The unique Australian festival bringing opera to the outback

Immerse yourself in the arts to get a sense of place in the Australian outback.

The bush poets my uncles always loved start to make sense as I fly into Longreach. I do love a sunburnt country. I also love watching the tiny shadow of this small Dash 8 Qantas plane as it glides over the red dirt stubbled with dry, brown grass.

My window seat offers great views of the landscape, which is dotted with shrubby trees and divided by the winding rivers that cut their own path through the Queensland outback. I love seeing the sudden glint of white and silver rooftops amid the earthy pastels, which indicate touchdown is mere moments away. But Longreach isn’t our final destination.

Singing In The Night is in full swing as the sun sets. (Image: Glenn Hunt Photo)

We still have a two-hour drive to Winton, through Big Sky Country and wide-open emu farms, where we see the resident fauna running on their long legs away from the road we dare to zoom along.

Winton’s big sky is unlike any other: a vibrant blue, unbroken by buildings or mountains all the way to the horizon. A few low jump-ups are the only ripples that break up the straight lines. Fluffy clouds dot the sky all around, like a mural.

Winton itself is a place that marks a lot of beginnings. Of Australia’s aviation future. And our dinosaur history. Of bush poets rising to countrywide fame. But this weekend, I’m here to see the opera. Yes, I said opera.

In fact, the very next night I find myself at the fascinating Australian Age of Dinosaurs, having just taken a tour of the giant footprints taken from Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways nearby and learning about the Australian dinosaurs that once roamed this land.

Crowds at the Dark Sky Serenade. (Image: Glenn Hunt Photo)

As the light fades, I take my seat alongside 1700-odd guests in front of a large stage bookended by soaring dinosaur statues. The orange and blue sky becomes the backdrop for the show as the setting sun casts the orchestra into silhouette form.

That’s when some of Opera Queensland’s best seasoned and new talent take to the stage – a roster that included Eurovision star Kate Miller-Heidke in 2024 – sharing some of the most popular opera tunes of all time. A lively host encourages guests to sing along, if they can.

The Dark Sky Serenade stage at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs in Winton. (Image: Glenn Hunt Photo)

And it’s an atmosphere unlike anything I’ve ever experienced at a city theatre. It’s both a joyful, unpretentious celebration of the art form and an ode to the quintessential Australian outback scenes surrounding us.

This is the Dark Sky Serenade, one of the main events held during Opera Queensland’s annual Festival of Outback Opera in Winton. And this small town embraces it, and new visitors, wholeheartedly.

Kate Miller-Heidke performing at the Dark Sky Serenade. (Image: Glenn Hunt Photo)

Over the next week, panels, performances, morning tea singalongs, Banjo Paterson readings, Aussie clown shows and more fill my calendar. My favourite? A long lunch with a sumptuous three-course menu curated by top Brisbane chefs.

Produce has either been sourced from local farms or flown in from Brisbane, and students from the Big Red Truck Outback College of Hospitality Trade Training serve as front-of-house staff. Guests from all walks of life mingle between live cello and opera serenades around communal tables set up inside the Waltzing Matilda Centre, the museum dedicated to Banjo Paterson’s 1895 hit poem.

That sense of camaraderie is a theme throughout the festival. A pure buzz that filters through the crowd which includes everyone from visitors to arty types to the toughest of farmers, and is palpable throughout each performance.

Locals and travellers interact over pub meals, opera events and boulder opal purchases. Today, it’s clear there’s no shortage of creative minds in Winton. But there was once a shortage of ways to express that creativity.

The CrackUp Sisters’ performance is a mix of comedy and music. (Image: Glenn Hunt Photo)

Amanda Lynn, performer and part of The CrackUp Sisters’ act, puts it best: “As an artist in the outback, we regional people have a ‘we’ll just do it’ attitude. But it’s amazing to be able to see such a well-cultivated performance. It’s really inspiring.”

One female audience member visiting from a small Aussie town praises Amanda for giving regional Australia “so much inspiration for what’s possible”.

And another usually strong-and-silent-type Winton rancher is brought to tears after a panel session at the local pub, when he thanks the festival organisers for allowing his school-aged daughter the opportunity to engage in the arts.

Locals and their furry friends enjoying a show. (Image: Glenn Hunt Photo)

I have always loved the arts – since I was too young to read but was still creating stories with the pictures for my attentive audience of toys – and appreciate that part of living in Sydney means I can pick and choose what to circle on my cultural calendar. There are touring art exhibitions in world-class galleries. Delectable cuisine readily available. And opera has a year-round season.

Although I have never taken any of this for granted, it wasn’t until I attended the Festival of Outback Opera that I began to fully appreciate the cultural institutions I have access to. And renewed my wonder and love for what the arts can do.

A traveller’s checklist

Instrumentalists playing in the landscape of Longreach. (Image: Glenn Hunt Photo)

The Festival of Outback Opera is held every May in Winton and Longreach. In 2025, events will run from 13−19 May.

Getting there

Qantas Link flies daily from Townsville and Brisbane/Meanjin to Longreach. Alternatively, the Spirit of the Outback sleeper train carries passengers from Brisbane to Longreach. Then hire a car from either Avis or Budget at Longreach Airport and drive two hours to Winton. During the festival, attendees can take advantage of both Queensland Rail packages and chartered flight day-packages straight into Winton.

Staying there

Winton has a handful of pub hotels, motels and caravan parks for visitors. Given its small size, rooms book out quickly, so plan ahead. To elevate your stay, head 10 kilometres out of town to glamp on working cattle station, Rangelands Outback Camp.