In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Australia
St George
Give St George one night as a Balonne River stop on the Roma–Cunnamulla run; skip it as a destination unless the May show or a river camp is the point.
St George is a small south-west Queensland town of about 3,000–3,800 people at the junction of the Castlereagh, Moonie, Carnarvon and Balonne highways, roughly 5 hours' drive west of Brisbane. It is a service stop for the outback: a river walk, a heritage centre, a couple of motels and a pub meal. Come for a night between Roma and Cunnamulla, or for the May show weekend, not for a week.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Apr–Sep (mild, dry days)
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (mid-30s to 40 °C (104 °F), storm season)Dec–Feb (mid-30s to 104 °F (40 °C), storm season)
- 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$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$140–220 excl. bed · High A$220+ 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 · Balonne Shire Council +61 7 4620 8888
- 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 | A$5–7 |
| Pub counter meal | A$22–35 |
| Chinese restaurant main | A$18–30 |
| Loaf of bread or milk at the local store | A$4–7 |
| Unleaded fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.10 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SGO · St George Airport
- Rex flights from Brisbane via Toowoomba, continuing to Cunnamulla and Thargomindah; a few services a week, so check the timetable before you plan around it
Typical fares
- Fuel, St George to Roma (about 190 km)
- roughly A$35–50 depending on the car (check)
- Rex flight Brisbane–St George
- one way, book ahead; a few services a week (check)
- Murrays coach St George–Toowoomba
- check the timetable and fare before you rely on it
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 flat and small enough to walk: Victoria Street to the river is about 10–15 minutes on foot. A car is needed for the airport, the highway fuel stops and anything beyond town; there is no local bus network worth planning around.
See and do
Known for
- Balonne River and its river walk
- St George Show and rodeo, Labour Day weekend in May
- Highway junction for Roma, Cunnamulla and Dirranbandi
- Cotton and irrigation country of the Balonne Shire
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Roma | Castlereagh Highway north, about 2 h 15 min by car | About 2.5 h |
| Dirranbandi | Castlereagh Highway south, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Cunnamulla | Balonne Highway west, about 3 h 30 min | About 4 h |
| Thallon | South-east on the Carnarvon Highway, about 1 h | About 1.25 h |
Sleep
- Victoria Street motel strip
- Balonne River, Merino and Riverland motor inns sit within a few hundred metres of each other; walk to the cafés on the same street.
- Town centre near St Georges Terrace
- Visitor centre, heritage displays and the main shops; the practical base if you have no car.
- Balonne River camps and caravan parks
- Riverside camping and caravan sites are the reason many travellers stop; book ahead around the May long weekend.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thanks | Thanks |
| Where is the fuel station? | Where's the servo? |
| A table for two, please | Table for two, thanks |
| Can I pay by card? | Card okay? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where's the loo? |
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
- Summer heat: 35–40 °C days are normal from December to February; carry water and drive early.
- Long empty highway stretches between towns: fuel at Roma or Cunnamulla before you commit, and never pass a working bowser on a low tank.
- Kangaroos and livestock on the roads at dawn, dusk and night.
- Mobile coverage thins outside town; download offline maps before leaving the highway.
- Petty crime and late-night nuisance around the main fuel stop and town centre have been reported locally: keep the car locked and stay in lit areas after dark.
A small outback town, not a dangerous one: the real risks are summer heat, long empty highways and wildlife on the road at dusk. Keep the car locked and stay in lit areas around the main fuel stop after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for St George yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Balonne River and its river walk
- St George Show and rodeo, Labour Day weekend in May
- Highway junction for Roma, Cunnamulla and Dirranbandi
- Cotton and irrigation country of the Balonne Shire
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- St George Region official tourism site: www.stgeorgeregion.com.au/explore/st-george/
- Balonne Shire Council — aerodrome information: www.balonne.qld.gov.au/aerodromes-1/aerodrome-info
- Wikivoyage: St George (Queensland), revision 5025984 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5025984
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
St George
To this address, thanks
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From a mobile112
- Balonne Shire Council+61 7 4620 8888
No embassies here: consulates-general are in Brisbane and embassies in Canberra. US, UK, Canadian, Australian and other citizens should register with their own consulate before travelling far west.
Fuel up before leaving town; the next reliable services are at Roma or Cunnamulla.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/st-george-queensland). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.