This is a remarkable expedition that the legend of lives on through the ages and tells stories of explorers past.

The tale of Burke & Wills stretches back to 1860.

165 years ago, an intrepid exploration team set off from Melbourne, Victoria, tasked with the mission of uncovering “Terra Incognita”.

In 1860 much of Australia’s interior north of Menindee, New South Wales was unknown and many people harboured great hope of riches that lay waiting to be exploited in Australia’s vast continent.  With funding from the Royal Society of Victoria, Robert Burke and William Wills were selected to lead the ill-fated expedition.  15,000 people cheered the team off from Royal Park in Melbourne.

Maschine will to lead you on the same trek, to follow the same path, to give a taste what our early explorers endured.  Retrace this famous expedition with the support of maschine and our exploration ready support crew.

Expedition Overview
We will assemble in Melbourne Victoria for rider sign in and briefing at the Royal Society of Victoria.

Following riders briefing a welcome dinner will be held at Windsor Hotel Melbourne where you will be treated to a celebratory send off meal worthy of such a grand exploration.

The next morning, we will depart Royal Park with much fanfare, just like the original expedition. Once we leave the confines of the City Of Melbourne ahead of you is 10 days of riding through Australia’s wide open spaces.

Throughout this ride we will delve into the details of the original expedition. A narrator will tell the Burke & Wills story each night around the campfire and we’ll be guided by his stories as we ride searching for the clues, landmarks and remnants of the original trek.

After moving northward across an entire continent, our ride will finish at Karumba, Queensland in the Gulf of Carpentaria.  One of the few places on the Australian east coast where you can watch the sun set into the water.

Of course, for the original expedition their journey home was less than successful with all but one member of the exploration party perishing. We aim to get you all home safely with incredible tales to tell!

Departure Location

Melbourne, Victoria

Finish Location

Karumba, Queensland

Start Date

Wednesday 13 August 2025

Finish Date

Saturday 23 August 2025

Package options

• Single Accommodation (11 x nights Single room, most meals) - $TBC
• Shared Accommodation (11 x nights Shared room, most meals) - $TBC

Price Includes

• Accommodation in hotels or resorts
• Nightly narration telling the story of the original expedition
• Experienced Tour Guides
• National Parks entrance fees
• 10 x breakfasts, 2 x lunches, 11 x dinners
• Rider goodie bag
• Maschine branded leather bound roadbook

Price Excludes

• Flights
• Bike transport
• Alcoholic beverages
• Any Private Expenses

Complementaries

• GPS route file
• Daily printed route sheets
• Overnight luggage transport
• Event T-Shirt and memorabilia
• Some Park Entrance Fees

Highlights

• Spend a night in the historic and opulent Windsor Hotel Melbourne
• Visit some of the historical sights of the original expedition - Royal Society of Victoria, memorial graves, landmarks
• Appreciate the stark landscape of Mungo National Park
• Explore fascinating Broken Hill
• Enjoy the outback charm of Tibooburra
• Pay our respects at the Dig Tree near Innamincka
• Refresh at Birdsville Hotel and take a day to summit big red sand dune of Simpson Desert
• Enjoy a beer at rides end watching the sun set over Gulf of Carpentaria

Itinerary

Day 0 - Wed 13 Aug 2025 Arrive in Melbourne, VIC

Arrive in Melbourne by midday for our expedition to begin.

We will kick official proceedings off with our rider sign on & briefing at the Royal Society Of Victoria – the funders of the original expedition.  Welcome dinner will be at the grand Windsor Hotel in the heart of Melbourne.

Day 1 - Thu 14 Aug 2025Melbourne - Kerang 334km

We will depart Royal Park with much fanfare, just like the original expedition. Once we leave the confines of the City Of Melbourne, ahead of you is 10 days of riding through Australia’s wide open spaces.

The riding will begin with rolling hills thick with trees that will open out more on flatter ground as we approach the Murray River.

Day 2 - Fri 15 Aug 2025Kerang - Mungo National Park 298km

The Murray River won’t pose such an obstacle for our party as we cross at Swan Hill.  Once across the river the terrain changes markedly.  You will gobsmacked by the flat wide open expanses of the salt bush country north of Balranald. Mungo National Park will engage your senses with the stark landscape that is loaded with history.

Day 3 - Sat 16 Aug 2025Mungo - Broken Hill 426km

Kinchega Woolsheds near the shores of Lake Menindee are likely some of the largest woolsheds you have ever seen.  Menindee was a key stopping point of the expedition because from here they were entering into “terra incognita” – everything beyond was unknown.

We will overnight just out of Broken Hill on the doorstep of the outback.

Day 4 - Sun 17 Aug 2025Broken Hill - Tibooburra 414km

The country changes again as we travel over red sandy soils making a home for stark white gums around Mutawintji National Park.  Depending on permission being granted we will faithfully follow the original expedition route through private property that gives us a taste of forging new ground away from the formed roads. Running north to Tibooburra takes us through some interesting outback landscapes.

Overnight in Tibooburra with outback hospitality.

Day 5 - Mon 18 Aug 2025Tibooburra - Innamincka 441km

We have a choice of routes here which is splitting hairs from the original route.  Our main goal for today is clear though and that is to visit the infamous Dig Tree on the banks of the Cooper Creek.  This outpost was pivotal in the Burke & Wills story so we will pay our respects here before completing the day at Innamincka.

Day 6 - Tue 19 Aug 2025Innamincka - Birdsville 420km

A big stretch today across land that at first glimpse is supremely inhospitable.  Reality is some have managed to make a living off the land here as evidenced by the woolshed at Cordillo Downs.  Maybe Burke & Wills did succeed by some measure in finding arable land?

We will stop the next 2 x nights at Birdsville to rest our weary travellers bones but also to savour the atmosphere of the Birdsville Hotel.

Day 7 - Wed 20 Aug 2025Birdsville rest day

We call it a “rest day” but reality is we have a mission we want to accomplish early in the morning and that is to summit Bid Red sand dune on the astern fringe of Simpson Desert.  To see the sun rise from atop the dune will put life in perspective for you.  You will feel small but somehow empowered by the might of the landscape around you.

A short ride back to town to relax for the day and ready yourself and your bike for the final push north.

Day 8 - Thu 21 Aug 2025Birdsville - Boulia 533km

A big day no doubt but reality is you will find little in your way to slow your progress.  The country out here is so incredibly flat and barren you could be mistaken for thinking you are standing on sheets of rusted steel as you stare across the treeless gibber plains.  To stand there and imagine walking across this barren landscape without a clue what lays ahead is an awe inspiring point.

Boulia will welcome us for the evening. It may not be much but it is welcome civilisation after today.

Day 9 - Fri 22 Aug 2025Boulia - Cloncurry 380km

This has to be one of our favourite days of the ride in terms of terrain.  The landscape changes dramatically again as we approach the Selwyn Ranges with large cattle stations occupying the landscape.  Stark white eucalypts and spinifex grass make for some stunning country that is a distinct contrast.

Cloncurry will be mark the greatest civilisation for several days.

Day 10 - Sat 23 Aug 2025Cloncurry - Karumba 544km

Another big push for the final day but again it is wide open country as we move into the tropics.  We will examine the most northern campsite of the expedition and marvel in the courage and tenacity it took to walk from Melbourne all this way. A true feat of exploration.

After moving northward across an entire continent, our ride will finish at Karumba, Queensland on the Gulf of Carpentaria. One of the few places on the Australian east coast where you can watch the sun set into the water.

From Karumba you are free to make your way home whether that be by heading back inland direct for home or perhaps opt to travel back to civilisation with our support crew or freight your bike.

Sunday 24 August 2024Karumba - head home

After breakfast you are free to check out and make your way home, whether that be riding home by yourself or perhaps tag along with our support crew as we head back to civilisation.

Or, better still, saddle up and continue the expedition ride in a homewards direction.