Longreach is located the central west of outback Queensland about 700 kilometres west of Rockhampton. Named after the "long reach" of the Thomson River on which it is situated, Longreach was gazetted as a town in 1887. It is the administrative centre of the Longreach Local Government Area, and in 2006 had a population of around 3,000. Like the outback town of Alice Springs, Longreach lies on the Tropic of Capricorn.
The population of Longreach began to grow after 1892 when the railway reached the town from the east. Historically, the main industry in the region has been livestock (cattle and sheep), with the tourism industry becoming increasingly important in recent decades.
Longreach is home to the Australian Agricultural College's Longreach Campus, previously known as the Longreach Pastoral College. The campus was opened in 1967. At the college, students are trained for work in the agricultural and pastoral industries. The Longreach School of Distance Education is adjacent to the Agricultural College, and provides education for remote students, formerly by UHF radio, but now using standard telecommunications infrastructure.
Qantas, the Australian domestic and international airline, was originally established in Longreach and similar outback centres as the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service. One of Qantas's original hangars is still used today at the Longreach Airport, and the town is today home to the Qantas Founders Outback Museum. Among the aircraft on display are Qantas's first jet aircraft VH-XBA (a Boeing 707) and a Boeing 747-200 aircraft.
In 1988, the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame, which was officially opened in Longreach by Queen Elizabeth II. This unique centre showcases the history and culture of life in outback Australia. Since its opening, over 1 million people have passed through the doors.