7 Day Heart of the Outback - Longreach Tour
There’s a lot to love about Longreach. From stockmen and shearers to clear skies and amazing sunsets. We’ll also explore prehistoric dinosaurs and Australian heritage at Winton.
Wednesday 26 May - Tuesday 1 June 2021
Day 1
Brisbane to Roma
Wed 26 May 21 (LD)
Welcome to our outback adventure to Longreach, a place where the welcoming locals are ready to share a laugh and a good story. With our bags packed and fellow adventurers onboard, we hit the road, stopping in Chinchilla for our welcome lunch before continuing to Roma for our overnight stay (lunch included / dinner in hotel).
Day 2
Roma to Longreach
Thu 27 May 21 (BD)
We have a travel day ahead as we make our way to Blackall, home to the legendary “gun shearer” Jackie Howe. He set the unbelievable record of shearing 321 sheep with blade shears in a day. A bronze statue now stands as a monument to the man and the achievement. We arrive in Longreach, our home for the next four nights (breakfast & dinner in hotel / lunch at own expense).
Day 3
Outback Legends
Fri 28 May 21 (BLD)
This morning is a special experience as we get an insight into the area through the eyes of local graziers and pioneer families. We meet the owners of a local station called Strathmore and learn about their operations and the challenges of working on the land. We then head back into town and really step back in time at Kinnon & Co in the main street. Their Station Store has an amazing range of traditionally made leatherwear and a treasure trove of historic nostalgia. While we’re here we enjoy the wonderful “Harry Redford Old Time Tent Show”. It’s a hilarious hour of entertainment featuring animals, stockmen and improvised live theatre with a laugh a minute. Tonight, we dine at The Welcome Home’s Stonegrill, which takes traditional campfire cooking from outside to in, making sure we get to enjoy a true hearty outback dinner with all the trimmings (breakfast in hotel / Billy Can lunch / Dinner at Welcome Home).
Day 4
Planes and Fame
Sat 29 May 21 (BD)
Today’s adventure starts at the iconic Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame to experience the Outback Stockman’s Show. The show encompasses the modern-day aspects of being a stockman, as well as telling the tales of the past. This afternoon we uncover some national treasures at the QANTAS Founders Outback Museum. The historic photographs, memorabilia and multimedia displays bring the inspirational stories of one of the world’s pioneering airlines to life. After a fantastic day, we take a sunset cruise down the majestic Thompson River. As the sunset fades into starlight, we dock at Smithy’s Outback Dinner and Show for a night of great food and live entertainment under the stars (breakfast at hotel / lunch at own expense / dinner at Smithy’s Outback Dinner & Show).
Day 5
Exploring Winton
Sun 30 May 21 (BD)
We see some dramatic and ever-changing scenery as we make our way to Winton. The area was once home to dinosaurs and is full of ground-breaking scientific discoveries and archaeological digs. Today we’ll have the opportunity to learn about this prehistoric phenomenon at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs. The centre hosts the world’s largest collection of Australia’s largest dinosaur fossils and the largest fossil preparation laboratory in the southern hemisphere. It was here in Winton, that Banjo Paterson wrote his famous poem about the swagman and jolly jumbuck and “Waltzing Matilda” was heard for the first time in the North Gregory Hotel. We visit the Waltzing Matilda Centre, the only museum in the world dedicated to a song (breakfast & dinner in hotel / lunch at own expense).
Day 6
Longreach to Biloela
Mon 31 May 21 (BD)
Today we farewell our wonderful hosts and say goodbye to Longreach. Watch the scenery roll by the window as we make our way through Emerald to Biloela for our final night on tour together (breakfast & dinner at hotel / lunch at own expense).
Day 7
Biloela to Home
Tue 1 Jun 21 (B)
With our bags packed full of memories, we head home as our wonderful tour to Longreach comes to an end (breakfast at hotel / lunch at own expense).
Tour Cost (GST inclusive):
$2,695 per person twin share $541 single supplement