Boulia, Queensland

In 1877 Ernest Henry had established a small settlement on the bank of the Burke River and by 1882 the land was surveyed and the township of Boulia began to slowly take shape. 

After a three hour drive south of Mount Isa we arrived at a welcoming small town called Boulia, which has a modest population of 230 people.

This a distinctly local Waddi tree, that takes 100 years to reach a height of 9-10 metres and is the last recognised Corroboree Tree of the local Pitta Pitta Tribe, who would gather around the tree to participate in dance and song. 

Located on the bank of the Burke River, Boulia is renowned for its location, being right in the heart of the channel country. The Burke River is named after the explorer Robert O'Hara Burke, who was part of the Burke and Wills expedition to the Gulf that passed the region in 1860. 

We checked out the Stonehouse Museum, which took us through a journey of what life was like in Boulia in the late 1800’s. The Stonehouse was built by James Edward Jones in 1888 (although this is contentious, as Jones did not purchase the property until 1897) and has an endless display of antiques that formed Boulia's history over the years. The building stayed in the Jones  family until 1978 when it was purchased by the Boulia Shire Council.

Hexafoils to ward-off evil spirits.

Alongside the min min lights and the river is the recent discovery of the Plesiosaur, a 100 million-year-old fossil that is one of the largest found fossils in Australia. This lochness looking creature was discovered by Dick Suter, known as 'Dinosaur Dick’ by the locals, who found it by literally tripping over it on his property.

The Min Min lights, are a mysterious shimmering of light that come to life at night and are said to be caused by a natural phenomenon known as Fata Morgana.

Around this part of the country, there are many stories told by locals about the Min Min lights. As popular as it is to the locals, the tourists are curious to know what the fuss with all the signs and posters of ‘min min lights’ are all about, there is even a 'Min Min Encounter Tourist Centre' which fills you in on the local knowledge. Unfortunately, we never saw them through the night when we camped there, but we were lucky enough to talk to a couple who saw them on an overnight stay at Bedourie, who were beyond excited to share their experience.