Day 1: Brisbane to Quilpie & Eromanga (L,D)

Your Outback Queensland adventure begins today with a 3-hour 45min REX flight to the opal town of Quilpie. On arrival at Quilpie Airport, you will be met by Outback Aussie Tours for a short coach transfer to the historic Quilpie Brick Hotel for a welcome lunch.  Following a short town tour, we’ll drive to Toogunna Plains, a 4th generation sheep and cattle property, located in the heart of the Channel Country. Celebrate the glorious colours of the Channel Country with sunset drinks and canapés overlooking rolling, red, sandhills before a relaxed two-course dinner at the property.  Stay 2 nights at Toogunna Plains Station (Deluxe Cabins)

Day 2: Eromanga Natural History Museum (B,L,D)

Wake to endless skies on this 130,000-acre property and tuck into a gourmet cooked breakfast – the perfect start to your day! Next, join our hosts on a morning station tour for an insightful look into the unique challenges and joys of living on the land.**After lunch, enjoy some free time to relax into your outback station adventure. Early afternoon, we’ll drive the short distance (20 mins) to the Eromanga Natural History Museum, to meet Australia’s largest dinosaur from some 95-million years ago. On an enthralling one-hour tour, we’ll watch expert guides demonstrate fossil preparation, see the incredible mega fauna fossils, and witness these ancient giants come to life in a state-of-the-art multi-media presentation. Toast the warm, sunset afterglow with drinks and canapes on the Museum’s spectacular outdoor pavilion. Then savour an exclusive ‘Taste of the Outback’ long-table dinner in their multi-million-dollar Reception Gallery. (NOTE:  Option for Dino enthusiasts to skip the station tour and spend whole day at Eromanga Natural History Museum to include tour + prep program – an additional $50 pp will apply)

Day 3: Welford National Park & Longreach (B,L,D)

 Enjoy an early breakfast at Toogunna Plains before setting off on a back-roads adventure drive to the magnificent Welford National Park.  Here we will follow the stunningly beautiful Desert Drive featuring red sand dunes, golden-green spinifex and white-barked ghost gums.  Relax by the permanent billabong for a picnic lunch before continuing our drive to Longreach via the remote township of Jundah. Enroute we’ll visit the unique Native Well, used for centuries as a valuable water source by Aboriginal people, and capture 360 Channel Country views from the picturesque Swanvale Lookout.  On arrival in Longreach early afternoon, check-in to your luxury glamping tent and take in the serenity! Tonight enjoy a relaxed barbeque dinner and starwatching around the campfire. Stay 2 nights at Mitchell Grass Retreat, Longreach (luxury glamping tents)

 Day 4: Longreach Attractions (B,L,D)

Start your day with a relaxed breakfast on your private deck overlooking the Mitchell Grass Plains before joining Outback Aussie Tours for some local touring.  Explore the fascinating themed galleries at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame then take your seat at the exciting Stockman’s Life Live Show to see amazing horsemanship and the action of a live muster. Wander the world-class Qantas Founders Museum, eloquently telling the story of the founding of Qantas. View marvellous interpretive and interactive exhibits, then join a guided Airpark Tour. Late afternoon, unwind on the Drover’s Sunset Cruise with tasty onboard nibbles followed by a two-course table service dinner under the stars at Smithy’s Outback Dinner & Show.

Day 5: Australian Age of Dinosaurs & Winton (B,L,D)

After an early breakfast we travel west along the Matilda Way to the world-class Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, perched high on a spectacular mesa.  Here we’ll join a full day dinosaur tour of the facility followed by a fossil prep program which may include mechanical preparation of bones, restoration, repairs, consolidation of specimens, sieving, sorting of matrix for micro-fossils and helping to put pieces of the dinosaur puzzle together.  Enjoy a very special BBQ dinner at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs overlooking the plains where dinosaurs once roamed before experiencing the wonders of the night sky at the onsite Gondwana Stars Observatory – Australia’s first international Dark-Sky Sanctuary. At the end of a fabulous day and night at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs, we’ll travel the short distance into Winton and our accommodation. Overnight Boulder Opal Motel, Winton

Day 6: Kronosaurus Korner & Fossil Fields (B,L,D)

This morning we travel north to Richmond, once part of Australia’s vast Inland Sea and best known for its marine fossil discoveries. Along the way we will make a stop at Ayrshire Hills, the last jump up remnants of the Winton geological formation. See the most complete marine fossils in the world at Kronosaurus Korner, Australia’s premier marine fossil museum. It showcases nearly 1,150 unique fossil specimens from Richmond including the 100 -115 million-year-old remains of extinct marine reptiles, fishes, ammonites and squids that once dominated Australia’s ancient inland sea. Spend the afternoon at the nearby Fossil Hunting Sites. Many of the fossils found in Richmond are among the best preserved of their kind in the world.  By turning a few stones over you may uncover a fossil fish, squid, shark tooth, bivalve or giant marine reptile. Enjoy sunset drinks and a stroll through the Bush Tucker Gardens at Lake Freddie Tritton.  Overnight Ammonite Motel, Richmond

Day 7: Hughenden, Porcupine Gorge and Undara (B,L,D)

We have an early start today for a big day of travel continuing our drive north east towards the tropics. Just a one-hour drive along the Overlanders Way we’ll visit the Flinders Discovery Centre in Hughenden.  Here we’ll uncover much about the region’s ancient past and meet ‘Hughie’ the Muttaburrasaurus.  Next stop is Porcupine Gorge with its impressive Pyramid and canyon carved into the landscape and revealing strata of sedimentary rocks spanning hundreds of millions of years.  Enjoy a picnic lunch at the lookout before continuing our drive north via Lynd Oasis Roadhouse to Undara Experience.  After checking in we’ll join the Wildlife at Sunset Tour to view Australian wildlife in their natural habitat.  Overnight Undara Experience.

Day 8: Woodleigh Station, Lake Barrine, Cairns (B,L)

This morning we’ll join a guided tour of the internationally significant Undara Lava Tubes. Departing Undara we travel through contrasting landscapes and Forty Mile Scrub National Park to Woodleigh Station. Take a tour through the original homestead built in 1876, and relax with lunch in view of their giant 100-year-old Bougainvillea. Travel the Kennedy Highway to the lush Atherton Tablelands. We’ll pass through Ravenshoe, the highest town in Queensland at 920m above sea level before arriving at Lake Barrine, a picturesque crater lake surrounded by cool rainforest.  Here we’ll join a lovely afternoon cruise before continuing our drive to Cairns.  Check into your Cairns accommodation late afternoon.