Outback Trail

Queensland Music Trails’ Outback Trail is Australia’s wildest music adventure, where for 10 days you'll experience the real outback, night skies and breathtaking sunsets and sunrises and mingle with remote communities. So grab your tent and your mates for a musical road trip you'll never forget!

The pilgrimage from St George to Tambo, which takes place from April 12-22, offers trail-goers the opportunity to voyage between some of the finest musical events Queensland has to offer.

The Trail will guide audiences across Queensland Outback towns and shires with performances from Hussy Hicks, C.W. Stoneking & His Primitive Horn Orchestra, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, Alice Skye, Jem Cassar-Daley, Karl S Williams, and so many more

The collection of five unique experiences is Oasis Afternoon, Light It Up at the Outback River Lights Festival, The Big Base Party, The Sundowner, and On the Road with The Barleyshakes Duo.

Up first is Oasis Afternoon, set in charming St George and boasting a line-up rich in Aussie talent - from folk artists Hussy Hicks and Karl S Williams to soulful indie singer Jem Cassar-Daley plus a very special opening by performance group Galamaay Dancers and handcrafted markets showcasing local and regional artists. 

While there, trail-goers can spend their free time exploring the region’s gems - from the glistening Balonne River to winery cellar doors and Queensland’s oldest pub. Be sure to save time for a pit stop to the Edna Jessop statue (the female drover made famous by Slim Dusty and Ted Egan songs) and Unique Egg’s beautifully carved Emu egg display.

Out in Cunnamulla at the second stop, you’ll be able to catch a female First Nationals-led line-up at Light It Up at the Outback River Lights Festival with performances from Emma Donovan & The Putbacks and Alice Skye. 

Multi-coloured gumtrees along the riverbank set the backdrop while trail-goers can enjoy creating their own lanterns pre-event before joining the parade to the festival grounds to enjoy the concert. On the way to the third destination on the Outback Trail, you can join a holographic history tour of the railway, cultural tours on country, or indulge in Eulo’s artisan mud baths.

The Charleville leg of the road trip features an unforgettable dance party in a former secret WWII base, with headliners C.W. Stoneking & His Primitive Horn Orchestra, Everybody NOW! and The Pacific Belles.

While there, be sure to explore the newly refurbished WWII Secret Base Museum as part of The Big Base party experience and discover Charleville’s heritage and history. Additional activities include dance classes and markets.

The final stop on the Outback Trail 2023 is Tambo where travellers have a chance to grab a loved one a Tambo Teddy souvenir or enjoy the outrageous scenes of Ben’s Chicken racing out the back of the local pub while in the Central West’s oldest town for The Sundowner, where Harry James Angus, The Barleyshakes Duo, and Tane Rua will serenade you as the sun sets.

Good to know - Bringing only their instruments and good times, The Barleyshakes Duo will be performing at all four stages of the Outback Trail and will be hosting inclusive jam sessions along the way. You can connect with fellow trail-goers on the road, hear about life on country from the locals and join in the play-alongs at each trail event.

Trail-goers will also have opportunity to learn three popular covers before each event and collaborate in a new piece about life on the road, so bring your fiddle, guitar, or best singing voices to join the fun no matter your skill level!

In a nutshell - leave the city behind for ten days and immerse yourself in the Outback Trail in some of the most charming, interesting and remote towns in the state. As you travel through ancient country, local stories will quietly reveal themselves. Filled with quirk, heritage, hardship and charm, broaden your senses and embrace Queensland in a way you haven’t before!

The Outback Trail is a Qld Music Trails event presented by QMF, Balonne Shire Council, Paroo Shire Council, Murweh Shire Council, Blackall-Tambo Regional Council and supported by Veracity. Qld Music Trails are proudly supported by the Queensland Government.

Queensland Music Trails is a valued partner of Must Do Brisbane.com