Barcaldine, or Barcy as it's affectionately known by locals, lies in central west Queensland, 520kms west of Rockhampton. Sitting like a verdant oasis at the crossroads of the Capricorn and Landsborough Highways, Barcy might be officially ‘outback’ but with its tree-lined streets, each named after a tree, it's aptly regarded as the ‘Garden City of the West’.
Five towns make up the Barcaldine region: Alpha, Jericho, Aramac, Muttaburra and Barcaldine and each exudes its own charismatic quirkiness. There's picturesque Alpha, with its 27 colourful murals throughout town, that depict the town's history and culture. 54kms away, Jericho boasts the smallest still operating drive -in theatre in Australia with room for 34 cars, or 34 seats for those who prefer the ambience of old-fashioned recliners. The drive-in, which first opened in…