Car Rental Roma Airport

When in Roma, do as the Romans do. Roma is in the heart of the outback, around a 6-hour drive from the coast and capital city Brisbane. Roma is surrounded by other regional towns that make great stop-offs on any Queensland road trip, such as St George, Charleville, Chinchilla, and Dalby. Roma is close to many state forests and also to Carnarvon National Park, making drives into nature simple and easy. Roma Airport is just on the outskirts of town, only a 2-minute drive from the CBD. Roma has everything you need on a road trip, with supermarkets, a range of restaurants, recreational activities, gardens to relax in and tourist attractions to enjoy.

Roma is famous for both its oil industry and cattle sale yards. Tuesday and Thursday are the sale days in Roma, where cattle are sold off to sites around Australia and internationally. Almost half a million cattle will pass through the sale gates in Roma each year. You can book a tour of these sale yards and witness the sounds and energy of the sale yard - just don’t expect to be able to understand or keep up with the auctioneer! 

Roma may be a regional town, but it still has a lot to offer visitors, with plenty of heritage buildings and tourist attractions to enjoy. Pick up a few pamphlets from the Visitors Centre and go on a self-driving tour of the town in your hire car, taking in the sights of heritage architecture such as the Roma Court House. Built in 1901, this heritage-listed building is the site of the trial of infamous cattle thief Harry Redford, or perhaps better known by his alias ‘Captain Starlights’, who managed to drive 1,000 heads of cattle from Roma to South Australia.

Take in the Best Sights in Roma With a Car Hire

Although there are many fantastic sights to be seen in regional Queensland using your rental car, when arriving in Roma, it is advised to stay a while and check out the sights right in town. Right next to the Visitors Centre is The Big Rig, an attraction named after the oil and gas rig that still stands in town. At the site you can see a number of exhibits and displays that take you through the history of industry in Roma and the region. Visit the website to see what hours the show is running during your time in Roma.

Other sites worth visiting include Roma’s biggest bottle tree. A large number of these striking trees have been planted in town. The largest bottle tree is located at the end of Edwards Street and has a diameter of 9.62 metres. 

Take in the churches, parks, plant nurseries, and the oldest winery in Queensland, the Romavilla Winery, built in 1877. The site no longer produces wine, but still offers an interesting tour. 

Use Your Rental Car to Take a Drive to Carnarvon National Park

One of the most spectacular National Parks in Australia is within driving distance of Roma. A 3.5-hour drive north is the Carnarvon National Park. The park is filled with history, animals and stunning views. The site has been the home of various Aboriginal tribes over the thousands of years. 

The Bidjara, Karingbal, and Kara Kara people all have deep ties to the area. See thousands of examples of Aboriginal rock art and carvings in the park and Carnarvon Gorge. These are some of the best examples of ancient art on the planet, the red dust and pigment used to create the stencils and the white rock of the gorge that serves as the canvas are truly remarkable. See these sites and more along the many walking trails, with hundreds of different species of animal calling the park home.