Getting to the Festival of Outback Opera

Driving

You can get to Winton and Longreach by car. The drive from Brisbane on the A2 is approximately 1,350 km, a journey that takes around 15 hours. For Longreach, the drive is about 1,180 km and takes roughly 13 hours, following the Landsborough Highway. Remember to plan for rest stops and check local conditions before heading out.

For a scenic route, visit the Outback Queensland website, which provides information on self drive itineraries for the region and is a great starting point for researching a trip to and around the Festival of Outback Opera.

By Air

For air travel, visitors can fly into Longreach Airport, which is serviced by QantasLink with daily flights from Brisbane and Rex Airlines with flights from Townsville on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Qantas Airlines has added an additional flight to Longreach for the Festival to Outback Opera 2025 on Tuesday 12 May 2025 and a return flight to Brisbane on Sunday 18 May 2025.

By Train

The Spirit of the Outback train offers a unique travel experience from Brisbane to Longreach twice a week, taking approximately 24 hours. Although there’s no train service to Winton, from Longreach you can connect with a bus or car hire to cover the last 180 km to Winton.

By Bus

Greyhound Australia operates services to both Longreach and Winton from various locations, including Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville or even Melbourne. The journey by bus can be quite lengthy, but it’s an excellent option for those seeking a scenic route without the drive.

Greyhound coach services operate from Brisbane to Mt Isa and Mt Isa to Brisbane, stopping in Winton for their meal break. Greyhound also operates services between Longreach and Rockhampton. Reclining seats, in-seat USB chargers and a generous baggage allowance are included.