Western Downs Regional: Culture, Water and Landscape

Western Downs Regional brings together cultural sites and waterside paths with landscape destinations in the wider region. Closer by, you can explore exhibitions, historic sites and activities at Tara Lagoon; further afield, the Bunya Mountains and mountain bike trails await. When choosing a holiday rental, you can first consider whether culture, water or landscape will be the main focus of your stay.

Art, Museums and History

Dogwood Crossing in Miles hosts exhibitions and public programs, including workshops for the Western Downs region. The complex includes the John Mullins Memorial Art Gallery. It presents exhibitions curated in-house and drawn from the collection, as well as travelling exhibitions by local and renowned artists. The program therefore offers different ways to experience art, from works in the collection to changing guest presentations.

The museums also tell a variety of stories. Miles Historical Village Museum comprises more than 30 original buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries, recreating life in a bygone era. Chinchilla Museum features the Cec and Doris Wilkinson Crystal and Gemstone Display and collection items relating to the history of Chinchilla and the surrounding districts; these are housed in several historic buildings. Check the museum’s current visiting arrangements before your visit.

In Dalby, ANZAC Park is home to the War Memorial Gates and an oversized bronze statue of a Digger. It is one of only two bronze infantry soldier statues of its kind in Queensland. In Miles, the War Memorial Wall of Remembrance in ANZAC Park commemorates those who fell in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. The sandstone cairn on a stone base is complemented by a curved memorial wall. If you are interested in the history of local transport routes, Pitt’s Flat Footbridge is located on the Dogwood Creek Walking Track: it marks the site of the first traffic bridge built across Dogwood Creek in 1884.

Paths and Activities at Tara Lagoon

Tara Lagoon offers several ways to spend time by the water. A path along the shore can be used for walking and cycling. There is also a four-kilometre circuit with a boardwalk over the water; the lagoon is surrounded by a memorial park. Camping, fishing for yellowbelly, jewfish and yabbies, and kayaking and canoeing are also listed activities there. Motorboats are not permitted.

In Chinchilla, visitors can search for petrified wood. A fossicking licence and access fees are required to search for “Chinchilla Red” wood in the Western Downs; arrangements are made through the Chinchilla Visitor Information Centre. As access conditions may change, check the current rules before searching.

Landscape and Other Regional Destinations

In the wider region, the Bunya Mountains rise more than 1,100 metres above the Western Downs plains. Bunya Mountains National Park was declared a national park in 1908 and is Queensland’s second-oldest national park. On the western slope of the Bunya Mountains, Russell Park offers more than 18 kilometres of mountain bike trails. Check the official trail advice before riding.

For getting around between towns and destinations, the Warrego Highway connects smaller towns across the Western Downs. A network of open, sealed country roads provides access to larger towns, visitor attractions and natural destinations. Barakula can also be explored on a self-drive route via an extensive road network. Check current road conditions before setting off. This lets you take your preferred mix of culture, water and landscape into account when choosing where to stay, without assuming in advance that individual destinations or journey times are equivalent.

Heritage and Events in Jandowae

Nearby is Jandowae. Its heritage sites include restored cottages and a historic railway station; Jandowae is also the northern starting point of the Dingo Barrier Fence. The Jandowae Timbertown Festival is held every two years in June. The program includes chainsaw carving, wood chopping and wood-related demonstrations; details may vary from one edition to another. Check the date of the next edition before your trip. The Chinchilla Melon Festival and the Tara Festival of Culture and Camel Races are also held every two years. For specific travel dates, it is worth checking the next edition of each festival.

Discover more destinations: Mackay Regional, Townsville City, Noosa Shire, Redland City, Goondiwindi Regional, Cook Shire, Tablelands Regional.

For the broader travel overview: Queensland.