Outback Explorer Tour 2025
All aboard for our iconic Aussie Outback Adventure! Travel to the fascinating Lightning Ridge, visit unique Aussie pubs, meet local characters and immerse yourself in the true outback experience.
11 Day Tour
Tuesday 8 July - Friday 18 July 2025
Tour Cost (GST inclusive):
$4,975 per person twin share
$725 single supplement
Inclusions
- Luxury Coach Travel in our Business Class Coach
- Workshop visit and talk at Down to Earth Opals
- Morning tea and tour with A Hidden Gem Bush Theatre
- Kyra Sandhills Sunset Tour including wine & nibbles
- Station tour at Toogunna Plains Farmstay
- Visit to Knot-A-Saurus Park
- Tastes of Outback Experience at the Eromanga Natural History Museum
- Entry to the Cunnamulla Hot Springs
- Farm tour and lunch at The Lake, Quilpie
- Big Sky Twilight Session at Charleville Cosmos Centre
- Entry to Charleville Bilby Experience
- Tour at Hotel Corones
- World War II Top Secret tour, Charleville
- Entry to Great Artesian Spa, Mitchell
- 10 nights accommodation
- 10 cooked breakfasts, 10 two course dinners, 6 lunches
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: (LD)
Brisbane to St George
Tue 8 Jul 25
Welcome to our Outback Adventure. This tour is not about the destination, but the journey as we travel to some iconic Australian locations. Today we travel to Milmerran where we visit our first pub for the tour, The Mill Inn. We’ll be welcomed with genuine country hospitality as we enjoy our lunch. This afternoon we continue to St George for our first overnight stop.
Day 2: (BLD)
St George to Lightning Ridge
Wed 9 Jul 25
This morning, we visit Thallon to view the incredible silo titled ‘The Watering Hole’. The mural portrays the Thallon district – featuring the Moonie River, an amazing sunset and the area’s agricultural base. We continue through to Dirranbandi, in the heart of cotton country. After lunch we travel along the Castlereagh Highway to the little town of Hebel, once known as Kelly’s Point because it is believed that Ned Kelly’s brother Dan and fellow Kelly gang member Steve Hart lived here under an alias. We finish the day in Lightning Ridge where we visit Down to Earth Opals, who design and sell one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces and top-quality opals.
Day 3: (BD)
Lightning Ridge
Thu 10 Jul 25
This morning we visit The Hidden Gem, a unique off grid art camp originally built by acclaimed local artist, John Murray. Here we are hosted by award-winning entertainers Mel and Susie, reknown Australian Champion Bush Poets and Yarnspinners. We enjoy a delicious morning tea and comic tour of this amazing property. After lunch in town, we visit the John Murray Art Gallery. Wandering around the gallery, John’s artistic talent becomes apparent with his pieces filled with light and humour. It’s clear he likes to make people smile and enjoy his creations! The remainder of the day is spent at leisure.
Day 4: (BLD)
Lightning Ridge to Cunnamulla
Fri 11 Jul 25
Our adventure today takes us to Cunnamulla. Steeped in history and heritage, it is well known for the iconic Cunnamulla Fella Statue, a tribute to Australia’s legendary stockmen and the town’s deep connection to the land and its hardworking spirit. It is also home to the new Cunnamulla Hot Springs, the ideal place to unwind as you relax in the healing waters if you choose.
Day 5: (BLD)
Cunnamulla to Toogunna Plains
Sat 12 Jul 25
This morning we make our way to Yowah, home of the Yowah Opal Nut and the Ironstone Matrix Opal, an opal type found only in Queensland. Opal was first discovered here towards the end of the nineteenth century and production still continues. You can try your luck fossicking for opals yourself, or find yourself at one of the small shops in town to buy directly from one of the mining families. For lunch, we stop at a “pub without a town”, the Toompine Hotel. Toompine was once a thriving community serviced by Cobb & Co’s regular coach service. As with many outback towns, it’s a great place to have a drink and a good yarn. From here, we continue to our unique accommodation, Toogunna Plains Farmstay. Nestled on a vast open plain, the Farmstay is a 5th generation family-owned 130,000-acre sheep and cattle property.
Day 6: (BD)
Toogunna Plains and Quilpie
Sun 13 Jul 25
Travlling to Quilpie, ur first stop will be the Visitor Information Centre, Museum and Gallery where a local guide will join us for a town tour which will include some historic and interesting commentary about the region. After time in town to purchase lunch, we return to Toogunna Plains to join the sunset tour with drinks and canapés overlooking the rolling red Kyra Sandhills before a delicious two course dinner in the homestead garden. Following dinner, relax around the fire pit for some marshmallow toasting and stargazing.
Day 7: (BLD)
Toogunna Plains and Eromanga
Mon 14 Jul 25
This morning, we have a guided tour of the station including freshly baked morning tea and a light lunch in the Shearing Shed. We’ll learn about the pastoral history and the day to day running of the station and see landmarks including the abandoned homestead, oil fields, shearing sheds and geological formations. This afternoon we travel to Eromanga, the ‘furthest town from the sea’ in Australia and significant in the discovery of dinosaurs. On arrival we visit the Knot-A-Saurus Park to view the amazing aluminium dinosaur sculptures. In Opalopolis Park, we see the monument to the Opal miners, inlaid with local Boulder Opals. Tonight, we indulge in the Tastes of Outback Experience at the Eromanga Natural History Museum, home to Australia’s largest dinosaur, a 95–98-million-year-old titanosaur called ‘Cooper’. On arrival, we embark on the Australian Dinosaur Giants Tour, where we visit the workshop, laboratory and collection centre. As the sun sets, we savour cocktails and canapes under the vast outback sky, followed by a delicious 5 course dinner in the museum. After an incredible night, we return to our accommodation.
Day 8: (BLD)
Toogunna Plains to Charleville
Tue 15 Jul 25
We continue to The Lake, located just outside Quilpie. This is a 2,500 acre property running Merino sheep, beef cattle and Kalahari red goats. Taking pride of place on the property is Lake Houdraman, a beautiful expanse of water set amongst shady gum trees. We enjoy lunch here before continuing to Charleville. Tonight, we are in for a treat at one of Charleville’s best-known attractions, the Cosmos Centre. The centre is an audio-visual extravaganza featuring hi-tech interactive displays that will take us on an astronomical journey through the ages, unravelling many mysteries of our night sky.
Day 9: (BD)
Charleville
Wed 16 Jul 25
Our first stop this morning is to the Charleville Bilby Experience, where our guide will reveal Australia’s native animal extinction crisis and inform us about the breeding program here. If you love a great story, you’ll enjoy our visit to the iconic Hotel Corones. Arriving in Australia penniless, pioneer Harry (Poppa) Corones, went on to build an empire and make Australian history several times throughout his life. We hear this amazing story while enjoying a cold beverage. After time to purchase lunch we visit WWII Secret Base – an interactive exhibition centre outlining Charleville’s role in the war during 1942 to 1946.
Day 10: (BD)
Charleville to Chinchilla
Thu 17 Jul 25
Across the world and throughout the ages, people have travelled great distances to seek natural spring waters. Today in Mitchell we soak in the mineralized waters and relax as the therapeutic waters of The Great Artesian Spa work wonders on our bodies. We stop in Roma to purchase lunch before continuing to Chinchilla for our final night on tour together.
Day 11: (B)
Chinchilla to Brisbane
Thu 18 Jul 25
With our bags packed full of wonderful memories we begin our journey back to Brisbane, stopping for convenience breaks and time to purchase lunch. We arrive home after a fantastic outback explorer tour.