700km (437 miles) W of Rockhampton; 1,286km (804 miles) NW of Brisbane.
With a population of about 4,500, Longreach is the largest town in Queensland's Central West. One of the biggest surprises for first-time visitors to Longreach is that the town is set on the banks of a wide brown river, the Thomson. After a hard day's traveling or sightseeing around Longreach, there's nothing more relaxing than a sunset cruise on the river or a campfire on its banks. This is bushranger country, and you're likely to hear the story of Captain Starlight, the cattle rustler who's become part of local folklore -- and is immortalized in the classic Australian novel Robbery Under Arms by Rolf Boldrewood.
