Corner Country Explorer, Australia

Explore majestic desert landscapes and remote outback towns with legendary outback characters.

Duration: 14 Days | 13 Nights or 13 Days | 12 Nights
Destination: Brisbane to Charleville
Scheduled Dates: 21 June; 12 July; 26 July; 16 August; 27, September 2023
Tour Highlights: Medium level of fitness required
• Cosmos Centre Big Sky Twilight Session
• WWII Secrets Tour
• Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum
• Historic Corones Hotel Tour
• Meet the Bilby Experience
• Cunnamulla Fella Centre
• Exclusive Thargomindah Sunset Drinks
• Historic Noccundra Hotel
• Cameron Corner & Strzelecki Desert
• Burke & Wills Dig Tree
• Birdsville Hotel and Big Red Sunset
• Inland Hospital and Royal Hotel Ruins
• Birdsville Racetrack and Birdsville Billabong
• Min Min Encounter & Boulia Heritage Complex
• Channel Country Touring
• Waltzing Matilda Centre
• Australian Age of Dinosaurs
• Longreach Town Tour
• Qantas Founders Museum & Airpark Tour
• Exclusive Qantas Founders Museum Dinner & Luminescent Longreach Show
• Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame Entry & Stockman’s Live Show
• Ilfracombe Tour & Historic Wellshot Hotel
• Drover’s Sunset Cruise including Smithy’s Outback Dinner and Show

Day 1: Wednesday - Brisbane to Charleville
Board your REX Aircraft flight in Brisbane for a 1 hr 45-minute flight to Charleville. Get a birds-eye view of the lush Darling Downs agricultural region before heading west to big sky country. You will be welcomed on arrival in Charleville by your Savannah Guides Operator driver and host. Explore Charleville on an insightful town tour before checking in to your accommodation. Early evening, visit the Cosmos Centre for the Big Sky Twilight Tour. See an amazing night sky brought into focus with the help of powerful Meade telescopes and listen to captivating stories from their experienced sky guide. 2 nights Mulga Country Motor Inn, Charleville. (Dinner)

Day 2: Thursday – Charleville
This morning, we’ll be joined by a local guide for a tour of the United States Army Air Force top secret sites. Visit intriguing historical sites, understand the reasoning behind choosing Charleville as a WWII base and learn about the highly classified computerized bomb aimer. Then, at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum, you’ll get a better understanding of one of the outback’s most iconic services. Step inside the famous Hotel Corones, built during Charleville’s wool industry boom. Join a guided tour with exclusive access to normally restricted areas of the hotel. Hear the rags to riches story of local character Harry Corones, followed by lunch in the hotel dining room. Visit the Bilby Experience for a tour of the nocturnal house. Learn about the incredible volunteer programme underway to protect this environmental engineering marvel. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 3: Friday – Thargomindah
Follow the Warrego River to Cunnamulla, which came into being as a Cobb & Co coach stop. Visit the Cunnamulla Fella Centre, home to the art gallery and Artesian Time Tunnel. Discover the quaint township of Eulo, hear tales of Isabel ‘The Eulo Queen’ and learn the story of the Eulo Artesian Mud Baths. Travel to Thargomindah and tour the historic Old Thargomindah Hospital to learn some fascinating tales from the 1800’s. Discover the story behind Thargomindah’s electrical street lighting story. Enjoy exclusive sunset drinks at the historic bore followed by dinner. Overnight at Oasis Motel or Explorers Caravan Park Cabins, Thargomindah (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4: Saturday – Tibooburra
Travel south west across the Dingo Barrier Fence to historic Noccundra Hotel, then cross the border at Warri Gate into Outback New South Wales. View the eastern sections of the Sturt National Park. Traverse gibber plains and spectacular ‘jump up’ country to Tibooburra. The striking granite boulders around Tibooburra are said to be remnants of a mass underground granite dome dating back around 410 million years. Explore the National Park Interpretive Centre and Court House Museum. Overnight Granites Motel or Family Hotel, Tibooburra (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5: Sunday – Innamincka
Travel through Sturt National Park to Cameron Corner where the boundary lines of the states of Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales meet. See the Strzelecki Desert, characterised by extensive red dune fields; home of the endangered Dusky Hopping Mouse. Pass by large cattle stations then travel through the heart of the oil and gas fields to Innamincka, on the banks of Cooper Creek. Learn the important role played by the Australian Inland Mission in providing essential medical services to remote towns. 2 nights Innamincka Hotel, Innamincka (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 6: Monday – Innamincka
Retrace the last days of Burke & Wills and learn the story of Innamincka, dubbed ‘the town with two lives. Visit the heritage-listed Burke & Wills Dig Tree, an enduring reminder of our pioneering spirit. Located on the northern bank of the Cooper Creek, it is believed to be between 200-250 years old. Tonight, we toast the glorious outback sunset from the Airport as we watch a blanket of stars rise up above the Innamincka township. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 7: Tuesday – Birdsville
Follow the Strzelecki Desert through flood plains, sand dunes and gibber country. See the historic woolshed on Cordillo Downs Station; once one of the largest pastoral properties in the country. Further north we’ll pass the crumbling ruins of Cadelga Outstation as we travel to Birdsville through some of Australia’s richest cattle country. Tonight, have a yarn with the locals and enjoy a dinner at the famous Birdsville Hotel. 2 nights Birdsville Hotel, Birdsville (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 8: Wednesday – Birdsville
This morning visits the Wirrarri Centre to view work by local Indigenous artists. Next take a stroll to the Birdsville Billabong where birdlife, fish and yabbies abound. Stand on the well-known Birdsville Race Track and explore the Inland Hospital and Royal Hotel ruins; poignant reminders of a pre-federation metropolis. Tonight, we’ll toast the glorious outback sunset from Big Red, a 40-metre-high sand dune on the edge of the Simpson Desert. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 9: Thursday – Boulia
Leaving Birdsville this morning, we’ll visit the Carcory Ruins, a heritage-listed homestead built in 1877 and abandoned after years of drought. Explore the remote town of Bedourie located on a sand dune, overlooking the Eyre Creek floodplain. See the Royal Hotel, built in the 1880s with adobe bricks and still very much in its original condition. Witness spectacular 360-degree views from the Vaughan Johnson Lookout. In Boulia we’ll visit the Min Min Encounter, a tribute to the famed mysterious Min Min Light phenomenon. Explore the Stonehouse Museum, one of the first homes built in Western Queensland and see the impressive Marine Reptile Fossil exhibit. Overnight Australian Hotel or Desert Sands Motel, Boulia (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 10: Friday – Winton
Follow the spectacularly scenic drive between Boulia and Winton. Call in at Cawnpore Lookout to view the stark flat-topped beauty of the surrounding Lillyvale Hills. Visit the historic Middleton Hotel, built during the Cobb & Co era. It was originally a changing station where tired horses were replaced with fresh horses on the Winton to Boulia route. Uncover the story behind the song that lives in the heart of all Australians at Winton’s Waltzing Matilda Centre. This afternoon, we visit the Australian Age of Dinosaurs, perched high on a spectacular mesa. Join a guided interpretive tour of the laboratory, collection room and Dinosaur Canyon. Take in the moment at our very special sunset barbecue overlooking the plains where dinosaurs once roamed! Overnight North Gregory Hotel, Winton (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 11: Saturday – Longreach
Follow the Matilda Way east to Longreach. Enjoy a relaxed lunch and some free time downtown. Wander the interactive displays of the Qantas Founders Museum to discover the real Qantas story. Hear the inspiring human stories of our national airline’s early years. Step inside the Boeing 747, 707 and Super Constellation on an interpretive tour of the impressive Airpark. Late afternoon we return to Qantas Founders Museum for an exclusive dinner surrounded by aviation history, followed by the entertaining and informative Luminescent Longreach Sound & Light Show, which brings the 100-year-story of Qantas to life. 2 nights Longreach Motor Inn, Longreach (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 12: Sunday – Longreach
This morning, explore the fascinating themed galleries at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and discover inspiring stories of our pioneering heroes. Take your seat at the exciting Stockman’s Life Live Show to see amazing horsemanship, experience the action of a live muster, and witness the traditional Australian Stockman skills that are still used today. Take a short drive to Ilfracombe, founded in 1891 as a transport hub for Wellshot Station, which at the time held the largest number of sheep on any station in the world. We’ll cap off the tour with an authentic pub lunch at the historic Wellshot Hotel. Late afternoon joins the Drover’s Sunset Cruise on the beautiful Thomson River. Unwind with on-board nibbles as you gaze out to a magnificent outback sunset. Enjoy live entertainment and a two-course camp oven themed dinner under the stars at Smithy’s Outback Dinner & Show. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 13: Monday – Longreach
Your Outback Queensland adventure comes to an end after breakfast with a complimentary transfer to Longreach Railway Station to board the Spirit of the Outback for your overnight rail journey to Brisbane. (**Note – 10 May departure will return to Brisbane by QantasLink flight) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 14: Tuesday – Brisbane
The guests will arrive into Roma Street Station, Brisbane aboard the Spirit of the Outback. (Breakfast)

Tour Price
• Price shown is for a person based on twin share accommodation, for the travel period indicated.
• All prices displayed are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or varied without notice.
• Prices are guaranteed once booking is confirmed by us and paid in full by the due date.
• Depending on your needs and group size (individual, couple, family, group, etc.) we will provide the final pricing for your tour.
• Itineraries are subject to change without prior notice due to weather conditions, emergencies on board or any unforeseen situation.

Inclusions:
• All en suite accommodation
• Economy flight Brisbane to Charleville with REX Airlines
• Travel by luxury 4WD coach Charleville to Longreach
• Touring with our Savannah Guides Operator driver and host
• All meals as per itinerary
• All entries/activities as per itinerary
• Longreach accommodation departure transfer to Longreach Airport or Railway Station
• One-way First-Class Rail Sleeper from Longreach to Brisbane aboard the Spirit of the Outback (CCE14 only)
• One-way economy flight from Longreach to Brisbane

Exclusions:
• International or domestic flights
• Meals and drinks not mentioned
• Souvenirs
• Tips

Please note:
• Pricing may be subject to availability and seasonal variations.
• All our programs must be reserved at least 30 days in advance (subject to availability).
• Customers can request a re-quote if they want to add, remove or replace any of the proposed activities.
• Airfare, either domestic or international, is not included.
• Travel insurance is not included but is recommended.

Please refer to our Standard Booking Conditions for booking terms and conditions.