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Day 1 : Cairns (D)
Embark the Coral Princess II at 4.00pm, ready for a 5.00pm departure from Cairns. This evening, join your crew and travelling companions on the top deck for a glass of champagne as you cruise northward from Cairns, passing Double Island and the pretty beachside village of Palm Cove.
Four Night Stay: Coral Princess II
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Day 2 : Cooktown - Great Barrier Reef (B,L,D)
Enjoy the morning discovering historical Cooktown at your own pace. Cooktown is steeped in history with most stone buildings dating back almost a century. It was here that the famous explorer Captain James Cook took refuge during his voyage of discovery after claiming Australia as a British colony in 1770. This afternoon visit one of the remote uninhabited islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Join your marine biologist for a glass bottom boat tour over the colourful coral gardens and discover some of the 1,500 species of tropical fish that call the reef home. You may wish to enjoy your first snorkelling opportunity for an up-close view of the hundreds of varieties of coral growing on this section of reef. Your experienced crew will be on hand to provide assistance, advice and guided snorkelling tours for less experienced swimmers.
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Day 3 : Lizard Island - Ribbon Reef No. 9 (B,L,D)
This morning you will awaken moored beside beautiful Lizard Island. The energetic may join the guides on a walk to Cook’s Look on the island’s peak (hiking boots or sneakers are recommended). It was from here, the highest lookout on this part of the reef, that Captain Cook was able to navigate a safe passage back through the treacherous waters after repairing the Endeavour near Cooktown over 200 years ago. This truly is a photographer’s delight as the views from the Lookout over the World Heritage listed reef and surrounding tropical islands are magnificent. Lizard Island’s fringing reef, in the shallow waters just metres off the beach, offers some fantastic snorkelling opportunities. Simply relax on the beach, join the Marine Biologist for a glass bottom boat tour, or accompany the onboard Dive Instructor on an unforgettable SCUBA dive. The choice is yours! This afternoon cruise to Ribbon Reef No. 9, a spectacular and seldom visited part of the reef where the activities will include more snorkelling opportunities and glass bottom boat tours with the Marine Biologist.
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Day 4 : Ribbon Reef No. 3 - Rachel Carson Reef (B,L,D)
The Great Barrier Reef is not actually one continuous reef, but a series of thousands of individual coral cays stretching over 1,800 miles between the town of Bundaberg and the tip of Australia at Cape York. Spend today visiting two of the most spectacular sections of the reef, Ribbon Reef No. 3 and Rachel Carson Reef. Explore the coral gardens and marine life with guided snorkelling and glass bottom boat tours. Your Marine Biologist will explain the natural history and evolution of the reef and help you discover the local wildlife, which includes sea turtles, giant clams, rays and over 200 different species of native birds.
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Day 5 : Cairns (B,D)
Bid farewell to your Captain, crew and new found friends before disembarking your vessel at Trinity Wharf in Cairns at 8.00am. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Meet your fellow travellers and Outback Discovery Tour Manager this evening during a welcome dinner.
Overnight Stay: Cairns
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Day 6 : Cairns – Thursday Island (B,L,D)
This morning board your flight from Cairns to Horn Island (included in tour fare). 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. A short ferry trip to Thursday Island is a relaxing way to end your first day of touring. The island is 35 kilometres from the mainland and is the administration centre for the Torres Strait Islands.
Overnight Stay: Thursday Island
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Day 7 : Thursday Island – Punsand Bay (B,L,D)
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. This afternoon your ferry to the coastal village of Seisia sails from Thursday Island.
Two Night Stay: Punsand Bay
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Day 8 : Tip of Cape York – Punsand Bay (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 World War II aircraft wreck site before returning to our accommodation for time at leisure before dinner.
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Day 9 : Punsand Bay – Moreton Telegraph Station (B,L,D)
This morning 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. At picturesque Fruit Bat Falls we’ll have lunch and you can take a plunge into the crystal clear spring-fed water or just relax on shore. This afternoon we will travel to the historic Moreton Telegraph Station, 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 10 : Moreton Telegraph Station – Weipa (B,L,D)
Our destination today is Weipa, a mining town built to house employees and support staff who work at the largest bauxite deposit in the world. After lunch 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.
Overnight Stay: Weipa
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Day 11 : Weipa – Lotus Bird Lodge (B,L,D)
After leaving Weipa we’ll have lunch at the Archer River Roadhouse before crossing the river and continuing our journey south. We’ll pass through the town of Coen that grew up around a repeater station along the Overland Telegraph Line. This afternoon we’ll 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 12 : Lotus Bird Lodge – Cooktown (B,L,D)
We farewell Lotus Bird Lodge this morning and travel south to 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. 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. UNESCO rates Cape York’s Quinkan region among the world’s top 10 prehistoric rock art areas. We’ll visit a fine example this afternoon at the Split Rock Aboriginal art site near Laura. 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. Our hotel is conveniently located on the main street, perfect for a late afternoon stroll.
Overnight Stay: Cooktown
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Day 13 : Cooktown – Cape Tribulation (B,L,D)
At Cooktown’s Botanic Gardens this morning you will see the exotic plant section, a ‘palmetum’ and native plants unique to this area. Then we will visit the James Cook Museum, housed in a 120 year old convent building and widely regarded as the best regional museum in Australia. After leaving Cooktown we’ll stop to inspect the unusually formed black granite boulders of the Black Mountain Range before arriving at 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. This afternoon 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. Then we’ll take the Bloomfield Track to Cape Tribulation. 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.
Overnight Stay: Cape Tribulation
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Day 14 : Cape Tribulation – Cairns (B,L,D)
At the Daintree Discovery Centre you’ll discover a wealth of information on the oldest rainforest on earth, which was confirmed as a World Heritage listed area in 1988. The centre also has informative displays about 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. We’ll drive on to the Daintree River ferry crossing before continuing to Mossman, a quaint sugar cane town. Continuing south we drive through the sophisticated holiday town of Port Douglas before passing some of Australia’s best scenery where isolated beaches and the Coral Sea are fringed by hills covered in rainforest. Our final stop is 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. 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 15 : 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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