Charleville to Longreach road trip: Distance, driving time & stops
The Charleville to Longreach drive through outback Queensland is 515km in distance, with a driving time of 5h28m.
The Charleville to Longreach drive through outback Queensland is a major leg on the drive from Brisbane to Mount Isa. It goes through some of the more unsung territory in inland Queensland.
Longreach offers evocative cruises along the Thomson River, adventures on an old-fashioned stagecoach and an outback sheep station experience. To investigate the best Longreach tour and activity options, head this way. To pick the right Longreach accommodation, nosey around here.
Charleville to Longreach distance and driving time
The distance from Charleville to Longreach is 515km, which makes for a driving time of around five hours and 28 minutes.
4 Longreach experiences to book before you arrive
- Starlights river cruise – take in sunset along the Thomson River aboard a paddlewheeler.
- Cobb & Co stagecoach experience – travel along an outback dirt road pulled by galloping horses.
- Wildlife and woolsheds tour on a double decker bus through Nogo Station.
- Dinosaur-packed day tour to Winton.
The drive starts out of Charleville along the Mitchell Highway, which quickly meets the Landsborough Highway just south of Augathella. There’s not much to do in Augathella, but there are several impressive murals along the main street. Augathella is also home to one of Australia’s weirdest Big Things – the Giant Meat Ant.
Augathella accommodation possibilities include the Augathella Palms Motel and Augathella Motel and Caravan Park.
Charleville to Longreach drive: Augathella to Tambo
It’s a long, lonely drive from Augathella to Tambo, which offers a bird-watching hide at Tambo Lake. The top attraction in Tambo, however, is Tambo Teddies.
This teddy bear manufacturer started as a way of using excess wool from the local wool industry. It has built up a niche for high quality, woollen cuddly toys.
Charleville to Longreach drive: Blackall to Barcaldine
The next stop on the Charleville to Longreach drive is Blackall. Attractions here include the Blackall Wool Scour, which acts as a living museum to the wool industry. There are also sculptures and art installations all around a town that bills itself as the Art Capital of the Outback.
The star attraction, however, is the Blackall Aquatic Centre, where the outdoor heated pool is fed by an artesian bore.
The Landsborough Highway swings west at Barcaldine. The top attractions in Barcaldine are the Australian Workers’ Heritage Centre and the Tree of Knowledge, generally accepted as the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party.
The drive to Longreach
The final 108km stretch of the Charleville to Longreach drive is from Barcaldine to Longreach. This follows the Spirit of the Outback train line. The Ilfracombe Machinery and Heritage Museum is the biggest attraction on the route. Which is to say you’re probably best whizzing straight on through to Longreach.
The best Longreach attractions include the Qantas Founders Museum and the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre. You can also try a Longreach river cruise along the Thomson River.
Longreach accommodation picks
Longreach offers a surprisingly interesting range of accommodation. The options particularly worthy of consideration are…
- For central location and a pool: Abajaz Motor Inn or Longreach Motor Inn.
- For luxury glamping: Mitchell Grass Retreat.
- For charm and character: Saltbush Retreat.
The best accommodation in Charleville
Of the Charleville accommodation options, these are the best bets…
- For heritage and personality: Hotel Corones.
- For best value: Charleville Waltzing Matilda Inn.
- For central location: Rocks Motel.
- For gardens and pool: Mulga Country Motel Inn.
More sections of the Brisbane to Mount Isa drive
Brisbane to Toowoomba | Toowoomba to Dalby | Dalby to Roma | Roma to Charleville | Longreach to Winton | Winton to Cloncurry | Cloncurry to Mount Isa