trees.

A tour at Texas Longhorns was fantastic and then it was westwards to see dinosaurs at Hughenden and Richmond.

A great surprise was meeting up with friends Andy & Jenny and Catie & Robert at Julia Creek where we had a great night camped right next to the creek.

Next on the Dinosaur Trail was Winton and the Australian Age of Dinosaur Tour with Red Dirt Tours. It was fabulous.

We celebrated Ben’s 12th birthday with a celebration dinner at the North Gregory Hotel in Winton. He even had candles on his fig & date pudding.

On to Longreach and the Stockmans Hall of Fame, Qantas Founders Museum and an Outback cruise and show.

One of our favourite camp spots is Lara Wetlands and we had a fabulous 2 night stay at Lara where we joined our friends Catie& Robert and Andy & Jenny, Carol & David and Brian & Hellen.

Continuing south we stayed at Charleville and saw some Bilbies, then on to Cunnamulla where we saw a Fella, then out to Charlotte Plains and a fabulous two day camp where we enjoyed soaking in the hot artesian pool.

From there it was a beeline to home and we made it in two days via Bourke, Cobar, and Hillston.

---

Trip Stats

KM traveled: 5,965km and spent $1,690 on fuel.

We were away for 39 nights and stayed in the following:

Caravan Parks: 20 Nights = $1,150

Showground/Low Cost Camping: 10 Nights = $327

National Park Campground: 2 nights = $49.20

Free/Donation Camping: 7 Nights = $45

Total camping fees for 39 nights = $1,571.20 ie $40.30 per night

This is interesting as we do not usually spend anywhere near that on camping. However half of this trip was along the Qld coast and most of that time was in caravan parks. There was not a lot of free/low cost camping and it was hot so we needed power for the air cons.

We used 3 Gas bottles = $80 and spent $166 on wood & kindling

We did a lot of sightseeing at the following:

Visited the Big Golden Guitar at Tamworth

Visited the Australian Standing Stones at Glen Innes

Climbed Bald Rock

Hinkler Aviation Museum Bundaberg $42

Bundaberg Rum Distillery $50

Mon Repos Turtle Centre $20.30

Great Keppel Island Adventure cruise Yeppoon $298

Sugar Shed Sarina $112.00

Crocodile Cruise Airlie Beach $300

Whitehaven Beach & Hill Inlet cruise Airlie Beach $558

Texas Longhorns tour charters Towers $250

Flinders Discovery Centre Hughenden $30

Kronosaurus Corner Richmond $120.00

Australian Age of Dinosaur tour Winton $560

Stockmans Hall of Fame & Stockman Show Longreach $547

Thomson River Cruise & Dinner Show Longreach $338

Bilby Experience Charleville $52

Total Sightseeing $3,277.30

---

Total Costs $6,784.50