The Queensland Convoy

The Queensland outback is packed with unique attractions and welcoming small towns that are perfect for a roadtrip, but heading into the outback along is pretty intimidating. So let's go together!

Our experienced guides will lead a convoy of families from across Australia on an epic journey to amazing places like Carnarvon Gorge, Longreach and Australia's Dinosaur Capital - Winton. We have camping kits available for hire, and we can even set them up for you!

Having your own car means you'll be able to travel at your own pace, take detours to see the things that interest you and experience places that are not accessible by plane. And when you arrive at camp you'll be able to have a break while your kids spend time with their new friends. It’s the perfect way to travel!

  • Our trips offer all the freedom and flexibility of solo travel, without the worry.

    Explore on your own terms, knowing our trip leaders are always nearby to offer support.

  • Kids love traveling together, and parents can relax, knowing they’re happily entertained.

    With new friends to share the fun, every activity becomes an adventure.

  • Connect with other families when you’re ready and recharge whenever it feels right.

    It’s the perfect balance of friendship and personal space for kids and parents.

  • Our trips are designed around flexibility - light on schedules, big on options.

    You choose the activities that suit your family's budget, interests and need for downtime.

Make friends. Make memories.
But do it your own way, at your own pace.

Trip details

  • 13 -28 April 2025: This convoy will run during the Easter school holidays

    30 April - 16 May 2025 - SOLD OUT: This convoy will run during the school terms, so it is most suited to homeschoolers, but school families are very welcome

  • Secure your spot with a deposit of just $300 per person.

    The full price is $1190 for adults and $1171 for kids aged 5-16. Kids aged 4 and under are free.

  • The ticket price includes:

    • Accommodation at powered campsites for 16 nights

    • A trip handbook with lots of information about the areas we visit and things to do along the way

    • Access to a private group chat so you can meet the families you'll be travelling with

    • A Zoleo satellite communication device to use for the duration of the trip

    • Full support from our team of booking and support staff in the leadup to the trip, and from our trip co-ordinators during the trip

  • For an additional $277 per person you can add an adventure pass, which includes the following activities:

    • Qantas Founders Museum sound and light show

    • Sapphire fosicking at Rubyvale

    • Charleville Bilby Experience

    • Charleville Cosmos Centre Big Sky Observatory

    • Lark Quarry dinosaur stampede pass

    • Junior paleontologist activities at Winton

    • Ultimate Dinosaur tour at Winton

  • This trip is a convoy in that you'll be supported the whole way and will travel with a group of other families who will all stay at the same campsites together.

    It's not the type of convoy where everyone has to adhere to strict timelines and schedules and all drive together at the same speed in a single line. It's fun, not regimented

    The Queensland Convoy is led by two trip co-ordinators. Each one drives a vehicle that is equipped with essentials like tools, satellite phones and first aid kits. The support vehicles can also help carry some of your gear, so you don't have to squeeze it all back into your car at every stop.

    The trip co-ordinators make sure you stay safe in the remote outback and have the best possible experience. They are available 24/7 and are always happy to help with any issues you encounter along the way. One of them will always drive at the back of the group, to make sure that nobody is left behind and everyone arrives at each campsite safely.

    We also provide each family with a Zoleo satellite communication device. This ensures that you can keep in contact with the trip coordinators, even when there's no phone coverage, and your family can always reach you if there's an emergency at home.

  • There are two options for hiring our camping kits:

    • The assisted option: Hire the kit and have our trip co-ordinators set up and pack down the tent for you at each campsite. The price for this option is $989 per family, on top of the ticket price. We only have three of these available on each trip, so they sell out very quickly

    • Self setup option: Hire the kit and set up and pack down the tent yourself at each campsite. The price for this option is $499 per family, on top of the ticket price. We only have seven of these available on each trip, so they sell out very quickly

    Both kits are exactly the same.

    Regardless of which option you choose, you're very welcome to transport the kits in our support vehicles so you don't have to fit everything in your car.

  • You can see a photo of one of our camping kits here. The kit includes all of the the following essentials:

    • A camping fridge

    • An air mattress for each member of your family and plenty of spares in case they get damaged

    • A cooking kit containing plates, cups, bowls, a frypan, a saucepan, cutlery, chopping boards and utensils

    • A camping stove and butane gas canisters

    • A lantern

    • A folding table

    • A folding chair for each member of your family

    • An extension cord

    • A power board

    • A large tent.

    All of our tents are Zempire Pronto 10s, also known as Zempire Jetset 10s. These are very comfortable and durable air tents that are super easy to set up. You can see them in action here.

FAQs

  • If you have kids in your life and you’re keen to make amazing memories, show them the world and help them make new friends - this is for you.

    Kids have more fun when they travel together and parents get to relax instead of worrying about them being bored. Plus you’ll have all the support you need as we head into the remote outback.

    Our trips are not the usual group tours. Everything is built around providing support and giving kids an opportunity to make friends, have amazing educational experiences and travel at their own pace.

    We are neuroaffirming and embrace diversity.

  • As with all of our trips, you’re welcome to join in as much or as little as you like.

    You can drive from place to place with the convoy, or sleep in and do it in your own time.

    You can keep to yourself or hang out with the group around the campsite. It’s totally up to you.

    We just want everyone to have an amazing holiday, feel comfortable and have an outback experience safe in the knowledge that they’re not alone if they need support.

    Plus it’s a lot easier and less stressful to holiday with kids if they’re having a great time with friends!

  • Definitely not. Your normal, everyday car will be fine. We’re not going off road and most of the trip is on the highway.

  • We travel with a Starlink satellite dish to make sure that everyone has access to fast, reliable internet at all of the campsites.

  • We stay at powered sites for the whole trip.

  • Dogs are allowed on this trip, but they are not allowed at Carnarvon Gorge.

    You're very welcome to bring your dog, but for the two nights that we are at the gorge you will need to stay at the dog-friendly campsite just outside of the park, around 5kms from the rest of the group.

    The dog-friendly campsite has basic toilet facilities, but it does not have showers, running water or other facilities.

  • There are lots of supermarkets at most towns along the way, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to stock up as we go.

    We will provide you with a detailed itinerary showing locations where it's important to stock up and refuel.

    Most of the campsites have camp kitchens and a lot have bistros or are near pubs or restaurants, so you can buy meals if you don’t feel like cooking.

  • Some of the campsites have washing machines and dryers available for a small fee, usually around $4. Most have a camp kitchen, which you can use to wash your dishes.

Here’s what we have planned:

Day 1: Chinchilla

We’ll meet up in Chinchilla on day one and set up camp for the first night. But not before we get some selfies in front of the Big Watermelon!

While we’re in Chinchilla we’ll check out a local fossicking site. Chinchilla has the best petrified wood in Australia and it’s abundant, so we’ll take home some very cool souvenirs that date back to the Jurassic period 140 million years ago.

Day 2: Injune

On day two we will drive west through Roma, then north to Injune, which is where we will camp for the night. It’s about a 3-hour drive, but you’ have plenty of time to stop along the way for lunch and a break.

At Injune you can go for a walk around the local billabong, take the kids to the public pool, or just chill at the campsite and get ready to see something amazing the next day…

Days 3 & 4: Carnarvon Gorge

Our Carnarvon Gorge adventure kicks off on day three! We’ll drive a couple of hours from Injune to our campsite at the gorge, where we’ll spend two nights.

The gorge has some of the best indigenous stencil art in the country, towering sandstone cliffs, a moss garden and a rock pool where you can swim with turtles.

There are lots of tours available, including night safaris and experiences with local indigenous leaders. It’s an amazing place!

Days 5 & 6: Lake Maraboon

We’ll say goodbye to Carnarvon Gorge on day five and drive about three hours to Lake Maraboon where we’ll set up camp next to Queensland’s second-largest lake.

The caravan park has kayaks and small boats available for hire, as well as a swimming pool and bar. If you’re lucky you might be able to catch your own freshwater crayfish or barramundi for dinner.

Day 7: Barcaldine

We’ll drive about 3.5 hours on day seven, to the little town of Barcaldine. We recommend taking a break at Rubyvale on the way to fossick for sapphires. Kids love it!

Barcaldine is a cute little town with a big history. It was the scene of the landmark 1891 shearers strike and is home to the Tree of Knowledge, which is the birthplace of the Australian Labour Party.

Days 8 - 10: Winton

It’s dinosaur time!! On day 8 we’ll drive a couple of hours to Winton, where we will camp for three nights. There are so many amazing things to do in Winton!

There’s the Age of Dinosaurs Centre, with its fossil lab and incredible collection of local fossils, the observatory, the splash park and Opalton, where you can fossick for opals.

Winton is close to Lark Quarry, one of the most unique and special places on Earth. It’s the only place in the world where you can see footprints from a dinosaur stampede. The stampede happened 95 million years ago, when a herd of at least 150 dinosaurs fled a large theropod, leaving behind more than 3300 footprints. It is absolutely mind blowing!

Days 11 & 12: Longreach

It’s time to start the journey home. On day 13 we’ll say goodbye to the dinosaurs and drive a couple of hours back to Longreach, where we’ll stay for two nights.

Longreach has so many fun things to do - the Stockman’s Hall of Fame museum and live show, the Qantas museum, where you can walk on the wing of a 747, and a completely wild stage coach ride where the team of five horses gallop at full speed!

Day 13: Tambo

We’ll drive about 3.5 hours on day 13 back to Tambo for something very special - Ben’s Chicken Racing!

This iconic outback activity is always a massive hit with the kids - they can even have their photo taken with the racers! Ben’s Chicken Racing was established to raise money for the Little Windmills charity, which helps seriously ill kids in rural areas, so all money goes to a very worthy cause.

Days 14 & 15: Charleville

We’ll drive a couple of hours to Charleville on day 14 and set up camp for two nights.

There’s lots to do in this little town - you can visit the Bilby Experience, take a tour of the secret WWII base, do the Grave Keeper Tour or head back to the observatory at night to look through their huge telescope. You can even look at the sun through one of the largest hydrogen alpha sun telescopes in the world.

Day 16: Roma

On day 16 we’ll take on the last drive of the convoy - three hours to Roma.

If you’re keen to learn about the history of oil and gas exploration in Australia, Roma is the place to do it. They have a very cool sunset show and you can climb the 40-meter oil tower. There’s also a great little historic village museum nearby.

We’ll say goodbye on the morning of day 16 and all head off in our different directions, but not before we exchange email addresses and promise to share lots of photos from the trip in the group chat.

Here’s what people are saying

  • We are just rolling back into Adelaide after the most incredible two week trip to Uluru with Bold Gorilla. What an adventure!

    We were travelling just in our swags with temps hitting 0 degrees several nights and whilst we were prepared, Brook and Brenda checked in each day to see if we were warm enough, supplying us with extra blankets for the frostiest of nights.

    We were supplied with devices to help us connect in remote areas if we ran into any trouble and the BG team were always at the back of the convoy, looking out for everyone.

    It was the perfect balance of planned activities versus free time and free play for the kids. Of our own freedom, as well as connection whenever we wanted it.

    All the families on our trip were absolute legends. We met amazing characters in each town, some lovely, some cranky, some hilarious and all making up the colourful chapter that this trip will be in our family's story forevermore.

    Highlights for us were - the cuttlefish, campfires, Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Tom's Mine and the great crew.

    We are absolutely buzzing. Huge thanks to the BG team for creating such a wonderful opportunity for us as a family to be together in this way.

    Lissie T

  • My daughters (9 and 7) and I recently returned from the Uluru convoy.

    The trip far exceeded my expectations on every level - the organisers, the people, the itinerary, the planned activities and the pre trip planning.

    Brooke the business owner picked the most wonderful itinerary and group activities clearly based on her experience as a parent, her love of travel and adventure and the relationships she has built with business owners over the years.

    My girls loved every minute of the convoy and shined each day as they absorbed the beautiful scenery, chatted and played with their new friends and learnt so so many new things.

    The frequency and type of activities that Brooke arranged for the group were perfect including attending a kangaroo sanctuary and touring a live opal mine.

    All activities were optional and you could dip in and out of the group as you wished but always knew you were in the competent and kind hands of Brooke and James which I found incredibly reassuring as a sole parent travelling with two children.

    As a result of this exceptional experience, and Brooke and her team, my girls and I have found a new love for travel and adventure. Thank you so much Bold Gorilla. We are now planning our next trip with you. It was a life changer for us!

    Nicola C

  • I’ve never seen my son be so social! He took a couple of days to come out of his shell, but after that we couldn’t pry him away from his new friends. He is usually too anxious to talk to anyone or make friends. It was great for his confidence and I can’t wait to take him on another trip.

    Juliet F

  • This is our 2nd time travelling with Bold Gorilla. We recently travelled with Bold Gorilla on the Uluru convoy and had the most amazing time.

    We went from swimming with giant cuttlefish, noodling for opals, to seeing the beauty of Uluru all in one big adventure.

    It was so nice to experience the trip as a group and Brook and Brenda went out of their way to ensure we were looked after. Not only did they pack extra camping chairs and mattresses for us upon hearing that our car was full to the brim, Brook also lent us her hot water bottles and other supplies that we hadn't thought to bring.

    Would definitely recommend travelling with Bold Gorilla and can't wait for our next adventure.

    Laura C

  • The Uluru trip offered by Brook and her team exceeded our expectations. Brook and Brenda looked after the group ensuring our need for information and support were provided with a smile and care.

    The trip was well planned. Safety was provided by the support trucks and all families had a communication device.

    Nothing was too much for the team.

    We all enjoyed the group campfires and the opportunity to connect with other families.

    Really recommend these tours - not too much structure but just right for a relaxing journey through remote parts of SA and NT.

    Jacqui H

  • The trip was amazing and everyone made us all feel welcome and helped me out with both my son and his assistance dog when I was struggling with my knee injury.

    Just be aware with injuries it may be a little difficult to get out of barge and back on at the island as had to climb over side. But everyone was willing to help me and our dog off.

    Bel C

  • Thanks for the memories my family & I take away from our experience on the Uluru convoy which has left us feeling so grateful to Brook, Brenda & the team, who were absolutely amazing, they all went above and beyond to do their absolute best to ensure things went as smoothly as possible for everyone, sometimes in trying circumstances beyond their control in a large group....

    I can't recommend dealing with this company highly enough & will most definitely seek to join them on future adventures & will happily recommend them to others.

    Belinda R

  • My family have enjoyed three trips with Bold Gorilla: two within Australia and one overseas. All three were wonderful experiences.

    Bold Gorilla trips strike a great balance between structure and flexibility. Even though you are travelling with the support and companionship of a group you don't have the pressure and stress that is often a part of group travel.

    Jennifer R

  • Amazing experiences organised, I am blown away with the quality of them.

    Louise C

  • The experience with Bold Gorilla was awesome.

    My son and I travelled to Japan with them, my son made some great friends and we had such a good experience. It was so good to have the experience of the tour organiser to guide us on all things Japanese - how to catch PT, where to eat, activities to do etc.

    Have already booked my next two trips with them.

    Note- while you're with a group, it's still very self-directed and free meaning you can make the trip your own, while being in the safety of the group.

    Shashi H

  • Uluru convoy was brilliant. Brooke & James could not have been more helpful. We felt safe & supported & had an awesome time.

    Tracey M

  • This is our second trip to Private Island with Bold Gorilla and it won't be the last :-) Although the trips are unstructured, pesky logistical details were taken care of before I could even think about them myself. Myself and my son had a ball, felt secure and part of a special group of travelers that just click together. I recommend Bold Gorilla to anyone who will listen. Great memories and great learning opportunities for my homeschooler.

    Ivana O