Black kites wheeling above parched plains, big hats, rattling road trains, and vast skies form the backdrop for the Festival of Outback Opera in remote ‘Waltzing Matilda country’ – a place studded with cattle stations and opal mines. Here, Banjo Paterson penned his jolly swagman opus. It is a place, in the bard’s words, ‘where the telegraph don’t reach you nor the railways run to town’; a locale far removed from classical music’s natural habitat in metropolitan arts centres.

Each year, Opera Queensland celebrates opera in Longreach. The town of Winton, north-west of Longreach, where the majority of events occur, is situated in central Queensland on Koa country; it has a population of around 950. The program – inclusive and accessible – is tailored to honour the heritage and culture of this region. It includes everything from Mozart and Donizetti to Lady Gaga and Jimmy Barnes. The intention is to build a lasting relationship with locals through concerts, panel discussions, and interactive workshops in schools.