We welcome you to our LAKE EYRE and OUTBACK 3 DAY SUPREME SCENIC SAFARI

Transcription

1 We welcome you to our 2012 LAKE EYRE and OUTBACK 3 DAY SUPREME SCENIC SAFARI

2 DAY 1: Welcome aboard! From 6.30am on the morning of your Lake Eyre and Outback Supreme Scenic Safari, we will pick you up from your Adelaide CBD choice of accommodation. Our experienced and knowledgeable guide will meet and greet you and transfer you to Parafield Airport, just a 30- minute drive from the Adelaide city. At Parafield, once your briefed by our highly skilled and entertaining pilots, Tony Schwerdt and Chris Pfitzner, we re off on a great adventure! Our choice of aircraft is the very reliable and spacious Fairchild Metro II. The Metro is a turbo prop with a pressurized cabin so you can remain at sea level at all times, adding to the comfort of these trips and no unforeseen ear problems! Everybody has a large window seat which gives you magnificent views of everything below, especially when we re flying at low level over some spectacular scenery. From Parafield, we fly north over the South Australia s fertile Mid North farming land, to refuel at Port Augusta. Back in the air, the real journey starts as we fly over the very beautiful and historic Flinders Ranges; the backbone of the landscape. Amongst the Ranges, we clearly see the Elder Range, the famous Wilpena Pound and the highest part of the range- St. Mary s Peak. As the flight continues we will also see the geological rich Brachina Gorge in the Flinders Ranges. The next stop is at Marree, home of Australia s first official mosque (which was made of mud brick) and legendary mailman Tom Kruse, who delivered everything and anything across 700km of challenging sandy and stony deserts to Birdsville. After a brief stretch of the legs while the Metro is fuelled up we are away again en route to the famous Dig Tree, via the Sturt Stony Desert. The Dig Tree is right on the Cooper Creek and a big part of our Australian history. It is the site where the possessions of famous explorers Robert O Hara Bourke and William John Wills were buried after their ill- fated attempt to cross inland Australia, from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. There is a large amount of interesting reading and history about the expedition, and it s also a great spot to have our lunch and ponder the events that transpired here in A short 8 minute flight from the Dig Tree is our next destination, the outback town of Innamincka. Located on the Strzelecki Track next to the beautiful banks of the Cooper Creek, Innamincka was formerly known as Hopeton. This is where we put our feet up for the evening in your newly built accommodation at the Innamincka Hotel. The pub is one thing, but the Cooper Creek at the moment is truly incredible with water all ready flowing over the town s causeway.

3 This is one of the most famous and yet least visited rivers in Australia and is one of 3 major Queensland river systems that flow into the Lake Eyre Basin, measuring 1300km in length. There is hardly a soul out here and you have the chance to really experience nature as you can explore the Creek by foot or canoe, seeing hundreds of different bird species including Pelicans, Cormorants, Corellas, Spoonbills, Wedge Tailed Eagles, Herons and Swans. The river gums are equally spectacular and this little paddle up stream is an outstanding highlight for many on this trip. (Canoeing is dependent on whether conditions are deemed safe by local authorities) If canoeing along the Cooper is not your thing, we can try to catch the monster yabbies off the causeway or just take a stroll and check out the historic township of Innamincka itself. Time permitting we may also have a look at the historic Elizabeth Symonds Nursing Home, now serving as an information centre for the surrounding Innamincka Regional Reserve. The food here is incredible and a 3- course dinner is included for you at this genuine Outback pub, where travellers and locals alike come together and relax, sharing many a travelling story over a refreshing beverage. DAY 2: After a buffet breakfast of continental and cooked selections, we set about for another exciting day of flying. We head further north to fly low over the very impressive Coongie Lakes. Not a lot is often said about these wetlands, which covers 19,800 square kilometers, but it is recognized as being of international importance by designation under the Ramsar Convention, is a World Heritage Site and a National Park. Due to the past 3 years of flooding here, there are hundreds of thousands of birds breeding here and it really is an incredible place to fly over. We touch down in a town that doesn t really need much introduction- Birdsville, which is known as one of Australia s must visit classic Outback towns, situated on the edge of the Simpson Desert. As soon as we land, a Birdsville local guide will greet you for an hour- long town tour. You will learn all about the history of this popular stopover town that will conclude at the most popular port- of- call- the famous Birdsville Pub! This place can tell a story two, and it s a great chance to mix with some local stockmen, have one of their famous burgers and look at some impressive memorabilia on the pub walls. In the air again, we follow the Diamantina River to Goyder Lagoon via Clifton Hills Station. This is a magnificent delta that stretches for 120 kms to where the Warburton Creek commences its journey across the Simpson Desert and into Lake Eyre.

4 Lake Eyre is the lowest point in Australia at approximately 15m below sea level, and also is the largest lake in the country covering 9,500 square km. In flood this is an incredible sight, filled by Queensland channel systems which slowly make their way down to fill the lake. The Metro arrives at the top of Lake Eyre and then follows the eastern banks of the Lake to the site where the Cooper Creek enters the system, and then we fly across to Brooks Island on the southern part of the lake. With some amazing scenery and different contrasts, the Lake makes this a photographers dream, especially flying in comfort and at low level to capture every breathtaking sight below. Birdlife should again be prolific as we head west across to Dalhunty Island and Halligan Bay before landing at William Creek, located on the world s largest cattle station, Anna Creek. Another refuel, a walk to the Memorial Park to see diverse items such as the first stage of the Black Arrow Rocket (Britain s only successful independent space launch that was recovered at Anna Creek Station) and a great informative placard of legendary bushman and station owner, Sir Henry Kidman. A coffee, or something even stronger is compulsory from another famous Australian landmark- the well- decorated William Creek Hotel! We then fly to our final destination for the day- the Opal Capital of the World, Coober Pedy. This is an amazing place. Somewhat like the Wild West, Coober Pedy was once underwater, covered by the vast inland Eromanga Sea and teeming with pre historic life. Our accommodation is at the renowned Coober Pedy Comfort Inn Experience underground hotel. This is a night to remember as you are well and truly looked after by friendly owner Debby Clee and her family. Sleeping underground is a unique experience. It s very quiet, cool, dark and airy with spacious rooms, high ceilings and constant temperatures. Most visitors say that sleeping underground gives them the best nights sleep that they have ever had. A sleep made even better after a great meal at John s Pizza Bar and Restaurant, which is not only the best in town, but has been voted the best pizzeria in Australia for 2011! The Coober Pedy stopover allows you to experience dug out style living, underground shopping, bars and opal display areas; all with sandstone surrounds in the heart of Coober Pedy.

5 DAY 3: A continental breakfast is supplied at the Comfort Inn s underground dining room and then its time to explore the region. George Russell (OAM for his services to the Medical Corp and Royal Australian Army), is your local guide and bus driver for the next 2 hours as he takes you on a well- informed and very humorous town tour. Stopovers include the beautiful Serbian Orthodox Church, the grassless golf course that is the only golf club in the world to have reciprocal membership rights to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland, and other well known landmarks in the town. Out of town, George takes us out to the opal fields, Moon Plain, the 5300km long Dog Fence and the stunning colours of the Breakaways Reserve. This is a great road trip with a terrific insight into just some of the fame on the world s stage! Our next tour is a continuous self- guided tour of the States multi award winning and premier tourist attraction, The Old Timers Mine & Museum. This is a fascinating tour of how mining started in Coober Pedy in a historic 1916 mine, including demonstrations of opal mining machinery and the chance to find your own piece of opal by noodling through left over mullock heaps. You will also see for yourself how miners and their families actually lived and worked underground in the hope of striking it rich from the 1920s to 1990s! There will be plenty of time for souvenir shopping and at around 2.30pm, we load up and it s back onto the Metro for your last leg back to Parafield Airport. If not a restrictive flight zone, Prominent Hill mining site will be on our right of track. Located 130km southeast of Coober Pedy, Prominent Hill is an open pit mine with a new underground mine currently in development. The mine is primarily producing high quality copper concentrate and almost 200,000 ounces of gold. The booming mine of Olympic Dam is another mining area we fly over. This is a multi mineral ore body and is the world s fourth largest remaining copper deposit, fifth largest gold deposit and the largest uranium deposit. There are also significant quantities of silver. We also fly slightly to the east of Woomera (if not a restricted flight zone) which is a town synonymous with the testing of long range missiles and rockets during the Cold War, and the launch and tracking of spacecraft in the early days of Space Age. From here we can also see Lake Torrens, which is the longest lake in the Southern Hemisphere. From here, it s down to the Spencer Gulf, over Port Pirie and then back landing at Parafield Airport, Adelaide for a 5pm arrival. We will then take you back to the your city accommodation if staying over or if you re catching a flight interstate, we will take you to the Adelaide Airport.

6 Price: $3, per person, all- inclusive. What s included? This safari includes all meals (plus water on the plane), accommodation at Innamincka and Coober Pedy, transfers to and from Parafield Airport, guided tours around Birdsville and Coober Pedy. What isn t included? Travel to and accommodation in Adelaide, canoe hire at Innamincka, all alcoholic and other beverages, personal souvenirs, and travel insurance. PMB 151 Port Lincoln, SA info@goinoffsafaris.com.au Goin Off Safaris- (08) David Doudle- Managing Director Phone: Erin Doudle- Assistant Manager Phone: