22 Day Outback Qld & Central Australia

Departing: Saturday 18th July 2026

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Fitness Level: please contact one of our consultants if you have any questions.

Meals: B = Breakfast / L = Lunch / PL = Picnic Lunch / D = Dinner / FD = Feature Dinner

TRAVEL ITINERARY

DAY 1 - HOME to ROMA    (D)

Saturday 18th July 2026:  Welcome to the Outback Queensland & Central Australia tour. We arrive in Roma, the heart of beef country, late afternoon with time to check in and relax before dinner. 

Stay: Roma Explorers Inn

DAY 2 - ROMA to LONGREACH     (BPLD)

Sunday 19th July:  After breakfast, we travel to Blackall to see the Howe monument and the famous “black stump”. After a picnic lunch, we continue through Barcaldine to Longreach and settle into our motel for two nights. 

Stay: Longreach Motor Inn

DAY 3 - OUTBACK LEGENDS     (BLFD)

Monday 20th July:  We begin at Kinnon & Co, exploring the Station Store’s leather goods and memorabilia before a restored stagecoach ride along the Longreach–Windorah mail route. Back at Kinnon & Co, we enjoy a “smoko” break and the “Harry Redford Old Time Tent Show”, with outback comedy, theatre, and a Billy Can lunch. Next is the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, showcasing Outback pioneer history. The day ends with a sunset cruise on the Thomson River, followed by dinner and live entertainment at Smithy’s Outback Dinner and Show under the stars.   

Stay: Longreach Motor Inn

DAY 4 - DINOSAURS & MATILDA CENTRE    (BLD)

Tuesday 21st July:  We begin the day exploring Winton’s open plains before visiting the Australian Age of Dinosaurs to see major fossil finds and the nation’s largest collection. Later, we tour the rebuilt Waltzing Matilda Centre, celebrating the iconic song and Outback spirit. After a full day, we return to our accommodation. 

Stay: Boulder Opal Motor Inn

DAY 5 - WINTON to MOUNT ISA    (BLD)

Wednesday 22nd July:  After breakfast, we travel towards Cloncurry, stopping at Combo Waterhole, thought to be the setting for the billabong in Waltzing Matilda. Lunch is at McKinlay’s Walkabout Creek Hotel, made famous by Crocodile Dundee. We then visit John Flynn Place in Cloncurry, honoring the Royal Flying Doctor Service founder, with its gallery, cultural centre, and RFDS Museum. We finish the day in Mount Isa. 

Stay: Abacus Motel

DAY 6 - MOUNT ISA     (BLD)

Thursday 23rd July:  Mount Isa, we begin at the Outback at Isa Complex with the Hard Times Mine Tour, going underground through 1.2 km of tunnels led by miners sharing insights into underground life. Above ground, we visit the Riversleigh Fossil Centre, explore gallery exhibits, and learn about Indigenous settlement, and mining history through audio-visual displays. 

Stay: Abacus Motel

DAY 7 - MOUNT ISA to TENNANT CREEK     (BD)

Friday 24th July:  Today we cross into the Northern Territory, following the Barkly Highway to its junction with the Stuart Highway near Tennant Creek, a former gold mining town. We check in to our accommodation on arrival. 

Stay: Bluestone Motor Inn

DAY 8 - TENNANT CREEK to ALICE SPRINGS     (BPLD)

Saturday 25th July:  Today we travel south, pausing at the iconic Devils Marbles – giant granite boulders scattered across a shallow valley. After taking in the views, we continue to Alice Springs and settle in for the next four nights. 

Stay: Doubletree by Hilton

DAY 9 - DAY AT LEISURE     (BD)

Sunday 26th July:  Today is at leisure to relax or explore. Unwind by the pool, shop, or join an optional day tour (own expense). In the evening, we gather to share stories and enjoy dinner at the hotel. 

Stay: Doubletree by Hilton

DAY 10 - ALICE SPRINGS     (BLFD)

Monday 27th July:  We begin with panoramic views of Alice Springs from Anzac Hill before visiting the School of the Air, supporting education in remote areas. Next is the Old Telegraph Station, highlighting the history of Australia’s early communications, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, showcasing vital remote healthcare. In the evening, we enjoy a unique dining experience at Earth Sanctuary, with music, entertainment, and Dreamtime stories. A truly unforgettable day!

Stay: Doubletree by Hilton

DAY 11 - ALICE SRINGS     (BD)

Tuesday 28th July:  A great day is in store as we explore the impressive Western McDonnell Ranges. We stop at Simpsons Gap to see the soaring cliffs and enduring water hole before travelling to see the towering walls of Standley Chasm. Admire the glow from the reflecting sunlight to create a breath-taking display of colour. We return to Alice Springs where we spend some time immersing ourselves in the cultural and heritage of Central Australia through visual and performing art at the Araluen Cultural Precinct and Art Centre. 

Stay: Doubletree by Hilton

DAY 12 - ALICE SPRINGS to KINGS CANYON     (BLD)

Wednesday 29th July:  This morning we farewell Alice Springs, heading south before turning west at Erldunda for lunch at Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse. Our day ends at Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. In the evening, we experience Bruce Munro’s light installation – 69 two-metre towers made of glass bottles with solar-powered fibre optics that shift colours to music, creating an immersive visual and auditory spectacle. A magical end to the day! 

Stay: Kings Canyon Resort

DAY 13 - KINGS CANYON to ULURU     (BLFD)

Thursday 30th July:  We begin with a walk through Kings Canyon – the adventurous may tackle the Ridge Top Walk, while others enjoy an easier Canyon floor walk. After a light lunch at Kings Creek Station, we travel west towards Uluru, passing Mt Conner en-route, and check into our Yulara accommodation.
 In the evening, we experience the Field of Lights – 50,000 illuminated stems with frosted-glass spheres glowing against Uluru at night. Before the lights, we enjoy sunset drinks and canapés with views of the rock, followed by dinner and a Didgeridoo performance. A magical experience! 

Stay: Desert Gardens Hotel

DAY 14 - ULURU & KATA TJUTA     (BFD)

Friday 31st July:  Early risers may depart by coach for the Sunrise Viewing Area, while others enjoy breakfast at the resort. Mid-morning, we return to Uluru for a base tour, including the Mutitjulu Waterhole, and a visit to the Cultural Centre with time for lunch. In the afternoon, we travel to Kata Tjuta, the “place of many domes,” pausing at the Valley of the Winds lookout before returning to Ayers Rock Resort. This evening we enjoy the Wintjiri Wiru Sunset Dinner. From an open-air desert theatre on a dune top, we indulge in a gourmet dinner hamper blending native ingredients with modern cuisine. As darkness falls, the Mala story unfolds through drones, lasers, and projections – a modern retelling of an ancient Anangu tradition. 

Stay: Desert Gardens Hotel

DAY 15 - ULURU to COOBER PEDY     (BPLD)

Monday 1st August:  Today we travel south along the Stuart Highway to Coober Pedy, the famous opal mining town in South Australia’s far north. We arrive late afternoon, with Coober Pedy our base for two nights. 

Stay: The Desert Cave Hotel

DAY 16 - EXPLORING COOBER PEDY     (BD)

Tuesday 2nd August:  Coober Pedy is unique, with 80% of residents living underground to escape the heat. At the Umoona Opal Mine and Museum, we enjoy an opal-cutting demo, explore an underground house, and tour the mine. We also visit Big Winch Lookout for town views, an underground church, and the unusual Coober Pedy Golf Course. In the afternoon, we head to The Breakaways, a striking reserve of low hills separated from the Stuart Range, before returning to town. 

Stay: The Desert Cave Hotel

DAY 17 - COOBER PEDY to PORT AUGUSTA     (BLD)

Wednesday 3rd August:  After an early breakfast, we drive south to Woomera for lunch at the Heritage Centre, showcasing the Rocket Range’s history. In the afternoon, we continue to Port Augusta.

Stay: Standpipe Golf Motor Inn

DAY 18 - PORT AUGUSTA to BROKEN HILL     (BD)

Thursday 4th August:  Leaving Port Augusta, we stop in Peterborough for a morning break before continuing to Broken Hill. After time for lunch, we visit the Silver City Mint and Art Centre, home to Peter Anderson’s dramatic Big Picture. In the afternoon, we tour the Living Desert and Sculpture Symposium, where twelve international artists shaped Wilcannia Sandstone into striking forms. Then we finish the day at our motel for dinner and overnight stay. 

Stay: Desert Sands Motor Inn

DAY 19 - BROKEN HILL to COBAR     (BLD)

Friday 5th August:  We make an early start, travelling through Wilcannia en-route to Cobar, once a booming copper town in the late 1800s. On arrival, we visit the Great Cobar Museum, tracing history from the Ngiyampaa Aboriginal people to the mining era, with artefacts from the 1870s onward. After lunch, we continue to Fort Bourke Hill Lookout for sweeping views of the open-cut mine and Cobar township, located on the historic site of the New Cobar Gold Mine, the town’s first. 

Stay: Copper City Motel

DAY 20 - COBAR to TAMWORTH     (BLD)

Saturday 6th August:  We spend most of the day travelling today but will make some stops along the way as we pass through Nyngan, Gilgandra where we have lunch at Feathers Café in Coonabarabran before arriving in Tamworth. 

Stay: Econo Lodge Gateway

DAY 21 - TAMWORTH to TOOWOOMBA     (BLD)

Sunday 7th August:  We begin at Oxley Scenic Lookout on Bald Hill, with panoramic views over Tamworth. Travelling via Bingara and Texas, we stop for an early lunch at The Shed, Goat Rock, where the Croft Family serves a home-style country meal. Afterward, we continue to Toowoomba, arriving late afternoon. 

Stay: James Street Motor Inn

DAY 22 - TOOWOOMBA to HOME     (B)

Monday 8th August:  What a journey it has been, filled with experiences and new friends. Sit back, relax with a book, and enjoy the scenery. We’ll stop en-route, including a break to purchase lunch, before arriving home with lasting memories of our Outback Central Australia adventure.

Please Note:

- We guarantee single rooms hwerever possible, but twin share may be required at properties with limited availability.

- Some days feature travel time, due to the distance between towns.

* All itineraries are subject to change due to occasional restrictions in opening times / days and public holidays of some attractions.  We cannot be held responsible for changes due to closures or inclement weather.