📷 Photo by Stephen Tafra on UnsplashMatilda and Barkly Highways: Longreach to Tennant Creek
Queensland outback heritage and the Barkly Tableland: about 1,500 km across Mitchell-grass plains, with Longreach's museums, Winton, Mount Isa and long fuel gaps to the Stuart Highway.
- Distance
- 1,600 km (994 mi)
- Driving
- 17 h 27 min
- Suggested days
- 7
- Stops
- 9
- States
- Queensland, Northern Territory
- Updated
- April 23, 2026
At a glance: 7-day road trip of about 1,600 km (994 mi) with 9 stops, from Longreach to Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles. About 17 h 27 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Queensland, Northern Territory
Route description
Day 1: Longreach. Spend the day at the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founders Museum at the airport, the two best reasons to stop in town. Both reward a few hours, and the Landsborough Highway here is part of the Matilda Highway touring route. Summers are very hot, so come between roughly May and September if you can.
Days 2 and 3: Longreach to Winton, about 180 km, then Lark Quarry. At Winton, the Waltzing Matilda Centre celebrates Banjo Paterson's song, first performed nearby in 1895. Lark Quarry, with fossil dinosaur tracks about 95 million years old, is roughly 110 km south-west of Winton and the last part is unsealed; it is visited on guided tours and is best checked in advance.
Days 4 and 5: Winton to Mount Isa, about 465 km via Cloncurry. This is long, open country with cattle stations; fuel is available at Kynuna and McKinlay and in Cloncurry, but gaps are around 100 to 200 km. Mount Isa is a major mining city with the largest range of services between Longreach and Tennant Creek. Avoid driving at dusk because of cattle and kangaroos.
Days 6 and 7: Mount Isa to Tennant Creek, about 660 km on the Barkly Highway across the Barkly Tableland. Towns are tiny: Camooweal near the border and Barkly Homestead, so top up fuel at every chance and carry water. Road trains are common. From Tennant Creek, Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles lies about 100 km south, an easy sunset side trip.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Longreach
Queensland - 23 km
Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame
HistoryLongreach, QueenslandA museum at Longreach telling the story of outback pioneers, stockmen, drovers and Aboriginal people on the land, opened in 1988. Plan on several hours; it is well worth pairing with the Qantas museum, a short drive away.
- 31 km
Qantas Founders Museum
HistoryLongreach, QueenslandA museum at the Longreach airfield telling how Qantas began in western Queensland in 1920, with historic aircraft including a Boeing 747 and a 707. Qantas started in Winton, then moved its headquarters to Longreach.
- 4207 km
Winton
Queensland - 50 km
Waltzing Matilda Centre
HistoryWinton, QueenslandBanjo Paterson's ballad was first performed in the Winton area in 1895, and this museum explores the song and outback life. The town also claims a link to the founding of Qantas in 1920.
- 6114 km
Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways
HistoryWinton, QueenslandThousands of fossil footprints, about 95 million years old, preserved under a protective building and explained on guided tours. It lies roughly 110 kilometres south-west of Winton, partly on unsealed road that can close after rain.
- 7473 km
Mount Isa
Queensland - 8680 km
Tennant Creek
Northern Territory - 9123 km
Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles
NatureWauchope, Northern TerritoryHuge rounded granite boulders, many precariously balanced, scattered across a sacred Aboriginal landscape of the Kaytetye and Warumungu peoples. Sunrise and sunset colour the rocks red; camping is available in the reserve.
Suggested stages and overnight stops
7 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Longreach → Qantas Founders Museum · 4 km · 0 h 02 minOn the way: Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame.
- Day 2: Qantas Founders Museum → Winton · 207 km · 2 h 15 min
- Day 3: Winton → Waltzing Matilda Centre · 0 km · 0 h 00 min
- Day 4: Waltzing Matilda Centre → Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways · 114 km · 1 h 15 min
- Day 5: Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways → Mount Isa · 473 km · 5 h 09 min
- Day 6: Mount Isa → Tennant Creek · 680 km · 7 h 24 min
- Day 7: Tennant Creek → Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles · 123 km · 1 h 21 min
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and October. Hot in November–March. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is Matilda and Barkly Highways: Longreach to Tennant Creek?
7-day road trip of about 1,600 km (994 mi) with 9 stops, from Longreach to Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles. About 17 h 27 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Matilda and Barkly Highways: Longreach to Tennant Creek?
We suggest 7 days: about 17 h 27 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Matilda and Barkly Highways: Longreach to Tennant Creek start and end?
It starts in Longreach and ends in Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles.
Which states does Matilda and Barkly Highways: Longreach to Tennant Creek pass through?
Queensland and Northern Territory.
When is the best time for Matilda and Barkly Highways: Longreach to Tennant Creek?
The most pleasant months are usually May–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
