Emerald to Longreach drive: Road trip distance, driving time & attractions
The Emerald to Longreach drive through outback Queensland is 417km in distance, with a driving time of around four hours and 20 minutes. Barcaldine is the best stop along the way.
The drive from Emerald to Longreach is one visitors might undertake if they choose to leave the Queensland coast. It’s a classic outback drive.
Longreach is one of Australia’s iconic outback towns. It’s home to the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre and the Qantas Founders Museum. 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.
Emerald is roughly half the way there on the drive from Rockhampton to Longreach, and has a decent selection of attractions. These include the world’s largest Van Gogh sunflower painting and the Outback Exploratorium science centre. For Emerald accommodation, book here.
Emerald to Longreach distance and driving time
The Emerald to Longreach drive is 417km in distance. That makes for an estimated driving time of around four hours and 20 minutes.
Where to stay in Emerald
The best Emerald accommodations options are:
- For central location: Motel 707.
- For a more stylish motel: Abode37.
- For a good quality motel with cheap rates: A&A Lodge Motel.
- For families: Discovery Parks Emerald.
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.
Road trip attractions on the Emerald to Longreach drive are, to be honest, fairly threadbare. There’s not a lot to see on the Capricorn Highway as it passes through small settlements such as Willow, Alpha and Jericho.
Road trip attractions on the Emerald to Longreach drive
However, if you do want to break off for a walk on the Emerald to Barcaldine leg of the drive, the Withersfield State Forest and Zamia State Forest aren’t far off the Capricorn Highway.
By far the best place to stop on the Emerald to Longreach drive is Barcaldine.
Things to do in Barcaldine include the Australian Workers’ Heritage Centre. This museum looks at the 1891 Shearers’ Strike and Australian industrial relations since that pivotal moment. There’s also the architecturally-striking memorial to the Tree of Knowledge, the ghost gum tree where the striking shearers met.
The Barcaldine to Longreach leg of the Emerald to Longreach drive is much shorter. It takes about an hour and 19 minutes along the Landsborough Highway. There’s really not much to hold your interest along the way. Unless for some perverse reason, the Ilfracombe Machinery and Heritage Museum gets you all excited.
Once in Longreach, you can also enjoy 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.
More Longreach driving times
Longreach to Barcaldine: Distance 108km, driving time 1h19m.
Longreach to Brisbane: Distance 1,179km, driving time 12h41m.
Longreach to Charleville: Distance 515km, driving time 5h25m.
Longreach to Cloncurry: Distance 527km, driving time 5h39m.
Longreach to Mount Isa: Distance 647km, driving time 7h. (More driving times to Mount Isa)
Longreach to Roma: Distance 701km, driving time 7h27m.
Longreach to Winton: Distance 179km, driving time 1h51m. (More driving times to Winton)