The town of Cloncurry, known as The Curry, is part of Northern Queensland’s outback. It’s hot, dry, and it’s not the first place a tourist would think about heading on vacation. On top of all that, it’s not exactly the easiest or cheapest place to get to.
However, despite these and the other problems I endured while living here for a month, there’s actually a fair amount of interesting history. Australia is unique in that most of their population lives on the East Coast—87% of it! Due to this, most of the development and resources are directed to these areas. Yet, people do still live inland! That’s where the farms, mining, and many other important industries happen.
Some groups live even further into the country in extremely remote areas, but this is less common. This all boils down to these people also needing resources, which are expensive to get out there. The most vital of these being medical care.
Getting regional and rural Australians the medical care they need led to the creation of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Which all started in the little mining town of Cloncurry!
John Flynn Place Museum and Fred McKay Art Gallery
The John Flynn Museum is dedicated to Reverend John Flynn and the founding of the RFDS. It features displays and exhibits on his vision, the early days of the service, and how it changed over time. It houses artifacts, including the first Qantas ticket ever sold!
If you head upstairs, there is another small exhibit (this is where the Qantas ticket is) as well as a short film about the RFDS. The film is about 15 minutes long and on the older side without subtitles, making it a bit hard to understand at times but definitely still worth it.
This service greatly improved the lives and health outcomes for regional and rural Australians and is still active to this day. If you’re interested in more, there’s an Australian TV drama based on it!
Fun fact: John Flynn is the guy on the $20 note!
Cloncurry Unearthed Visitor Information Centre and Museum
The town of Cloncurry has a deep history in mining, which continues to be one of their biggest industries. The museum takes you on a journey through the history of Cloncurry Shire with displays on Burke and Wills as well as the Mary Kathleen Mine and town.
Inside is one of Australia’s most comprehensive gem and mineral collections. These are kept inside cabinets for you to view. There’s also a VR simulation I wasn’t able to get working.
Outside of the main facility are displays of mining and pastoral machinery. This includes traction engines, a Tamrok drill rig, and a 1940s Ford rail ambulance. The museum also features the Mary Kathleen Police Station, where you can even go inside its cells!
You’re able to buy a discounted combo ticket to see both museums! I bought mine at the John Flynn museum.
Do the Curry Crawl
As the town is known to its locals as “The Curry,” curry is a very popular food and flavor. Cloncurry’s tourism website highlights a curry crawl. You can visit five out of the 11 restaurants in the actual town. The remainder are a bit of a drive, but there is a map for reference.
I did try the curry pie from the Cloncurry Bakery and quite liked it! Their spinach and cheese pastry was also quite tasty.
Accommodation
There are few hotel options in town. However, it’s hard to make a recommendation, as I lived in employer-provided housing.
What I can tell you is to NOT stay at The Coyote Inn. It was owned by the same family that ran the roadhouse I worked for and is not well maintained. My last two days in Cloncurry I stayed at the Caravan Park unexpectedly. It was fine for the money, but we did have to ask the front desk for bug spray, as there were many ants in the room. If you’re bringing a caravan, you’d be totally fine!
Final Notes
Cloncurry has one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen! Highly recommend watching one. It’s also the first town I ever saw wild kangaroos in and brought one of the biggest smiles to my face you could have ever seen!
This town has its issues…stay away from the Roadrunner Roadhouse. Otherwise, the rest of the people were polite and helpful! I don’t think you need more than two to three days here MAX. However, the history it holds behind one of Australia’s most important services is well worth your time.
