LONGREACH
Updated: Jun 26
Longreach is currently a 2-star accredited Queensland Tidy Town.
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History and Geography
The first Europeans to enter the area were part of the expedition led by William Landsborough in 1862. This party initially tried to intimidate the resident Iningai by galloping their horses at them and shooting over their heads, but the Iningai were undeterred. Through an Aboriginal Native Police trooper named Jemmy who accompanied Landsborough and spoke the Iningai language, they were able to communicate with the Iningai and were told the geography of the region and shown the best roads to travel by. An Iningai man named Wittin acted as their guide.
Longreach is in Central West Queensland, approximately 700 km (430 mi) from the coast, west of Rockhampton. The town is on the Tropic of Capricorn in the south-east of the locality. The town is named after the ‘long reach’ of the Thomson River on which it is situated.
Local government information
The town of Longreach was gazetted in 1887, and its post office opened on 1 October 1891. The Central Western railway line reached the town on 15 February 1892, causing the population to grow. (The selection of the newer town of Longreach as the terminus led to the demise of the older Arrilalah township to the south.) In 1920 Qantas was formed making a big start to the little town. St Joseph's Primary School was established in 1925. In 1935 Our Ladies' College expanded to offer secondary education to Year 10, becoming the first secondary school in Central Western Queensland.
Attractions
· Visit the Qantas Founders Museum: Historic aircrafts including boeing 747 and boeing 707, wing walks and aircraft tours.
· Explore the Australian stockman’s hall of fame: Indigenous pastoral History
· Thomson river sunset cruise: Starlit dinner with a sunset cruise
· Ride the Cobb and Co Stagecoach: Experience a ride in a replica stagecoach and learn about ,mail routes and transport history.
· Visit Longreach Watertower: this large tower features a large mural depicting local history.
· Walk among the Thomson river: Prefect for bird watching, fishing, and sunset views.
· Explore the outback at night: Longreach has incredibly dark skies, many tours offer stargazing, astronomy talks and night wildlife spotting.
Dine In and Takeaway
The welcome Home café and restaurant: Breakfast and lunch with good coffee, café meals and a relaxed atmosphere.
Chute 1 Longreach: Popular for steaks, burgers, ribs and classic Queensland pub-style meal.
Little star Indian restaurant: A favourite from travellers wanting something different then pub food.
Birdcage Hotel: Classic outback pub with steaks, schnitzels and a lively evening atmosphere.
Harrys Restaurant: Australian dinning and local produce.
Accommodation
· Saltbush Retreat – Popular outback style cabin
· The staging post – Good central location and convenience if you are booking tours through outback pioneers
· Longreach Apartments – Self catering accommodation
· Jumbuck hotel – A common stop for road trippers looking for a straight forward motel
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