Collinsville Itinerary
Road trip to the Heart of the Outback!
Situated at the foothills of the Clarke Range, the historic mining town of Collinsville is about a 45-minute drive inland from Bowen through fields of colourful fruit and vegetables and cattle stations. It is a small outback town that makes up for its size with its huge country welcome!
Day
Drop into the Collinsville Visitor Information Centre at the RV-friendly showgrounds and chat to the friendly staff for the latest information and tips. There is room to leave your caravan here while you explore the town.
Whether you are hankering for a hot pie or a hearty big breakfast, Collinsville offers an array of breakfast options.
Stop at the park on Sonoma Street to take in the Pit Pony Experience. Centred around a life-size bronze sculpture, the project celebrates the lives of Australia’s last working mine pit ponies.
Head to the Coalface Experience, on Railway Road, a celebration of the town’s mining history and a fascinating look at life underground for the many miners who worked there. With interactive displays, historical records, audio-visual exhibits, and theatrettes, allow 1-2 hours.
While in town, look for the various ‘selfie walls’ where you can photograph yourself alongside paintings of the much-loved pit ponies.
Explore Stanley Street and Scottville Road for shopping and places to eat.
Before leaving Collinsville, take Mt. Coolon Road heading out of town and check out the scale of the coal mines beside the road before arriving at the Bowen River. Once you cross the river, you can turn to the left and follow a dirt road 10 km to the Bowen River Weir – great for fishing!
After seeing the Bowen River, head back through Collinsville and turn left onto Strathmore Road. Thirty minutes along this unsealed road is the historic Bowen River Hotel. Originally built as a homestead in 1862, the hotel is steeped in history and has a couple of spooky stories to tell.