Longreach to Darwin road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The best stops to add to a Longreach to Darwin road trip itinerary are Winton, Mount Isa and Katherine. By car along sealed roads, the distance from Longreach to Darwin is 2,247km, with a driving time of around 23h15m.
Planning a Longreach to Darwin road trip itinerary
A Longreach to Darwin road trip is one of the epic Australian journeys, featuring a host of quirky outback towns and stunning natural attractions. Most people passing along this route will be on a longer road trip – say from Brisbane to Darwin or Sydney to Darwin.
Longreach offers sunset cruises along the Thomson River, and stagecoach tours along a historic dirt road mail run route. To investigate the best Longreach tour and activity options, head this way. To pick the right Longreach accommodation, nosey around here.
Darwin, meanwhile, brings schooner cruises, airboat tours and cage-swimming with massive crocodiles. To search for the best Darwin accommodation deals, head here. To check out the full range of tours and experiences available, go here.
There’s an awful lot to see along the way, though. This expert-researched guide should help you plan your perfect Longreach to Darwin road trip itinerary.
Longreach to Darwin distance and driving time
Using the quickest route along sealed roads by car, the distance from Longreach to Darwin is 2,247km. That makes for a driving time of around 23 hours and 15 minutes.
The best road trip stops to add to a Longreach to Darwin road trip itinerary include Winton, Mount Isa and Katherine.
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.
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.
Longreach to Darwin road trip: Longreach to Cloncurry
Longreach is full of attractions. The Qantas Founders Museum looks at the story of Australia’s oldest airline. The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre has great evening shows. And a Thomson River cruise is a lovely way to enjoy the sunset.
Winton, the next stop along the Landsborough Highway, also brims with attractions. Australian Age of Dinosaurs looks at the wealth of dinosaur fossils found around Winton. There’s also 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.
Winton accommodation recommendations
Australian hotel specialist Wotif offers accommodation in Winton for from $138 a night. Search the options here.
But the best bets are…
- For best quality: Winton Outback Motel.
- For best value (and a pool): Boulder Opal Motor Inn.
- For families: Hamilton Retreat.
- For heritage: North Gregory Hotel.
Moving on north towards Cloncurry, there are a couple of famous pubs. The Blue Heeler in Kynuna, on the Diamantia River, plus McKinlay’s Walkabout Creek Hotel are good slices of stereotypical Australia.
Things to do in Cloncurry include the John Flynn Place Museum, devoted to the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and fossil-fancying Cloncurry Unearthed.
Cloncurry accommodation options include the personality-packed Gidgee Inn and the solidly decent Leichhardt Hotel Motel.
Click through for the next section: Cloncurry to Camooweal.