Day 1 Sat, 14 Sep Brisbane (D)
Welcome to Brisbane, the capital
of Queensland. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be transferred to your
overnight Special Stay. Feel free to explore the city at your leisure. You’ll
find yourself perfectly located, just a short stroll from the Brisbane River
and close to the heritage-listed Anzac Square. Meet your Tour Director and
fellow travellers tonight for a welcome dinner.
Day 2 Sun, 15 Sep Brisbane - Roma (B,D)
Heading northwest, our first stop
is Toowoomba, Queensland’s largest inland city. It is home to many parks and
gardens as well as a growing urban coffee culture. Cross the Great Dividing
Range to the Darling Downs and Dalby, the wheat capital of Queensland. We will
travel through Chinchilla and Miles before arriving in Roma for our two-night
stay. Join the Big Rig Night show to discover the unique history of Australia’s
oil and gas industry in Roma.
Day 3 Mon, 16 Sep Roma (B,L,D)
Roma is the centre of a rich
pastoral and wheat-growing district. Full of country charm, it is home to
Australia’s largest cattle-selling centre. Enrich: With our local guide,
discover all the hidden secrets of Roma. Begin your day with a Welcome to
Country from a member of the local Mandandanyi tribe. Hear the stories of
Roma’s history including a visit to the Rosedale Orchards.
Day 4 Tue, 17 Sep Roma- Charleville (B,D)
Located on the Warrego River,
Charleville was named after its Irish pioneers’ hometown in Ireland. It was the
location of the Cobb & Co factory in the late 1890s. Visit the Bilby
experience. Learn about army life for the United States armed forces that were
located here during WWII. This evening visit the Charleville Cosmos Centre.
Stay overnight in Charleville.
Day 5 Wed, 18 Sep Charleville- Longreach (B,D)
Today’s first stop is at the
country town of Tambo. When wool prices crashed in 1992, a group of locals
started making unique teddy bears from wool pelts and stuffed them with wool
and thus the Tambo Teddy was born. See the Tree of Knowledge at Barcaldine, the
reputed birthplace of the labour movement in Australia. Upon arriving in
Longreach, head to your retreat for your two-night Special Stay.
Day 6 Thu, 19 Sep Longreach (B,L,D)
Start the day at the Qantas
Founders Outback Museum to inspect the original 1922 hangar used by the
departing flights, the Boeing 747-200, and the first ever Qantas Jet passenger
aircraft registered in Australia. At the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, learn about
the brave and intrepid explorers, the stockman, and Aborigines of pioneering
Australia. This evening enjoy a sunset cruise, followed by a dinner show.
Day 7 Fri, 20 Sep Longreach-Winton (B,D)
Travelling to Winton, visit the
Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History. The museum houses the largest
collection of unique dinosaur fossils in Australia. A farmer, whilst mustering
in 1999, found the first dinosaur bone fossil in the region. This afternoon
visit the Waltzing Matilda Centre, dedicated to a song and the place where
Banjo Patterson wrote the famous bush ballad. Overnight stay in Winton.
Day 8 Sat, 21 Sep Winton- Cloncurry (B,D)
Cloncurry is affectionately known
as "the Curry” by locals. It is the birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor
Service. During your visit to John Flynn Place Museum, you will discover the
Australian visionary who began his flying doctor experiment in 1928. Your home
for the next two nights is Cloncurry.
Day 9 Sun, 22 Sep Mt Isa (B,D)
Spend the day in Mt Isa, a town
that came into existence because of the vast mineral deposits found in the
area. Mount Isa Mines is one of the most productive single mines in world
history, based on the combined production of lead, silver, copper and zinc.
Take an underground mine tour and visit the Outback at the Isa complex.
Day 10 Mon, 23 Sep Cloncurry-
Charters Towers (B,D)
Following the Overlanders Way,
travelling through the towns of Richmond and Hughenden, you will come across an
area known as dinosaur country because of the many discoveries of bones from
marine reptiles found in this region that had once been an inland sea. Our stay
for the next two nights is at the Charters Towers. A booming town during the
gold rush of 1880s, it was home to the first regional stock exchange in
Australia.
Day 11 Tue, 24 Sep Charters Towers (B,L,D)
Enrich: Spend today
with the Lyons family in their home and workplace – Wambiana Station. The deep
roots the family has formed with the land has helped them build a wealth of
knowledge about life on a cattle station, living in the bush and sustainable
grazing practices, that they will be happy to share with you.
Day 12 Wed, 25 Sep Charters Towers- Cairns (B)
Farewell the Queensland outback as
we head east to the coastal town of Townsville. With more than 320 days of
sunshine each year, Townsville is home to World Heritage-listed national parks
and lush tropical gardens. Following the coast, our final stop for two nights
is Cairns.
Day 13 Thu, 26 Sep Cairns (B,D)
Freechoice: Soar over the Atherton
Tablelands in a hot air balloon flight at sunrise or journey through
magnificent rainforest on the Kuranda Scenic Railway before returning by
Skyrail. Alternatively, take a day trip to Cape Tribulation and experience the
world’s oldest tropical rainforest, or enjoy a Great Barrier Reef day trip to
the Outer Barrier Reef. Snorkel amidst the labyrinth of coral with an
instructor and enjoy the underwater observatory on a semi-submersible boat.
Day 14 Fri, 27 Sep Cairns (B)
It is time to say goodbye to your
newfound friends and head home, taking wonderful memories with you.