DIAMANTINA A SPARKLY GEM IN THE QUEENSLAND OUTBACK

There’s an undeniable mystique about Australia’s desert heartland. Sitting in the far western corner of Queensland near the South Australian border and on the edge of the magnificent Simpson Desert, the town of Birdsville embodies this outback ideal. Remote, weather-beaten, yet determined to survive, it’s an Aussie traveller’s rite of passage.

“Birdsville itself as a tourist destination is like one of the last frontiers,” says Ben Fullager, Manager of the iconic Birdsville Hotel. “It is still a very long way from anything and when you arrive here you feel like you have achieved something.”

Adventure enthusiasts and RV travellers have gravitated to Birdsville over the years, and it’s now easier than ever, with only about 60km of dirt road to cross if traveling via Bedourie, although many offroaders prefer the bragging rights of landing via the rugged Birdsville Track up through South Australia.

Jessica Greenaway, Tourism and Event Manager with Diamantina Shire Council, says the town attracts adventure tourists in 4WD vehicles with camper trailers