Wings on the Warrego: The Charleville event worth a September road trip

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to point the RV west this September, Charleville has just delivered a pretty good one.

Wings on the Warrego returns to Outback Queensland on 12-13 September 2026, bringing historic warbirds, vintage aircraft and aviation displays to Charleville Airport. Headlining this year’s event is an Australian-built WWII fighter that has been some 40 years in the making.

But rather than simply heading to Charleville for the day, this is an event worth building an Outback Queensland road trip around.

A rare Australian warbird is heading to Charleville

Taking centre stage at Wings on the Warrego will be CAC Boomerang A46-54, VH-MHB, an example of the only Australian-designed and built fighter aircraft to enter production during World War II.

The aircraft last flew in 1945 and was later destined for scrap, but has since undergone an extraordinary restoration spanning around four decades, led by Queensland warbird restorer Greg Batts.

Now back in the skies, the Boomerang will make the journey west to Charleville, with Batts also attending the event. It’s a particularly fitting destination given Charleville’s own aviation history.

Qantas commenced its first regular scheduled service carrying mail and passengers between Charleville and Cloncurry in 1922. During World War II, Charleville Aerodrome also became an important base for United States forces.

What aircraft will be at Wings on the Warrego?

The Boomerang won’t be making the journey alone. Working with Brisbane Biplanes, Warbird Experience, War Planes and local aviation provider South West Air, Wings on the Warrego is expected to bring eight aircraft to Charleville.

The line-up includes:

• CAC Boomerang VH-MHB
• Boeing Stearman VH-SNM
• Cessna 195 VH-ONF
• Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk VH-AK4
• North American SNJ-4 Texan
• North American T-28D Trojans
• MK26B Spitfire

Pilots from the participating aviation partners will also attend, giving visitors the chance to meet some of the people who fly, restore and maintain the aircraft.

What to expect at Wings on the Warrego 2026

The main event takes place at Charleville Airport on Saturday, 12 September, when visitors will be able to get close to the aircraft on the tarmac as well as watch an aerial flyover. Joy flights will also operate across the weekend.

Away from the warbirds, Saturday’s program includes an Aviation Careers Expo, Royal Flying Doctor Service Flight Simulator, Classic Car Display, family entertainment and food. The event will also mark the unveiling of the Qantas Heritage Trail Monument and Bilby Art Trail.

Tickets for Saturday’s main event cost $12, with children under five free.

There’s more happening across the weekend

Wings on the Warrego extends beyond Saturday’s main airport event.

Festivities begin on Friday 11 September with Welcome to Wings, The Pre-Flight at Hotel Corones. Visitors can start the weekend at one of Charleville’s best-known historic buildings, with the opportunity to join a history and stories tour.

On Sunday 13 September, the focus shifts towards the future of aviation with a Code Camp Drone Flying Workshop.

Sunday is also National Bilby Day, with official celebrations taking place at the Charleville Bilby Experience and Visitor Information Centre from 10am until 2pm. Entry to the National Bilby Day celebrations is free.

Why RV travellers should make a road trip of it

For caravanners and motorhome travellers, Wings on the Warrego is a good excuse for a road trip west!

Charleville sits in South West Queensland at the junction of the Warrego and Mitchell highways, around 740km west of Brisbane. It’s far enough to feel like you’ve properly escaped, but close enough that you don’t need to spend weeks and months on the road.

And once you’ve made the journey west, there’s plenty more to see. Aviation enthusiasts can continue exploring the town’s wartime story at the WWII Secret Base, an interactive exhibition covering Charleville’s role between 1942 and 1946. There’s also a guided WWII Secret Tag-Along Tour visiting six significant locations from the former USAAF base.

Elsewhere in Charleville, you can learn more about one of Australia’s most distinctive native animals at the Charleville Bilby Experience, look skywards at the Charleville Cosmos Centre or stretch the legs along the Warrego River Walk.

Camping and caravanning in Charleville

RV travellers have a number of camping and caravan park options around Charleville, but with a major event taking place over the weekend, booking ahead is recommended rather than assuming you’ll find a site when you roll into town.

Getting to Charleville

From Brisbane, it’s just under 800km to Charleville, so you can expect a full day’s drive. No need to do it all in one day, though! The Warrego Highway passes through Toowoomba, Dalby, Roma and Mitchell along the way, all great Queensland towns to visit.

Wings on the Warrego 2026: What you need to know

When: 12-13 September 2026, with the Welcome to Wings, The Pre-Flight event on Friday 11 September
Where: Charleville Airport, Charleville, Queensland
Main event: Saturday 12 September
Saturday tickets: $12; children under five free
Highlights: Historic warbirds, aircraft displays, aerial flyover, joy flights, aviation careers expo, flight simulator, classic cars and family entertainment

For the latest program information, tickets and event updates, visit the official Wings on the Warrego website.

Time to point the RV west?

Wings on the Warrego might be the reason you put Charleville into the GPS, but there’s enough in this Outback Queensland town to warrant hanging around once the flying finishes. Come for the rare chance to see the restored CAC Boomerang alongside an impressive collection of historic aircraft, then stay for Charleville’s wartime history, bilbies, stars and outback experiences.

For RV travellers looking for somewhere different to point the rig this September, Charleville has certainly given us a good reason to head west.

---

Where to next: