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Day 1 : Sydney – Narrabri (D)
Depart Sydney this morning and travel north through the Upper Hunter Region to the charming country town of Muswellbrook. Our journey sees us travelling along the New England Highway through quaint rural towns such as Murrurundi and Gunnedah. Our destination today is Narrabri, which is situated in the heart of the NamoiValley and known for its cotton, beef and wheat production.
Overnight Stay: Narrabri
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Day 2 : Narrabri – Bourke (B,L,D)
This morning we travel to nearby Culgoora to visit the amazing Australian Telescope, established by the CSIRO in 1967, which is also linked to the telescopes at Coonabarabran, Parkes and Tidbinbilla, making it the most powerful in the southern hemisphere. Our journey will then continue on to the edge of the outback, travelling through the interesting towns of Wee Waa and Walgett. This evening we will arrive at the historic river port of Bourke which is situated on the Darling River but surrounded by red dirt plains and scrub.
Overnight Stay: Bourke
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Day 3 : Bourke – White Cliffs (B,L,D)
Today we will board the paddle vessel PV Jandra for a relaxing cruise along the Darling River before driving further inland to Tilpa. Here we will visit the century old Royal Hotel. We then continue on via Wilcannia before arriving at our destination for this evening, White Cliffs. This remarkable opal mining town is famous for its underground accommodation.
Overnight Stay: White Cliffs
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Day 4 : White Cliffs – Tibooburra (B,L,D)
Discover the unique pioneer opal town of White Cliffs on a guided tour. Visit the solar power station, opal showroom, art gallery and Jock’s Place, an underground dugout home and mine. We then travel north into the outback joining the Silver City Highway, passing through the small settlement of Milparinka before arriving in Tibooburra. Now known to be the most isolated town in New South Wales, Tibooburra was originally established at the height of the gold rush. Overnight Stay: Tibooburra
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Day 5 : Tibooburra – Quilpie (B,L,D)
After breakfast depart Tibooburra and travel through the Boulder opal country to Quilpie for your overnight stay at Ray Station, which was settled in 1874 by the great pioneers Patsy & Sarah Tully nee Durack. Situated in the heart of Boulder opal country near Quilpie, Ray Station's 600sq km remains one of a select few properties in Australia never to have changed hands since white settlement. It has been passed directly down each generation from father to son. Tonight enjoy entertainment and dinner around the campfire.
Overnight Stay: Quilpie
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Day 6 : Quilpie – Birdsville (B,L,D)
This morning our journey takes us to Birdsville, which began life as ‘Diamantina Crossing’ in 1881 and stories of stockmen who passed through the town on the famous Birdsville Track are part of town legend. Enjoy the long range views from Deon’s lookout and the ruins of the small ghost town, Old Betoota.
Two Night Stay: Birdsville
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Day 7 : Birdsville (B,L,D)
This morning visit the famous Birdsville Racetrack where the races have been held in September since 1882. This annual race meeting sees the population grow from 120 to 6,000 in two days. We then drive out to the edge of the Simpson Desert for a look at ‘Big Red’. This is the first of over 1,000 parallel sand dunes that vehicles must cross to reach the western side of the desert. The afternoon is then at leisure. You will have the opportunity to take an optional scenic flight to see the rare, natural event of Lake Eyre being full of water as a result of the recent floods in Queensland and South Australia. Your Tour Manager will be able to assist you once on tour should you wishto book this optional flight.
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Day 8 : Birdsville – Boulia (B,L,D)
This morning we’re off to the tracks where Birdsville’s annual race meeting sees the population grow from 120 to 6,000 in two days. We then drive out to the edge of the Simpson Desert for a look at ‘Big Red’. This is the first of over 1,000 parallel sand dunes that vehicles must cross to reach the western side of the desert. Travelling via Bedourie we reach Boulia, today’s destination which is famous for the Min Min Light.
Overnight Stay: Boulia
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Day 9 : Boulia – Jervois (B,L,D)
We approach the Northern Territory along a dirt track grandly named the Donohue Highway. As we cross into the Northern Territory we stop at the remote settlement of Tobermorey. We are now on the Plenty Highway which started as a stock route used for cattle droving between states. We continue on to the remote location of Jervois where we pull out the tents for a night of camping.
Overnight Stay: Jervois
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Day 10 : Jervois – Alice Springs (B,L,D)
This morning we’ll travel to Gemtree where you will fossick for rich red garnets and sparkling zircons. We’ll then join the Stuart Highway, one of the world’s longest transcontinental roads, and head for Alice Springs, Australia’s most famous outback town. Affectionately known as ’The Alice’, your stay here will leave a lasting impression of the local characters and surrounding natural beauty. ANZAC Hill offers a panoramic view of the town and is the starting point for our orientation tour.
Three Night Stay: Alice Springs
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Day 11 : Alice Springs (B,L,D)
Enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Alice Springs. At the School of Distance Education (previously known as the ‘School of the Air ‘) you will see how the world’s biggest classroom is run. Enjoy a walk through different native habitats, see birds of prey in action and observe rare animals in the nocturnal house at the award-winning Desert Park. Visit the Alice Springs Cultural Precinct. Here you can stroll through the original cemetery where you will find the graves of the great Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira and Harold Bell Lasseter of ‘Lasseters Lost Gold’ fame. For aviation enthusiasts, the Connellan Hangar houses memorabilia of this pioneering airline. We will call in to the Royal Flying Doctor Service to learn how this remarkable lifeline for remote areas operates and we’ll visit the Old Telegraph Station.
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Day 12 : Alice Springs (B,L,D)
The magnificent West MacDonnell Ranges is our destination today. Our first stop is the grave of Reverend John Flynn, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Next we take a short walk into Simpsons Gap for a chance to sight rare black-footed rock wallabies. Further along the range we walk into Standley Chasm and on to Ormiston Gorge for lunch and a refreshing swim in the waterhole. To end the day we go to the Gosse Bluff to see the crater five kilometres wide and 150 metres high, which was created by a comet crashing into earth millions of years ago.
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Day 13 : Alice Springs – Kings Canyon (B,L,D)
Before we reach Kings Canyon, we divert from the highway to Chambers Pillar. Early explorers used this spectacular rock formation as a navigation aid through remote country. Heading back through Maryvale Cattle Station, we rejoin the Stuart Highway until we turn west along Ernest Giles Road to Kings Canyon.
Overnight Stay: Kings Canyon
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Day 14 : Kings Canyon – Uluru (B,L,D)
This morning enjoy a choice of guided walks. Take in the atmosphere of Kings Canyon on a moderate walk along the canyon floor. Or, if you’re feeling more energetic, a walk along the rim is also available. Rejoin the coach as we drive to Kings Creek Station, a working cattle and camel station which is the largest exporter of wild camels in Australia. We then continue on to the million acre cattle station, Curtin Springs before arriving at the first of our two night stay in Yulara, a small township purpose-built to cater for visitors to Uluru.
Two Night Stay: Yulara
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Day 15 : Uluru (B,L,D)
It’s an early rise today to see the sun come up over Uluru and then you will have the opportunity to explore this magnificent monolith. You may choose to do the 9.5 kilometre base walk or stay with your crew who will take you into special areas to explain their significance to the local Aboriginal people. Spend some time at the Cultural Centre before we go to the equally spectacular Kata Tjuta (Olgas). Once at Kata Tjuta, you can take a walk between the huge rock domes. No visit to Uluru is complete until you see a sunset. Watch the changing colours of the mighty monolith during pre-dinner drinks before embarking on a unique dining experience at the award-winning Sounds of Silence dinner.
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Day 16 : Uluru – Alice Springs (B,L,D)
This morning you may wish to take an optional scenic flight over Uluru (own expense). Located where the Stuart Highway and the Lasseter Highway meet, we travel to Erldunda Roadhouse before arriving in Alice Springs early afternoon. Enjoy some free time to explore Alice Springs before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Overnight Stay: Alice Springs
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Day 17 : Alice Springs – Rabbit Flat (B,L,D)
We farewell the Red Centre to drive the legendary Tanami Track, one of Australia’s longest stock routes. The area is so remote that there are only two roadhouses on the track - Tilmouth Well and Rabbit Flat which will be our campsite for tonight.
Overnight Stay: Rabbit Flat
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Day 18 : Rabbit Flat – Halls Creek (B,L,D)
Flanked by the Tanami Desert and the Great Sandy Desert, we’ll come to the junction of the Canning Stock Route this morning. The Canning was once a favourite route for drovers and is now used by adventurous four-wheel drivers. We’ll then continue to Wolfe Creek Crater, the second largest meteorite crater on earth. A short walk to the rim of the crater will reveal an expansive view of the perfectly round impact site, which is 60 metres deep and nearly a kilometre wide. We’ll spend the night in Halls Creek, site of Western Australia’s first commercial gold discovery.
Overnight Stay: Halls Creek
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Day 19 : Halls Creek – Bungle Bungles (B,L,D)
This morning explore the old stone buildings at the Old Halls Creek town site and the ‘Great Wall of China’, a spectacular formation of eroded quartz rock. Our vehicle turns off the Great Northern Highway and into World Heritage listed Purnululu National Park, home to one of Western Australia’s most fascinating landmarks, the Bungle Bungle range. We’ll head to the southern end of the Park for a walk into Cathedral Gorge, an acoustically magnificent natural amphitheatre.
Two Night Stay: Bungle Bungles
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Day 20 : Bungle Bungles (B,L,D)
This morning there is the opportunity of taking an optional helicopter flight over the magnificent Bungle Bungle range (at own expense). Today we drive to the northern end of the Bungle Bungle range for a memorable day of walks into two of the Park’s best attractions. The first walk is into Echidna Chasm through a narrow gorge that reveals something new at every bend, it’s like walking through a huge gap in the landscape with sunlight bouncing off the flaming red hues of the rock walls. After lunch we set off along a creek bed into Mini Palm to a platform atop a scenic amphitheatre for spectacular views of verdant palm trees and the valley beyond.
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Day 21 : Bungle Bungles – Fitzroy Crossing (B,L,D)
We leave Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park this morning and rejoin the Great Northern Highway to Fitzroy River Lodge which is located on the banks of one of the highest volume rivers on earth and where we will set up camp for the night.
Overnight Stay: Fitzroy Crossing
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Day 22 : Fitzroy Crossing – Broome (B,L,D)
This morning relax on a cruise through the sanctuary that is Geikie Gorge, where 30 metre steep limestone walls laid down over a period of 50 million years were formed by fossilised coral reefs. After the cruise we head west along the Great Northern Highway. Our route along the northern edge of The Great Sandy Desert is dotted with the unusually shaped Boab trees. We’ll cross the Fitzroy River that is almost dry at this time of year, but transforms into a mighty torrent over 10 kilometres wide during the wet season. In Broome there will be a brief orientation tour before you check in to your hotel.
Two Night Stay: Broome
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Day 23 : Broome (B,L,D)
This morning enjoy a tour of the sights of Broome. Stop at Gantheaume Point for a great photo opportunity looking back across Cable Beach. We then stop at the Broome Jetty before we visit the Japanese Cemetery, a testament to the dangerous early days of the pearling industry as over 900 divers are buried here. View the Old Courthouse and enjoy a tour at the Pearl Luggers’ Museum where you will learn of the perils of the deep and what made the pearl divers life so hazardous. This afternoon, wander through the old buildings in Chinatown where many indigenous art galleries and pearl showrooms can be found. There is also the opportunity of taking an optional scenic flight over the picturesque Buccaneer Archipelago (at own expense).
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Day 24 : Broome – Windjana Gorge (B,L,D)
We leave Broome for Derby this morning. On our way into Derby we will visit the famous Boab Prison Tree that for many years was used by police as a convenient lock-up for prisoners. This afternoon we join the famous Gibb River Road, originally a stock route that was upgraded to carry giant road trains loaded with cattle. At Windjana Gorge a large population of Johnston freshwater crocodiles inhabit the waterhole. We will set up camp before taking a leisurely walk into the gorge to spot some crocodiles basking in the sun. As the sun’s last rays light up the mountain range, enjoy a drink with your fellow travellers.
Overnight Stay: Windjana Gorge
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Day 25 : Windjana Gorge – Manning Gorge (B,L,D)
After packing up the tents we will take you to Tunnel Creek. Here you will enjoy a walk into Western Australia’s oldest cave system. Next stop is one of the most picturesque gorges of the West Kimberley, Bell Gorge, where swimming, photography, bushwalking and bird watching can be enjoyed. We will then continue along the Gibb River Road. The day will end at Manning Gorge where after setting up camp we’ll enjoy dinner under the stars.
Overnight Stay: Manning Gorge
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Day 26 : Manning Gorge – El Questro Wilderness Park (B,L,D)
There are very few populated areas between Manning Gorge and El Questro, so today we will take in the sights and enjoy a picnic along the way. As we travel on, the red escarpment of the Cockburn Range will dominate the landscape and will eventually lead us to El Questro Station, a million acre cattle station that has been declared a conservation reserve.
Overnight Stay: El Questro Wilderness Park
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Day 27 : El Questro Wilderness Park – Kununurra (B,L,D)
This morning enjoy a cruise on Chamberlain Gorge, a freshwater hole enclosed by a towering escarpment and home to incredibly diverse flora and fauna. We then reboard our coach to follow the Cockburn Range before reaching the Cambridge Gulf and the port of Wyndham where live cattle and sugar are the main exports. A visit here is not complete without taking in the panoramic views of the region at the Five Rivers Lookout. You will see for miles out across the Cambridge Gulf and the five rivers that flow into it - the Ord, Pentecost, Durack, King and Forrest. Continuing to Kununurra we will follow the Carr Boyd Range. Kununurra is a vibrant town at the centre of the fertile Ord River Irrigation Scheme which ships huge volumes of fruit and fresh produce to Australian and overseas markets. During your orientation tour of the town we’ll visit the Zebra Rock Gallery where you will see works carved by local residents from the patterned stone unique to the region.
Two Night Stay: Kununurra
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Day 28 : Kununurra (B,L,D)
To start this exciting day we take a cruise from Lake Kununurra down the spectacular Ord River. Next we drive to the rebuilt homestead of the Durack family – Argyle Downs. After a visit to the homestead that is now a museum, we visit the Hoochery, the State’s only licensed distillery where rum is produced from local sugar.
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Day 29 : Kununurra – Katherine (B,L,D)
Today we leave the Kimberley and Western Australia and enter the Northern Territory. We will pass by Bullo River Station, made famous by top-selling author Sara Henderson. On to the mighty escarpment country in the Victoria River region, one of the most picturesque areas in the Northern Territory. We’ll travel through Timber Creek, named in 1855 when the explorer Augustus Gregory used timber from the banks of the creek to repair his expedition’s boat. Near the Victoria River Crossing, we’ll pass by the Victoria River Downs Station which was once the largest land holding on earth. The Victoria River, known by locals as ‘The Vic’, was a key influence on Aboriginal heritage and today is a lifeline for pastoral properties. When we arrive at Katherine we’ll set up camp for the night.
Overnight Stay: Katherine
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Day 30 : Katherine – Jabiru (B,L,D)
You’ll agree that our early start is well worth it because the still of the morning is the best time of day to cruise through Katherine Gorge. The cruise takes in two of thirteen gorges carved through ancient sandstone by the Katherine River. At the Nitmiluk Visitors’ Centre you’ll see informative displays outlining the geology, landscape and Aboriginal history of the national park. We then drive on to Kakadu National Park, 20,000 square kilometres of tropical wilderness, savannah woodland, ancient escarpments and inhabited by a multitude of flora and fauna. A visit to the excellent Bowali Visitors’ Centre will provide you with plenty of information about this complex region. Depending on time and availability you might choose to take a scenic flight over the wetlands of Kakadu (at own expense).
Overnight Stay: Jabiru
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Day 31 : Jabiru – Darwin (B,L,D)
This morning enjoy a cruise on the Yellow Waters Billabong where it is possible to see estuarine crocodiles in their natural habitat. One third of Australia’s bird species is represented in KakaduNational Park, with at least 60 species found in these wetlands. Whistling ducks, jabiru, brolga and magpie geese are the most abundant. Then it’s on to Ubirr to view Aboriginal rock art galleries that date back thousands of years. After a climb up onto the escarpment you will be rewarded with panoramic views you’ll never forget. In the heart of crocodile, buffalo and barramundi country, we’ll stop briefly at the quirky Bark Hut Inn. Our journey then takes us to the laid-back tropical city of Darwin.
Two Night Stay: Darwin
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Day 32 : Litchfield National Park – Darwin (B,L,D)
We’ll spend our last touring day in Litchfield National Park where numerous waterfalls cascade from a sandstone plateau called the ‘Tabletop Range’. View intriguing magnetic termite mounds. We then travel to the extraordinarily beautiful Wangi Falls for the chance to swim in the pool at the base of the falls. We then return to Darwin and after an orientation tour the remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure to explore this laid back tropical town. Our dinner this evening is time to say farewell to your crew and fellow travellers.
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Day 33 : Darwin (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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