The Barcoo River is a remarkable and remote waterway in outback Queensland, rising in the ranges east of Tambo and flowing northwest through the township of Blackall before swinging west and then southwest to Isisford — a journey of roughly 240 kilometres. From Isisford, the river continues southwest for another 200-odd kilometres before joining the Thomson River to form the legendary Cooper Creek. As part of the Lake Eyre Basin, the Barcoo drains inland rather than toward the coast, making it one of Australia's most distinctive river systems. Its waters are relatively clear in places, flowing through arid, open country with a character entirely unlike the coastal and eastern-flowing rivers most anglers are familiar with. The Barcoo is free from European carp and remains unregulated by dams or large-scale irrigation infrastructure, preserving natural flow patterns and a native fish community that is both diverse and thriving. This is genuine outback fishing — remote, rewarding, and unlike anything found on the east coast.