Reef to Outback

Take an undiscovered Australian journey through Queensland’s Reef to Outback, linking two of our most iconic natural attractions – the World Heritage-listed wonders of the Great Barrier Reef and wide open spaces of the Outback.

Enjoy the freedom of choosing a fly-in trip or a longer self-drive adventure combining the highlights of the Great Barrier Reef off the Central Queensland Coast and Outback. Along the way, you’ll discover the region’s real authentic towns and characters.

One day, come face to face with turtles, colourful coral and schools of reef fish at Lady Elliot Island and the next, marvel at some of Australia’s best Aboriginal rock art in magnificent Carnarvon Gorge. This ancient gorge is a natural paradise of rainforest, creeks and sandstone cliffs.

A stunning 42 National Parks offer varied experiences, including bush walking, bush camping, Aboriginal rock art viewing and bird watching. Carnarvon, Cania Gorge, Kroombit Tops, and Isla Gorge National Parks are all part of the region’s vast sandstone wilderness area.

The Reef to Outback journey is home to abundant Australia wildlife including kangaroos, wallabies and kangaroos. Mon Repos near Bundaberg is the largest turtle rookery in the Southern Hemisphere while Heron and Wilson Islands are renowned bird nesting locations.

You can try your luck fossicking for gems in the sapphire gemfields, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere or experience life on a working farm where you can learn to muster cattle on horseback, feed horses or milk a cow.

The region is also home to Australia’s most significant dinosaur trail. Follow the trail north-west starting at The Caves near Rockhampton, then inland to Mt Morgan, home to giant dinosaur footprints dating back 150 million years. In the Outback, don’t miss the ancient dinosaur trackways at Lark Quarry outside Winton.