Luxury Lift-Off at Sunshine Coast Jet Centre
From the hum of a private jet to the hush of an outback sunset, John Caruso enjoyed a chance to see Australia’s vast heart from both the sky and the soul.
There’s something quietly exhilarating about standing on the tarmac, the hum of a Learjet 45 on standby nearby, preparing for take-off, the morning light glistening off the aircraft like a scene from a movie you’re about to star in.
Deb and I had been invited by Steve Padgett, owner of Sunshine Coast Jet Centre to experience one of its bespoke luxury adventures, the Australian Outback Glamping Experience.
Excitement had been building but it wasn’t until we were walking across the tarmac, phones held high like amateur paparazzi, that it really landed. We were about to fly private. Not in the executive class of a commercial airliner, but an actual private jet, ours for the weekend.
The Learjet 45 sat there, striking in profile. Sleek. Intentional. A machine designed to move and mean it. Boarding was seamless, hassle-free and before we knew it, we were greeted by Captain Phil and First Officer Lorne who ran through the safety rundown with a dry humour that set the tone – assured, no fuss, fun banter.
Within moments, we were airborne, the exhilaration of the thrusters as we swept over Old Woman Island before pointing the nose west. The jet sliced through the morning light with barely a bump. At 43,000 feet, you’re well above the commuter traffic. It’s all blue sky and possibility.
Conversation flowed. The buzz onboard was contagious, new friends, shared anticipation and in less than two hours, we were wheels-down in Longreach.
Our first stop was the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame – a place built with a clear sense of national identity, part museum, part shrine to the resilience and craft of the bush. Galleries of artefacts, cinematic displays, and voices from the past. There’s usually a live performance, though not on the day we visited.
Even without it, you could feel the pulse of the place. A monument to lives lived on the land.
From there, it was a short back walk to the airport, home to the Qantas Founders Museum which is equal parts nostalgia and innovation. In the café, vintage Qantas cabin bags and colourful retro travel posters offer a window into an era when flying was rare and romantic.
The museum itself is immersive. There’s an app that lets you build your own plane; an art gallery and aircraft on display including the mighty Boeing 747 and the old Boeing 707, plus a decommissioned Super Constellation.
I could have spent all day there! It was immersive, engaging and offered an insight into our aviation history.
Back on the tarmac to the ultimate in luxury flying, the Learjet gleamed in the dry Longreach sun. It was impossible not to feel like a rock star as we boarded again, more photos, more smiles.
Next stop: dinosaur country, Winton.
A short hop, but one that stirred something more personal for me. For seven years I’d broadcast into this region on the heritage AM radio station, yet I’d never set foot on the land. Landing here felt long overdue.
From Winton Airport, we were transported about 20 minutes to Rangelands Outback Camp, a luxury glamping destination perched atop a ‘jump-up’ (an elevated rocky plateau that juts up from the surrounding plains) on Rangelands Station, a working cattle station. The road in was dusty, the sky enormous as our hosts Peter and Celine, welcomed us with warmth and champagne on the deck. We were introduced to The Mahal: a glamorous basecamp for dining, drinks, relaxing.
A long timber table for feasting, couches for relaxing, books, board games, a telescope, and amply-stocked, help-yourself bar and fridge full of snacks and beverages from juices to Jack Daniels. Steve was quite the barman, with his G&Ts perfect for watching the sunset from the west-facing deck where brilliant blues gave way to soft pinks and then deep, burnt oranges and reds. A photo I posted exploded on social media but the image didn’t even come close to the real thing. It was unforgettable.
The temperature dropped with the sun and we rugged up around the firepit. It was pure magic – the snap of the fire, laughter, glasses clinking, the bite of cold on your cheeks. Aromas from the Silver Trailer kitchen where Peter’s German heritage and Celine’s French influence produced the most divine, European-inspired cuisine and flavours! Every sense was awake, alive, alert.
Breakfasts were generous, dinners even better. No fuss. Just good, hearty food and plenty of it. Starting with a sunset cheese platter by the fire before heading inside for indulgent three-course feast. One night, a rich chicken fricassee, braised slowly in white wine and finished with cream and herbs; the next, a tuna steak cooked to perfection with French mash, an abundance of fresh salad and vegetables from nearby farms and wines matched by Celine. Desserts were divine and fireside stargazing was all the better with a glass in hand. Some of our crew took the ‘3am curfew’ to heart, still buzzing from the day’s adventures.
We slept in a tent, no – it was more a luxurious canvas capsule overlooking the plains from its own private viewing deck. Electric blankets on the massive king size bed, air conditioning and an indulgent ensuite including a rainwater shower with a view and enough hot water pressure to part your soul from your skin. It was mesmerising to watch the steam curl out into the starry sky.
Saturday was devoted to exploring Winton with Jo from Red Dirt Tours – a walking encyclopaedia, Jo knew her stuff on flora, fauna, fossils and the wonders of Winton. First stop, the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum which sits on a large jump-up and is home to the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils, the country’s largest fossil preparation laboratory and the March of the Titanosaurs, a striking structure that rises from the rock and houses a preserved section of an ancient billabong floor with hundreds of fossilised footprints left by long-extinct giants made in the mud of a creek-bed some 95 million years ago. Mindblowing.
A walk through Dinosaur Canyon allows for quiet reflection of what the world may have been like when dinosaurs roamed the very land we were walking on today. Back at basecamp, Jo takes us on a guided trek through the Rangeland Rifts – deep, natural, raw, dramatic and cinematic rock formations.
Another stunning sunset, campfire under the stars. Another fine meal. The real luxury was in the silence, the space, and the company. Sunday morning, we reluctantly packed. But the promise of another leg on the Learjet softened the blow. Up and away over the vast red earth, and home to the green-blue coast.
It’s easy to forget how expansive this country is, how much of it is waiting to be discovered. This trip, brief as it was, served as a stark reminder of just how varied and vivid Australia can be. From jet-engine luxury to fossil-filled canyons, it was a journey of contrasts.
Thanks to the luxury of jet travel, we were able to experience more in one weekend than a lot of people do in their lifetime. Best of all, it was hassle-free, pure luxury yet felt just like home. Experiences that are totally priceless.
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SUNSHINE COAST JET CENTRE
Flight Options allows you to charter your own private jet to travel in hassle-free style. Choose your own adventure or a luxury package ranging from Outback Glamping to Golfing at Coffs Harbour, or a Whitsundays Escape.
