With more and more people choosing to camp in the peace and quiet of the bush, its no surprise that camping at outback cattle stations is so popular. And Boonmoo Station is a top spot to stay.
Boonmoo is about two hours drive north west of Cairns and close to the township of Dimbulah. Far enough to escape the city but close enough for a long weekend.
And if you are keen campers like us, you will like the idea of a camping spot that’s not too crowded, lets you have your own campfire, allows dogs and won’t take you long to get there and set up.
Getting There
You will need a 4WD vehicle to reach Boonmoo Station as there is only a single road and one section of the track has a 20 metre drop on one side down to a gorge.
It can be a tight squeeze and there are also many hazardous rocks jutting out from the mountain-side of the road.
So its definitely not suitable for caravans or large vehicles like campervans and motorhomes.
And if there has been heavy rain some of the campsites can be blocked off and the road in and out can be quite boggy. But once you reach the campsites, the drive is worth it.
Camping
Boonmoo Station has around 40 campsites.
They are all located about 1km apart so everybody has plenty space and, if you go as a group like we did, there’s plenty of room to spread out at each site.
This is bush camping at its finest so there are no amenities.
You need to be totally self-sufficient, which includes being prepared to take all your rubbish home.
Campfires and dogs are allowed, but as with many cattle stations, no hunting dogs are allowed.
Things to do
There is a creek that runs through the property which is great for swimming, canoeing and fishing, but the only thing we managed to catch were little river crabs.
Not that the kids minded, they loved catching crabs!
The height of the creek level really depends on how much rain Boonmoo Station has had so if its been a heavy wet season the creek is generally full and flowing but in dry season it can get low and even dry up.
When you ring to book your campsite ask what the creek level is like so you can plan your water activities.
There is also an old railway line on the property which we’ve heard is worth a visit, but we didn’t manage to find it.
And to be honest, the kids were having so much fun playing in the creek that we didn’t feel the need to venture off anywhere.
river runs through it
We have stayed at a few cattle station and love staying at ones with creeks and rivers running through them.
Boonmoo Station is a great spot for families and for those that like their own space.
To quote the Australian movie ‘The Castle’, all I can say is “Aahh, the serenity. It’s all about the serenity!”
travel nq fast facts:
- Its always best to pre-book a camp site as everybody is allocated a site
- Cost is $25 per vehicle per night
- Boonmoo Station is at 845 Boonmoo Rd, Dimbulah and the station owners are Grant and Larelle Gunderson
- To book call (07) 4094-4129 or email boonmoopastoral@bigpond.com
