Longreach to Mount Isa: Distance, drive time & road trip stops
Top road trip stops on the Longreach to Mount Isa drive include Winton and Cloncurry. The distance from Longreach to Mount Isa is 647km, with a driving time of seven hours.
The drive from Longreach to Mount Isa connects two of the most fabled towns in the Queensland outback. If you’re on a longer road trip from Brisbane to Darwin or Brisbane to Alice Springs, Longreach to Mount Isa is an important leg of the journey.
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.
Mount Isa has a surprising amount to offer visitors, including an eerie uranium mine and ghost town tour, outback scenic flights and sunset drinks overlooking Lake Moondarra.
Longreach to Mount Isa distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Longreach to Mount Isa is 647km. That makes for a driving time of around seven hours. That’s either one long day’s driving or an opportunity to break the road trip itinerary down into more sections, and stop somewhere along the way.
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 to Mount Isa road trip: Australian Age of Dinosaurs and Winton
It’s 179km from Longreach to Winton, and the highlight on this leg of the journey is Australian Age of Dinosaurs in Corfield, which offers guide outback tours and showcases dinosaur fossils that have been found nearby.
In Winton, you can enjoy the Winton Musical Fence, Bladensburg National Park and Waltzing Matilda Centre. The latter tells the story of Australia’s favourite poem. You can also try tours to ancient dinosaur footprints, Merton Gorge and the rugged rock channels of the Rangelands Station.
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.
Attractions between Longreach and Mount Isa: Kynuna, McKinlay and Cloncurry
The Winton to Cloncurry leg of the Longreach to Mount Isa drive is a little longer. Top stops include the birdwatcher-friendly Combo Water Hole in Kynuna and the Federal McKinlay Hotel in McKinlay – aka the Walkabout Creek Hotel in Crocodile Dundee.
Once in Cloncurry, the best attractions are Cloncurry Unearthed and John Flynn Place. Cloncurry Unearthed looks at mining, minerals and the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition, while John Flynn Place pays homage to the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Cloncurry accommodation options include the character-packed Gidgee Inn and the solid Leichhardt Hotel Motel.
Longreach to Mount Isa drive: Into Mount Isa
Highlights of the Cloncurry to Mount Isa drive along the Barkly Highway include the Corella Dam swimming hole and eerie Mary Kathleen ghost town.
Things to do in Mount Isa once you get there include the Riversleigh Fossil Centre, underground tours of the Hard Times Mine and the Mount Isa Family Fun Park.
7 great Mount Isa experiences you really ought to know about
- Hard Times underground mine tour – led by a miner.
- Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre tickets – with optional laboratory tour.
- Combo ticket for Isa Experience Heritage Display, Outback Park and Rodeo Hall of Fame.
- Small group scenic flight – flying over the vast mines.
- Lake Moondarra sunset tour – with drinks and food platter.
- Pay a visit to the bizarre World War II era Underground Hospital.
- Mary Kathleen abandoned mine and ghost town tour.
Mount Isa activity options include a best-of Mount Isa tour, outback scenic flights, a sunset drinks tour to Lake Moondarra and an bizarre visit to the abandoned Mary Kathleen uranium mine.
Mount Isa accommodation choices include the colourful four star Copper City Motel, the central Icon on Isa and the family-friendly Discovery Parks Argylla.
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 Emerald: Distance 417km, driving time 4h20m.
Longreach to Roma: Distance 701km, driving time 7h27m.
Longreach to Winton: Distance 179km, driving time 1h51m. (More driving times to Winton)