The Great Australien Adventure
27 Days

Tour Prerequisites

• You’d like an adventure holiday
• You’re happy to mix with many nationalities
• You enjoy the outdoor
• You are tolerant, flexible and enjoy life
• You like to walk and try new things
• You are relatively fit and healthy You mix well with all ages

Then perhaps consider this tour

Itinerary

Day 1 (Sat) - Sydney To Coffs Harbour

Travel north along the Pacific Highway and see the Australian bush, country towns, expanding suburbia and banana plantations. Your overnight is near the Pacific Ocean and the resort town of Coffs Harbour – camping in tents for all. A great
way to start your adventure.

Meals: Dinner

Day 2 (Sun) - Grafton, Byron Bay & Queensland Gold Coast

The rural town of Grafton is the first stop then detour in to Byron Bay on the coast –
Australia’s most easterly point and an alternative lifestyle town. Cross the state border in to Queensland - a second night in tents for all on the Gold Coast.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 (Mon) - Brisbane & Australia Zoo

Travel through Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, see pineapple plantations and country towns. The highlight today is an afternoon visit to the famous Australia Zoo of Steve Irwin fame. The next two nights are at Hervey Bay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 (Tue) - Fraser Island

A full day 4WD tour to Fraser Island. See dingoes, a shipwreck, beautiful rainforest
scenery and freshwater inland lakes – a world heritage sand island. Return ferry to the mainland for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 (Wed) - Cattle Station Stopover

See sugar cane plantations and beef cattle stations as you journey inland to a farmstay at Myella Farm. The Eather family have always been farmers and continue to run 400 beef cattle on their property. Try cracking a whip, optional horse rides available, and a farm dinner included. A great experience!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 (Thu) - Whitsunday Islands

The morning stop is at Rockhampton, the beef cattle capital of Queensland, located on the Tropic of Capricorn. Continue north to Airlie Beach, gateway to The Whitsundays, for the next 2 nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 (Fri) - Exploring The Islands

A free day for optional visits to The Whitsunday Islands sailing, cruising, scenic flights and more! The choice is yours (passenger expense).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 (Sat) - To Bowen, Townsville, Innisfail & Cairns

Travel north through the mango and sugar cane regions of Bowen and Townsville. See Tully and Innisfail, in Australia’s wettest, tropical rainforest regions, on the way to Cairns - settle in to camp for the next three nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 (Sun) - Outer Barrier Reef Cruise & Tjapukai By Night

Today visit one of the Wonders of the World – The Great Barrier Reef. A wonderful cruise – time for snorkelling, join a marine naturalist for a personalised guided tour
of The Reef and coral viewing. In the evening see Australia’s culture through Aboriginal eyes – a powerful and personal experience that will leave you with a deep and lasting memory. Dinner included.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 (Mon) - Cairns Exploration

A free day for relaxing, shopping or optional activity (passenger’s own expense). Suggestions: white water rafting; 4WD tour to the Daintree and Cape Tribulation, Skyrail to the Tablelands or maybe a relaxing day.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 (Tue) - Outback Queensland

Charters Towers is the first major stop, an old gold mining town with its characteristic buildings of the 19th Century. On to Torrens Creek for our overnight stay – a quaint outback town where you can enjoy the hospitality at a typical small outback pub.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12 (Wed) - An Ancient Land Where Dinosaurs Roamed

Travel through the outback Queensland towns of Richmond, Julia Creek (site of a
dinosaur museum) and the old copper mining town of Cloncurry, an important town in the history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Qantas. Your destination tonight is Mount Isa, a large mining town.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13 (Thu) - To The Northern Territory

This morning pass through Camooweal, an important cattle droving centre in the early days. The Barkly Highway crosses some of the largest cattle properties in the world. Overnight at Renner Springs, a typical outback-roadside stopover.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14 (Fri) - To Daly Waters, Mataranka & Katherine George

The first stop today is at the small outback town of Daly Waters, which is noted for its unique outback pub! At Mataranka a thermal pool provides a relaxing respite.
Continue on to Katherine for overnight stop at historic Springvale Homestead.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15 (Sat) - Litchfield National Park

Detour into Litchfield National Park and see the magnetic termite mounds and beautiful waterfalls. Continue to Darwin - capital of the N.T. and gateway to our rapidly developing north for 2 nights in a hotel. Evening Fish & Chip dinner and
sunset cruise on Darwin Harbour.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16 (Sun) - Darwin – The Top End

Morning and afternoon free to explore or undertake optional touring activities. Maybe
this evening we could visit Mindil Market (in season) – noted for its wide varieties of
Asian food, art and craft products.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel

Day 17 (Mon) - Darwin Sightseeing & Mary River

Free time in Darwin to explore this tropical cosmopolitan capital city or to just relax, lunch by own arrangement. At 1.00 pm depart on brief sightseeing tour of Darwin and commence the journey towards Kakadu visiting Fogg Dam noted for its bird life and the attraction ‘Window On The Wetlands’. Overnight stop at Mary River Park – the gateway to Kakadu and a sanctuary for both wetland and woodland flora and fauna with a 3 km frontage to the Mary River.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 18 (Tue) - Mary River To Kakadu National Park

Bush walks or an optional morning river cruise before continuing along the Arnhem
Highway crossing the South Alligator River. See the Crocodile Motel at the town of
Jabiru, HQ of the Ranger Uranium Mine. See Aboriginal cave paintings and visit the
Kakadu National Park Headquarters - a wilderness region. Overnight at Cooinda in
Kakadu – tents for all tonight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 19 (Wed) - Yellow Waters Crocodile Cruise

Up early for the natural wonders of Yellow Waters - a wildlife cruise on the billabong.
Such a variety of birds, crocodiles, attractive vegetation, water-lillies and wildflowers – a photographers delight!  After breakfast it’s on to Pine Creek, a revitalised gold mining town. Your destination today Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park. Enjoy an afternoon cruise through the gorge. Overnight Knotts Crossing Resort Camping Park.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 20 (Thu) - The Devils Marbles, Tennant Creek

Pass through the settlements of Larrimah, Elliot, Renner Springs and the gold mining town of Tennant Creek. Establish camp at Wauchope. Return to the Devils Marbles to photograph this unique, natural region at sunset and tonight perhaps meet the locals over a drink at the bar! (B,L,D)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 21 (Fri) - Tennant Creek to Alice Springs

Journey south along the Stuart Highway passing through several small settlements and cross the Tropic Of Capricorn. As you are still in cattle country you may see the large road trains. In Alice Springs visit the Royal Flying Doctor Base, Standley Chasm and Simpson Gap before settling in to camp at Heavitree Gap Outback Lodge for 2 nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 22 (Sat) - Alice Springs

Today is a free day for you to explore ‘The Alice’. Walk to the top of Anzac Hill, for a panoramic view of the town and the MacDonnell Ranges; visit the many Art galleries; the John Flynn Memorial Church; Adelaide House – the first Alice Springs Hospital; the Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame; relax in t he mall with its many coffee and souvenir shops. We recommend as an option ‘The Sounds of Starlight’ spellbinding, musical didgeridoo and visual journey through the outback. Evening free.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 23 (Sun) - Alice Springs Desert Park & Aboriginal Culture

A morning visit to the Alice Springs Desert Park – your essential introduction to The
Outback that showcases the cultural and natural environment of arid Australia. This
afternoon another different experience as we visit Aboriginal homelands for a Cultural Camp Out. Learn to throw a boomerang, discover bush tucker, talk to Arrernte Community members, see a kangaroo cooked in traditional style, enjoy billy tea and damper in campfire atmosphere. Pitch your tent or camp out under the stars in this isolated location on the fringe of the Simpson Desert. This activity subject to weather conditions and road access.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 24 (Mon) - To Watarrka National Park

Depart bush camp, visit an agricultural desert experimental farm and Jim’s Place – the home of the Singing Dingo. At Mount Ebenezer Station view the Aboriginal art gallery, journey to Kings Canyon for a spectacular canyon rim walk.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 25 (Tue) - To Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park

On to Curtin Springs Station to Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayers Rock and The Olgas). There will be time today to visit nearby Kata Tjuta. Overnight Ayers Rock Resort Campground – tents for all.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 26 (Wed) - Uluru - World Heritage

Up early to travel to Uluru for sunrise photographs. Afterwards visit the National Park Cultural Centre, climb Uluru or visit some of the sacred sites. Optional
flights available. Remainder of afternoon free.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 27 (Thu) - Ayers Rock

Tour concludes after breakfast.
Transfer to airport /  free time by own arrangement.

Meals: Breakfast

Remember: This is not a holiday… it’s an adventure!
This tour is an English language tour catering for international and Australian clients. The English commentary is provided by the Australian Coach Captain/Guide and Catering Manager/Safari Cook. In addition French and German language assistant volunteers help passengers with information translations.

Further Information

GREAT AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE OPTIONS (PDF)

Camping out in twin share tents. Meals are prepared by your safari cook. Commentary and information by the tour driver/guide is in Australian English. In addition a language assistance service is offered in French and German by volunteers who also help our crew with camp chores. But remember – the driver/guide is an Aussie who only speaks English so some understanding of English is useful.