Welcome to Unshackled Adventures Travel Blog

Settling into Alice Springs for a few days gave us the perfect opportunity to clean up after our Plenty Highway adventure, restock supplies, and map out the next leg of our journey through the Red Centre.

Part two of our journey along the Outback Way saw us leave Boulia and head west along the iconic Plenty Highway.

From Longreach, we traversed vast Mitchell grass plains stretching endlessly to the horizon. After recent rains, the landscape was lush and thriving, with some properties even baling the abundant grass — something we’re told isn’t uncommon in a good year out here.

From Charleville, we continued north along the Matilda Way—an iconic stretch named after the legendary bush ballad Waltzing Matilda, penned near Winton. This drive captures the essence of outback Queensland, weaving together rich history, vast landscapes, and unforgettable wildlife encounters.

From Roma, we made our way to Charleville—drawn in by glowing recommendations—and checked into the Evening Star Tourist Park. Located just 10 km west of town on the historic Thurlby Station, this 33,000-acre working cattle and sheep property set the tone for what would become an unforgettable stay.

After outrunning the rain along the Darling River Run, it finally caught up with us.

With word from the owner of Trilby Station that rain was on the way—and that once it arrived, the roads would close for up to two weeks—we didn’t hesitate. As I write this, those same roads have only just reopened after a fortnight. If there’s one piece of advice we’d pass on to any traveller out here, it’s this: listen to the locals. Their ability to read the weather isn’t guesswork—it’s generations of experience, and in this country, everything depends on rainfall.

Never a dull moment on Unshackled Adventures… this time, another detour from the plan.

From Pooncarie, we rolled on along the now fully sealed road to Menindee, cutting across vast stations and open country. It didn’t take long for one thing to dominate the conversation — the sheer number of feral goats. They’re everywhere out here.

After leaving Murbko, our next stop was Berri to have the caravan suspension recall checked out. Thankfully everything was given the all-clear, and we were free to continue onto the next leg of our adventure — tackling the Darling River Run.

With a recall booked on our Cruisemaster caravan suspension—and the earliest appointment a week away in Berri—we began slowly making our way in that direction.

After a few days in Moonta catching up on cleaning, restocking, and general maintenance, we set our sights on Crystal Brook and Bowman Park, an RV stop just 5km east of town.  According to WikiCamps, it was a simple day-use park—open sunrise to sunset—with toilets, playgrounds, and nature trails. What we found, however, was far more than we expected.