LONGREACH REGION EXPLORE CENTRE

Welcome to the Heart of the Outback

Begin your adventure in the heart of the Outback at the Longreach Region Explore Centre.

Longreach and the surrounding rural region delivers an authentically Aussie outback experience, brimming with colourful local characters and warm, country hospitality. With a swag of iconic heritage and cultural attractions, a ruggedly beautiful landscape of untamed wilderness, and stunning outback sunsets that seem to stretch on forever, this is the kind of place where adventures are born, and you can find the freedom to dream big.

It's the kind of place that invites you to slow down and take a step back in time on a journey that showcases some of Australia’s most acclaimed attractions. Pay an enlightening visit to the Qantas Founders Museum, the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, and the Longreach School of Distance Education – the world’s biggest classroom. Take an exhilarating ride with the wind in your hair aboard a restored Cobb & Co stagecoach, enjoy a peaceful cruise along the meandering Thomson River aboard a cruise boat followed by dinner and entertainment on the banks of the Thomson River, or enjoy a ride on the newest attraction to the region - the 2000 series railmotor. The options are almost as endless as the big blue skies.

The fun and friendly staff at the award-winning Longreach Region Explore Centre love introducing visitors to their beautiful hometown and sharing handy hints about the region’s charms and best kept secrets based on first-hand, personal experience. They possess a wealth of local knowledge, and are delighted to assist with a range of tourist information services, including current road conditions, regional accommodation and attraction information, trip planning, booking assistance and much more.

So be sure to drop by for a chat when you arrive in town, to make the most of your Aussie outback experience.

Orientation to the Centre

The Longreach Region Explore Centre is housed within a building replicating the original Qantas Booking office in Longreach, where this iconic Aussie airline grew up. It was constructed by the local Pastoral College students and instructors around the time of Australia’s bicentenary in 1988. The building was first used as a small museum to display Qantas memorabilia, but after the opening of the larger Qantas Founders Museum in 1996, was repurposed for its current role as a warm and welcoming visitor information centre. On the right-hand side of the building’s entrance is a sign sharing the story of how the building came about.

Entrance to the centre is via stairs on the right, or a ramp on the left. You will enter an open space, allowing plenty of room to move about. Birds are celebrated citizens of this country community, and their colourful images by a local photographer adorn the walls, lending a bright, fun feel to the interior. Many of the town’s streets are also named in honour of these feathered local residents.

To your left-hand side (with your back to the door) you’ll find brochure racks containing a comprehensive collection of tourist information about the Longreach region and Outback Queensland, as well as a selection of souvenirs for sale. To your right are displays with more information about the area, as well as other Queensland destinations, and a few chairs against the wall. Straight ahead, against the back wall of the centre you’ll find the service desk, staffed by friendly local experts who love a laugh and a chat, and sharing their local knowledge and personal insights with visitors to the region.

The Longreach Region Explore Centre is the perfect place to find your bearings and begin your most memorable outback adventure.

A Proud Australian Heritage

Longreach has a proud reputation as a place where legendary Aussie icons are born. Here the pages of our nation’s history come to life at the region’s many heritage and cultural attractions, coloured by the stories and characters that have shaped our past, and continue to play a part in forging our future.

From the Longreach Region Explore Centre, take a 400-metre walk (or very short drive) to Rotary Park and the start of the Botanical Walk. This 2.5-kilometre walkway, leading from town to the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, is lined with gardens and interpretive signage showcasing the local flora of the area.

You’ll emerge at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre. This highly acclaimed attraction shares a multi-sensory perspective on the birth of our nation, through the eyes of an Australian stockman. The galleries within bring to life the incredible and often untold stories of the Outback’s unsung heroes, who helped shape our nation through their bold courage and tireless tenacity.

Just down the road, the world-class Qantas Founders Museum tells the true tale behind the founding of Australia’s national airline, through interpretive displays, interactive exhibits, replica aircraft and an impressive collection of genuine artifacts. Guided tours of the Airpark are available. Return in the evening to experience ‘Luminescent Longreach’, an immersive, informative and entertaining production that sheds light on the hundred-year history of Qantas.

Or check out ‘the world’s biggest classroom’ on a tour of the Longreach School of Distance Education. Join enthusiastic guides who will teach you about how technology is used to deliver education in the bush and beyond, and catch an on-air lesson with some of the students, whose playground is as vast as Outback Queensland.

Powerhouse and Historical Museum is yet another heritage highlight, sharing the stories of Longreach through the ages.

Local Tips: ‘Must Do’ Experiences

Beyond its award-winning museums and cultural attractions, Longreach boasts a host of unique and exciting experiences that are sure to stimulate your senses and create lasting memories.

Hold on to your hat as you hit the ground running on a galloping gallivant aboard the restored Cobb and Co stagecoach. Feel the wind in your hair and hear the thundering horses hooves on this exciting ride into our pioneering past. This exhilarating experience is complemented by post-ride entertainment including a movie in retro cinema seats and a tribute to the old-time travelling tent shows of a bygone era.

Or perhaps take a tranquil cruise along the winding waterways of Thomson River. Board an old-world paddle wheeler or fully licensed catamaran for an unforgettable evening of great food and authentic outback entertainment, beneath a canopy of stars.

Immerse yourself in history while savouring signature canapes, enjoying a drink, and experiencing legendary outback hospitality as you gently rock your way into the sunset aboard the Silver-Tails Rail Sunset Tour. This two-hour excursion aboard a heritage rail motor is just one of the offerings from Outback Aussie Tours.

For those seeking refuge amidst nature, be sure to visit the Iningai Nature Reserve. Named after the traditional custodians who lived along the Thomson River, this natural paradise is a firm favourite among birdwatchers and those who like to surround themselves with the soothing sounds of nature. The reserve features three walking loops through a landscape which forms part of the Mitchell Grass Downs region – one of the most extensive natural grassland ecosystems in the world.

At the end of an exciting day of adventures, Longreach offers plenty of places to rest your weary head. From hotels, motels and self-contained accommodation to caravan parks, camping and even glamping options, there’s something to suit everyone.

Accessibility

Longreach is located in the heart of the Queensland Outback. It’s approximately 1200 kilometres drive north-west of the capital city of Brisbane (via the Matilda Way), and about a seven-and-a-half-hour drive west of Rockhampton, via the Capricorn Highway. QantasLink offer daily return flights from Brisbane, and Rex Airlines operates flights from Townsville to Longreach, via Winton, twice weekly. The Spirit of the Outback, operated by Queensland Rail, offers long-distance rail journeys from Brisbane to Longreach and return twice weekly. For bookings or more information about the accessibility of this service, please visit queenslandrailtravel.com.au or call 1800 872 467. Greyhound Australia offers long distance coach services to Longreach from various Queensland locations. While there is no public transport as such in Longreach, a local taxi service does service the area. Please call (07) 4658 0900 for bookings.

The Longreach Region Explore Centre is located in Qantas Park in Eagle Street, Longreach. Information centre staff genuinely love welcoming all visitors to the town they proudly call home. They are always happy to lend a hand when needed. Operating hours vary seasonally, so please visit their website to check current opening times, or give their friendly team a call on (07) 4658 4141.

Accessible parking is available outside the centre, with wheelchair access via a ramp to the left-hand side of the entry. An accessible bathroom is located in a demountable building to the rear of the Longreach Region Explore Centre, with a ramp located to the left of the building. Given the centre’s location within Qantas Park, there are plenty of grassy areas nearby suitable for toileting assistance animals if required.