Overview

Explore Australia’s most influential land form, The Great Dividing Range where world heritage wilderness and national parks protect:

• the amazing escarpments and canyons of the Greater Blue Mountains
• the last retreat of ancient Gondwana Rainforest once linked to Antarctica
• dramatic gorges and waterfalls of the high country and
• grand granite landscapes of scattered monoliths, tors and precariously balanced boulders.

From iconic tropical beaches to our Blue Mountains tours, this 13 day journey is brimming with additional experiential delights including:

• a one day 4WD beach safari to world heritage Fraser Island
• a stroll deep into the wondrous world of historic limestone caves
• a back country insight into bushranger legends and great pastoral dynasties
• villages designed and built in the convict era
• the ranging confluence of many unique wildlife and bird species
• habitats ranging from coastal dunes and wetlands to snow gum forests
• some of the finest wilderness panoramas in Australia

For more than 125 million years the Great Dividing Range has acted as the dominant watershed between

• big river country to the east, and
• the vital water courses meandering west toward the drier outback
•  the range also generates supply to one of the world’s largest artesian basins where water is stored for up to 2 million years.

Here you will discover landscapes and habitats most overseas guests simply never imagined existed in Australia.

Surprise yourself with a journey of secrets, so readily accessed from Brisbane or Sydney.

The perfect journey for:

• Both leisure and active holiday seekers
• People who enjoy walking in the wild
• Small private groups of extended family and friends
• Groups and individuals with a special interest in nature, wildlife and photography
• Over 50’s seeking an active holiday with a spirit of adventure

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, meet ‘n greet and tour briefings in Brisbane or Sydney as guest arrivals determine.

Day 1

Departing Brisbane

You’ll travel from Brisbane to the popular seaside village and holiday retreat of Noosa. Walking in the Glass House Mountains National Park with its landscape of volcanic plugs. A beach side lunch and Wallum heath-land walk then a sunset walk over the headland of Noosa National Park to Hell’s Gate and various scenic coves.

Accommodation: Resort style apartments Noosa 2 nights

Day 2

You join a full day, unique 4WD beach safari, to the world’s largest sand island adorned with towering forests, perched lakes and multi-coloured sands.

Day 3

You leave the Pacific coast and travel from Noosa to the regional garden city of Toowoomba, to join the Great Dividing Range. Lunch at a boutique winery and then a delightful walk in the palm filled rainforest of Ravensbourne National Park. Time permitting some free roaming through the local parks and gardens to end the day.

Accommodation : Toowoomba Motel

Day 4

Today you’ll travel from Toowoomba to Girraween National Park through the home country of three Australian bush legends who, by their deeds, shaped the perception and character of Australia. Walking in Queen Mary Falls National Park with panoramas of the Main Range and Scenic Rim, then on to Bald Rock National Park including a summit walk of the giant monolith, itself.

Accommodation: Girraween Environmental Lodge, 2 nights

Day 5

A day of delightful walking awaits you in Girraween National Park amidst clusters of granite boulders, tors and monoliths, abundant wildlife and seasonal wildflowers. Or you can choose a half day retreat to relax and enjoy the Kangaroos grazing about your bush lodge.

Days 6

You’ll travel from Girraween National Park to Armidale visiting historic Tenterfield, the birthplace of our nation, a quiet country town famous for a number of internationally renowned sons. An afternoon stroll in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park – Gara Gorge or visit the National Trust property of a wealthy pastoral dynasty.

Accommodation: Armidale Motel 2 nights

Day 7

Today you visit New England National Park and the nearby Waterfall Way.

Walking in the world heritage New England National Park is a “must do” with its outstanding range of habitats and distant views to the Pacific Ocean, ancient Antarctic Beech trees of the Gondwana era, precipitous escarpment and exposed plateau.

Enjoy a leisurely walk in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park – Wollomombi Falls / Chandler Falls for outstanding cliff top views into tortuous gorges and perhaps overhead, the flights of our largest Eagle cruising the thermals on high.

Day 8

You travel from Armidale to Gloucester via the townships of Uralla and Walcha, through the bushranger, Thunderbolt’s territory and in more recent times prosperous sheep and cattle grazing country.

Take a short stroll in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park – Dangers Falls and Apsley Falls and late afternoon enjoy a remote forest drive and scenic descent to the village of Gloucester.

Accommodation: Gloucester Motor-inn, 2 nights

Day 9

A village rest day or choose a half day visit to the Gloucester Tops / Barrington Tops National Park enjoying pristine forest scenery, waterfalls and picnic lunch, wildlife and Superb Lyrebirds.

Day 10

Today you’ll travel Gloucester to Blackheath through the Hunter Valley wineries and manicured horse studs, one of Australia’s most productive and wealthy regions. Time out also to explore the convict built village of Stroud.

Accommodation: Blackheath resort motor inn, 3 nights

Day 11

We commence our Blue Mountains tours with an exceptional day of walking in the Greater Blue Mountains National Park including an historic cliff face pass and finally a toast to the wilderness from atop a lofty sandstone pulpit.

Day 12

Shorter walks today in the Greater Blue Mountains National Park including the Grand Canyon and time to visit the National Park Heritage Centre, some inspirational lookouts, famous galleries and villages in this historic destination.

Day 13

You’ll depart early for a guided walk in the underground wonderland of historic Jenolan Caves, followed by a walk in the Kanangra Walls wilderness and lunch looking into The Deep of Kanangra Boyd National Park. In the afternoon you travel through high country back to the Blue Mountains for a refreshment and then the descent into Sydney and sadly, your journeys end

Reverse itinerary applies – Sydney to Brisbane program

Highlights

• Visit a total of 11 national parks ranging across coastal seascapes, sub-tropical and cool temperate rainforests to snow-gum country.
• Pristine wilderness conveniently located between Sydney and Brisbane.
• Share daily encounters with Australia’s unique wildlife far from invasive crowds.
• Breakfast on your lodge deck observing grazing kangaroos or in a quaint village sidewalk café.
• Dine privately with the owners of a boutique winery
• Immerse yourself in the life and times of legendary bush people who forged our Aussie character and reputation, internationally.
• Walk in the tranquillity of a sub-tropical rainforest and discover the dependent relationship between creatures of the wild.
• Wander amidst delicate spring wildflowers and orchids (in season), grand granite monoliths, tors and balancing boulders.
• Spot the decorative Cunningham Skink or its striped Coppertail neighbour.
• Catch the raucous flights of our colourful and charismatic native bird life
• Walk to the summit of Bald Rock, The Pyramid, Castle or Cathedral Rocks.
• Immerse yourself in the pristine preserve of Gondwana rainforests filled with delicate ferns, ancient Antarctic Beech trees 2000 years old and high country snow gums.
• Spot a Superb Lyrebird or a Quoll
• Stand on the edge of deep lava flows and vast panoramas of untracked wilderness and recall dreamtime Aboriginal legends.
• Peer into tortuous “hellish” gorges carved by wild rivers.
• Scan the skies for the thermal flight of a wedge-tailed eagle
• Search for an endangered Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby
• Explore the rocky hideouts of a strangely revered bushranger.
• Stand in the very room which gave rise to the birth of our nation.
• Rendezvous by night with endangered nocturnal wildlife, Greater and Sugar Gliders
• Join a 4WD beach safari to the world heritage Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island adorned with pristine forests, perched lakes and multi-coloured sands.
• Browse around early century convict and pioneer built villages.
• Walk the cliff face trails, escarpments and canyons of the iconic Greater Blue Mountains.
• Visit some of Australia’s most historic and picturesque waterfalls
• Drop in on remote country village life.
• Revitalise in an abundance of invigorating mountain air.
• Walk the wilderness trail along the Kanangra Walls, peering into The Deep
• Step deep into the wondrous limestone world of the Jenolan Caves

Inclusions

• All accommodation
• All meals with breakfast, lunch and min 2 course dinner with choices
• Morning and afternoon teas
• Glass of wine with dinner if you wish
• Spontaneous travel treats and refreshments
• Tour transport and naturalist guides
• All National Park entry fees
• A number of feature entries
• Pre-tour briefing and meet ‘n greet function
• Local guides and guests, as available
• Remarkable full day 4WD beach safari to World Heritage Fraser Island
• National Trust homestead and gallery visit
• Tenterfield Historic precinct entry
• Jenolan Caves guided tour
• Informative travel reference kit
• Use of on-board reference materials and facilities
• Digital images of your holiday emailed to close friends and family, selectively during journey.
• A meaningful tour memento
• Personalised pre-tour planning advice to maximise your enjoyment of the experience
• Satisfaction, knowing we operate under a responsible travel ethic.

Exclusions

• Expenditure of a personal nature
• Pre and post tour travel and accommodation arrangements

Experiences

• Delightful guided walks throughout
• Fraser Island Safari
• National Trust and historic precinct entries
• Guided caves tour

Features

Reviews

Stephen, Maureen and Iain UK

Thank you so much for a most enjoyable and memorable tour. There were many highlights - the superb lyrebirds being one of them, of course. We didn’t realise such countryside and scenery existed in Australia and the birding and photography opportunities were plentiful. We very much enjoyed your company and hope that our paths will cross again. Our best wishes for your next tour and lets keep in touch. Stephen, Maureen and Iain UK

14/09/2009

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