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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Bedourie
Stop one night in Bedourie if you are driving the Birdsville–Boulia road; skip it as a destination on its own — 122 people, one pub, one shop.
Bedourie is the administrative centre of the Diamantina Shire, a 122-person town on Eyre Creek in the Channel Country, about 200 km north of Birdsville and 1,600 km west of Brisbane. It exists for travellers crossing the outback: fuel, a pub bed, a hot bore bath and the ruins and national park beyond. One night covers it; two if you want the Diamantina National Park day.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Apr–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (40 °C (104 °F)+ days, flooded creek crossings)Dec–Feb (104 °F (40 °C)+ days, flooded creek crossings)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$80–130 excl. bed · Mid A$130–200 excl. bed · High A$200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From a mobile 112 · Road conditions 13 19 40
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or a cold drink at the pub | A$5–8 |
| Pub counter meal | A$25–40 |
| Beer, schooner | A$8–12 |
| Fuel, per litre | A$2.20–2.60 |
| Camp site, powered, per night | A$35–60 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BEU · Bedourie Airport
- Rex scheduled services link Bedourie with Birdsville, Boulia, Mount Isa, Charleville, Quilpie, Windorah, Toowoomba and Brisbane; days and fares change, check with Rex.
Typical fares
- Birdsville → Bedourie, drive
- about 200 km (124 mi), 2.5 h, no services (check)about 124 mi (200 km), 2.5 h, no services (check)
- Boulia → Bedourie, drive
- about 200 km (124 mi), 2.5 h, no services (check)about 124 mi (200 km), 2.5 h, no services (check)
- Rex flight, Mount Isa → Bedourie
- fares and days vary; check with Rex
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is small enough to walk end to end in about 10 minutes. Anything outside town — the bore, the ruins, the national park — needs a vehicle. Fuel up here: the next reliable stops are Birdsville or Boulia, both about 200 km (124 mi) away.The town is small enough to walk end to end in about 10 minutes. Anything outside town — the bore, the ruins, the national park — needs a vehicle. Fuel up here: the next reliable stops are Birdsville or Boulia, both about 124 mi (200 km) away.
See and do
Known for
- Channel Country and Eyre Creek
- Bedourie oven (the drovers' camp oven)
- Bedourie outback races and campdraft
- Diamantina National Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Diamantina National Park | 4WD west of town on unsealed roads | Half to full day |
| Birdsville | Drive south on the Eyre Developmental Road, about 200 km (124 mi)Drive south on the Eyre Developmental Road, about 124 mi (200 km) | About 2.5 h |
| Boulia | Drive north on the Eyre Developmental Road, about 200 km (124 mi)Drive north on the Eyre Developmental Road, about 124 mi (200 km) | About 2.5 h |
| Carcory Homestead Ruin | Drive south on the Eyre Developmental Road | About 1 h each way |
Sleep
- Town centre (Herbert Street)
- The Royal Hotel is the only pub with rooms; everything else is a short walk.
- Bedourie caravan park and camping
- Powered and unpowered sites plus the artesian bore bath; the usual choice for self-drive trips.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How far is it to the next fuel? | How far is it to the next fuel? |
| Is the road open? | Is the road open? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where can I get water? | Where can I get water? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Distances are real: Birdsville and Boulia are each about 200 km, with no services between.
- Eyre Creek and the Diamantina channels can cut the road after rain; check road conditions before leaving.
- Summer heat is dangerous — carry 10 L of water per person and do not walk far from the vehicle.
- Fuel, food and phone coverage are limited; fill the tank and the fridge when you can.
- Unsealed roads and wildlife at dawn and dusk: avoid driving then if you can.
Very low crime; the real risks are heat, distance and flooded roads. Tell someone your route, carry water, and check road conditions before any outback leg.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bedourie yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Channel Country and Eyre Creek
- Bedourie oven (the drovers' camp oven)
- Bedourie outback races and campdraft
- Diamantina National Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Diamantina Shire Council — Bedourie: www.diamantina.qld.gov.au/
- Rex — regional Queensland network: www.rex.com.au/
- Queensland Traffic and road conditions: www.qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/
- Wikivoyage: Bedourie, revision 4269627 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4269627
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bedourie
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates in Bedourie; the nearest are in Brisbane. US, UK, Canadian and other embassies are in Canberra.
Phone coverage is patchy outside town; download offline maps and carry a personal locator beacon if you are going far off the main road.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bedourie). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.