St George is a charming little countryside town on the banks of the Balonne River, in South West Queensland. This small town is actually the largest in the Balonne Region, with many other quaint towns to explore. It makes for a lovely stop on a road trip along the Great Inland Way (from Cairns to Sydney), or the Adventure Way (from Brisbane to Adelaide via the outback).
If you’re in town for Labour Day weekend in May, be sure to get along to the St George show, an annual festival that includes carnival rides, local performances and a regionally renowned rodeo. Not to mention endless story telling at the bar by the locals, who consider this the biggest event of the year and are more than happy to induct out-of-towners into their lifestyle.
No matter what the time of the year, however, you can always lose a day on the links at the St George golf course. The course was founded in 1948 and is considered by some to be the pride of St George. It features a full 18-hole sand-green course that can be exciting and challenging to navigate for both novice and experienced golfers alike, with buggy rental available at the club house so you can focus on your game without breaking a sweat.
After you’re done with a hard day’s golf, you can then pop into Cob and Co, the best-known pub in town for hearty country pub-fare and some fantastic conversations with the local residents. The beer is cheap, the food is great and the people are always friendly. What more could you want?
An outdoor enthusiast’s dream
If you’ve found your way to St George, you’re going to be wanting to spend some quality time in nature. The town is renowned across the country as a fantastic fishing destination, with Bass, Yellowbelly and Murray Cod all frequently caught in the Balonne River. Local fishing guides are available for hire and are more than happy to share their knowledge of the area and their angling expertise in landing that perfect prize fish.
This part of Queensland offers near-endless opportunities to explore nature, with remote national parks like Thrushton and Culgoa Floodplain National Parks being so quiet that you’ll often feel like you have the whole place to yourself. After the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, it’s hard to beat the peacefulness of solitude in some of Australia’s most beautiful nature.
Finding untouched outdoor beauty is always easy in the central and southern Queensland regions – all you need is a hire car.
