Ilfracombe's roadside museum is almost as long as the town itself and enshrines machines from Australia's past. Locals are preparing to display the latest donation of four historic tractors.

"A mate rang me up and said, 'Do you want to have a go?'" That's all it took to get Jake Callagan in the saddle for the Jundah Camel races. The novice camel jockey took to it well, with a swag of blue, red and green ribbons to take home.

Winged explorers of all colours, shapes and sizes flock to the desert's edge to breed in the bustling wetlands of the Channel Country.

Grey nomads are giving a much-needed boost to outback Queensland towns over the winter tourism season, but locals say more visitors are needed to fuel economic growth.

Residents in the remote town of Boulia sit waiting for their power to come back on and a solution to persistent power outages. 

Aramac butcher: Aramac's only butcher shop will close in August after the sole worker decided to retire from the practice after a 30-year career. Butcher Guffy Dash says declining sales and a lack of interest in the job despite the region's connection to livestock gave the shop's owner few options to keep the doors open after her departure.

Image supplied: Guffy Dash

Outback car hire: A new car hire service launched in Quilpie last week is hoped to boost local tourism through a partnership with council. Outback Car Hire will use four vehicles leased from the Quilpie Shire Council to provide rentals for visitors, with owner Wayne Clift looking at future expansion to neighbouring local government shires. Mr Clift says the new business will allow more fly-in visitors to see towns across the region.

Property market: A south-west real estate agent says budget changes to property tax settings has only briefly impacted demand for rural homes, sighting tighter lending conditions as a bigger road block for potential buyers. Charleville real estate principle licensee Becky Jeisman says interest in buying homes dropped off right after the budget but once laws were passed through federal parliament, people returned to the local market. Ms Jeisman says the bigger issue has been securing bank loans in the outback.

Isisford Dam: A specialist engineer has been sent to Isisford to determine the cause of a leak in the town's dam wall. Dozens of tourists camping along the Barcoo River have been moved to higher ground as a precaution over concerns that a small but significant leak in the town's water supply is growing. Mayor Tony Rayner says it's unclear why the dam is leaking.

This easy, healthy, pantry-based soup is a saviour if your fridge is looking bare.