South west adventures start in Roma

Road Trip

Immerse yourself in thousands of years of history with a visit to south west outback Queensland. 

Walker in Carnarvon Gorge.

Discover the secrets of landscapes, the fauna, the flora and communities of Roma and surrounds through a local’s lens.

The Big Rig Tower and Tree Walk

The story of Roma brought to life, The Big Rig Tower pays homage to Australia’s first discovery of oil and gas. The -new 40m observation tower is a grand addition to the existing attractions – The Oil Patch, a self-guided outdoor museum, The Big Rig Night Show and new 100m tree walk that meanders around Big Rig experiences. For more information and to secure tickets, visit The Big Rig’s official website here.

Giant bottle tree in Roma.

Biggest bottle tree

A meeting place for the locals, the icon of Roma is the Big Bottle Tree. The tree is a Roma relic and was originally planted at a neighbouring property in 1927. Now more than 100 years old, the tree requires six men to completely reach around its base. The trunk is still growing about 1cm per year but the impressive beast currently reaches a height of 6m and a diameter of about 9m, with the crown towering to a whopping 20m.

Roma sale yards.

Roma Saleyards

Don your best cowboy boots and visit the largest cattle selling centre in Australia where more than 400,000 cattle pass through each year. Join the herd and enjoy the new state-of-the-art interpretive centre telling the story of the cattle industry and visit the long yards where local graziers will teach you all about the local cattle industry and watch as auctioneers demonstrate their fast-paced skills. Visit the website here for more information.

Rosedale Orchard

Wander through the fields and enjoy the fresh country air with the Rosedale Orchard experience. With an orange twist and a hint of citrus, visitors are welcome to pick navel oranges and experience the inner workings of this scenic fruit farm. You might even spot some furry residents that frequently hop over to visit.  

Boobook Ecotours

Embark on a journey that will take you deeper into the real and remote outback through the lens of local ecologists and passionate creators of Boobook, Craig and Meryl. Boobook guides and tours bring a holistic approach to tourism in Roma and encompass attractions within as well as Charleville, Quilpie, Eromanga, Yowah and Cunnamulla. Roma Revealed, Discover Carnarvon Ranges, Eco-Discovery Adventure and Southwest Outback Explorers are a few of the diverse trips and experiences on offer. Expect to see local wildlife, walk among dinosaur fossils, relax in artesian spas, learn about cattle and farming and discover the mystery of old opal mining towns amid many more local stories of war heroes and scallywags.

Camping in style with Boobook Tours.

Wallaroo Outback Retreat

Located 160km north of Roma, Wallaroo Outback Retreat is also the base camp for some of Boobook’s tours. Boasting 10 new glamping tents, five deluxe tents with their own attached ensuites and five classic tents which have their own private bathroom, what better way to enjoy the outback than to relax in luxury. Wake up among the towering eucalypts listening to the sounds of the bush. This is camping at its best.

Hikers in Carnarvon Gorge.

 Carnarvon adventure

Your Carnarvon Ranges experience awaits, 160km north of Roma. Lace up your hiking boots and set off on the main Carnarvon Gorge walking track that extends 9.7km and winds towards the Big Bend natural waterhole. Some of the tour guides will also share secret spots in the range and you’ll guided by locals who are in tune with the nature and sacredness of the site. You will witness the magic of Indigenous sites by the Dawson River and rock art that’s guarded by remote bushland. There’s plenty of great photo opportunities along the way including Date Rock followed by Cycad Gorge – where you’ll stop to enjoy a picnic lunch of wholesome outback tucker. The tour allows you to take time absorbing the ambiance of this vibrant outback Queensland location set among `dinosaur plants’ while also admiring the surrounding cliffs and Arch Rock.

Visit RACQ Travel for more great outback Queensland holiday ideas

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Things to note

The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice, not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives and needs.