Qantas

What Qantas does

Qantas Founders Museum is a not-for-profit registered charity (legally Qantas Foundation Memorial Ltd) operating a cultural and tourism attraction in Longreach, Queensland, Australia, dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of Qantas Airways at the airline's actual birthplace. The museum opened in June 1996 and is anchored by the National Heritage Listed 1922 Qantas Hangar, housing a unique collection of heritage aircraft including a Boeing 747-200, Boeing 707, Super Constellation, DC-3, and Catalina flying boat, plus 50+ original Harry Rogers travel posters and the Boeing 747-238 'City of Bunbury' donated by Qantas in 2002.

The museum operates a platform-plus-experiences model with six core tour products (Museum Only, Light & Sound Show, Business Class, First Class, Captain's Club, and 747 Wing Walk) spanning self-guided visits to premium 4-hour guided experiences with cockpit access and wing walks. Supporting offerings include McGinness' Café (a licensed restaurant), an on-site gift shop, six venue-hire spaces for corporate and private events, the Longreach Museum of Art (LMOA) gallery with touring exhibitions such as POSTWORLD, and an annual membership program ($30 individual, $60 family). The signature Luminescent Longreach light and sound show, completed in 2020 at a cost of $14.3 million funded by Federal and Queensland Governments, projects 100 years of Qantas history onto the aircraft fuselages.

Revenue is generated through admissions and tour ticket sales (booked via the Respax platform), gift shop retail, food and beverage, venue hire, membership subscriptions, tax-deductible donations, and government grants. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer online and on-site bookings with third-party tour operator partnerships (Outback Aussie Tours, Outback Pioneers, Golden West Tours). The museum is structurally and legally independent of Qantas Airways Ltd but maintains an Intellectual Property Licensing Agreement and receives annual donations and volunteer support from the airline, including a Qantas-appointed board director. The organization employs 19 staff, operates seasonally with reduced summer hours, and is governed by a board including the grandson of founder Sir Hudson Fysh plus executives from Brisbane Airport Corporation, Mackay Airport, and Qantas.

Name

Qantas

Legal name

Qantas Foundation Memorial Ltd

Website

https://qfom.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Qantas Founders Museum is a not-for-profit aviation heritage attraction in Longreach, Queensland, preserving the history of Qantas Airways at the airline's birthplace. It operates guided and self-guided museum tours, premium aircraft experiences, a light and sound show, café, gift shop, and venue hire, serving individual tourists, families, and corporate event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Heritage Museum

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (71212)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

Keywords

• Aviation heritage museum
• Guided aircraft tours
• Cultural tourism services
• Heritage event venues
• Museum membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Longreach

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission and Tours: Revenue from ticket sales for museum entry and various guided tour experiences including Business Class, First Class, Captain's Club, Museum Only, Light & Sound Show, and 747 Wing Walk tours.
2. Gift Shop Sales: Retail sales of Qantas merchandise, model planes, books, and handmade trinkets through the on-site gift shop.
3. Food and Beverage: Revenue from McGinness' Café which serves breakfast and lunch daily, offering meals, grab and go options, coffee and cake.
4. Membership Program: Annual memberships providing free museum entry, invitations to special events, and 10% discount on gift purchases. Individual membership $30, Family membership $60.
5. Functions and Events Venue Hire: Venue hire for corporate events, conferences, workshops, group dinners and VIP events across six versatile venues including Main Museum, Airpark, Hangar, Rodney Seccombe Centre, Boardroom, and Theatre.
6. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations over $2 accepted. The museum received significant government funding for the Airpark Roof project ($14.3 million from Federal and Queensland Governments). Receives annual donation from Qantas under IP Licensing Agreement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Qantas Founders Museum is a not-for-profit aviation heritage museum in Longreach, Queensland, that preserves and exhibits the history of Qantas Airways through guided and self-guided tours of historic aircraft (Boeing 747, 707, Super Constellation, DC-3, Catalina), the Luminescent Longreach light and sound show, and interactive exhibits inside the National Heritage Listed 1922 Qantas Hangar. It sells tiered tour experiences, memberships, gift shop merchandise, café food and beverage, and venue hire for events. The museum is owned and operated by Qantas Foundation Memorial Ltd, an independent registered charity.

Product overview

Qantas Founders Museum is a single-museum institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of Qantas Airways, located at the birthplace of Australian aviation in Longreach, Queensland. The museum operates as a platform-plus-experiences model, combining core tour products (ranging from self-guided museum entry to premium Captain's Club experiences) with supporting services including McGinness' Café restaurant, a gift shop, membership programs, venue hire for functions and events, and an art gallery (Longreach Museum of Art). Key tour products include the Luminescent Longreach light and sound show, various airpark experiences with access to iconic aircraft (Boeing 747, 707, Super Constellation, DC-3, Catalina), and the 747 Wing Walk tour. The museum is owned by Qantas Foundation Memorial Ltd, a not-for-profit community organization independent of Qantas Airways Ltd.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Class Experience Premium tour package combining the evening Luminescent Longreach light and sound show with a 90-minute guided airpark tour exploring Douglas DC-3, Catalina Flying Boat, Super Constellation, Boeing 707 and Boeing 747, followed by self-guided museum access. Aimed at visitors seeking the full heritage experience including aircraft interior tours and the night-time spectacle.
• First Class Experience A 90-minute guided tour of iconic aircraft plus a 60-minute small group Boeing 747 tour including cockpit access and wing walking experience, with self-guided museum access. Designed for visitors wanting intimate access to the Boeing 747 cockpit and wing.
• Captain's Club Experience The ultimate 4-hour small group experience including access to Douglas DC-3, Catalina, Super Constellation, Boeing 707 and 747, wing walks on both the 707 and 747, private room access on the 707, meal voucher, tour photo montage, and self-guided museum access. Targeted at visitors seeking the most exclusive, comprehensive experience.
• Museum Only Experience Self-guided museum tour covering the evolution of Qantas from outback airline to global carrier, including main exhibition space and National Heritage Listed Hangar. Does not include airpark access to aircraft such as the Boeing 747, 707 or Super Constellation.
• Luminescent Longreach Light & Sound Show A 25-minute evening light and sound spectacular projecting 100 years of Qantas history onto the side of iconic aircraft including Boeing 747, Boeing 707 and Super Constellation. A standalone night experience that does not include museum entry.
• 747 Wing Walk Tour A 1-hour exclusive tour including Boeing 747 flight deck access with pilot seat experience, and walking on the aircraft's 25-meter wing. Designed for visitors seeking an adrenaline-charged, unique aviation experience.
• McGinness' Café Award-winning on-site restaurant open for breakfast and lunch, offering meals from lighter options to full mains, coffee and cake, with aviation-themed views over the Catalina display and airport runway. Open to museum visitors and the general public.
• Gift Shop Curated collection of Qantas merchandise including model planes, books, DVDs, clothing, souvenirs, postcards, stickers and tea towels, sold through the on-site gift shop and online storefront.
• Annual Membership $30 annual individual membership offering free museum entry, invitations to special events, and 10% discount on gift purchases. Designed for repeat visitors and aviation enthusiasts who want ongoing access.
• Annual Family Membership $60 family membership covering the whole family with free museum entry, special event invitations, and 10% discount on gift purchases. Designed for families visiting repeatedly throughout the year.
• Functions & Events Venue Hire Six versatile event venues including Main Museum, Theatre, QFM Boardroom, Rodney Seccombe Centre, Main Exhibition Hall, Airpark Enclosure, and National Heritage Listed Qantas Hangar for conferences, corporate events, weddings, and group dinners. Marketed to corporate groups and event organizers.
• Audio Tours (VACAYit App) Free downloadable audio guide available through the VACAYit app on iOS and Android, enhancing self-guided museum visits with the origin story of Qantas and its four original founders. Targeted at visitors who prefer self-paced, technology-enabled engagement with the exhibits.
• Longreach Museum of Art (LMOA) Dedicated art gallery with three galleries totalling 130 running metres hosting in-house curated and touring exhibitions from Australian artists. Open to museum visitors and the public as a cultural destination within the museum complex.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average visitor spends 4 hours in the museum
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Qantas Airways LtdcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe museum has an Intellectual Property Licensing Agreement with Qantas and receives an annual donation from them. Qantas employees (past and present) support the museum through donations, substantial volunteer labor, information and advice. Qantas donated the Boeing 747-238 to the museum in 2002. The museum is separate and distinct from, and not owned or operated by, Qantas Airways Ltd.
• Umbrella Studio Contemporary ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-curated the POSTWORLD exhibition featuring Australian artists who create parallel universes. POSTWORLD is a touring initiative developed by Umbrella and commissioned by NAFA, toured by Museums & Galleries Queensland.
• Museums & Galleries QueenslandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTours the POSTWORLD exhibition developed by Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts, making it available to regional venues including Longreach Museum of Art.
• Longreach Visitor Information CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional tourism partnership providing referrals and visitor information about the museum and Longreach attractions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Fighter World Museum: Williamtown (NSW) museum specializing in military aviation heritage with aircraft collection and guided tours. Comparable as an aviation-focused heritage museum offering immersive aircraft experiences outside a major capital.
• Aviation Heritage Museum (Western Australia): Perth-based aviation museum displaying heritage aircraft and memorabilia. Comparable as a specialty aviation museum offering similar aircraft exhibits and guided experiences, but serving a different regional catchment.
• Stockman's Hall of Fame: Longreach-based heritage museum focused on Australian outback pastoral history. Directly comparable as a co-located Longreach tourism partner sharing the same remote catchment and visitor flow.

Broad incumbents

• Australian War Memorial: National museum in Canberra covering military history including aviation. Comparable as a federally supported heritage institution with aircraft displays, but with a much larger mandate, budget, and visitor base.
• Queensland Museum: State-level museum system in Queensland with broad natural and cultural history collections. Comparable as a publicly funded heritage institution within the same state that competes for tourism and government funding attention.
• Powerhouse Museum (Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences): Major Sydney-based museum covering applied arts and sciences, including transport/aviation holdings. Comparable as a broader cultural institution with aviation collections but operating at much larger scale and wider thematic scope.

Direct peers

• Hinkler Hall of Aviation: Regional Queensland aviation museum in Bundaberg dedicated to aviator Bert Hinkler. Comparable as a state-level aviation heritage attraction combining aircraft displays with interactive experiences and regional tourism positioning.
• Australian National Maritime Museum: National museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney focused on maritime heritage with significant vessel collection. Comparable as a heritage transport-themed museum with full-size artefact vessels, immersive exhibits, and venue-hire operations.
• Australian National Aviation Museum: Aviation-focused museum at Tullamarine, Victoria, displaying heritage aircraft and aviation artefacts. Directly comparable as a specialty aviation museum targeting enthusiasts and general visitors with curated aircraft exhibits.

Others

• Museums & Galleries Queensland: Statewide support organization for Queensland museums that tours exhibitions (including POSTWORLD) to regional venues including QFM. Comparable as a sector enabler/distribution partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@qfom747
• Facebookfacebook.com/QantasFoundersMuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qantas-founders-museum
• Instagraminstagram.com/qantas_founders_museum

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Qantas