Camooweal is considered the home of the drover. When you visit the town’s droving museum, the Drovers Camp, (one kilometre east of Camooweal on the northern side of the Barkly Highway) the past is all but brought to life before your eyes. In fact, this town was once the drovers’ capital of Queensland. Today, the Drovers Camp shares the story of droving in a way that can keep visitors enthralled for hours. The main tours start in May and give people an unusual opportunity to hear stories straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Old drovers who lived and loved the life bring total authenticity to the tales of how droving operations actually worked, from the days of early pioneers like Kidman to more modern times. Each tour starts outside, where a map is set up and the old droving routes are explained. Inside the shed, the gear required for droving is laid out and the guides flesh out the picture of this travelling life. The third highlight of the tour is a setting of a packhorse/drovers’ camp to indicate the day-to-day happenings. The final stop on the tour is an air-conditioned gallery with plentiful portraiture and droving history display boards plus a shop where people can buy souvenirs. The Drovers Camp is open every day in the season and there are usually three tours a day. (You can also visit at other times by phoning ahead to arrange. The manager’s doors are pretty much always open.)

Drover’s Camp were the recipient of a “Building Bush Tourism grant in 2024 and in May this year there will be the official opening of the Mural Project. As you drive the Barkly Highway past the Drover’s Camp you will not be able to miss the Camp with the shed completely covered with murals. A practise day of Bronco Branding will also be held on the same day. 

Visit Drovers Camp for more information.