North West - Dinosaur, Fossil and Mining Country

Mining and farming have long been at the heart of Queensland’s story and in Outback Queensland’s North West, you can delve into how these industries have evolved historically right through to present day.

Mt Isa or ‘The Isa’ as it’s known is the city that provides a hub for the North West’s stories, events and adventures. With mining (literally) at its heart, this rough and tumble town gives you a sense of the frontier-like nature of Outback life.

On the flipside, so much here is really accessible. Outback at Isa lets you go underground to experience what conditions are like for miners. The Isa is also home to the annual Mount Isa Rodeo – the biggest in the southern hemisphere. Stepping further back in time, Kronosaurus Korner, about 400km away at Richmond provides a window into a time 120 million years ago, when Queensland was covered by an inland sea and underwater giants ruled its interior.

If you feel like travelling further afield and getting away from everyone and everything, the myriad landscapes of the North West are perfect for doing just that. Jump in your four-wheel drive or take an organised tour to the rock outcrops, waterholes and wildflowers of Lawn Hill (Boodjamulla) National Park and Porcupine Gorge.