Trek and treats
WITH COVID RESTRICTIONS EASING, PACK UP AND EXPLORE THE OUTBACK, WRITES LAUREN PRATT
LAND as far as the eye can see, ridiculously fresh air, seeing the stars sparkle overhead, cosy nights wrapped up in front of a fire and deep, restful sleep.
These are just a few of the reasons I love the Outback and am drawn there with my family every year. As COVID-19 restrictions eased, we headed west with Undara our destination for two nights.
“We should move here one day,” my son tells me every time we go.
There’s a sense of wild freedom to the Outback – as mobile phone service drops away and long stretches of road lay in front of you. Here’s a rundown of places worth visiting when you head way out west.
RAVENSHOE BAKERY
The highest town in Queensland is well and truly worth the stop on your way through because of its magnificent bakery, with a range of pies, fresh bread, pastries, cakes and more.
With COVID-19 guidelines in place, the bakery has established a perspex front so customers can line up on the footpath to order. Coffees are picked up around the side when ready.
THE BARN
Another Ravenshoe drawcard is The Barn, a homewares shop housed in its namesake.
It’s a gorgeous space with plants and garden decor, wall hangings and a huge range of other products. It was difficult to leave the shop without buying it all.
Nearby is a gobsmacking men’s shed, trains and old machinery as well as the Ravenshoe Memorial Garden, dedicated to victims of the devastating Serves You Right Cafe blast in 2015.
WINDY HILL WINDFARM
Turn off the Kennedy Highway on to Glendinning Rd, near Ravenshoe. There’s not much to do here other than visit a viewing platform and watch the massive turbines from a closer perspective, but there is something special about this place.
It’s cold and windy – and a great place to have a picnic.
MT SURPRISE GEM DEN
The small town of Mt Surprise houses the Gem Den. You can’t miss it – it’s on the left as you drive in.
It’s a great little stop with plenty to explore in the gift shop. If you don’t plan to hire tools to head out fossicking, then for $15 the children can sift their own bucket to reveal some treasures inside.
There’s lots of avian wildlife out at Mt Surprise – keep an eye out for the galahs.
UNDARA OUTBACK EXPERIENCE
The extended family rocked up to Undara for two nights in the first week of the school holidays. With grandparents, cousins and parents in our pack of nine, it was a group on the rather large size.
Book in for a cave tour and learn the history of the area’s volcanic action.
Make sure to spot wallabies at the Lodge’s Bluff Walk, which takes about 30 minutes to get to the top. It’s a gentle climb and the views are well worth it. The Kalkani Crater Walk is also a must. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Undara and takes nearly an hour to do at a very gentle pace.
We stayed at the Swag Tent Village and built a fire each night. Just make sure to watch out for the wildlife. Someone dropped a marshmallow and a cheeky pademelon was on it and gobbling it down before you could say “firecrackers”.