Overview

Stretch your gaze across vast, treeless plains, over sand dunes and along river channels towards low ranges on the horizon. Camp in the shade of a coolabah tree, dreaming at night under endless starry skies of the Maiawali and Karuwali people and travellers along the mighty Diamantina River long ago.

Indigenous people understood this landscape—using the Diamantina River as a trading route and finding food in its grasslands, sand dunes, and sandstone ranges. Then came explorers ahead of pastoralists, stockmen and drovers, grazing livestock in good seasons on the highly-nutritious Mitchell grass.

Set out for an adventure through boom and bust country. Your first stop is the information centre at the Ranger Base to get your bearings. Then relax, canoe or birdwatch at beautiful seasonal lakes or permanent waterholes. Take a drive to Janet’s Leap lookout for a bird’s-eye view of Diamantina Gates or follow the Warracoota circuit drive to pastoral relics and learn about the landscapes of the channel country. Get your camera snapping to capture desert colours, amazing wildflowers, diverse wildlife and stunning sunsets across the plains.

Image credits:
Sunset—Chris Mitchell © Queensland Government
Ruins—Maxime Coquard © Tourism and Events Queensland
Lookout—© Chris Whitelaw