Things to do in Hughenden, Queensland: Best 4 attractions

The best things to do in Hughenden, Queensland, include the Flinders Discovery Centre and the lookouts of Mount Walker.

4 best things to do in Hughenden, Queensland

Discover dinosaurs, geology and the wool industry at the Flinders Discovery Centre.
Visit the Historic Coolabah Tree, where the Burke and Wills rescue mission gathered.
Take in the volcanic plains from the lookouts at Mount Walker.
See the huge sandstone cliffs at Porcupine Gorge.

Where is Hughenden, Queensland?

Hughenden, Queensland, is an outback town on the Flinders River. It’s also a major junction town, with the Flinders Highway, Kennedy Developmental Road and Hughenden-Muttaburra Road all meeting here.

Visitors are most likely to encounter Hughenden on a longer road trip, perhaps from Townsville to Mount Isa or the sealed route from Cairns to Darwin.

A replica Muttaburrasaurus outside the Flinders Discovery Centre in Hughenden, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Things to do in Hughenden, Queensland: Flinders Discovery Centre

Luckily for visitors, Hughenden is one of the best places for an overnight stop on the Flinders Highway.

The Flinders Discovery Centre is the main tourist attraction in these parts. Displays go into the complex local geology, with a sound and light show taking visitors back 500 million years to the formation of Porcupine Gorge.

There’s also plenty on the wool industry, both its explosive growth and demise.

But fossils are the main focus, and the undisputed star of the Flinders Discovery Centre is Hughie, a seven metre replica of a Muttaburrasaurus. As the name suggests, bones of these dinosaurs have been found nearby in Muttaburra.

What to see in Hughenden, Queensland: Historic Coolabah Tree

Other Hughenden attractions include the Historic Coolabah Tree, where rescue parties for the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition set up camp.

The list of things to do in Hughenden, Queensland, generally includes a visit to Mount Walker. About ten kilometres to the south of Hughenden, Mount Walker rises above the volcanic plains. There are six different lookouts, which combine to give 360 degree views of the surrounding landscape.

This is a notoriously good spot for sunsets.

Things to do in Hughenden, Queensland: Porcupine Gorge

The other reason to visit Hughenden is Porcupine Gorge, around 64km to the north-east along the Kennedy Developmental Road. Here, huge sandstone cliffs mix with vine-filled forest. There are also several enjoyable walking tracks within the Porcupine Gorge National Park.

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