CHARLEVILLE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

Welcome to Charleville

Start your Outback adventure with a warm welcome and some top local tips from the friendly team at the Charleville Visitor Information Centre.

Renowned for its warm and welcoming country hospitality, the outback community of Charleville is perched on the peaceful banks of the Warrego River, at the junction of the Mitchell and Warrego Highways in the heart of ‘mulga country’. It’s the largest town in southwest Queensland, acting as a hub for visitors and pastoralists alike. From exploring the expanses of space at the Cosmos Centre, to casting a line beneath a star-studded sky, visiting cute and cuddly wildlife, or having a yarn with one of our friendly locals, there’s truly something here for everyone. Slow down, breathe in the fresh country air, and take time to unearth the rich history, colourful characters and secret natural treasures of Charleville and the smaller settlements of the surrounding Murweh Shire.

The Charleville Visitor Information Centre, housed in the heritage-listed Charleville Railway Station in the centre of town, is the perfect place to begin your Outback adventure. Here our happy and welcoming team can’t wait to welcome you and help you discover all there is to know about our region. We offer a host of brochures covering attractions, accommodation and other highlights in the area, as well as stocking a range of gifts and souvenirs to commemorate your visit. Most importantly, our team offer expert local insights and advice to help you make the most of your time in our hometown.

Feel free to pop by for a cuppa and a chat. We’d love to show you around!

Exploring the Centre

A stop at the centre is not just about gaining information or getting directions – it’s also about experiencing our legendary local hospitality and taking a journey back in time.

The Visitor Centre itself is located within the historic Charleville Railway Station – a beautiful building painted in heritage colours of cream and deep rustic red, with green accents. The centre can be entered via the front entrance on King Street, or via the back entrance directly off the train station platform.

As you step into the centre from the car park on King Street, you will sense the warm welcome and be greeted by the friendly faces of our visitor services team. The centre is filled with a beautiful display of brochures and travel resources, along with a selection of souvenirs and locally made items for sale. To your right on entry is a curated showcase of local products, offering a perfect memento of your Outback experience. Other merchandise are displayed throughout the centre, and can be purchased at the till to the left of the main entry. Information relating to Charleville and surrounds is found in the centre of the room. Large signs adorn the walls, promoting the host of local tours and attractions on offer. A television plays audio content, including tour information and songs that add to the country charm, such as Slim Dusty’s ‘Charleville’ which immortalised the town, and bush favourites like ‘Way Out West’ by Aussie legends James Blundell and James Reyne. At the back of the room is a ‘Driver Reviver’ centre, offering free tea and coffee to weary travellers, and doors leading to the train station platform.

Our centre is also pleased to offer free Wi-Fi to visitors, enabling you to keep connected with loved ones back home.

Rich In History

Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the area around Charleville was inhabited by the Gunggari people, the traditional custodians of the land. In colonial history, the town itself was gazetted by Irish-born surveyor William Alcock Tully in 1868, who is believed to have named the settlement after his hometown of the same name in County Cork.

By the 1880s, Charleville had been established as an important stop-off point for the famous Cobb and Co coaches, with the company relocating coach building operations to the town in 1886. Rail services from Brisbane reached Charleville in 1888, and the line endures as the final stop for passenger services to this day. Qantas conducted its first passenger flights from Charleville to Cloncurry in 1922, and the town remains an important hub of aviation activity, boasting southwest Queensland’s largest Royal Flying Doctor Service base. Learn more about this service by visiting the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre.

Every country town has its own tales of legendary locals whose achievements helped forge the future of their community. Harry ‘Poppa’ Corones is one such pioneering hero. Arriving to Australia as a penniless immigrant from the Greek islands in the early 1900s, Corones fearlessly pursued his dream to open a first-class hotel in the Aussie Outback, achieving his bold ambition in 1929. This iconic Hotel Corones still proudly stands in town today, offering guest accommodation, behind-the-scenes tours, on-site dining, and cold beers in the company of friendly locals.

During World War II, Charleville played an important role in war efforts, with 3500 United States Air Force personnel secretly stationed here. Join a tag-along tour or pay a visit to a local interactive exhibit to learn more about this secret Base, or check out the Charleville War Memorial, Augathella Experience or Morven Historical Museum to unearth more of our area’s rich history.

A Few Local Highlights

From astronomy to adorable animals, there’s so much to discover here in Charleville!

Explore a gateway to the galaxy at the Cosmos Centre in Charleville. Due to low residual light, the relative darkness of the expansive Outback sky provides optimal viewing conditions for stargazing. Join expert astronomy guides on a voyage of discovery, as you marvel at the far-flung wonders of our universe and listen to stella scientific insights about our solar system and beyond.

Enjoy an up-close encounter with one of Australia’s most famous endangered marsupials with a Bilby Tour at the Charleville Bilby Experience. Conducted by the Save the Bilby Fund, this educational tour allows you to visit these super-cute little critters in their nocturnal house, and gain invaluable insights into current conservation initiatives to promote their continued existence.

From the cute to the quirky, drop by the peaceful Graham Andrews Parklands to check out the Steiger Vortex Rainmaking Guns. These cannon-like, conical contraptions were developed by scientists in an attempt to induce rain in drought-stricken Outback Queensland, and were trialled in Charleville in 1902. Visit at dawn or dusk to experience the park amidst a symphony of birdsong. Or stop by Augathella’s Meat Ant Park with its impressive centrepiece sculpture that’s over a million times the size of the actual animal!

For a tasty (and surprisingly healthy) treat, be sure to drop in at the Outback Date Farm. Enjoy a delicious date loaf morning tea overlooking neat rows of date palms. Learn how dates are grown, and hear about the sustainable farming practices that are employed by this innovative, family-run enterprise.

From sprawling Tregole National Park to tiny Cooladdi – Australia’s smallest town, Charleville and the surrounding area is as diverse and colourful as the friendly local characters who call it home. Come and experience it for yourself!

Accessibility

Charleville is located in the heart of southwest Queensland, approximately eight and a half hours’ drive west of the capital city of Brisbane. Rex Airlines operates regular flights to and from Charleville. For schedules, bookings and further accessibility information concerning these flights, please visit rex.com.au. Queensland Rail’s Westlander service runs between Brisbane and Charleville Mondays and Fridays, and Greyhound Australia offers inter-city coach transport to Charleville on weekdays. Hire cars are available in town, and there is one taxi operating in the area.

The Charleville Visitor Information Centre is located at the historic Charleville Railway Station in King Street. If you’re self-driving to the centre, accessible parking is available close to the entrance. If arriving by train, the back entrance to the Visitor Information Centre is in approximately the centre of the platform.

Our friendly team love welcoming everyone to our unique slice of Outback Queensland and have received training to increase their awareness and ability to address access needs of visitors to the centre. At the time of publishing this guide, our opening hours were 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 2pm weekends and selected public holidays. If you have any questions ahead of your visit, please feel free to contact us on (07) 4656 8359 or email info@murweh.qld.gov.au.

Our centre is all on one level, with wide doorways ensuring ease of access for wheelchair users and visitors with limited mobility. Accessible bathrooms are located on the train platform to the right of the centre’s back entrance. Grassy areas suitable for toileting assistance animals are located to the right of the building as you face its entrance.

If you have any questions or need additional directions, simply ask one of our friendly team members, who will be happy to assist.