The town is located on the Landsborough Highway, 1,521 kilometres (945 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane and 303 kilometres (188 mi) south east of the regional centre of Mount Isa.

[4] Kynuna lies at the northern rim of a roughly circular zone measuring some 130 kilometres (81 mi) across that has been identified by Geoscience Australia as a crustal anomaly.

Wanamarra (also known as Maykulan and Wunumura) is an Australian Aboriginal language in North West Queensland.

[5] The town was established as a shearer's union camp at a supply point for the nearby Kynuna pastoral station, at a place where five roads met the Diamantina River.

Paterson was at one time engaged to Sarah Riley, the daughter of a local squatter, and visited the area.