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Indian Ocean
Coral Sea
KURANDA
NORTHERN TERRITORY
PALM COVE CAIRNS DUNK ISLAND
ALICE SPRINGS
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
QUEENSLAND
ROCKHAMPTON GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAINS BRISBANE
AYERS ROCK
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
KALGOORLIE PINNACLES PERTH FREMANTLE NULLARBOR PLAIN ADELAIDE
NEW SOUTH WALES
Southern Ocean
TANUNDA BAROSSA VALLEY
SYDNEY
VICTORIA
Bass Strait
TASMANIA
DAY 9
ADELAIDE · THE GHAN
After transferring to Adelaide's Keswick Station we board The Ghan, on our great rail adventure to Alice Springs, where we follow in the footsteps of the intrepid explorers. Travelling north of Adelaide the train makes its way across rich arable farmland before gliding into the vastness of the remote interior, passing salt lakes and red rocky ranges. This legendary train with its elegant lounge and signature dining (all meals are included), together with the cosiness and comfort of your twin or single sleeper berths, will ensure that your overnight journey passes all too quickly.
Classic Rail Tours
DAY 10
THE GHAN · ALICE SPRINGS
Waking to a golden outback sunrise our rail journey continues to Alice Springs where we arrive this afternoon. One of the cornerstones of the outback is the Royal Flying Doctor Base, our first stop this afternoon before we take time to visit the historic Old Telegraph Station on the outskirts of town, which played a key role in the life of the first Australian settlers. Later we transfer to our hotel, the Crowne Plaza Alice Springs where we stay this evening.
DAY 11
ALICE SPRINGS · AYERS ROCK
Leaving `Alice' this morning our fascinating drive leaves the rocky cliffs of the MacDonnell Ranges behind, whilst the road ahead takes us through scrubland and the ancient homeland of the Aborigines before arriving at the Voyages Sails in the Desert hotel, our base for this evening, nestled in the red sands of Central Australia, an oasis from which to explore this wilderness area. This afternoon we experience our first sighting of the magnificent Olgas or Kata Tjuta, `many heads', a place of great spiritual significance to the local Aborigine people, a sense of wonder the visitors can also appreciate when faced with the amazing rock formations. The open expanse of the night skies provides a spectacular sunset over Ayers Rock, which we enjoy with a glass of wine before we retire for the evening.
DAY 12
AYERS ROCK · PALM COVE
Uluru, the aboriginal name for Ayers Rock, rises 348 meters above the surrounding desert, sitting in the desert like an iceberg in the Antarctic and this morning we acquaint ourselves once more with this aweinspiring monolith whilst witnessing the soft morning light rising against the iron-rich rock. A tour of its base intensifies its overwhelming size but a close encounter highlights the gorges, crevasses and caves cut into its surface. Your flight out today allows one last glance at the majestic rock and the rich colour of the desert with its far-reaching horizon, before climbing eastwards over the rolling mountain ranges to the unsurpassed beauty of the rainforest wilderness of Queensland. On arrival we transfer by coach to the resort of Palm Cove north of Cairns and our hotel, the Novotel Rockford Palm Cove, where we spend the next three nights.
DAY 13
PALM COVE
Today is at leisure. Why not make your way into Cairns, exploring the surrounding area, or simply relax and enjoy the facilities at your delightful hotel. Set in tropical gardens, the Novotel Rockford Palm Cove offers the ideal opportunity to relax and reflect upon your journey so far.
DAY 14 KURANDA SCENIC RAIL · TJAPUKAI
If for nothing else, the engineering feat of the Kuranda Scenic Railway is worth the experience. The train travels along track laid in the 19th century and rising some 328 metres above sea level, negotiates 15 hand-carved tunnels and crosses bridges spanning seemingly bottomless ravines. We board the diesel-pulled train at Freshwater and travel to the pretty village of Kuranda with its handicraft shops, galleries and local restaurants. Later in the day we return by coach to Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park where the award-winning dance theatre and the lifestyle and history of these indigenous people can be experienced. We re-join our coach to return to our hotel.
Dunk Island
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