From drought to dream: An Outback tourism success story
After drought forced a change in direction, Richard Kinnon transformed his Outback heritage into a thriving tourism business, sharing the stories and spirit of regional Queensland.
Richard Kinnon grew up on a cattle station in Outback Queensland, where daily life revolved around livestock, weather and routine.
It was a practical upbringing, but it also exposed him to a strong storytelling culture shared by family and Indigenous stockmen working on the property.
“The grazier’s life has always been in my blood,” Richard said.
Richard Kinnon has built a successful tourism business which captures the spirit of the Outback.
A life on the land
Like many on the land, he expected to remain on the family property, but that wasn’t possible.
“There wasn’t enough land for me and all my brothers where we lived, so I decided to move further west into the sheep and cattle country in the Central West and continue the family tradition there,” Richard said.
That path changed again in 2006 after three years of drought.
“We ran out of cattle and sheep feed and water, and I had to think of something else to support my young family,” he said.
The Cobb & Co. Stagecoach Experience gives guests a taste of the Outback's past.
Turning to tourism
Seeing a steady flow of tourists passing through Longreach, Richard saw an opportunity to share the stories, skills and spirit of the outback life he knew so well.
“I thought I could do something to attract them,” he said.
“We started with the Cobb & Co stagecoach ride and told the story of how Longreach was a staging post in the early days of pioneer life. I enjoyed telling the stories of those times.”
From that first experience, Outback Pioneers developed into a broader tourism business built around regional history and experiences and run by Richard and Marisse Kinnon and their family.
Today, the business includes signature experiences such as the Cobb & Co Stagecoach Experience, the Starlight’s Cruise Experience on the Thomson River, and the Nogo Station Experience on the Kinnon family’s working station.
Accommodation, dining and heritage attractions now form part of the broader Outback Pioneers offering, creating immersive holidays built around storytelling, history and genuine outback hospitality.
Cruising on the Thomson River aboard the Thomson Belle paddlewheeler.
Sharing the Outback experience
For Richard, the aim is not just to entertain visitors, but to help them understand why this way of life matters.
“They’ll have real experiences, get up close to real animals, hear real stories and be part of another world for a few days,” he said.
“From Nogo Station to the Cobb & Co stagecoach and the Thomson River at sunset, guests don’t just watch the outback story unfold — they step into it. They see it through local eyes, with plenty of laughter along the way.”
Shared stories are the driving force behind Richard Kinnon and Outback Pioneers.
Keeping history alive
Through Outback Pioneers, stories of the region’s past come alive – from the wool industry that helped shape the nation, the cameleers who crossed harsh terrain, and the riverboats that once carried prosperity downstream.
There are tales of legends and larrikins too featuring men and women whose skills and daring shaped the Outback’s unique character.
After two decades and countless stories shared, one thing remains certain for Richard: “There are still more stories to tell.”
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