This Nature Bound Australia outback tour through the state of Queensland ( Qld ) north to the city of Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, presents a diverse selection of Australian guided walks and authentic experiences, highlighted by visits to World Heritage listed areas and 12 Australian National Parks (NP).

From Brisbane we travel deep into the western rural regions of the state, to the very heartland of our pioneering history and the award winning Stockman's Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre, plus the humble birthplace of Australia's national airline, Qantas. On the way we pause for day walks in the popular Queensland National Parks of Glass House Mountains, Bunya Mountains and the picturesque towering gorge of Carnarvon National Park.

Turning north for the tropics, we traverse horizon after horizon across Mitchell Grass plains to Porcupine Gorge National Park, then on into the vast savannah lands and the fascinating and best preserved volcanic lava tubes in the world.

From here tour variations occur according to the tour duration, 18 days or 14 days.

Our 18 day journey then continues to the Chillagoe limestone caves, and an extraordinary selection of Aboriginal Rock Art galleries and an indigenous culture heartland few Australians will ever be fortunate to see. Our 14 day journey does not include these fatures but focuses more on the National parks of the lush Atherton Tableland and the Mareeba Wetlands before continuing on to the Daintree and Cairns.

The lush World Heritage Listed wet tropics of Queensland region with its annual 200 days and 4000mm of rainfall stands in vivid contrast to the drier outback. Abundant Australian rainforest habitat, far older than the Amazon, shrouds the ranges and plummeting slopes all the way to the waters edge of the Coral Sea and a coastline of pristine coves and beaches. The azure coloured waters are protected by the internationally acclaimed Australia Great Barrier Reef lying off shore. This area is dedicated as a world class marine park and also offers a selection of picture post card tropical islands. You could truly deem this to be paradise.

Occasionally, we also schedule these tours in reverse (Reef to the Outback linking Cairns to Brisbane)

If your travel days are limited we also conduct a special 8 day tour from Brisbane to Longreach (gateway to the Outback) and the same tour in reverse. This option can be part of the longer Outback to Reef journey and includes the Glass House Mountains, Bunya Mountains, iconic Carnarvon Gorge, the outback heartland and Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach. Daily jet flights connect Longreach to Brisbane, centrally located between the Sunshine and Gold Coasts and the world heritage listed Fraser Island..

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JOURNEY HIGHLIGHTS

From Brisbane to Cairns (Queensland)

This Australian guided walking holiday starts in Brisbane - Capital of the tropical State of Queensland, located midway between and one hour's drive from the popular golden beach playgrounds of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.

The Glass House Mountains National Park- a landscape of 9 prominent volcanic plugs discovered by seafaring explorer Lieutenant James Cook in 1770 and located amidst a thriving tropical and exotic fruits industry.

Bunya Mountains National Park- a place of cool mountain forests. Rising above the rainforest canopy is the largest stand of bunya pines in the world, once sacred to the Aborigines who feasted on the Bunya nuts. Waterfalls and abundant wildlife including wallabies and possums, the colourful regent and satin bower birds, crimson rosellas and king parrots frequent the park.

Carnarvon National Park-the rugged, isolated and picturesque, sandstone Carnarvon gorge with unique Aboriginal artistry (over 4,000 years old) and a haven for wildlife. A rock hopper's delight along the scenic creek, dominated by towering sandstone cliffs and natural swimming holes. We visit moss gardens, "Hellhole" and "Violet" gorges, sheer narrow chasms, the "Amphitheatre", and an Aboriginal art gallery. Climbing trails lead to panoramic cliff top views.

Longreach in the heart of the Australia outback is home to Australia's Stockman's Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre paying tribute to those hardy individuals and unsung heroes who opened up the continent's vast inland. They were the pioneers, stockmen, women of the outback, ringers and Aborigines. The outback birthplace of Qantas, second longest-serving airline in the world is located nearby.

We journey along remote back roads through the vast rural outback, a quintessentially Australian experience, across excellent Mitchell grass grazing country - the only extensive area of natural grasslands in Australia.

Hughenden, a bush town sitting on the edge of a vast pre-historic inland sea is famous for the almost complete dinosaur skeleton fossil unearthed at nearby Roseberry Downs.

Porcupine Gorge National Park . The 50km long gorge, regarded as a small scale Grand Canyon, with its 120 metre cliffs is the main natural attraction in one of Australia's largest local government areas.

Undara Volcanic National Park - we'll explore the extensive Undara lava tubes, regarded as the longest and best preserved geological wonders of their type in the world. 190,000 years ago a major volcano erupted with its longest lava flows stretching 160kms. Molten lava flowing down a dry river bed, cooled and created an outer crust. The hot inner lava continued to flow through and outwards leaving a series of long dramatic tunnels.

Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park - a landscape of limestone deposited as a reef when the area was a shallow sea 400 million years ago. Now located 160kms from the sea. Weathered towers, a labyrinth of tunnels and lofty caverns form the Australia Chillagoe Caves.

Quinkan Galleries - an evocative landscape known as Quinkan country, near the village of Laura, filled with hundreds of extraordinary Australian Aboriginal rock art galleries dating back some 14,000 years and containing the spirit figures of native mythology. We dedicate a day to this enlightening Aboriginal cultural experience and visit the regional cultural centre of proud indigenous people.

Cooktown, a quaint north Queensland seaside township etched forever in Australia's history after a seafaring explorer came to grief on an offshore coral reef and then as the port for a major northern gold rush. The town is a magnet for adventure travelers but somehow still clings to its relaxed tropical qualities and atmosphere.

Port Douglas - once a fishing village, now a leading tourist mecca of the far north, is the closest town to the Great Barrier Reef.

We enter the World Heritage Listed Wet Tropics of Queensland visiting Daintree, a naturalists' delight for birds, crocodiles, primitive lowland rainforest and nocturnal wildlife, Cape Tribulation where the rainforest meets the sea and the Bloomfield Track. Of the 19 families of ancestral flowering plants in the world, 12 are found here in the rainforest, one of the wettest areas of the world. We engage local experts for a day and night guided tour through pristine tropical rainforest synonymous with tropical Queensland, a world class nature ecotour.

The lush Atherton Tableland is renowned for its waterfalls, crater lakes, abundant bird life and the eye-catching Ulysses Butterfly with its vibrant electric blue swallowtail wings spanning up to 10cms.

We'll ride through the rainforest canopy on a Skyrail to conclude this Queensland tour in Cairns.

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WALKING ACTIVITY

Day/Half Day walks scheduled for Bunya Mountains NP, Carnarvon NP, Porcupine Gorge NP, Undara Lava Tubes, Chillagoe Caves, Quinkan Galleries, Daintree and Cape Tribulation.

Short strolls included in all travel days as we shift from one National Park base or reserve to another.

ACCOMMODATION

Selection from quality outback motels and hotels, environmental and wilderness lodges with private and shared facilities.

MEALS

All main meals (BLD), morning and afternoon teas included on all days.

GETTING THERE

This journey commences in Brisbane and concludes in Cairns, both of which have major domestic and international airports. The two cities are a 2 hour 15 minute flight apart with regular departures by Qantas and Virgin each day.

This tour also offers sectional itineraries comprising of 6 and 8 days within the 14 day tour with ready daily flights to / from the regional centre of Longreach,

DURATION

Ultimate journey 18 days. Also available / offerred in a 14 day itinerary with sectional options of 6 days (Longreach - Cairns) and 8 days (Brisbane - Longreach) Regional connections make it possible to join select sections of this tour. See "Price on Application" below.

DEPARTURES

Our groups meet at the departure point the evening before for final administration and a Meet 'n Greet function.

BEST MONTHS TO VISIT

April to October.

PARTICIPANTS

Available to both independent travellers and groups.
Minimum of  10

INCLUSIONS

Meals as indicated, all National Park entries, accommodation twin share, transport and guide services, celebration dinner, local guide fees, various feature entries and travel extras.

EXCLUSIONS

Free time and personal costs. Any optional activities elected by participants and not part of our guided journey. Personal travel insurances. Pre and post travel arrangements. Australian departure taxes. Food and beverages additional to those provided.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

HEALTH AND FITNESS
Walks on this journey require a modest degree of fitness. They will range in duration from 30 minutes to 6 hours. Tracks will vary from the well formed to moderately rough with rocks and tree roots to negotiate. Some walking will be in relatively dry conditions, exploring caves, galleries and lava tubes. You'll stroll along pristine beaches and along dense forest trails. You'll need to carry a small day pack with essential provisions for the day ...More

WHAT TO BRING
On receipt of your confirmed booking and deposit we will forward to you general information and checklists relating to your preparation for a comfortable journey.

WEATHER
This tour is conducted in a diversity of dry highland country, outback conditions and finally the wet tropics with temperatures guaranteed to be warm but pleasant by day and some cool nights particularly in the outback. Some precipitation in the tropics can be expected while temperatures across the tour could range from 14° C - 28° C (57° F - 82° F).

PRE AND POST TRAVEL SUGGESTIONS

Contact us if we can assist you with travel arrangements complementing this Outback to the Reef journey.

These may include the following suggestions:

FROM BRISBANE

Brisbane is a relaxed sub-tropical river city perfect for year round outdoor social entertainment and sits centrally between the popular golden beaches of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coasts

Lamington National Park is 90minutes drive south of Brisbane

World Heritage Listed Fraser Island and Hervey Bay are 2 hours 30 minutes drive to the north of Brisbane.

Darwin and Kakadu National Park are 4 hours 5 minutes flight away

International Flights to New Zealand take approx 3 hours

FROM CAIRNS

An extensive selection of Great Barrier Reef cruises, island resorts and diving or recreational activities are readily accessible from Cairns or the villages visited in the closing days of our journey.

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

We invite you to read the terms and conditions of travel with Nature-Bound Australia before placing a reservation. You will be asked to confirm your understanding of these details when booking. Participation in our journeys will be on the basis you have read, understood and accepted the terms and conditions ...More

PRIVACY AND DISCLAIMER

Our privacy and disclaimer statements govern the manner in which we manage and safeguard private information you supply us in enquiring of and participating in our journeys. Please read these before communicating with us ...More

ENQUIRE FURTHER

To enquire about a tour, please select the appropriate option below...

	Independent travellers
	Group travel organiser

PRICE ON APPLICATION

Our tours are offered on a near all-inclusive price basis with generous extras and are designed for the discerning traveller who is a collector of authentic experiences. This tour is offered as an extended journey of 18 or 14 days to gain the ultimate experience and most diverse coverage of features in the regions visited.

Understandably, some guests have limited time and travel budget constraints but recognise the style and inherent value of a Nature-Bound journey. For these guests there is opportunity through regional connections to the outback centre of Longreach, to join select sections of the tour varying in length of 6 and 8 days with appropriate price variations. You can also select a special 8 day journey Brisbane to Longreach or reverse.

To find out more, click to see the online price on application form.

You may also care to email us with your specific requirements.

RESERVATION REQUEST

	1 - 4 people
	5 or more people

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