Tour Type: Premium Escorted
Duration: 14 Days
Tour Starts In: Sydney
Tour Finishes In: Cairns
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from: AU $5070 pp
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 Click Map To Enlarge Tour Description
This unusual 14 day tour travels by escorted coach from Sydney to Cairns along the inland route to discover Outback Queensland with its fascinating history. See Carnarvon Gorge, Emerald, Longreach, the home of Qantas, open cut mining at Mt Isa and remote Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Board the GulfLander Train across the Cape. See goldmining at Croydon, a dinosaur stampede footprints at Lark Quarry and the ancient Undara Lava Tubes, caves formed by the world's longest flow of lava from a volcano, before finishing in Cairns. Tour Inclusions:
- Freedom of Choice Touring & Freedom to Dine Around
- Full Buffet Breakfasts (13) (B)
- Lunches (5) (L)
- Hotel Dinners (13) (D)
- Full trained Tour Director and Driver/Guide
- Guaranteed Mercedes-Benz coaches
- $AU 5million Consumer Protection Guarantee
- Free travel kit including stylish travel bag, luggage labels, ticket wallet, personalised itinerary & touring information
- Airport Transfers
Tour Highlights:
- Tour of Tamworth
- Lamington National Park glow worm tour
- The Art Deco Empire Theatre, Toowoomba
- Unwind at Carnarvon National Park
- Try gem fossicking in Rubyvale
- Tour the sites of Barcaldine
- The Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach
- See dinosaur footprints at Lark Quarry
- Visit Waltzing Matilda Centre, Winton
- Experience the Undara Lava Tubes
- Stay Two nights in historical Winton
- Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort
- Gourmet Lunch at Canungra Valley Winery
- Cattlemen’s Dinner and Show, Longreach
- Delicious seafood barbecue, Karumba
- Arrival and Farewell Dinner and Drinks
- Take a tour of Mt Isa Mines
- See Aboriginal paintings and take the Moss Garden guided walk, Carnarvon Gorge
- Ride aboard the historic Gulflander Train
- Watch the sun set over the Gulf of Carpentaria with prawns and a glass of champagne
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Day
1 |
Sydney, Tamworth, Armidale, Welcome Dinner
Journey across the Hawkesbury River and travel through the beautiful countryside of the Hunter Valley, a region recognised the world over for its fine wines. We arrive in Tamworth, the capital of country music in Australia. Enjoy a tour here then you’ll move on to the rich New England district of Armidale. Enjoy a Welcome Dinner and Drinks. Stay: Armidale, Country Comfort (D) |
Day
2 |
Lamington National Park
Today set out for the mountainous rainforest of World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park. It contains a diverse range of animals, birdlife and plant species, as well as O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, a haven within the rainforest. Tonight take the enlightening glow worm tour. Stay: Lamington National Park, O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat (B/D) |
Day
3 |
Lamington National Park, Toowoomba
Travel to the top of Morans Falls as you’re given a commentary on O’Reilly’s history and Lamington National Park. Be guided through the rainforest to view the falls, then head to a spectacular lookout with views of the Lost World. Here your guide will boil the billy as you sample some O’Reilly’s damper and syrup. Continue to Balancing Rock before travelling to the Gold Coast hinterland. Enjoy lunch and sample the wine at Canungra Valley Winery as your host explains the art of wine-making and tasting. Then head to the Garden City of Toowoomba where you’ll visit the Empire Theatre. A fine example of Art Deco architecture, the Empire Theatre is Heritage-listed. Enjoy drinks in this historical building. Stay: Comfort Inn, Grammar View Room, Toowoomba (B/L/D) |
Day
4 |
Roma, Carnarvon Gorge
Travel through the town of Dalby, in Australia’s richest grain and cotton growing area, to the provincial town of Roma. Continue to Injune, a cattle and timber town located at the southern end of Carnarvon National Park. The park covers some 28,000 hectares of wilderness, ranging from creeks and fern-lined gorges to sandstone walls covered in ancient Aboriginal art. Tonight stay on the fringe of Carnarvon Gorge, renowned for its towering white sandstone cliffs. Stay: Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge. Due to remote location, facilities are more basic. Single travellers may be required to share accommodation (2 nights) (B/D) |
Day
5 |
Carnarvon National Park, Moss Garden Guided Walk
After breakfast, participate in various guided walks around the picturesque Carnarvon National Park. Take in the sights, sounds and scents of the bush. Visit Moss Garden, set amid porous sandstone and shale walls, where a continuous flow of crystal clear water fosters the growth of lush ferns and mosses (a reasonable level of fitness is required to reach this location). Following lunch, the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure - perhaps take further walks through Carnarvon National Park. (B/L/D) |
Day
6 |
Rubyvale, Gem Fossicking, Emerald
This morning travel to Rubyvale and go on the Miners Heritage Walk through a local mine and display. Afterwards tour the gem gallery to see the most exquisite stones mined in Outback Queensland. This afternoon you can fossick for your own gems before heading to Emerald, the hub of the Central Highlands. With a population of around 9000, the town is supported by the nearby sapphire fields, cattle industry and a diverse agricultural business. Stay: Emerald, Maraboon Motor Inn (B/L/D) |
Day
7 |
Emerald, Freedom of Choice, Longreach, Cattlemen’s Dinner Show
Today travel just outside Emerald to Lake Maraboon – a huge expanse of water in the outback. Then journey to the charming town of Barcaldine. This afternoon, perhaps visit the Australian Workers Heritage Centre or the Barcaldine Folk Museum. Alternatively join the Bougainvilleas Heritage Trail to learn about the township’s interesting history. Tonight in Longreach enjoy dinner and a show at the Cattlemen’s Bar and Grill. Stay: Longreach Motor Inn (B/D) |
Day
8 |
Longreach, Stockman’s Hall of Fame, Qantas Founders Museum, Winton
This morning visit the Qantas Founders Outback Museum, the only place in the world where you can tour a fully-equipped 747 jumbo jet and the recently staged Boeing 707. See many exhibits including a replica of the AVRO 504K, the airline’s first plane. Then visit the Stockman’s Hall of Fame which celebrates Australia’s bush history and see displays on the early explorers, pioneers and our Outback heritage. Travel to historical Winton, the town where Qantas first found its ‘wings’ and where the bush poet Banjo Patterson wrote Australia’s most famous song, ‘Waltzing Matilda’. After dinner, enjoy the relaxing Outback atmosphere of Winton at your leisure. Stay: Boulder Opal Motel, Winton (2 nights) (B/D) |
Day
9 |
Waltzing Matilda Centre, Lark Quarry, Royal Open Air Theatre
Travel to the undercover site of Lark Quarry to view dinosaur footprints. This is the only site in the world where fossilised tracks from a stampede, thought to have happened 95 million years ago, can be seen. (Lark Quarry is inaccessible in the wet.) Visit the Waltzing Matilda Centre to learn the story behind ‘Waltzing Matilda’. Then tour the Outback Regional Art Gallery. Enjoy a movie tonight at the famous Royal Theatre, one of Australia’s last remaining open air theatres. (B/L/D) |
Day
10 |
Mt Isa, Freedom of Choice Touring, Dine Around Dinner
This morning, see Walkabout Creek Hotel in McKinlay, made famous by the movie ‘Crocodile Dundee’. On arrival in Mt Isa, take a surface tour of the Mt Isa Mines to learn of the formation and development of lead, silver, zinc and copper. Or perhaps visit the Outback Isa Experience illustrating the prehistoric, indigenous, cultural and mining heritage of the region. Also learn about the fossils extracted from the World Heritage-listed Riversleigh Fossil Fields. Alternatively, tour Mt Isa’s Underground Hospital, built after the Darwin bombings in 1942. Tonight choose to dine at the Redearth Hotel, The Buffalo Club or at your hotel. Stay: All Seasons Verona Hotel, Mt Isa (B/D) |
Day
11 |
Mt Isa, Karumba, Sunset Drinks, Seafood BBQ Dinner
Travel to Cloncurry, home to Australia’s first Royal Flying Doctor Service base. Visit the John Flynn Museum, named after the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Traverse the isolated terrain Burke and Wills crossed on their famous expedition, then stop at the Burke and Wills Roadhouse. Journey out to Karumba on the peninsula for a town tour. Enjoy sparkling wine and fresh prawns at sunset followed by your seafood BBQ. Stay: Karumba Lodge Hotel, basic facilities. Single travellers may be required to share accommodation (B/D) |
Day
12 |
Gulflander Train Journey, Georgetown
At Normanton board the Gulflander Train for the journey to Critters Camp. Travel to the old goldmining town of Croydon for a walking tour of the beautifully restored buildings. Stay: Georgetown, Latara Resort Motel, basic facilities. Single travellers may be required to share accommodation (B/L/D) |
Day
13 |
Undara Lava Tubes, Farewell Dinner
Visit the 190,000 year-old Undara Lava Tubes. Undara means ‘a long way’ in the local Aboriginal dialect and the system has the longest lava flow from a single volcano in the world. Join a local guide for a tour through a tube section then enjoy a Farewell Dinner and Drinks tonight with your crew and fellow passengers. Stay: Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort, Pool View Room (B/L/D) |
Day
14 |
Depart Cairns
Enjoy a free day in Cairns, perhaps go shopping, walk along the esplanade or see the various sights. Your tour concludes with a transfer to the airport. (B) |
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Click on the icon to download the 14 Day Historical Outback Trail tour in pdf format. |
Tour Prices
All tour prices are per person, twin share. |
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EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL OFFER*
Exclusive Sale! Save $AU 125 per person off the brochure price!
Valid for bookings made with Relaxing Journeys between 1 July 2010 and 31 July 2010
. Subject to availability at time of booking. |
Tour
Starts |
Tour
Finishes |
Tour
Status |
Brochure
Price |
OUR
SPECIAL |
OUR
PRICE |
| 15 Jul 2010 |
28 Jul 2010 |
G |
AU $5195 |
Save $125 |
AU $5070 |
| 12 Aug 2010 |
25 Aug 2010 |
G |
AU $5195 |
Save $125 |
AU $5070 |
| 09 Jun 2011 |
22 Jun 2011 |
|
AU $5195 |
Save $125 |
AU $5070 |
| 07 Jul 2011 |
20 Jul 2011 |
|
AU $5195 |
Save $125 |
AU $5070 |
| 04 Aug 2011 |
17 Aug 2011 |
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AU $5195 |
Save $125 |
AU $5070 |
*Tour Status: 'G' tours are guaranteed to depart.
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Tour Discounts & Supplements:
Optional extras, single traveller supplement & multiple traveller discounts. |
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| Single Supplement: |
Add |
AU $995 |
| Australia/NZ Pensioner: |
Save |
AU $30 |
| Child Discount: |
Save |
20% |
| Triple Discount: |
Save |
5% |
*Terms & Conditions apply to any discounts and/or specials above. Your designated tour consultant will apply the appropriate discounts automatically to your quote and detail any currently applicable 'Exclusive Specials'. |
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