Live the outback pioneering spirit in Longreach
Be inspired by a genuine outback experience
With Outback Pioneers in Longreach, you’ll step into pioneer shoes and experience the awe-inspiring Queensland outback. This is a place of vast horizons, of dust and drought, of heroes and heritage, of sheep stations, slow rivers and a slower way of life. It’s iconic Australian country. Come and be part of the stories, the landscapes, the legends and the laughter. It’s an award-winning, must-do adventure for all ages.
Get the full experience with an inclusive holiday staying in our pioneer-inspired accommodation in the heritage heart of town. Alternatively, arrange (or tow) your own accommodation and join us for our tours, which immerse you in the past and present of outback life.
The Kinnon family and Outback Pioneers crew are ready to give you a warm welcome and an unforgettable taste of their world.
Please help restore this Australian icon
After we discovered it wouldn’t be possible to recertify the Pride of the Murray as a passenger vessel, we decided to restore her on the riverbank as a tribute to the pioneer riverboats and to preserve her for future generations. Please help us bring her back to her full glory by donating to our restoration fund. Read more.
Outback adventures start here
Inclusive holidays
This is the ultimate way to live the outback pioneering life for a while! You’ll stay in our pioneer-inspired accommodation in the heritage heart of Longreach where you can sleep, eat and shop pioneer style. Then your days are filled with memorable experiences – a stagecoach ride, a sheep and cattle station, a sunset cruise, stories of stockmen, campfires under starry skies and, on the 4- and 6-day holiday, a tour to Winton.
Experiences and tours
Cruise the Thomson River at sunset. Gallop down on the old mail route on a Cobb & Co Stagecoach. Take in an old time tent show. Explore Nogo Station with a saddle-bag lunch under the gum trees. Schedule a Saturday to visit Winton for Banjo Paterson history and spectacular dinosaur displays!
Plan your itinerary
If you want to plan your own holiday, check out our itinerary page which shows you which experiences run on which days. There are things to enjoy every day of the week, except Sunday, from breakfast to bedtime! To do all the Outback Pioneers activities and the famous Qantas Founders Museum and Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, you need to allow 3-4 days in Longreach. Include a Saturday for our Winton Discovery Day Tour.
Dine with us
The Welcome Home Restaurant is the place to be for generous, outback fare prepared in our own kitchen. From huge country buffet breakfasts to the Stonegrill® Dining Experience, to Country Classics Dining with all-you-can-eat dessert bar — it’s the place for everyone!
The beautifully-restored 1920s building welcomes you, as it has welcomed outback travellers for generations.
Authentic insights
All the experiences and accommodation have been developed by the Kinnon family – graziers who live and breathe the outback life and its history with a contagious passion. Their mission is to give you an inspiring taste of the Australian outback.
Award winning tours
Gold winners at the Queensland Tourism Awards, gold winners and People’s Choice at the Outback Queensland Tourism Awards and TripAdvisor Hall of Fame – whichever way you judge it, these are exceptional experiences.
Outstanding entertainment
Unique accommodation
At The Staging Post, a clever combination of contemporary comfort and quirky touches create the ideal backdrop to live the pioneer story. In our signature Stables rooms, every detail is designed to evoke pioneer life – minus any hardships! The accommodation is in the heritage heart of Longreach close to shops, cafés and the supermarket, and is open year-round.
Group bookings
Group organisers, travel wholesalers, tour operators, coach companies, air charter companies and special interest groups, we work with you to host a memorable outback pioneering experience for your guests. 4 and 6-day holidays and 3-day break itineraries are available. You can also book single experiences from our schedule and The Welcome Home (restaurant and group facilities).
Book your favourites
Cobb & Co Stagecoach Experience
Don’t miss this exhilarating Cobb & Co stagecoach ride, which takes you on the original bush mail route. Hang on to your bonnets for the gallop! This is pioneer travel!
Nogo Station Experience
Discover real station life with the people who live it. With your Outback Pioneers host, you’ll meet the merinos in the historic shearing sheds, go on a station water run and more.
Starlight’s Cruise Experience
This is the original and much-loved Thomson River sunset cruise with a real stockman’s campfire dinner and entertainment with our Bush Poet…
From our guests
What a wonderful experience Outback Pioneers gave us. I love the way they have recreated the experiences. They are as authentic as possible, giving everyone an insight into the life of our pioneers. The story telling and yarns all add to the experience. Well done Kinnon family.
Helen H
We loved all our Outback Pioneers tours – the Cobb & Co Stagecoach Experience, the Nogo Station and the cruise. By booking all three we benefited from a 10% discount with the Live-It Saver Pass. We have two kids, ten and twelve years old, and they really enjoyed every minute. Great fun for all the family!
Simon F
Your professionalism and experience is an 11/10. The boys did such a great job on the sunset tour. The food is amazing. The evening was amazing. Thank you for always making us feel part of your family and the outback.