Birdsville Desert Escape

Take a short drive to historic Rosebank Station, originally settled as a sheep and cattle station some 100 years ago. Enjoy morning tea and a chat with the local Outback Aussie Tours owners. Visit the world-class Qantas Founders Museum, eloquently telling the story of the founding of Qantas. Discover the inspiring stories of our pioneering heroes at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame. Enjoy an orientation tour of Longreach mid afternoon. Return to the Qantas Founders Museum for an exclusive dinner surrounded by aviation history, and the entertaining and informative Luminescent Longreach Sound & Light Show, which brings the 100-year story of Qantas to life.

This morning we drive to Winton and uncover the story behind the song that lives in the heart of all Australians, Waltzing Matilda. Follow a spectacularly scenic drive from Winton via historic Middleton Hotel, built during the Cobb & Co. era. It was originally a changing station where tired horses were replaced with fresh horses on the Winton to Boulia route. While at the pub hear entertaining yarns by the local publican over morning tea. We stop at Cawnpore Lookout to view the stark flat-topped beauty of the surrounding Lillyvale Hills, before arriving into Boulia, the capital of the Channel Country. Overnight Australian Hotel or Desert Sands Motel, Boulia

This morning visit the Min Min Encounter, a tribute to the famed mysterious Min Min Light phenomenon. Explore the Stonehouse Museum, one of the first homes built in Western Queensland and see the impressive Marine Reptile Fossil exhibit. Witness spectacular 360-degree views from the Vaughan Johnson Lookout. Explore the remote town of Bedourie, located on a sand dune; overlooking the Eyre Creek floodplain. See the historic Royal Hotel, built in the 1880s with adobe bricks; still very much in its original condition. Visit the Carcory Ruins a heritage-listed homestead built in 1877 and abandoned after years of drought. Arrive in Birdsville late afternoon. 3 nights Birdsville Hotel, Birdsville

Wake up to a glorious outback day in this remote town on the edge of the Simpson Desert. Join your guide for a town tour of Birdsville. Stand on the famous Birdsville Race Track which hosts the annual ‘Melbourne Cup of the Outback’. See the Burke and Will Tree, said to mark on of Burke & Wills’ final campsites. Take a stroll to Pelican Point Billabong with its abundant birdlife and tuck into a locally made pie at the Birdsville Bakery. Tonight we toast the glorious outback sunset from atop Big Red, a 40 metre high sand dune marking the symbolic eastern edge of the Simpson Desert.

Discover the stories behind this iconic town today. Cross over the border to South Australia along a section of the famous Birdsville Track. Keep a look out for a rare stand of Waddi Trees which occur in only a few places in the world. Visit the Australian Inland Mission Hospital Museum and view local indigenous artists’ work at the Wirrarri Centre. Tonight enjoy the company and stories from Birdsville locals as we share a traditional Stockman’s dinner around the campfire. Tuck into a mouthwatering homemade stew, made with the finest produced OBE organic Beef. Certified 100% organic and natural it’s produced locally in the spectacular Channel Country. Complete the meal with a side of damper, cup of tea and rustic dessert.

After a wonderful stay in Birdsville we set off to see the Dreamtime Serpent Indigenous artwork; an impressive hillside installation created with gravel and gibbers. Visit Betoota, originally established to collect cattle tolls and later as a Cobb & Co change station. It’s now a ghost town. Take in spectacular views from Deon’s Lookout and see the JC Hotel Ruins, once part of the township site of Canterbury. Arrive into Windorah, said to be the only place in the world where two rivers form a creek! Late afternoon, we’ll take a short trip out of town to toast the sunset from beautiful wind-swept red sandhills. Have your cameras ready! Overnight Western Star Hotel, Windorah

Stop in for a yarn over lunch at the Stonehenge Hotel. Follow the mighty Thomson River floodplain back to Longreach. Late afternoon join the Drover’s Sunset Cruise on the beautiful Thomson River. Unwind with on-board nibbles and drinks whilst watching a magnificent outback sunset. Enjoy live entertainment and a two-course camp oven themed dinner under the stars at Smithy’s Outback Dinner & Show. Overnight Albert Park Motor Inn, Longreach

Following breakfast you will be transferred to either Longreach Airport or Longreach Railway Station for your homeward bound connections.