Longreach

[serfty]

OK, I'm off to LRE next month.

While there are quite a few posts in disparate threads, there is nothing dedicated or at least having a place to call home.

So what are your tips for getting there, what to do while there, accommodation, eating & getting around?.

 

[serfty]

Longreach - Getting there

Tips on getting there to follow

 

[serfty]

Longreach - Accomodation

tips on accommodation

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Extracts from LRE Do thread:

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.

Where did you book accommodation? I tried at a couple of places online and they don't show any dates more than 3 months out.

I used booking.com
Can cancel right up to the day before arrival without penalties/charges

Just posting a few photos of a cabin from the Longreach Tourist Park to give people a bit of an idea of things. Configerations vary but this was a cabin we stayed in during Aug 2015. Easy walk to Qantas Founders Museum, Stockman's Hall of Fame and flat shortish walk to downtown. Forgot to take photos of cabin before we settled in

View attachment 55880View attachment 55881View attachment 55882View attachment 55883

The Tourist Park is where I spend most of my time, but the Kinnon & Co lodges are slightly better if you can get them, too

Both, as you point out, are closer to the airport and major attractions of the town than the town itself, but it's always a fun walk into town past the local wildlife

I stayed here recently and can recommend it - walking distance to Qantas museum (10 minutes) and airport (20 minutes - they do have a courtesy bus).
ALBERT PARK MOTOR INN - ACCOMMODATION & RESTAURANT - LONGREACH CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Thanks for the prompt. I've just booked a room at Kinnon & Co and they advised they still have a number of rooms available even though their web site is saying nil availability.

Have also stayed here a few years ago and was quite happy. As Sam has already stated the town is easily walkable... When you go into town you just have top visit the Merino Bakery! (yes I'm a sucker for a good non-chain country bakery) So good!

I will also be staying at Kinnon & Co.

Rates seem to have risen to $130/night but it's still a steal for a separate sleeping/living room, kitchen facilities and location.

I recall the last time I stayed here was with penegal and jetlagger and there was plenty of space!

Accommodation now booked for jojen and I.
Just to be different we are staying here
http://www.coopersoncassowary.com.au/

How about the camping grounds? We (he, lol) have a campervan.

They're quite good! Some of the attendees will be staying nearby in the cabins, and at least one attendee is bringing an executive lounge with them

 

[serfty]

Longreach - Getting Around

getting around

 

[serfty]

Longreach - Activities and what to do

tips on activities and what to do

 

[defurax]

Very interested in this thread. I booked a trip to LRE 4 years ago, but had to cancel due to other commitments...so it's still on the bucket list!

 

[kpc]

It was this FT trip report that first piqued my interest in visiting Longreach:Wing Walking on a 747! – A Trip to Longreach, Australia, on Qantas - FlyerTalk Forums

I visited Lre in Oct last year and stayed 2 nights at ALBERT PARK MOTOR INN - ACCOMMODATION & RESTAURANT - LONGREACH CENTRAL QUEENSLAND and can recommend it - walking distance to Qantas museum (10 minutes), town (25 minutes), and airport (20 minutes - they do have a courtesy bus). I visited the Qantas Founders museum (3x ) and did the 747 wing walk, Kinnon and Co Thomson River sunset cruise / dinner / show, and visited the Stockman's Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre, all of which I highly recommend.
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g499668-Activities-Longreach_Queensland.html

I also enjoyed the show / dinner at the Heartland Theatre, http://www.outbackqueensland.com.au/attractions/heartland-theatre/ which has sadly since closed.

It was a great trip and the only thing I didn't like were the flies. To save costs, the flights were booked with QF points;the only problem is that you have to overnight in Bne on the way to Lre as the once daily Bne-Lre Dash 8 flight leaves too early for a connection from elsewhere eg Sydney.

ps the only mobile phone network that works at Lre is Telstra, I believe

 

[Muppet501st]

It was this FT trip report that first piqued my interest in visiting Longreach:Wing Walking on a 747! – A Trip to Longreach, Australia, on Qantas - FlyerTalk Forums

I visited Lre in Oct last year and stayed 2 nights at ALBERT PARK MOTOR INN - ACCOMMODATION & RESTAURANT - LONGREACH CENTRAL QUEENSLAND and can recommend it - walking distance to Qantas museum (10 minutes), town (25 minutes), and airport (20 minutes - they do have a courtesy bus). I visited the Qantas Founders museum (3x ) and did the 747 wing walk, Kinnon and Co Thomson River sunset cruise / dinner / show, and visited the Stockman's Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre, all of which I highly recommend.
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g499668-Activities-Longreach_Queensland.html

I also enjoyed the show / dinner at the Heartland Theatre, Heartland Theatre | Outback Queensland Australia which has sadly since closed.

It was a great trip and the only thing I didn't like were the flies. To save costs, the flights were booked with QF points;the only problem is that you have to overnight in Bne on the way to Lre as the once daily Bne-Lre Dash 8 flight leaves too early for a connection from elsewhere eg Sydney.

ps the only mobile phone network that works at Lre is Telstra, I believe

youve pretty much summed up what LRE has to offer, though last time I was out there, October last year, my virgin/Optus mobile worked fine.
I've always stayed at the LRE motor inn, comfy bed and cold aircon, and food is ok.

 

[jojen]

Agree with everything KPC has posted. We went there after reading the same trip report and really enjoyed it. The motel was good, had a great meal there one night.
After we checked in at the motel the receptionist drove us into town on her way home, not something that happens elsewhere.
I was amazed at the number of shoe / hat shops in a small town, but the racing season was coming up.
Also did my first helicopter ride while we were there.
Qantas museum and wing walk not to be missed.

You should think about coming to the AFF event there in April.

 

[RB]

I did a trip report last year that included a bit about Longreach (Longreach starts at Post 9). Happy to try and add a few details if required. Definitely not a place to do any drink driving, the police were out and about while we were there & at one stage were stategically set up on the way to the McKinnon & Co Sunset Cruise start point-this is also on the way out to the rather large Apex Riverside Park where there is camping for $3 a night
http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/trip-reports-and-trip-photos/6500-km-journey-longreach-gulf-70737.html

 

[snabbu]

Agree with kpc, stayed at the same place on my only visit to LRE.

Other than the QF museum the thing that sticks in my head were the killer meat pies from the Merino bakery on the main street of town. About 200 meters down on the left hand side.

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Rest...views-Merino_Bakery-Longreach_Queensland.html

Brilliant.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Jojen and I are checking out a self-contained holiday rental via Stayz in LRE in April. I'll report back but the pictures of the house look quite promising.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've only been to Longreach once and I drove. Quite apart from the airfares being a ridiculous amount when I checked, any trip to western Qld is a drive for me if I can at all manage it. I love driving in the country and to Longreach has so many options. I do however realise that I'm likely in the minority with that (especially on a frequent flyers forum).

Of course plenty of others will fill you in on the QF museum and the stockman's hall of fame, but there are a few touristy things to do and I just thought I'd mention the drive out there, as well as these that might otherwise go unnoticed. The Thomson Belle paddle wheeler for twilight drinks and canapés, followed by a Drovers dinner around a campfire on the banks of the Thomson would be nice (it was the reason I was in Longreach). The mob linked to above also have a stagecoach tour as well as some alternative accommodation choices, which I think I'd enjoy far more than a stock standard motel. There used to be an airboat operating on the Thomson, which would be fun as well, but I'm not sure if that's still operating (a quick google didn't show it). If you want to extend the thread to include the drive to and from, just say so and I'll add more, but that IMHO is as much part of visiting Longreach as, well, visiting Longreach! :mrgreen:

 

[serfty]

Updated accomodation with some links to posts and sites ...