Day 1
MORNING
Spend the morning discovering the history of Hughenden and district at the Flinders Discovery Centre. Step back in time inside our museum and see the exhibition of dinosaur fossils from around the world and a growing display of fossils from our local area. Meet ‘Hughie’ our seven metre skeletal Muttaburrasaurus and much more. The Flinders Discovery Centre is also an accredited Information Centre.
AFTERNOON
Spend the rest of the day exploring the town’s history, with the historic Coolibah Tree and the Surveyor’s Peg and Hebrew grave. A wide range of sculptures and the Federation Rotunda dominates the streetscape of Brodie Street. This Rotunda is made from two 20’ windmills brought into Hughenden from a property south of Prairie. Relax under the curved roof while sitting on original bush furniture which has been created by local residents.
EVENING
You can’t have a night in Hughenden without witnessing a big sky sunset. There are several vantage points to see the sun go down with the prime one being Mt Walker, which is a 10km drive east of Hughenden. Mt Walker has impressive 180-degree views of the landscape, BBQ areas, picnic tables and toilets. Alternatively, head down to the dock on the eastern side of the lake, there is some lovely seats perfectly positioned to catch the sunset over the water.
If you’re not self-catering at one of the BBQ sites around town, you can dine out at one of the pubs, grab a takeaway meal from the Chinese Restaurant, or head down to the Railway Social Club for a meal. The social club is open from 3 – 6 pm every day, with extended trade on Friday night, and has a children’s playground and field, so plenty of room for the kids to roam and mingle with the local youngsters.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
Van | Campertrailer | Tent
The Terry Allen Caravan Park has powered and unpowered sites and is conveniently located beside the town pool, gym, skatepark and basketball courts. The Caravan Park also has self-contained
cabins. If your van is fully self-contained and you don’t require power the council have a free RV site conveniently located near the lake and main street.
Motel Rooms | Air BNB
The two Hotels in town offer self-contained rooms along with the Rest Easy Motel. Additionally, there is a cottage and room rental available in town through Air BNB.
Day 2
MORNING
Start the day early and head to Porcupine Gorge National Park. Be sure to pack plenty of water and snacks as there are no drinking water supplies at the park. The drive is an hour north from Hughenden but is dotted with interest stops along the way, including a belemnite fossick site. To initially view the gorge, stop at the Porcupine Gorge Lookout which is just off the highway. To hike down to the gorge, continue your drive north for another 15km until you come across the Pyramid Campground. There is a day parking area at the site, and this is the base for the walking trails.
There are two walking trails, one on the perimeter and one that heads down into the gorge. The track is a 2.2km round trip and is graded as moderate difficulty. Allow double the time to get back up the track, particularly if you are walking up with young children or in the hotter part of the day. At the base of the gorge, it is an easy walk to the base of the pyramid rock formation where you can swim in the spring-fed waterhole. You can explore the valley floor to the north and south for approximately 10km in each direction. You can make a day of this trip or half a day depending on how far you wish to explore.
There is also an option to book a scenic helicopter tour with Fox Helicopters over Porcupine Gorge and White Mountains National Park which is truly spectacular. Seeing the gorge from the air is the only way to appreciate the grandeur of the landscape. The tour takes approximately three hours and can depart from the Pyramid Campground.
You will fly over the gorge first and then land in a private escarpment where you will be provided with a picnic blanket, nibbles and drinks. Explore the beautiful watercourse laden with flowering bottle brushes and wattles. The birdlife in the escarpment is remarkable, due to the shaded watercourse which is filled with nests. Sitting at the base of the escarpment, birds tweeting in the background, wind rustling in the trees, a cold drink in hand with a selection of gourmet snacks. Life doesn’t get much better than this. Or so you thought… That is before you fly over the majestic White Mountains National Park. Rugged, remote, and wild is the only way to describe the White Mountains. There are deep chasms filled with rich plant diversity, sandstones bluffs pitted with intriguing caves and secret waterways. The mountains seem so impenetrable, it’s hard to imagine that humans have ever set foot here. Time your trip right with the seasonal winter conditions and the landscape comes alive with a colourful display of wildflowers. This tour is nothing short of exhilarating.
AFTERNOON
(Option 1- requires a four-wheel or all-wheel drive)
On your way home from the gorge, there is an option to take the Flinders River Byway which is a scenic drive suitable for four-wheel or all-wheel drive cars. The route is 32km long and takes through a range of ecosystems including Mitchell grass downs, pebbly red ridges, ironbark and eucalypt woodlands. Stop at Galah Creek crossing to collect some lovely, coloured stones if you are a fossicker. There is also the Glendower Wall Scenic Lookout which is a great photographic opportunity.
At the end of the drive, turn left and drive 3kms to Prairie, which is a quaint little town with a population of approximately 40 people. Stop at the Prairie Pub for lunch or an afternoon snack. The pub is one of a kind, full of curios and antiquities. In the paddock behind the pub, you can also visit Buffy the Buffalo, who is a bit partial to a slice of bread. You can also buy some raw honey from the Prairie Honey honesty box. After visiting Prairie, head west to head back to Hughenden which is a half-hour drive.
(Option 2 – two-wheel drive)
Head back to Hughenden from the gorge for lunch or afternoon tea. After a big morning of hiking, Robert Gray Park is the perfect shady place to relax. Located on the bank of the Flinders River, it’s the perfect place to stretch out on the lawn and watch the birdlife. If the kids are still active, they can fossick in the dry riverbed, which is easily accessed from the park by a cement walking path that cuts right through the dry riverbed.