You’ve probably heard about Toompine in the sense that it is the ‘Pub with no town’ or simply know it as the Toompine Pub. And you are probably thinking ‘a Pub is not the best place for a School holiday destination’. Boy are we going to prove you wrong! Here is a fun filled long weekend itinerary in Toompine from 9th – 13th July!
Arrive in Toompine around Midday on Thursday the 9th of July and start by setting up your camper/caravan/tent or checking into your accommodation at the ‘Toompine Terraces’.
Then pop into the pub and enjoy a delicious lunch and a well-deserved beverage (you definitely deserve it if you’ve just set up a camper trailer or tent…..BEEN THERE!)
While you are at the pub ask them to point you in the direction of the ‘Cemery’, golf course and the local creek to throw in a line. Make sure you check out the quirky items that make Toompine what it is, such as the parking meter, old fuel bowser or the VERY unique blue tractor……mounted on a pole!
In the afternoon have a round of golf or grab you’re fishing lines and yabby traps and head down to the river for a relaxing afternoon. Try your luck at catching dinner – tonight’s menu (fingers crossed), yellow belly and yabbies! But never fear, we always have a back-up plan in the Outback – dinner at the pub if no luck!
The next morning (lets say 9am, don’t want to be getting up too early….you are on holidays after all) grab your hats, water bottles, sunscreen, picnic and jump in the car for a fun filled day of opal fossicking at Duck Creek and Sheep Station Creek fossicking areas. Perhaps finding your fortune….(fingers crossed)!
Duck Creek and Sheep Station Creek are 2 fossicking areas which are a part of the Toompine opal field. Opal has been mined here using open cut and underground techniques since the 1890’s.
***This is approximately a 130km round trip on mostly unsealed roads and you will need to get a permit prior. There are also maps and more information available from the Quilpie Visitor Information Centre.***
Plan to arrive back at Toompine around 2pm. You may have noticed that there has been a dramatic increase in the population since you have been gone. This is because you have come to Toompine on the weekend of the annual Nockatunga-Toompine Polocrosse Carnival. Fun times ahead!
After a well-earned rest, spend the rest of Friday afternoon exploring the ‘Cemery’ that you heard about yesterday. Then pop in to the pub or over to the Polocrosse grounds to have some dinner and a chat to some of the local and visiting players getting ready for the weekend.
The next morning get excited for some fast paced action of outback Polocrosse. Play usually commences around 8am and games run through the day with a break for lunch. Bar and canteen will be operating all day…so it sounds like you’ve got the day sorted!
In the evening dust of those boots and rug up (can get a little chilly) and head to the bar and canteen at the Polocrosse area for an evening under the stars with great entertainment.
Sunday see’s more qualifying matches of the polocrosse before the hotly contested finals which will be played early Sunday afternoon. The A grade final in particular is a riveting, fast pasted game! Bar and canteen will be in operation all day too.
After the finals on Sunday spend the rest of the afternoon discovering the history of the Pub. The publicans are long time locals and love to share the history of Toompine and the area with visitors.
Once a bustling opal town with all the bells and whistles (hotel, blacksmith, jewellers, butcher, baker and candlestick maker…..so to speak) all that remains today is the town Hall and the South Western Hotel, or more commonly known as simply ‘The Toompine Pub’. But hey…..we don’t want to give you all the info before you arrive.
And just like that it’s Monday morning and time to pack up. OR NOT! We’ll leave the rest of the trip planning up to you……
For more information on Toompine or for assistance planning a trip to the Quilpie Shire visit: www.visitquilpieshire.com
