The LRE Outback Do [29 APR - 1 MAY 2016]

[samh004]

It's finally come time to post details of the next major AFF event, one that I'm sure you've all been waiting for, a visit to Longreach and the Qantas Founders Outback Museum. Of course, that's just a small part of the trip though, because Longreach is also home to the Australian Stockmans Hall of Fame, and we'll be taking a cruise on the only paddle-wheeler West of the Great Divide down the Thomson River, thanks to Kinnon & Co. The weekend promises to be a fascinating and informative trip, and with many in the outback struggling through a drought, your support of the local area is exactly what they need... well, other than rain, of course!

The weekend chosen for this event is the last in April, carefully missing both Easter in late-March and the busier months of the year as the temps cool down. I was in town in late-May 2015 and the temps were just a little on the chilly side, but this shouldn't be a problem in April. Much like most weekend AFF events, there will be two main dinners and two main activity-laden days. Thankfully, services to LRE by Qantas are daily if you're unable to make it on Friday, but for maximum engagement I'd fully recommend a Friday - Sunday in town.

Moderator JessicaTam has talked about bringing a mobile executive lounge to Longreach for the event, owing to the fact the accommodation consists of caravan parks and motels. If this is something you would be interested in, I encourage you to get behind her and the idea, because following day activities and preceding night dinners I'm sure you'd all appreciate a place to gather and share some nice wine.

As always, this event is open to all. If you've never posted but would like to come, please don't hesitate to let us know. The more the merrier.

Schedule

Sample Menu(s)

Travel Options

Accommodation Options

Attendees

Costings

 

[samh004]

Schedule

Interim Schedule

Friday
For those that have arrived in town on the Qantas service, you'll be here just before midday and will want to get to your accommodation to drop off your bags, if not HLO. I'm hoping I can arrange some transfers, but Longreach is small, so it's not much of a walk if you want to stretch your legs (the flight up will stop at Blackall but you must stay onboard and all-up is about 2 hours long).

If there is interest, there's the possibility to do a stagecoach ride with Cobb & Co (organised by Kinnon & Co), but if not, it would be a good time to explore the town, perhaps take in the Powerhouse Museum and other sights I can't squeeze into the weekend. If you're feeling particularly adventurous we could look into a very short trip up to Winton, home to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum and the Waltzing Matilda Centre. It's 177KM NW of Longreach though, so would perhaps fit better in with coming to the area a day earlier (Thursday). A popular spot in Winton is the North Gregory Hotel, the first place Waltzing Matilda was performed!

In the evening you'll be picked up by Kinnon & Co for a sunset cruise on a paddle-wheeler on the Thomson River with nibbles, before dinner around a camp fire, bush poetry and damper. The evening concludes at 9pm and will cost $94 (less if there are enough numbers).

Saturday
Saturday is the big day for aviation nuts. Tickets are $26. An option beyond the museum is to do a jet tour at $42 per person and a wing walk at $65 per person. I fully recommend both additional tours, and depending on numbers interested I can see what can be done. The museum takes in the original Q.A.N.T.A.S. hangar, with displays and AV interaction, and the main museum building with content from the pioneering days right up to an RB211. The basic jet tour gives a walk around and through the 747-238 VH-EBQ and 707-138 VH-EBA. There's also a DC-3 VH-EAP.

Recently opened for display (last weekend) is their newest exhibit, a PBY Catalina G-AGIE, painted in wartime colours and with an amazing AV experience when you get inside! By the time of this tour, there may also be a Super Connie, perhaps not ready to explore, but parked up.

[video=youtube;rkiavk3yZOU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkiavk3yZOU[/video]​

Continuing, if you're interested in something a bit more than a jet tour, a wing walk gives you the privilege of stepping out onto the 747 wing. Great for photos. The Platinum tour, is limited to 5-people, but also adds a 707-wing walk for $160. If there's interest, I shall enquire, but they'll need to roster staff on for such an event 'en masse' and that's why it'll be crucial to confirm early, but may also mean we have to take the non-refundable route when taking payments.

Saturday evening dinner will be at the Founders Museum, actually inside it. The McGinness Restaurant recently won Silver at the 2014 QLD Tourism Awards, second to the Noosa Boathouse and ahead of Ochre in Cairns. They do amazing fare, a sample of which will be provided below. Expect to pay between $27 - $58 per person, not including drinks.

Drinks can be purchased from a strictly cash-only bar.

Sunday
On our last day of officially planned activities, we'll be making a visit to the Australian Stockmans Hall of Fame, which is a big museum to get through and you may not manage it before your flight home, if leaving that day. Recently added is an RFDS Queen Air, suspended from the ceiling! Admission will be $38.

 

[samh004]

Sample Menu(s)

Sample Menu(s)

Option 3 Menu
Entrée

Smoked Salmon Rose with Basil Pesto, Olive Tapenade
Garlic Crouton, Fetta Crumble and Crisp Lettuce (gf)

[-]Thai beef salad, seared thin slices marinated eye fillet, fresh salad
rice paper rolls, sweet and sour chilli sauce (gf)[/-]

[-]Lasagne of smoked chicken and smoked cheese served
crisp salad garnish and shaved parmesan (gf)[/-]

Pulled Pork Wontons with Apple Salad and Balsamic Reduction

[-]Duet of Roast Pumpkin and Dutch Potato Soup
with White Truffle Oil, Herb Scone and Parmesan Biscuit (v)[/-]

Main Course

[-]Wild Barramundi in Cooked Filo Papillote with Tempura Asparagus,
Turned Potato Fondant and Scallop Roe Sauce[/-]

Supreme Breast Free Run Chicken filled with Scallop Mousse, Steamed
Baby Vegatables, Cross Chips and Chicken Veloute Sauce (gf)

Local Grass Fed Chargrilled Eye Fillet with Duo Potato Dauphinoise,
Fresh Pea Mousse and Marbled Roast Garlic Jus (gf)

[-]Slow Cooked Claret Boozed Local Beef Cheeks with Roast Baby Root
Vegetables, Rich Marbled Red Wine Jus and Truffle Oil (gf)[/-]

Dessert

Banana Dumplings Floating in White Chocolate Ganache
with Vanilla Ice Cream

[-]Rich Baileys and Dark Chocolate Mousse Martini
with Berry Compote (gf)[/-]

[-]Caramelized Apple Donuts with Vanilla Ice Cream
and Mint Anglaise[/-]

Vanilla Bean Cream Brulee with Caramel Ice Cream
and Toffee Shards (gf)

Three Courses $58 per person

Alternate Drop


Menu subject to change.​

 

[samh004]

Travel Options

Travel Options

QantasLink flies between Brisbane and Longreach daily, with stops at Barcaldine or Blackall alternately. Non-sale fares are ~$185 one-way, but sales often bring this down to ~$109 or less.

Rex flies between Townsville and Longreach on Tuesdays and Thursdays, continuing onto Winton at times. Prices are worse than QantasLink at ~$210 one-way.

Queensland Rail rolls between Brisbane and Longreach on Tuesday (arriving Wednesday) and Saturday (arriving Sunday). The return departs Longreach on Monday (arriving Tuesday) and Thursday (arriving Friday). These services take about 25 hours. However, they do cost ~$141.

You can of course drive as well, Rockhampton to Longreach is a 7.5 hour drive of 700KM almost directly West. While Brisbane to Longreach is a 13 hour drive of 1200KM North-West. Those really adventurous can simply head North from Melbourne on a 22 hour 2000KM trip!

 

[samh004]

Accommodation Options

Accommodation Options

Longreach has a number of motels and caravan parks. All offer good accommodation, but I find the most value comes from the caravan parks and the use of a 'cabin', which will usually come with a small veranda, kitchen, sofa, perhaps even rooms with multiple beds. Prices vary but aren't exorbitant, usually ranging from between $98 - $145 a night at the lower end of the scale.

 

[samh004]

Attendees

 

[dot]

Re: Attendees

I'm interested - possibly even in the drive from MEL should time and schedule allow.

 

[gwilli1]

Re: Attendees

Im getting in early & I am Platinium for the event. Arrive on Friday and flying back Sunday afternoon . I have booked awards flights (24000 pts + $124 ) to minimise some costs.

29 APR - 7.55 QF2534 BNE>LRE
01 MAY - 16.10 QF2535 LRE>BNE
01 MAY - 18.55 QF551 BNE>SYD

With the early flight on Friday morning , will fly to BNE on Thursday night and overnight in the city somewhere.

Will look into LRE accommodation over the next few months .

 

[MrHyde]

Re: Attendees

Count me in as a Platinum for now. Will look into booking flights atleast to and fro BNE soon and then look for sale fares between MEL - BNE later in the year. There is a good chance I might actually be in BNE on the days specified, so may not need the MEL-BNE legs.

Update: I've gone ahead and booked flights BNE-LRE-BNE as I figured that there will be enough people wanting to be on that flight that waiting for a sale might not work with the flight sold out before the sale happens.

29 APR - 7.55 QF2534 BNE>LRE
01 MAY - 16.10 QF2535 LRE>BNE

 

[samh004]

Re: Attendees

Im getting in early & I am Platinium for the event.

Count me in as a Platinum for now. I've gone ahead and booked flights BNE-LRE-BNE as I figured that there will be enough people wanting to be on that flight that waiting for a sale might not work with the flight sold out before the sale happens.

I didn't expect there to be such an enthusiastic take-up from thread start, 11 months out from the event!

I'm very happy to see this though

 

[gwilli1]

Re: Attendees

samh004 , Make mine now gwilli1 + 1 .

I mentioned it to a friend who has been looking for a reason to go and within an hour he comes back & tells me he's booked flights .

I didn't expect there to be such an enthusiastic take-up from thread start, 11 months out from the event!

I'm very happy to see this though

 

[samh004]

Re: Attendees

samh004 , Make mine now gwilli1 + 1 .

I mentioned it to a friend who has been looking for a reason to go and within an hour he comes back & tells me he's booked flights .

Spread the word is all I can say, all are welcome... although there are only 74 seats on the Q400!

 

[MrHyde]

Re: Attendees

Spread the word is all I can say, all are welcome... although there are only 74 seats on the Q400!

Thats the reason I booked early. Depending upon how many of us want to come, I expect the award flights to dry up and also expect that sale fares won't be available on these days. Maybe QF will have to upgrade to a bigger plane to cater for us.

 

[samh004]

Re: Attendees

Thats the reason I booked early. Depending upon how many of us want to come, I expect the award flights to dry up and also expect that sale fares won't be available on these days. Maybe QF will have to upgrade to a bigger plane to cater for us.

I did suggest that in an email to Qantas but not sure what their capacity will be like by then for doing so. I do hope everyone that wants to attend is able to attend at a decent price though. Would be lovely to have a big turnout for the once-off event.

And don't forget, there's a drought on, so coming out to support local businesses is a good thing!

 

[Hvr]

Re: Attendees

Pity that any trip from MEL/SYD requires an overnight stay in BNE. Maybe we need to have a pre-LRE do in BNE the night before?

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: Attendees

A request to operate extraordinary flights JT003/004 has been submitted to the appropriate authorities and is awaiting approval. Once this has been obtained limited tickets will be released. As I am dealing with a government body, this may take some time.

Planning will also begin for the transport and establishment of an exec lounge for the duration of the event. (Subject to regulatory approval).

 

[Fifa]

Re: Attendees

Unfortunately I will be bronze for this amazing event as I will be in South America .

What a fantastic idea and itinerary samh004!
I will be watching this thread with interest.

 

[blackcat20]

Re: Attendees

Will be keeping an eye on the thread but will depend on finances and work...

 

[SQ421]

Re: Attendees

Put me down as interested. Too early to say with any certainty whether I'll attend, but having had a long chat with samh004 about his involvement with and interest in the Qantas Founders Museum, I'd be a fool to miss this event if there is any chance I can make it!

 

[JohnK]

Interested.

Need to look at costs involved as I suspect airfares won't be cheap when I am ready to book if people are booking flights ~11 months out.