Overview
Immerse yourself in Australia’s world heritage wilderness, the last retreat of ancient Australian rainforests, and visit
- dramatic gorges and waterfalls of the NSW National Parks high country
- grand landscapes of scattered monoliths, tors and precariously balanced boulders in the Granite Belt.
The Australian rainforests offer a unique natural history experience but there is much more to your 7 day holiday.
The character of early Australia will unfold with insights into bushranger legends, pastoral dynasties and you will overnight in a heritage listed country homestead.
Journey through big river country, the intensely beautiful "rainbow country" preferred by today's alternative lifestylers
- viewing the giant rainforest clad caldera and volcanic plug of Mt Warning
- sharing the ritual of a pre-dawn walk up Cape Byron, Australia’s most easterly point, to welcome in the sunrise over the rolling Pacific Ocean.
Enjoy the mystic moss gardens and "old man" Antarctic Beech trees of a cool temperate rainforest and pass under weeping hanging gardens on the face of an ancient lava flow.
Wander through the palm filled gullies and sub-tropical rainforest world of the Wompoo Pigeon, the Whipbird and crying Catbird.
Stand aloft the largest granite monolith in the southern hemisphere for a magic moment, seemingly in command of all you see.
In season, watch the migrating Humpback Whales, dolphins or Manta Rays frolicking by Cape Byron
The perfect journey for:
If you are interested in this tour you can:
- book direct and secure your place with a deposit
- email us with any further questions you may have
- telephone us on +61 7 3254 1911
Itinerary
Pre departure administration in Brisbane as guest arrivals determine.
Day 1
Departing from Brisbane, you will soon be passing through a landscape of volcanic plugs steeped in Aboriginal legend and discovered by seafaring explorer Capt. James Cook in 1770 - the Glass House Mountains. Time for an introduction to the Australian bush, its unique characteristics and evolution. You then travel on to the tiny country village of Esk for a verandah lunch and then commence the ascent of the Great Dividing Range to the Ravensbourne National Park. Here you will experience the world of sub-tropical Australian rainforests and be introduced to the plant, animal and bird species of the forest. You’ll complete the day with a highway run south to the village of Allora and a grand old heritage listed country homestead, a delightful dinner, bed and breakfast retreat on the Darling Downs.
Accommodation: Country Homestead
Day 2
Today you’ll travel through a rich tapestry of farming lots across the Darling Downs, to the world heritage Main Range National Park and the head of the Darling River basin, Australia’s longest inland waterway. You’ll enjoy a short circuit walk in mixed habitats to view the Queen Mary Falls and experience a close encounter with some of our colourful fringe forest birds – parrots, rosellas, bower birds and wrens.
After a casual café lunch you’ll take remote back roads to the largest granite monolith in the southern hemisphere for a two hour return walk to its summit and amazing 360 degree views of the granite belt. Then it’s a short drive to our lodge accommodation for two nights, Girraween Environmental Lodge.
Day 3
From your comfortable environmental lodge set snugly in the bush and with grazing kangaroos for neighbours, you can walk the trails of Girraween National Park, the place of spring wildflowers, with adventure climbs of The Pyramid, Castle Rock and Sphinx if desired or something more leisurely on request. Here is a world of huge granite boulders and tors balancing precariously on each other, of curious reptiles, kangaroos and wallabies, the extremity in range of native species from all points of the compass. A local restaurant and personal friends with a boutique winery are the perfect dining options during our stay.
Day 4
First feature today will be a small historic town made famous by the impassioned speech of an English immigrant, giving rise to the birth of our nation and two other creative Aussies, one who excelled on the dizzy stages of Broadway NY and the other, author of Australia’s legendary bush poetry. You’ll then travel south onto the New England Tableland where fine Merino sheep and wool production created a number of pastoral dynasties and led to the growth of historic Armidale with its cold climate gardens and parks and places of higher regional education. The afternoon journey will take in some wetland birding, a dramatic gorge and falls of the Oxley Wild Rivers and a search for the endangered and shy Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby.
Accommodation: Armidale based motor-inn 2 nights
Day 5
This exceptional day starts with an early walk in the wilderness of the world heritage New England National Park, a reserve of geological significance, diversity of habitats, plants and animal species. Impenetrable ridges of volcanic origin dating back 18 to 500 million years protect dense sub-tropical rainforest through to high country snow gums and a windswept plateau of stunted heath, 1000 plant species in all. Be ready for a chance meeting with a Scarlet Robin, the Superb Lyrebird or Spotted-tailed Quoll. Absorb the panorama and echoing bird calls from the precipitous escarpment and enjoy a panorama stretching over 75 kms of trackless wilderness to the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean. Deep in the cool temperate rainforest you will discover remnant examples of the ancient Antarctic Beech Trees, thousands of years old with direct link to Gondwana 125 million years ago.
More startling scenery awaits you, of tortuous gorges eating into the Great Divide escarpment and plummeting waterfalls. Search for our largest bird of prey, the Wedge-tailed Eagle, soaring up to 2000 metres on the thermals or trace the haunting cries of Peregrine Falcons nesting on their precarious ledges, the shuffle in the bush of an Echidna, one of our unique living fossils.
Day 6
A well deserved lazy day today as you enjoy the twin drops of Ebor Falls then the winding descent from the Great Divide into the scenic valleys of big river country. You’ll visit a traditional stage coach inn lovingly restored by actor Russell Crowe and friends and visit Russell’s personal collection of film and sporting memorabilia in the restored barn. Be ready to roam the sand and surf at sunset and experience the special magic of Byron Bay, the down to earth and unpretentious retreat of both the rich and famous and a host of alternative life-stylers drawn to the beauty and energy of the Bay. Somehow a casual dinner and breakfast by the sea always seems to appeal.
Accommodation: Seaside village units or hotel
Day 7
An exhilarating pre-dawn beach walk and climb to the top of Cape Byron is our traditional start to this day, Here is Australia’s most easterly point, where you can herald in the new day with a sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, a grand vantage point for witnessing dolphins surfing on the waves, occasional giant Manta Rays and in season, migrating whales cruising the ocean swells below. First landfall to the south is Antarctica, to the north, Siberia and to the east, Chile. A beach cafe breakfast and you’ll then travel into the world heritage Border Ranges region pausing for inspirational views of the extinct volcano, Mt Warning, calling in to browse around a local fine art gallery reflecting the creative communities inhabiting this intensely picturesque region. A relaxed drive back over the ranges to Brisbane with the sun setting over the peaks and ridges of The Scenic Rim will complete a memorable journey.
You’ll arrive in Brisbane late afternoon in time for any early evening connecting flights