Queensland | Brisbane to Longreach Road Trip Itinerary

Travel through unique landscapes, from the outback’s red dust, to lush rainforest and turquoise coastline on this Queensland outback explorer itinerary.

Day 1:  Brisbane to Chinchilla – easing into the outback

Travel time: 3.5 hours 

Distance: 300 km

Pick up your Apollo camper at the Brisbane branch, do your handover, then leave the city behind. As you head west, the suburbs give way to rolling hills and then to broader farming country.

You’re not trying to reach Roma in one go now, so this first day feels more like a warm-up than a slog.

Stops on the way

Toowoomba: Break the climb over the range with a detour to a lookout like Picnic Point or a quick stroll through Queens Park if you need a leg stretch.

Things to do

• Enjoy the changing scenery as you cross the Great Dividing Range and roll onto the Darling Downs.

• Arrive in Chinchilla, a friendly country town known for its melons and relaxed pace. Take a short walk along the creek, check out local street art or just enjoy a quiet drink outside the van as the light softens.

Where to stay:

A Chinchilla caravan park with powered sites and good amenities – ideal for a simple first night out of Brisbane.

Day 2: Chinchilla to Roma – saleyards and bush gardens

Travel time: 2-2.5 hours driving (flexible)

Distance: 180-200 km total, depending on side trips

Have a relaxed breakfast, then continue west towards Roma. The landscape opens up a little more with every kilometre, and you start to see why people fall in love with outback skies.

Stops on the way

• Miles: If you are keen on a proper stop, the Miles Historical Village Museum is a great little time capsule of early Queensland life. Otherwise, it is an easy coffee and fuel town before you keep going.

Things to do in Roma

Time your run into Roma for a relaxed lunch.

• If it is Tuesday or Thursday, try to join a Roma Saleyards visitor tour and see the southern hemisphere’s largest cattle-selling complex in action.

• Wander the Roma Bush Gardens around Railway Dam for a short loop through local bush and a bit of bird spotting.

Where to stay

Roma Big Rig Tourist Park: a dog friendly with powered sites, pool and BBQs. Easy base for a one-night stop.

Day 3: Roma to Carnarvon Gorge, into the sandstone oasis

Travel time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Distance: 243 km

Today you leave the highway behind and head towards one of Queensland’s true walking highlights, Carnarvon Gorge.

Stop on the way

Injune: Gateway town to Carnarvon Gorge, with fuel, last-minute supplies and visitor information. A good place to check any park or road updates before you head in.

Things to do in Carnarvon Gorge (arrival day)

• Check in at your campground and grab a map or chat with staff about track conditions.

• Stroll one of the shorter walks near camp, or simply settle in, listen to the evening birds and get ready for a big walking day tomorrow.

Where To Stay

BIG4 / Carnarvon Gorge holiday park: a spacious, nature-focused park with powered sites and easy access to the gorge area.

Image: Flynn Graham

Day 4: Carnarvon Gorge – gorges, moss gardens and big walls

You have a full day here, so you can really experience the gorge rather than rushing in and out.

Things to do in Carnarvon Gorge

Walk into the main Carnarvon Gorge and choose a mix of side tracks that match your fitness:

• Moss Garden for dripping sandstone walls and lush ferns.

• The Amphitheatre for that “wow” hidden rock chamber.

• Wards Canyon or the Art Gallery if you are feeling energetic and have checked timings.

Keep an eye out for wallabies, birds and, with luck, platypus in the creek at dawn or dusk.

Where To Stay

Second night at Carnarvon Gorge holiday park, so you can come back dusty and tired and not think about packing up until tomorrow.

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

Day 5: Carnarvon Gorge to Tambo (big driving day)

Travel time: 5 hours 10 minutes

Distance: 427 kms

Today you have a long driving day, so make sure to plan for an early start, and swap drivers if you can.

Stop on the way

Mitchell: A natural halfway break. If you feel like it, soak at the Great Artesian Spa for a very outback way to break up the kilometres. Otherwise, it is a handy fuel and lunch stop before you carry on.

Things to do in Tambo

Arrive in Tambo, the oldest town in Queensland’s Central West, and slow the pace again.

• Stretch your legs at Tambo Dam, a local picnic spot where you can watch waterbirds and enjoy some greenery.

• Drop into Tambo Teddies to see their famous sheepskin bears being made, each one named after a local property.

Where to stay

Tambo Mill Motel & Caravan Park: powered sites, pool and BBQ area. An easy, no-fuss place to recharge after a long day.

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

Day 6: Tambo to Longreach – into Qantas country

Distance: 385 km

Travel time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Today you are heading to one of Queensland’s outback icons: Longreach.

Stop on the way

Blackall: If you have time, call into the Blackall Woolscour, a historic steam-driven shearing shed, or at least stop in town for a quick look and a coffee before you continue.

Things to do in Longreach

Arrive in Longreach early afternoon, enough time to get a feel for the town.

Start with one of the big two:

• The Qantas Founders Museum for aviation history and classic aircraft.

• The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame for stories of stockmen, station life and the people who shaped regional Australia.

If you want to treat yourself, book into Harry’s Restaurant and Bar for a relaxed dinner, and a contemporary Australian menu!

Where To Stay

Longreach Caravan Park: with powered sites a short walk from shops and cafes. This is a perfect base if you prefer to walk into town for dinner.

Image: Tourism Australia

Day 7: Longreach to Winton – Waltzing Matilda & dinosaurs

Travel time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Distance: 223 km

A nice short hop north-west today to Winton, another town with big stories packed into a small footprint.

Things to do in Winton

• Visit the Waltzing Matilda Centre and dive into the history of the song and the region.

• Head out to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum (best to pre-book), where you can see dinosaur fossils and learn how this landscape has changed over millions of years.

If you want to explore some more, wander Winton’s wide streets, quirky pubs and classic outback shopfronts.

Where to stay in Winton

Winton Wanderers Caravan Park: it has large sites, easy drive-through options, and offers big sky sunsets in the evening.

Day 8: Winton to Longreach – slow outback day

Travel time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Distance: 223 km 

Time to loop back to Longreach and give yourself a bit of breathing space in the middle of the trip.

Things to do 

Enjoy a relaxed morning in Winton, then cruise back to Longreach.

Use the afternoon to:

• Visit whichever of the Qantas Founders Museum or Stockman’s Hall of Fame you have not done yet.

• Join a sunset cruise or campfire dinner on the Thomson River if that’s on your wish list.

• Or simply do very little and relax, enjoy the pool, make some time to catch up on laundry, along with a quiet drink and an early night.

Where To Stay

Longreach Tourist Park (or your preferred Longreach park) – big choice of sites, several amenities blocks and laundries, and BBQ areas dotted around.

Day 9: Longreach to Barcaldine – shearer stories

Travel time: 1.5 hours

Distance: 110-120 km round trip

After a couple of fuller days, today is deliberately short. You will head east to Barcaldine, known for its links to the shearers’ strikes and early labour movement.

Things to do in Barcaldine

• Visit the Tree of Knowledge memorial and read about how this iconic ghost gum became a symbol of political change.

• Check out small museums or local art if they are open, or just enjoy the slower pace and country-town feel.

Where To Stay

Pick a Barcaldine caravan or tourist park of your choice with powered sites and good shade, for a simple and comfortable overnight stop.

Day 10: Barcaldine to Emerald – into the Highlands

Travel time: 3.5-4 hours

Distance: 360-380 km

Today, you continue east along the Capricorn Highway towards Emerald and the Central Queensland Highlands.

Stops on the way

If you are keen on fossicking, you can use this day to detour into the sapphire gemfields around Rubyvale and Sapphire for a few hours of guided fossicking before continuing on to Emerald.

Things to do in Emerald

• Check out the world’s biggest Van Gogh sunflower painting for a fun photo.

• Take a walk through town or along the river to stretch out after the drive.

Where To Stay

Emerald Tourist Park: with powered sites, amenities and easy access to town for dinner.

Day 11: Emerald to Biloela – small town Queensland

Travel time: 3-3.5 hours
Distance: 260-280 km

Leave Emerald and head south east towards Biloela, where farming landscapes and low ranges replace the outback plains!

Stop on the way

Springsure: Short detour to the Virgin Rock lookout if you want a proper highlight stop, with views of the sandstone escarpment above town.

Things to do in Biloela

• Wander the main street, pick up any supplies you need and enjoy the feeling of being back in “big farm” country rather than deep outback.

• If a local museum or gallery is open, it is a nice way to learn how the region ticks.

Where To Stay

Stay at Discovery Parks - Biloela, it has powered sites and makes a handy overnight break before you hit the coast!

Day 12: Biloela to 1770 (Seventeen Seventy) – back to the beach!

Travel time: 2.5-3 hours total

Distance: 220–240 km

Today you say goodbye to inland Queensland and bring the trip back to the coast at 1770 (Seventeen Seventy) and Agnes Water.

Things to do

• Once you arrive, head to the 1770 Headland and Lookout for an easy walk with big views over long, golden beaches and the Coral Sea.

• Grab fish and chips or a simple dinner in town and enjoy the novelty of salt air after so many nights inland.

Where To Stay in 1770 & Agnes Water

1770 Camping Ground: stunning beachfront sites where you can step out of the camper and straight onto the sand. Perfect sunset territory.

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

Day 13: Seventeen Seventy & Agnes Water – paperbark forest & surf

A full day here is your reward for all those inland kilometres. This is where you finally get to swap red dust for sea breeze and sandy feet.

Things to do in 1770 and Agnes Water

• Drift between Agnes Water and 1770 at your own pace – swim, paddle, try a surf lesson if the conditions are right, or just claim a shady spot with a book.

• Follow one of the short coastal tracks around 1770 for headland views and a bit of gentle exercise between swims – sunset from the lookouts up here is pretty special on a clear evening.

• If you are still in the mood for adventure, look into a LARC! tour and see the coastline from the water in a bright pink amphibious truck.

Where To Stay

Stay a second night at 1770 Camping Ground, so you can leave the camper set up and just wander between the beach, walks and your site without packing up in between.

Day 14: Seventeen Seventy to Hervey Bay – coastal run

Travel time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Distance: 240 km

Time to start curving south again, following the coast towards Hervey Bay.

Stop on the way

Bundaberg: If you feel like more than just a fuel stop, Bundy is worth a little time. Think the Bundaberg Rum Distillery, Hinkler Hall of Aviation, or even just a good café break before you get back on the highway.

Things to do in Hervey Bay

• Roll into Hervey Bay and stretch your legs along the Esplanade, with its parks, paths and easy beach access.

• Take a stroll on the Urangan Pier, it’s one of those simple holiday pleasures that feels especially nice around sunset.

• If you are here between July and October, this is the perfect moment to lock in a whale watching tour for tomorrow.

Where To Stay

Check into BIG4 Hervey Bay Holiday Park (or a similar coastal park) and enjoy the luxury of a pool, powered site and a short wander to the water.

Image: Tourism Australia

Day 15: Hervey Bay – whales or K’gari day

Travel time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Distance: 240 km

Think of today as your “choose your own highlight” day.

Things to do in Hervey Bay

• In whale season (July to October), head out on a whale watching cruise and spend a few hours in the company of humpbacks playing in Hervey Bay’s calm, sheltered waters.

• Outside whale season, a day trip to K’gari (Fraser Island), the world’s largest sand island, and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is hard to beat. Guided 4WD tours take you to lakes, rainforest and those huge sand tracks the island is famous for. The island has been home to the Country of the Butchulla People for tens of thousands of years, so be respectful of the place and take your rubbish with you when you leave! Note: Apollo vehicles aren’t permitted on K’gari but there are a variety of day tours available.

• Or, if you are happy to slow things right down, just enjoy being by the sea: beach walks, the Esplanade, a good lunch and an easy dinner to celebrate your last night on the road.

Where To Stay in Hervey Bay

Check into BIG4 Hervey Bay Holiday Park (or a similar coastal park) and enjoy the luxury of a pool, powered site and a short wander to the water.