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Day 1 : Cairns (D)
On arrival at Cairns you will be met and transferred* to your hotel. Enjoy some free time exploring the city, browsing in the shops along the esplanade or relaxing by the pool. This evening meet your Outback Discovery crew and get together with fellow travellers during your welcome dinner.
Overnight Stay: Cairns
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Day 2 : Cairns – Cape Tribulation (B,L,D)
Departing Cairns this morning, we drive north along the Captain Cook Highway to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, the best place to see crocodiles and native wildlife in the tropical north. Take a boat ride on Hartley’s Lagoon for a unique eco adventure and guaranteed sightings of crocodiles in their own habitat. Continuing north to Port Douglas you’ll see some of Australia’s best scenery where isolated beaches and the Coral Sea are fringed by hills covered in rainforest. We’ll take a drive to the sophisticated holiday town of Port Douglas before continuing to Mossman, a quaint sugar cane town and the gateway to the Daintree River ferry crossing. Once across the river you will be in the oldest rainforest on earth, which was confirmed as a World Heritage listed area in 1988. At the Daintree Discovery Centre there is a wealth of information on the area’s birds, butterflies and crocodiles. On the cleverly designed aerial walkway and canopy tower, you may be lucky enough to spot a cassowary on the banks of the creek below.
Overnight Stay: Cape Tribulation
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Day 3 : Cape Tribulation – Cooktown (B,L,D)
Today we’ll take the Bloomfield Track to Cooktown. Along the way you can see where the wet tropical rainforest literally meets the reef at the edge of the ocean. The drive is exhilarating with steep climbs and many creek crossings. We take a short diversion into the rainforest to see Bloomfield Falls, a roaring wall of water dropping 40 metres over the escarpment. We will be joined by a local Aboriginal guide from the Wujal Wujal Community who will share the spiritual links between this land and the people. Beyond the rainforest is the Lions Den Hotel, our lunch stop for today. This timber and iron hotel is a local landmark which has enjoyed a rich history since 1875. We’ll stop to inspect the unusually formed black granite boulders of the Black Mountain Range before arriving at Cooktown. Cooktown has over two centuries of rich history, starting with Captain James Cook beaching the Endeavour for repairs after striking the reef in 1770. A century later, the town’s population increased massively during the gold rush. You will visit the James Cook Museum, housed in a 120 year old convent building and widely regarded as the best regional museum in Australia. At the Botanic Gardens you will see the exotic plant section, a ‘palmetum’ and native plants unique to this area. Our hotel is conveniently located on the main street, perfect for a late afternoon stroll.
Overnight Stay: Cooktown
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Day 4 : Cooktown – Lotus Bird Lodge (B,L,D)
UNESCO rates Cape York’s Quinkan region among the world’s top 10 prehistoric rock art areas. We’ll visit a fine example this morning at the Split Rock Aboriginal art site near Laura. We then drive to Old Laura and the abandoned homestead, a rare surviving example of an early Cape York Peninsula pastoral station. The house, outbuildings and yards are still structurally sound and in original condition. Further north we enter Lakefield National Park. The Park is renowned for its vast river systems and spectacular wetlands and the landscape is of major Aboriginal cultural significance. This afternoon you’ll see the ruins at Breeza Plains before we arrive at Lotus Bird Lodge for some true Cape York country hospitality. You will stay in individual pole style cabins set amongst shady eucalypts along the inner bank of a large horseshoe shaped billabong. Tonight we’ll have dinner overlooking the billabong.
Overnight Stay: Lotus Bird Lodge
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Day 5 : Lotus Bird Lodge – Weipa (B,L,D)
After leaving Lotus Bird we rejoin the Peninsula Developmental Road at Musgrave and drive north, passing through the town of Coen that grew up around a repeater station along the Overland Telegraph Line. We’ll have lunch at the Archer River Roadhouse before crossing the river and continuing our journey to Weipa. Weipa is a mining town built to house employees and support staff who work at the largest bauxite deposit in the world.
Overnight Stay: Weipa
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Day 6 : Weipa – Moreton Telegraph Station (B,L,D)
Today you’ll join a guided tour of the Weipa Township and mine, which gives an informative overview of the mining and shipping process. You’ll see the bauxite operations, the enormous mining equipment, trucks, trains and other plant employed at Weipa. We’ll then continue travelling north to the historic Moreton Telegraph Station, which was built in 1886 as part of the Overland Telegraph Line and converted to a homestead during the 1920’s. Today, Moreton Telegraph Station offers comfortable safari tented accommodation set in peaceful surroundings located on the banks of the beautiful Wenlock River.
Overnight Stay: Moreton Telegraph Station
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Day 7 : Moreton Telegraph Station – Punsand Bay (B,L,D)
The track we take today is the Bamaga Road, as the original Old Telegraph Track is not always suitable for travel. After a bush morning tea stop we will travel to picturesque Fruit Bat Falls where you can take a plunge into the crystal clear spring-fed water or just relax on shore. We’ll cross the Jardine River by ferry. The river is named after the great pioneering cattle family that began at a government outpost in 1864 when John Jardine was the police magistrate. As we take the short ferry trip across the river, keep an eye out for the huge crocodiles that inhabit the rivers in the Cape York region. We then travel through the Aboriginal communities of Injinoo and Umagico before we reach Punsand Bay Camping Resort which is ideally situated with 10 kilometres of beachfront where you can watch the sun rise over the Coral Sea in the South Pacific Ocean and set over the Arafura Sea in the Indian Ocean.
Two Night Stay: Punsand Bay
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Day 8 : Punsand Bay – Tip of Cape York (B,L,D)
A short drive followed by a moderate walk is well rewarded today as you stand at the tip of Cape York, which is the northernmost point of the Australian continent and the surrounding peninsula, a wild and sparsely populated wilderness area. Its rugged coastline points towards New Guinea, while the eastern side is fringed by the Great Barrier Reef. This afternoon we will visit The Croc Tent where you can find all sorts of Cape York memorabilia and information on the area. See the Lockerbie Ruins and Word War II aircraft wreck site before returning to our accommodation for time at leisure before dinner.
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Day 9 : Punsand Bay – Thursday Island (B,L,D)
This morning board your ferry to Thursday Island. The island is 35 kilometres from the mainland and is the administration centre for the Torres Strait Islands. The heart of Thursday Island (traditionally known as ‘Waiben’) is its harbour, which was once home to a fleet of 150 pearl luggers. Commercial fishing and prawning are the main livelihood today. You’ll enjoy a guided tour of the island and a highlight is the Gab Titui Cultural Centre that houses historical artefacts and tools, as well as both modern and traditional Torres Strait art.
Overnight Stay: Thursday Island
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Day 10 : Thursday Island – Cairns (B,L,D)
A short ferry trip to Horn Island is a relaxing way to start the day. The island is just south of Papua New Guinea and the local lifestyle is a fusion of Melanesian and Australian Aboriginal cultures. On arrival you will be taken on a guided tour of the island and learn about its history. Horn Island came into prominence during World War II when it suffered eight Japanese air raids. Today, the island’s small population relies on pearling and fishing. Your tour will visit the museum and art gallery in the small town of Wasaga, as well as some World War II sites. This afternoon board your flight from Horn Island to Cairns (included in tour fare). This evening’s dinner is time to relive many memorable holiday moments and say farewell to your crew and fellow travellers.
Overnight Stay: Cairns
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Day 11 : Cairns (B)
This morning after breakfast you will be transferred* to the airport for your homebound flight.*Check transfer entitlements with your Travel Agent. For passengers who have already received documentation - refer to your booking summary.
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