Taroom to Rockhampton via Theodore, Moura, Banana, Dululu, Westwood and Gracemere

4WD enthusiasts, Nature lovers, History buffs and Fishing addicts

Off the beaten track this trip is a true wilderness experience with rocky escarpments and the steep riverbanks of Dawson River.

Three sensational lookouts. Each walk to the lookouts is suitable for experienced bushwalkers who can handle rough ground. 4WD accessible only.

Scenic Loop section of Isla Gorge National Park

A 200km 4WD track that encompasses a series of natural lakes near Theodore.

North of Yeppoon (40mins from Rockhampton)

Sandy Point offers an easy laidback beach drive which is a fantastic warm up to explore the Five Rocks area of nearby Byfield National Park. The National Park drive is more challenging, but you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of five rocks breaching the ocean that give this area its name.

Tag-along treks through some of the most beautiful parts of Central Queensland.

We begin this itinerary five hours from either Bundaberg or Brisbane in a picturesque town that sits on the banks of the Dawson River and under the watchful gaze of magnificent sandstone cliffs and ranges.

You’ll know you’ve reached Taroom when you pass the unique Steel Wings Windmill, only one of two windmills in Australia featuring this unique pivoting design.

It’s definitely worth bringing the fishing lines with Dawson River fishing at your fingertips. Head to the Sandy Creek Bridge, Ken’s Camp or Glebe Weir and drop a line for the mighty barramundi, saratoga, sleepy cod and more.

Glebe Weir camping area is spacious, level and grassy with plenty of shady and sunny spots.

Outside of the river, you can explore ancient landscapes of the region at Expedition National Park. The park is split into three areas, Robinson Gorge, Lonesome and Beilba. Each offers exceptional bushwalking.

Isla Gorge National Park is just a short drive north of Expedition National Park and features a road hand-made from large rock slabs in the early 1860’s.

Speaking of history, you can’t visit one of the oldest inland towns in the state without checking out the Taroom and District Historical Society or marvelling at the pioneering explorers who travelled through the area in the 1840’s while sitting under the Leichhardt Tree in Yaldwyn Street.

Gilberts Lookout is less than a kilometre from the town of Taroom. Enjoy a picnic lunch in an undercover area overlooking the Dawson River, the town of Taroom and the surrounding countryside.

An easy one-hour drive from Taroom you’ll find a kind of old-world elegance in the palm tree lined streets and gracious old wooden buildings of Theodore.

The Theodore township was designed by Burley Griffin of Canberra fame and was named after Premier Theodore (Red Ted), who was the premier of Queensland at the time.

This is the town that water built. Established as the first irrigation project in Queensland, the Theodore Weir can be seen from the road as you cross the main bridge just before arriving at the Theodore turnoff. The Queensland Government’s original

vision was for hundreds of high-quality farms and agricultural projects to find their home in the region. Today, it’s highly successful in cattle, sorghum, wheat and cotton thanks to its rich black soil.

The timber and forestry industry includes one of Queensland’s very few hardwood mills still operating in Theodore, offering employment opportunities to locals. Dawson Mine is on the outskirts of Theodore with exports of coal and seam gas, and gold mining continues at Cracow, a 50km drive from Theodore, dating back to the early gold rush days. Camp sites are available at the Cracow

heritage centre displaying a very well documented history of the town.

A wonderful homage to Theodore’s heritage can be found at Rose’s Garden, next to the Fire Station.

Don’t miss the classic white weatherboard exterior of Theodore Hotel on The Boulevard. Aside from being an authentic example of Aussie pub charm, Theodore Hotel is the subject of a great yarn. It is, in fact, the only hotel owned by an entire community. In 1949 the building was acquired from the Queensland Water Commission who handed it over to the Theodore Co-operative Association. Each

resident took ownership of a share that cost 2s6d or 25 cents in today’s currency. The Hotel is a quirky place for a delicious meal or to stay overnight.

The Theodore Showgrounds offer showers, toilets and plenty of roomy powered and unpowered sites for caravans and motorhomes. The popular Junction Park area, located on the banks of the Dawson River, offers unpowered sites with showers, toilets and barbeque areas.