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This new outback road trip reveals a secret side of Queensland

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
Your go-to guide to Australia’s Big Sky Drive.

Looking for your next adventure? Well, Australia’s collection of iconic road trips just got a new addition. Stretching across Outback Queensland, the newly launched Big Sky Drive showcases this under-the-radar region in all its red-dirt glory.

What is the Big Sky Drive?

Outback Queensland
Outback Queensland is the kind of place that finds its way into your heart.

For those lucky enough to have experienced Outback Queensland, you’ll know just how special it is. With wide open skies, centuries-old landscapes and seemingly endless horizons, it’s the kind of place that stays with you long after you’ve washed its red dirt from your skin.

Yet despite its many charms, the region can often be overlooked by travellers keen to tick off bucket-list outback experiences like Uluṟu and the Kimberley. But that’s all about to change with the launch of the Big Sky Drive, a new 380-kilometre road trip from Cloncurry to Camooweal via Mount Isa.

Big Sky Drive, Outback Queensland
The new Big Sky Drive covers 380 kilometres across outback Queensland.

The magic isn’t limited to what’s outside your window, either. A geo-located audio guide accompanies the journey, with over three hours of immersive storytelling turning long hours on the road into a living narrative of Outback Queensland.

Automatically triggered as travellers move along the route, it shares unique tales and insider tips spanning aviation history and mining heritage to iconic outback pubs and cosy places to stay. The best part? Every story is told by an Outback Queensland local, including miners, drovers, pilots and more.

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Where to stop along the way

Cloncurry, Outback Queensland
The small town of Cloncurry is often referred to as the Friendly Heart of the Great North West.

The eastern gateway to the Big Sky Drive is Cloncurry, and what this small outback town may lack in size, it more than makes up for in country charm. Known as the Friendly Heart of the Great North West, Cloncurry is the perfect place to begin your journey.

A day here is well spent cooling off at swimming holes, exploring museums, joining guided tours, or simply wandering the town’s heritage streets. Cloncurry also holds a significant place in Australian aviation history as the birthplace of our Royal Flying Doctor Service, which you can learn about at John Flynn Place.

Big Sky Drive, Outback Queensland
It’s a 90-minute drive from Cloncurry to Mount Isa.

Next on your itinerary is Mount Isa, just a 90-minute drive west of Cloncurry. Learn about the city’s industrial roots by visiting Outback at Isa, where attractions range from museum displays and fossil fields to cultural workshops and underground mine tours.

But linger a little longer and you’ll discover there’s more to Mount Isa than its mining identity. The city also boasts freshwater lakes, scenic lookouts, outback rodeos and some of the best stargazing spots in the country.

Mount Isa, Outback Queensland
Mining tours in Mount Isa are led by experienced mine workers.

From Mount Isa, the Big Sky Drive continues towards its final stop. Perched on the Queensland-Northern Territory border, it’ll take you just over two hours to reach Camooweal, where those willing to venture beyond the tourist trail are rewarded well.

This remote borderlands town offers a glimpse into Outback Queensland at its most authentic and unfiltered, where ancient landscapes, natural wonders and true frontier living collide.

Camooweal, Outback Queensland
Camooweal offers a glimpse into outback living at its most authentic. (Credit: Getty/Swiss Media Vision)

Among the town’s biggest drawcards is Wiliyan-ngurru National Park, an ancient network of caves and sinkholes formed more than 500 million years ago.

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Need to know before you go

Outback Queensland’s new Big Sky Drive is designed as a four-day road trip, but this is a journey best enjoyed at your own pace. Whether you’re stopping to swim at a waterhole, grabbing dinner at a country pub or pulling over to admire the sunset, travellers are encouraged to take their time.

Big Sky Drive, Outback Queensland
There’s no reason to rush your journey along the Big Sky Drive.

There’s no set way to tackle the Big Sky Drive, either. You can start the 380-kilometre journey from either Cloncurry or Camooweal, and connections to major touring routes like the Overlanders Way and Barkly Highway make it easy to extend the adventure.

All roads along the route are sealed, so you won’t need a 4WD to experience it. Petrol stations, supermarkets, mechanics and accommodation are all available in Cloncurry, Camooweal and Mount Isa.

Before setting off, don’t forget to download the accompanying audio guide. Available for free via the Big Sky Drive website or Storytowns app, it features 11 chapters that bring the landscapes, history and characters of Outback Queensland to life.

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Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
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A gourmand’s guide to eating your way around Hamilton Island

(Credit: Nikki To)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

    Hamilton Island’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

    Catseye Pool Club

    Catseye Pool Club
    Catseye Pool Club offers stunning beach views. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

    The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

    My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

    Sails Restaurant

    Sails Restaurant hamilton island
    Settle into casual poolside dining. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant, where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

    The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

    Bommie

    cuttlefish dish at Bommie restaurant Hamilton Island Yacht Club
    Head to the Hamilton Island Yacht Club for a taste of Bommie. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

    Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

    Pebble Beach

    qualia Resort Pebble Beach
    qualia Resort guests can dine at Pebble Beach. (Credit: Lean Timms)

    Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

    The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

    Beach Club Restaurant

    Beach Club Restaurant hamilton island
    Book in advance for Beach Club Restaurant. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

    I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

    Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

    Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

    hamilton island Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher
    Join this immersive wine experience. (Credit Eleanor Edström)

    There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

    We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

    The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

    coca chu

    table spread at CocaChu
    Get a taste of Southeast Asian flavours. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

    Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

    Marina Cafe

    hamilton island MArina Cafe
    Take in harbour views and comfort food.

    Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

    The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

    Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.