Windorah is located in the south west of outback Queensland, approximately 1200 km west of the state capital, Brisbane, and is named after a local Aboriginal word for a large fish. Situated 35 km downstream from where the Barcoo and Thomson Rivers join to form the multi-channelled Cooper's Creek, Windorah is known as The Heart of the Channel Country.
Windorah is a welcome stopover for travellers to Bedourie, Birdsville, Longreach and other points further west. The town itself has a population of around 60 people, with a further 40 living on surrounding stations. The main industries in the Windorah region include the traditional sheep and cattle grazing, along with the more recently developed oil and gas industries. Many local residents also work on the local Shire Council and on maintenance of the Dingo Barrier Fence.
The landscape around Windorah includes rocky outcrops, sand hills and black soil flood plains. Like many outback towns, maximum temperatures in Windorah summer can approach 50°C, while winter minimums can fall below 0°C. Winter frosts are not uncommon, while dust and hail storms occur less frequently. Annual rainfall can range between a low of around 86 mm to a high of 988 mm. The water supply tends to vary between famine or flood conditions, during a wet year the Cooper Creek can flood several times, while during dry times it becomes a chain of waterholes.