075 Soar along the world's longest postal run

AT gives you the world’s longest mail run, only this time you’re going first class – by plane.

Last year in the 100 Things You’ve Never Heard Of we had you joining the outback postal run out of Coober Pedy and sailing the mail down the Hawkesbury River. Now we give you the world’s longest mail run, only this time you’re going first class – by plane.

Top Gun mailman Mathew Burleigh takes off every Wednesday from SA’s Port Augusta for his two-day, 1790km mail run all the way to Birdsville in outback Queensland. Taking up to two passengers in his Aero Commander aircraft (depending on the amount of mail that week), Burleigh drops in on 13 cattle stations and other small communities.

Travellers are able to join the mail run from Port Augusta and spend the night in Birdsville for a beer or ten after your hard day’s flying, before returning to your departure point the following day.

West Wing Aviation is sub-contracted by the Australian Postal Service under the Remote Air Service Subsidy Scheme, which improves access to remote and isolated communities by regular air transport. A round trip will cost you only $638, not including accommodation.

Where // From Port Augusta in SA to Birdsville in Qld. More info on (07) 4743 2144 or at www.westwing.com.au (and no, that’s not the fan site for the popular White House drama).

Did you know? // Australia’s first postal outlets commenced operating in Sydney in 1809.

SEE THE FULL LIST: 100 Things you can only do in Australia