Queensland · Attraction
Longreach School of Distance Education
The world's biggest classroom
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Step inside one of Australia's most extraordinary schools, where teachers deliver lessons by radio and video to students scattered across a catchment area larger than the state of Victoria. Guided tours run on weekday mornings and offer a rare glimpse into the technology and dedication that keep outback children connected to their education.
Longreach School of Distance Education, formerly known as the School of the Air, is one of several such institutions in Queensland. During a one-hour tour, visitors observe live on-air lessons and see how interactive technology has transformed what was once a radio-only service into a multimedia classroom reaching homesteads hundreds of kilometres away.
Guides explain the daily routines of both teachers and the isolated families who rely on the service, and visitors get to meet staff and view displays of student work. The tour shop sells outback-themed gifts and books, with proceeds directly funding student programs such as mini-schools and annual camps that bring distance learners together in person.
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