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Railway Adventures · Escorted tour

Outback Queensland by Train to Longreach 2026

15-day escorted outback Queensland rail tour, Brisbane to Cairns

Illustration of Outback Queensland by Train to Longreach 2026

Railway Adventures runs Outback Queensland by Train to Longreach, a 15-day, 14-night escorted tour for travellers over 50, starting in Brisbane and finishing in Cairns. A Tour Leader travels with the group, though who leads varies by departure. Travellers ride first class on the Spirit of the Outback from Brisbane to Longreach, then board an island-hopping mail plane to the Gulf of Carpentaria before traversing the wide Savannah by train on the Gulflander and the Savannahlander, with the Atherton-Herberton Historic Railway also part of the route. Off-train stays and excursions are included in Longreach, Winton, Mount Isa, Normanton and Karumba on the Gulf, along with visits to Cobbold Gorge and the Undara Lava Tubes before finishing in Cairns. This trip suits older travellers who want a rail-led but mixed-transport look at remote outback Queensland, rather than a single-mode journey.

What to know before you look closer

  • The 15-day tour is not entirely by rail: the evidence lists an island-hopping mail plane flight to the Gulf of Carpentaria alongside the four named trains.
  • No day-by-day itinerary is published, so the order of stops such as Longreach, Winton, Mount Isa, Normanton and Karumba, and which nights fall where, is not detailed here.
  • Single travellers pay $11,020 AUD against the $9,875 AUD twin-share fare, a single supplement well above half the twin price.
  • One of the five scheduled 2026 departures is already sold out.

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?
From A$9,875 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $7,083 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is the train travel included?
Yes, alongside an island-hopping mail plane flight to the Gulf of Carpentaria; the trains include the Spirit of the Outback (First Class), the Gulflander, the Savannahlander and the Atherton-Herberton Historic Railway.
Is it escorted or independent?
Fully escorted, though the Tour Leader varies by departure, with options including Lloyd Millet, Robert Kingsford-Smith, Allan Boyer, Barbara Wass and Duncan Wass, and Danielle Munro.
Which trains are used?
The Spirit of the Outback (First Class) from Brisbane to Longreach, the Gulflander and the Savannahlander across the Gulf Savannah, and the Atherton-Herberton Historic Railway.
Where does the tour go?
Brisbane to Cairns, via Longreach, Winton, Mount Isa, the Gulf Country, Normanton, Karumba and the Queensland Savannah.
When does it run?
Five departures are scheduled across April, June, August and September 2026; one is already sold out.
What are the highlights?
Cobbold Gorge and the Undara Lava Tubes.

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