Australia So Much to See

South Western Queensland - Charleville

Western Meat Exporters at Charleville is Australia's largest export goat processor and Queensland's only export sheep processor as well as being the largest employer in South West Queensland.  Killing principally goats this abattoir employs around 160 people, including local Aboriginal and Vietnamese, and workers from overseas on the 457 temporary visa programme. Killing 14,000 to 15,000 goats per week, in Mach 2017, the abattoir commenced killing 400 to 600 sheep per week.  

This abattoir has been plagued with downturns and closures, due to floods, supply problems, and international prices.  Most issues have been with staffing. It has been difficult to obtain employees, and they have been using overseas workers, however they have had to meet certain standards to employ under the 457 programme.  Other export goat abattoirs such as at Bourke in New South Wales, are seen as a threat due to the finite supply of animals. 

A kangaroo export abattoir was also operating in Charleville, but closed in 2009 when its Russian market collapsed.  In 2016 it was announced that $45 million had been raised through a partnership with a Chinese investor, to upgrade and open as a cattle abattoir killing 350 cattle per day, and with plans to also kill camels, donkeys and horses in times of short supply of cattle.  Construction commenced on this project which is expected to employ 140 people. 

The successful Aboriginal community members value education, and children are brought to school by the elders to ensure attendance.    

Vietnamese people run market gardens and orchards.  Limes are grown in the area. 

There is a large police presence of 25 – 30 in the town, and the district magistrate covers an area the size of Victoria. 

We were shown the largest tree in Charleville; a Morton Bay Ash which is lit up at night.  It is claimed to be the largest Morton Bay Ash tree in Australia, being 150 years old, it has a crown spanning 26 metres, a height of 30 metres and a circumference of 4.6 metres.

There is a wide choice of quality caravan park accommodation in Charleville.  We chose to stay at the Charleville Bush Caravan Park https://www.charlevillecaravanpark.com.au/ which is well appointed and in a quiet semi bushland setting on the edge of town. No pets and no smoking.  Access from Quilpie Road.

The site of this caravan park was prior to 1932 the Charleville Racecourse. Subsequently it was run as a piggery, with a pig and kangaroo abattoir and skin tannery operating.  The buildings from both eras remain. 

See more on our review. 

Where to stay

# See update below. Under the same ownership and nearby but accessed from the Adavale Road, the Charleville Bush Camp for self contained travellers.  Enjoy visiting kangaroos and native birds, and evenings around the campfire at both locations.  Pets permitted, but no smoking. 

Opposite the racecourse, Bailey Bar caravan park http://www.charlevillebaileybar.com.au/ is well placed for those wanting to stay in the town.  Pets are permitted, and the caravan park has roast dinner or camp oven meal nights on set days of the week. 

Cobb and Co caravan park http://www.caravanparkscharleville.com.au/ is also in the town in a semi bushland setting. Pets are welcomed on application. 

Eight kilometres from town on the Adavale Road is the newer Evening Star caravan park https://www.eveningstar.com.au/home adjoining 33,000 acre (13,355 hectare) Thurlby Station.   Tours of the station to experience rangeland farming are conducted.  Pets are welcomed, and campfires are held in the evenings. 

Also newer, the Red Lizard caravan park https://www.redlizardcamping.com/default.html is six kilometres south of the town via the Mitchell Highway, and is closed for the summer.  This farm based caravan park allows pets, and has a bird hide. 

Other options:  There were no camping signs at all public areas within the townsite.  Under an agreement with the caravan parks, council does not allow camping within sixteen kilometres of the town. 

A traditional unserviced camping area is alongside a pool on the Ward River and the old Ward River Bridge twenty kilometres from town. 

Similarly Bakers Bend 37 kilometres south of Charleville and Dillalah 57 kilometres south of Charleville, both accessed via a five kilometres of unsealed track from the Mitchell Highway, are good places for unserviced riverside camping.