Day 1 – Finally Heading South! Capricorn Coast to Goondiwindi
This trip had been a long time coming! It was originally planned for August–September 2022, but for one reason or another, it had been sitting on the back burner for far too long. Now, in 2026, we were finally getting it happening, and we were pretty excited to hit the road.
This time around, we’d be touring in our new ride, the fabulous Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. After plenty of adventures on two wheels, it was time to enjoy a little more comfort, air conditioning and protection from whatever weather Mother Nature decided to throw at us. No more getting soaked just because the clouds felt like having a tantrum!
Leaving the Capricorn Coast early, our destination for the day was Goondiwindi, a rural Queensland town sitting right on the Queensland–New South Wales border. It was going to be a decent day behind the wheel, but we had plenty of interesting stops planned along the way.
Taking the Scenic Route
Rather than simply pointing the Mercedes south and hammering out the kilometres, we’d planned a route through Biloela, Monto, Mundubbera, Jandowae, Dalby, Cecil Plains, Millmerran, Inglewood and Yelarbon.
That’s a fair few towns for one day, but we had a couple of things we wanted to see, and what’s the point of a road trip if you don’t take the occasional detour?
Our main target was the Yelarbon silo art, which we’d planned to photograph as part of our mission to explore Australia’s impressive silo art trails.
Along the way, we stopped at the old Cecil Plains railway station to grab some photos. Historic railway buildings are always worth a look, particularly when you consider how important the railways were to connecting regional communities and moving goods around the country.
We also found some wall art in Millmerran, giving us another opportunity to stretch our legs and add a few more photos to the collection.
And naturally, no Thirsty Tourists road trip would be complete without a pub stop!
A Cold One at Jandowae
We called into the Exchange Hotel in Jandowae for a well-earned cold beer.
There’s something about stopping at a country pub during a road trip that just feels right. You get a chance to slow down, soak up a bit of local atmosphere and appreciate the fact that you’re on holidays rather than rushing off to another appointment.
With refreshments sorted, it was time to get back behind the wheel and continue towards the border.
Yelarbon Silo Art and a Few Unexpected Discoveries
We made our way to Yelarbon to photograph the silo art, one of the main attractions we’d wanted to see on this leg of the journey.
These massive structures have become wonderful landmarks in regional Australia, transforming ordinary grain silos into enormous outdoor art galleries. They’re also a great excuse to explore towns we might otherwise have driven straight through.
We were keeping our eyes open for other interesting sights, too, and as we approached Goondiwindi, we spotted some cool artwork that deserved a photo stop. Naturally, we pulled over to capture it.
Our cameras were certainly getting a workout, and we’d only just started the trip!
Arriving in Goondiwindi
After a full day of driving, exploring and photographing everything that caught our attention, we finally rolled into Goondiwindi and made our way to the motel.
We’d booked the Macintyre Motor Inn, located on McLean Street. It was a convenient base for the night, with pubs and restaurants nearby and the New South Wales border only a short drive away along the old highway.
Goondiwindi is one of those towns that makes an ideal stop when travelling between Queensland and New South Wales. It has a strong rural character, a fascinating border-town location and plenty of history tied to the surrounding agricultural region.
After our early start and busy day on the road, it was time to settle in and work out the evening’s food and beverage arrangements. Important touring business, of course!
Day 1 Done and Dusted
Our first day had been a good introduction to the adventure ahead. We’d covered plenty of ground, visited several regional towns, photographed railway history and local artwork, ticked off some silo art touring and squeezed in a country pub visit.
Best of all, we’d finally started a trip we’d been talking about since 2022.
The Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 was proving a comfortable touring companion, and with the first day behind us, we were looking forward to seeing what the next leg had in store.
The adventure was officially underway — and we’d only just crossed the starting line!
