Channel Country Legends

FLIGHT DETAILS: Sydney / Melbourne / Adelaide / Canberra / Perth - Brisbane (flight details upon request)

After our morning flight to Brisbane, we board our coach and meet our fellow passengers and travel across to Toowoomba for our hotel check-in, followed by a tour briefing. Stay at the Burke and Wills Hotel, a fitting launch point as we head west through the Darling Downs into Queensland’s Channel Country, retracing the footsteps of Burke and Wills along the Cooper, Diamantina and Thompson Rivers. This evening, enjoy a progressive dinner with drinks and a guided tour at Cobb & Co Museum, followed by a welcome dinner at historic Gip’s Restaurant in Clifford House.

Daily: Dinner

After breakfast, depart Toowoomba and travel west through ever-changing rural landscapes, stopping in Miles for morning tea. In Roma, gateway to Queensland’s cattle country, we visit The Big Rig to discover Australia’s oil and gas history, then enjoy a guided tour, tasting and lunch at Western Spirits Distillery. Continue to Mitchell, named after Sir Thomas Mitchell. After check-in, we may choose to relax in the therapeutic waters of the Mitchell Artesian Spa before a leisurely dinner, perfectly ending our first day in the outback.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, travel deeper into Queensland’s iconic outback. Pause in Charleville to explore the town centre before heading west through mulga country to Cooladdi for a picnic lunch. Continue to Quilpie to learn the stories of this resilient community, visiting St Finbarr’s Church and its remarkable opal altar, along with the award-winning Visitor Information Centre Museum and Gallery. Later, arrive at Toogunna Plains Farmstay for a two-night stay, ending the day with sunset over the red sandhills and a gourmet paddock-to-plate dinner beneath the outback sky.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, enjoy an exclusive tour of Toogunna Plains, a fourth-generation family-owned sheep and cattle station. Discover authentic outback life while exploring the property and hearing stories of resilience and heritage. Following lunch, relax and take in the sweeping plains at our own pace embracing the stillness of the outback. In the early evening, travel to Eromanga, the town furthest from the sea and home to Australia’s largest dinosaur. Visit the Eromanga Natural History Museum for the Australian Dinosaur Giants Tour, followed by dinner at the museum.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After an early breakfast, journey through the legendary Cooper Basin, renowned for cattle, oil and gas fields, and vast Channel Country landscapes. Retrace part of ill-fated Burke and Wills’ 861 expedition, uncovering the story of Innamincka - the town with two lives. Enjoy morning tea at the Noccundra Hotel, cross Cooper Creek at Durham Downs, and enjoy a picnic beneath coolibah trees near the Burke and Wills Bridge. Visit Burke’s grave and reflect on the powerful story of endurance and exploration before arriving in Innamincka to explore the historic Australian Inland Mission building and check into the iconic Innamincka Hotel.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After a 7am breakfast, visit the heritage-listed Burke & Wills Dig Tree, one of Australia’s most significant exploration sites. Stroll the boardwalk and enjoy the peaceful riverside setting before travelling through the ever-changing landscapes of the Strzelecki Desert, from floodplains to sand dunes, gibber plains and immense cattle stations. Continue through Arrabury Station, spanning more than 700 square kilometres before pausing for a classic Smithy’s Smoko. We then take in views from Deon’s Lookout before enjoying lunch at the iconic Betoota Hotel. Witness a striking Rainbow Serpent sculpture enroute to Birdsville, settle into the legendary Birdsville Hotel, and share dinner under a canopy of brilliant outback stars.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today is dedicated to exploring Birdsville, an iconic desert town. Visit the Wirrarri Centre to view works by local Indigenous artists, stroll along the peaceful Birdsville Billabong with birdlife, fish and yabbies around, and stand on the famous Birdsville Racetrack. Explore the historic Inland Hospital and Royal Hotel ruins, reminders of Birdsville’s bustling past. Lunch today will be enjoyed at the renowned Birdsville Bakery, not to be missed. This evening, travel to Big Red, a towering 40-metre sand dune at the edge of the Simpson Desert. Raise a glass as the sun sets over endless dunes - a truly magical way to spend our evening on this outback experience.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After an early breakfast, travel east toward Longreach through the vast Channel Country. Stop at the Betoota Hotel for morning tea before continuing through ever-changing outback landscapes to Windorah for lunch at the Western Star Hotel. Follow the mighty Thompson River, a major tributary of Cooper Creek, visiting Jundah and Stonehenge along the way. Later, arrive in Longreach for a relaxing two-night stay at Saltbush Retreat, where we can unwind and enjoy the outback bath terrace at leisure.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

We start our day with a visit to the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame to watch an introductory film tracing the history of Australia’s stockmen, then explore the museum on a self-guided audio tour, featuring stories, songs and poetry of Australia’s pastoral heritage. Enjoy the live Stockman’s Show before lunch at the Bruce Yeates Memorial Cottage, built by R.M. Williams, located within The Drovers Place. Later, relax or explore Longreach. Later this afternoon, board the Heritage Rail Motor for the Silver-Tails Sunset experience with champagne and canapés, followed by Smithy’s Outback Dinner and Show under the stars.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This morning, we meet with our driver and host to rendezvous with the M.V. Longreach Explorer for a breakfast cruise on the mighty Thompson River - a fantastic farewell to the extraordinary Channel Country that can only be experienced and never truly explained. Afterwards, visit the Qantas Founders Museum, beginning with a guided Boeing 747 tour where we step on board and learn its history, followed by the Historic Hangar Tour and time to explore the museum. Enjoy lunch before our flight to Brisbane concluding our unforgettable Channel Country adventure with Trade Travel and partners Outback Aussie.

FLIGHT DETAILS: QF2547 Longreach - Brisbane 14:50/16:55 (flight details are subject to change)

Daily: Breakfast & Lunch

INTERSTATE PASSENGERS: On arrival into Brisbane we farewell our Brisbane passengers before checking into our airport hotel for our overnight stay and dinner.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This morning after checkout and breakfast, we make our way across to the airport to check in for our flights back home, concluding our unforgettable Channel Country adventure with Trade Travel and partners Outback Aussie.

FLIGHT DETAILS: Brisbane - Sydney / Melbourne / Adelaide / Canberra / Perth (flight details upon request)

Daily: Breakfast