- Longreach
Popular camping styles for Longreach
Forest camping near Longreach guide
Overview
Smack bang in the middle of Queensland and more than a 12-hour drive from Brisbane, only the most intrepid of road-trippers will make it to Longreach. If you’re looking to experience remote outback life, this is a good place to start. Visit the Qantas Founders Museum and Australian Stockmans Hall of Fame, take a ride in a historic stagecoach, and enjoy a sunset cruise along the Thompson River, then sleep in a swag beneath the stars. Campers can also stay at a local station, take advantage of free camping rest areas, or check their big rig into a Longreach tourist park or caravan park.
Where to go
Idalia National Park
About a 3-hour drive from Longreach, Idalia National Park is a lush enclave of mulga woodlands and rocky gorges with a network of hiking, mountain biking, and 4WD trails. Look out for yellow-footed rock wallabies around Murphy’s Rockhole, visit the Old Idalia stockyards, then bush camp at the Monk’s Tank camping area.
Outback Queensland
West of Longreach, the dusty outback roads etch out an epic road trip to Birdsville and the natural wonders of the Simpson Desert. Stop along the way to explore the waterholes and wetlands of the Lochern and Diamantina National Parks. Both have great bushwalking, bird-watching, and canoeing trails, alongside low-cost camping areas for tents or camper trailers.
Matilda Way
If you’re looking to escape the crowds, few Queensland road trips will take you as far off the beaten track as the 1,812-kilometre Matilda Way, which runs all the way from the NSW border to Karumba on the north coast. From Longreach (about halfway along the route), drive your motorhome north along the Landsborough Highway to Winton, the Dinosaur Capital of Australia. Fun fact—this is where Banjo Paterson wrote Waltzing Matilda, the route’s namesake.
When to go
Summer temperatures can be unbearably hot in outback Queensland, and it’s not unusual for the mercury to hit 45°C. Consequently, few road trippers pass through from November through March, and many museums, tours, and local attractions offer limited hours during this period (low-season travellers should contact Longreach Visitor Information Centre prior to travel). If you can, plan your trip from April through September, when daytime averages are a more manageable 20-25°C.
