Emerald to Winton road trip: Distance, drive time & stops

The Emerald to Winton road trip covers a 595km distance in a driving time of around 6h14m. The best stops to add to the itinerary are Barcaldine and Longreach.

The Emerald to Winton drive takes you through outback Queensland, roughly following the Tropic of Capricorn along the way. It’s a road trip punctuated by towns with a story or two to tell.

Emerald offers a good botanic garden and the Outback Exploratorium. For Emerald accommodation, book here.

Winton brings sunset tours through the rock channels of the Rangelands, trips to the dinosaur footprints in the Lark Quarry Conservation Park and adventures through the mesa landscapes of Carisbrooke Station. For the best Winton accommodation deals, search here.

This guide should help you plan your perfect Emerald to Winton road trip itinerary.

Emerald to Winton distance and driving time

By car along sealed roads, the distance from Emerald to Winton is 595km. That makes for a driving time of around six hours and 14 minutes. It is possible to do this in a day of hard driving, but you’re much better off turning it into a road trip itinerary with a few stops along the way.

Emerald is unexpectedly quirky place. The Mosaic Pathway offers… well, a pathway made of mosaic tiling. The town is also home to the world’s biggest (replica) Van Gogh sunflower painting.

For natural beauty, chill out in the Emerald Botanic Gardens or beside Fairbairn Dam.

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.

Emerald to Winton road trip: Emerald to Barcaldine

It’s another 309km from Emerald to Barcaldine. Alas, there’s not a great deal to see on this stretch of the journey as the Capricorn Highway passes through the tiny settlements of Willow, Alpha and Jericho.

You may wish to stop for a stroll in the Withersfield State Forest or Zamia State Forest, however. Other options include trying your luck at the Glenalva Fossicking Area and taking a photo or two from the Drummond Range Lookout.

Attractions between Emerald and Winton: Barcaldine

Barcaldine, however, is arguably the best stop between Emerald and Longreach. This is particularly the case if you have an interest in Australian history.

Things to do in Barcaldine include the Australian Workers’ Heritage Centre, which is all about the 1891 Shearers’ Strike. This was a key moment for workers’ rights in Australia, and the museum also looks at the history of industrial relations.

Barcaldine also hosts the architecturally-striking memorial to the Tree of Knowledge, the ghost gum tree which was the meeting place for the striking shearers.

Barcaldine accommodation options include the solid Barcaldine Country Motor Inn.

Click through for the next section: Barcaldine to Longreach.

Emerald to Winton road trip: Barcaldine to Longreach

There’s really not much to see on the Barcaldine to Longreach section of the drive along the Landsborough Highway.

The Ilfracombe Machinery and Heritage Museum is about as good as it gets.

4 Longreach experiences to book before you arrive

Exploring the Thomson River on a Longreach river cruise

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.

Longreach, one of Australia’s iconic outback towns, is home to the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre and the Qantas Founders Museum.

You can also go for 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.

Emerald to Winton drive: Longreach to Winton

The main attraction on the drive from Longreach to Winton is Australian Age of Dinosaurs in Corfield. Just outside Winton, this is a not-for-profit organisation that collects dinosaur fossils. There are plenty such fossils around Winton, with the Winton Formation being one of the world’s most productive fossil sites.

The museum shows off some of these fossils, and explains the unique dinosaur species that once roamed western Queensland. The real work goes on in the fossil preparation lab, of course.

If you want to learn more, you can pay for the Ultimate Dinosaur Tour. This guided tour lasts three to four hours, covering the collection room, fossil preparation lab and the March of the Titanosaurs exhibition.

Winton’s top attraction is the Waltzing Matilda Centre, which celebrates Australia’s national poem, composed by Banjo Paterson nearby.

4 Winton experiences that will make your visit better

Day tour to Carisbrooke Station and the ancient dino footprints of the Dinosaur Stampede.
Sunset tour to the outback rock channels of Rangelands Station.
3/4 day tour to the Dinosaur Stampede and Merton Gorge.
Half day tour to the Age of Dinosaurs Museum – or make your own way and visit the fossil preparation laboratory.

Tours from Winton include a day trip to ancient dinosaur footprints and an outing to Merton Gorge. There’s also a chance to see the rugged rock channels of the Rangelands Station and a half day exploring the gorges and mesas of Bladensburg National Park.