Things to do in Goondiwindi, Queensland

The best things to do in Goondiwindi, Queensland, include the Customs House Museum and the Goondiwindi Art and Sculpture Trail tours run by Goondiwindi Cotton.

Goondiwindi, Queensland, is a border town on the Macintyre River. It’s not usually on the tourist radar, and driving times to Goondiwindi can be uncomfortably long. But you will pass through on the inland drive from Brisbane to Melbourne and the Newell Highway starts here.

Goondiwindi is a fairly affluent country town, with plenty of shopping and cafés on Marshall and Herbert Streets. Most notable amongst these Goondiwindi shops is Goondiwindi Cotton, which makes clothing from locally-grown cotton.

Things to do in Goondiwindi, Queensland: Customs House Museum and Gunsynd Statue

There isn’t a massive list of things to do in Goondiwindi, Queensland. It’s the sort of place where your time is best spent ambling between heritage buildings and along the Macintyre River.

The Customs House Museum is more interesting than your average Australian local history museum. This is partly because the Customs House Museum is a former border post. It goes into the local cotton industry as well as the days of collecting tolls from New South Welshmen.

For more on the Goondiwindi cotton industry, take a fascinating cotton farm tour.

The town’s other main museum is more of a niche interest affair. The Gunsynd Museum pays tribute to one of Australia’s most successful race horses. Gunsynd was nicknamed the Goondiwindi Grey and there’s a Gunsynd Statue outside the museum.

What to do in Goondiwindi, Queensland: Goondiwindi Art and Sculpture Trail

There’s also plenty of public art in Goondiwindi, which links neatly together in a trail. Goondiwindi Cotton offers tours of the Goondiwindi Art and Sculpture Trail on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. These bus tours take in several of the best works.

The Goondiwindi Art and Sculpture Trail in Goondiwindi, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

If you head outdoors, Goondiwindi also does a nice line in jacaranda trees. The jacarandas turn the town’s streets purple when in bloom. Other pretty outdoor spots include the Goondiwindi Botanic Gardens, plus the Goondiwindi Natural Heritage and Water Park. On Serpentine Creek, this park is popular with waterskiiers.

The Bendidee National Park is to the north-west, but this is more about protecting bird life in the wetlands than providing entertainment for tourists.

Goondiwindi accommodation picks

Hotel booking site Wotif offers Goondiwindi accommodation for from $97 a night. Check the options here.

The following, however, are particularly good choices.

For central location: Macintyre Motor Inn.
For cheapish rates and a pool: Binalong Motel.
For character: O’Shea’s Royal Hotel.
For family cabins: Freedom Lifestyle Parks Goondiwindi.

More Queensland town and city guides

Queensland things to do