Australian Pacific Tours

Darwin Barrier Reef, 31 day, Camping Safari

Tour Code: DB31

Departure Dates
2000: 1 & 15jan, 12 & 19feb, 4 & 18mar, 8apr, 20may, 24jun, 19aug, 7, 14, 21 & 28oct, 4nov, 23dec
2001: 17feb, 24mar, 7apr, 19may, 23jun, 18aug, 6, 13, 20 & 27oct, 3nov, 22dec, 
Legend: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Price: au$ 3940 Twinshare pp / au$ 4465 Sole Tent use

Day 1 Sat. Riverina District: Depart Melbourne or Sydney for the Riverina town of Narrandera. Camp tonight on the shores of Lake Talbot where kangaroos and koalas abound.

Day 2 Sun. Mildura-Renmark (BLD) :Follow the Murray River, passing historical towns and vineyards. Travel through Mildura. Camp: Renmark Caravan Park, on the banks of the Murray River.

Day 3 Mon. Spear Creek Station (BD): Adelaide and Perth passengers join Burra. Travel to Spear Creek Station, a working station set on 6 000 hectares in the Flinders Ranges. Experience station life as you tour the property aboard 4-wheel drive vehicles. See natural flora, fauna and some of the 4000 sheep and 200 cattle. Enjoy a sheep shearing demonstration, then as nightime approaches, gather around the warmth of our camp-fire. Camp: Spear Creek Station.
  • Stay Spear Creek Cattle and Sheep Station
  • Cruise the Mary River Floodplains - Wildman Conservation Reserve
  • Visit Rainforestation - See Pamagirri Aboriginal Dancers
  • Ride in unique Army Duck
  • Stay underground, Coober Pedy
  • Ride the Skyrail Cableway
  • Traditional Bushmans Dinner - Historic Glenmore Homestead
  • Tour the Sunshine Coast - Noosa Heads
  • Karumba, Gulf of Carpentaria
  • Guided Tour Undara Lava Tubes
  • 2 nights cabins Fraser Island
  • 2 nights Airlie Beach
  • 4-Wheel-Drive Tour Fraser Island
  • Cruise Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge)
  • Outer Barrier Reef Cruise
  • Kings Canyon Scenic Rim Walk
  • Visit Daydream Island
  • 2 nights Darwin Hotel
  • Litchfield National Park
  • Stay Watarrka (Kings Canyon)
  • National Park
  • 3 nights Cairns
  • Tour Ayers Rock & Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)
  • World Heritage Kakadu National Park

Day 4 Tue. Coober Pedy (BD): Tour the fascinating mining town of Coober Pedy, Australia's opal centre. Visit an underground home, church and Umoona Opal Mine. Witness opal-cutting and polishing demonstrations. Overnight: Coober Pedy, Umoona Opal Mine, underground dug-outs!

Day 5 Wed. Ayers Rock (BLD): Cross the border into the Northern Territory via the vast cattle stations of Erldunda, Ebenezer and Curtin Springs. See Mt. Conner en route to the mighty monolith Ayers Rock, rising from the plain. Camp: Ayers Rock Campground for 2 nights. Tonight, enjoy pre-dinner drinks and watch the many colour changes of Ayers Rock as the sun sets.

Day 6 Thur. Uluru National Park- Ayers Rock-Olgas (BD): Opportunity to climb Ayers Rock and view the vast Australian Outback. Tour the base of the Rock, see ancient aboriginal rock paintings and caves, and hear the tales of Uluru. Visit the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. Explore the Olgas, a group of massive rock domes, known to the aboriginals as Kata Tjuta.

Day 7 Fri. Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park (BLD): Travel via Curtin Springs and Angus Downs through remote desert terrain to Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park. An escorted walk to the canyon rim will reward you with views of the sheer red rock face, towering 300 metres high, and the lush "Garden of Eden". Camp: Kings Canyon Resort.

Day 8 Sat. West MacDonnells (BLD): Travel on the Mereenie Loop Road through some of Central Australia's most spectacular country to Hermannsburg Historic Precinct. Tour the West MacDonnell Ranges and see the sheer cliffs of Standley Chasm. Continue to Alice Springs, visiting the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Camp: Alice Springs, Red Centre Resort for 2 nights. Tonight your Tour Director will host pre-dinner drinks including champagne, to celebrate the "Turn of the Century".

Day 9 Sun. Alice Springs (B): What better way to greet the early morning than an optional hot air-balloon flight. Enjoy the day at leisure to explore Alice Springs on your own. Relax by the pool, perhaps some shopping, or visit the unique Desert Park. Tonight you might like to "Take a Camel to Dinner" (own expense).

Day 10 Mon. Devils Marbles (BLD): Venture north to Central Mt. Stuart, the geographical centre of Australia. Explore the Devils Marbles, a cluster of gigantic boulders, then through Tennant Creek. Enjoy a Beef and Barramundi dinner tonight at the historic Daly Waters Pub. Camp: Daly Waters.

Day 11 Tue. Nitmiluk Cruise (BD): Cruise Katherine River as it winds quietly between the sheer sandstone walls of spectacular Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge). Camp: Nitmiluk National Park. The park abounds with kangaroos at nightfall.

Day 12 Wed. Nourlangie Rock-Kakadu National Park (BLD): Travel north to Pine Creek on our way to Kakadu National Park, inscribed on the World Heritage List for both outstanding cultural and natural universal values. Visit Warradjan Cultural Centre, the ancient art sites at Nourlangie Rock, and Bowali Visitor Centre. Camp: Jabiru, Frontier Kakadu Lodge and Campground, in Kakadu National Park.

Day 13 Thur. Wildman Mary River Cruise-Crocodile Farm (BL): Discover the beauty of the Mary River floodplains this morning as we cruise through the Wildman River Conservation Reserve. This remote region is off the tourist track and home to many species of birdlife, salt and freshwater crocodiles and a variety of water lilies. This afternoon, visit the Crocodile Farm. Witness feeding, and see hundreds of crocodiles in display pools and breeding ponds. Overnight: Hotel Darwin for 2 nights. Tonight you might like to visit the famous Mindil Beach Markets featuring craft and exotic food stalls (open May to October).

Day 14 Fri. Darwin At Leisure: Today is free for you to soak up the tropical beauty of Darwin. Relax by the pool or perhaps go shopping.

Day 15 Sat. Litchfield National Park-Mataranka Thermal Pool (LD): Leaving Darwin, travel to Litchfield National Park, a rugged sandstone plateau and escarpment. Visit spectacular Wangi Falls, and see giant magnetic anthills en route to Mataranka. Swim in the natural thermal pool set amidst lush tropical jungle. Camp: Mataranka, Homestead Caravan Park.

Day 16 Sun. Barkly Tableland (BLD): Wander through the replica Elsey Homestead used in the film "We of the Never Never". Journey through the sparsely populated Gulf Country and some of the largest cattle properties in Australia. Camp: Out Bush, on the Barkly Tableland.

Day 17 Mon. Mt. Isa (BLD): Travel to Camooweal, Queensland's western-most town, then on to Mt. Isa, the biggest single producer of silver and lead in the world. Camp: Mt. Isa, Riverside Caravan Park.

Day 18 Tue. Gulf Country (BLD): Journey via the remote "Queensland Outback" through Cloncurry, home of the first Royal Flying Doctor Base. Continue to Karumba, the last frontier, renowned for its large prawn fishing fleet. Dip your toe into the waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria and enjoy a spectacular sunset over the Gulf. Camp: Karumba, Gulf Country Caravan Park (after rain, roads in this remote area may become impassable and alternate route will be taken via Charters Towers, directly to Undara Lava Tubes).

Day 19 Wed. Tallaroo Station-Undara Lava Tubes (BLD): Travel along the Gulf Developmental Road, then through Croydon and Georgetown, before arriving at Tallaroo Cattle Station. See hot water bubble from the ground and take a swim in the thermal pool. Continue to Undara and inspect the phenomenon that is the Undara Lava Tubes. Your local Gulf Savannah guide will escort you through the hollowed lava flow, created some 190 000 years ago. The Undara Lava Fields are the longest single lava flow in the world, stretching 16 kilometres. Camp: Undara Lava Lodge Campground.

Day 20 Thur. Atherton Tablelands-Lake Barrine-Cairns (BD): Tour the Atherton Tablelands. Visit beautiful Millaa Millaa Falls, the Curtain Figtree and Lake Barrine. Arrive Cairns where the afternoon has been left free for you to explore the many delights of this tropical northern city. Camp: Cairns, Coconut Caravan Village for 3 nights.

Day 21 Fri. Skyrail Cableway-Rainforestation-Army Duck (BD): Ride aboard the Skyrail and immerse yourself in the lush tropical environment as you journey above the World Heritage rainforest. Visit Rainforestation and see the Pamagirri Aboriginal Dancers. Take a guided Dreamtime Walk, then join your local guide for an adventure ride in the unique Army Duck, deep into the rainforest, travelling on land and in water. Opportunity this afternoon to return to Cairns aboard the scenic Kuranda Train (own expense).

Day 22 Sat. Outer Barrier Reef (BL): Cruise to the coral cay of Fitzroy Island. Continue to Moore Reef on the true Outer Barrier Reef, at the edge of the continental shelf. Ride in a sub-sea coral viewer or swim and snorkel among the tropical fish.

Day 23 Sun. Airlie Beach (BD): Cross the Cardwell Ranges with spectacular views of Hinchinbrook Passage and Island. Continue south to the picturesque holiday town of Airlie Beach. Camp: Whitsunday Wanderers Resort for 2 nights.

Day 24 Mon. Yellow Submarine- Bali Hai & Daydream Islands (BL): Experience the magic of the Whitsundays today as we cruise to Bali Hai Island. Laze on the beach, snorkel, or perhaps try an optional "diving experience". Board the Yellow Submarine and view the tropical fish and coral, then, at the end of the day, enjoy the beauty and serenity of Daydream Island.

Day 25 Tue. Rockhampton-Historic Glenmore Homestead (BLD): Tour Mackay, the "sugar capital" of Australia. Enjoy a traditional bushman's dinner tonight at historic Glenmore Homestead and afterwards, join in the fun with some bush dancing in the barn. Camp: Rockhampton, Tropical Wanderer Holiday Village.

Day 26 Wed. Fraser Island (BD): Cross the Tropic of Capricorn to Bundaberg, then to Urangan for cruise to the World Heritage listed, Fraser Island - the world's largest sand island. Overnight: Fraser Island, Kingfisher Bay Resort & Village, Wilderness Lodge for 2 nights.

Day 27 Thur. 4WD Tour-Seventy-Five Mile Beach (B): Discover the Coloured Sands as we travel in 4-wheel drive vehicles along the expanse of Seventy-Five Mile Beach. Visit the historic Maheno Shipwreck and Eli Creek, a stream of fresh water pouring millions of litres an hour into the ocean. Witness the massive sand cliffs at Cathedral Beach.

Day 28 Fri. Noosa Heads-Brisbane-Gold Coast (B): Return to the mainland. Tour Noosa Heads on the exclusive Sunshine Coast, renowned for its natural scenery and beauty. Continue south to Brisbane. Brisbane passengers depart on arrival, 4.00 p.m. Continue to Surfers Paradise where Gold Coast passengers depart 5.30 p.m. Camp: Gold Coast, Treasure Island Caravan Park. Dinner tonight has been left free for you to choose from one of the many restaurants or cafes on the fabulous Gold Coast.

Day 29 Sat. Port Macquarie (BLD): Travel through picturesque northern New South Wales. Cross the Richmond and Clarence Rivers to Coffs Harbour, surrounded by banana plantations. Camp: Port Macquarie, Sundowner Caravan Park.

Day 30 Sun. Sydney (B): Travel via Taree, then across the Hawkesbury River into Sydney. Sydney passengers depart Circular Quay Terminal, 5.00 p.m. Canberra passengers depart Sydney Airport 5.45 p.m. (Interstate passengers wishing to fly out of Sydney may do so on arrival). Overnight: Sydney, Mercure Hotel.

Day 31 Mon. To Melbourne: Adelaide, Perth and Tasmanian air passengers depart. Melbourne coach returns via the Hume Highway, over the Victorian border to Wangaratta and Benalla, arriving Australian Pacific Travel Centre, 184 Swanston Walk, 8.00 p.m.