West to East. Across the Nullarbor. 21 Days. Thursday 13 September to Wednesday 3 October Relax Escape Experience

Transcription

1 Relax Escape Experience West to East Across the Nullarbor 21 Days Thursday 13 September to Wednesday 3 October 2018 Shop L10 The Link Correspondence to Grafton Shoppingworld PO Box 384, South Grafton NSW 2460 T enquiries@northlandcoaches.com.au F

2 TOUR COST All prices per person twin share. Travel Club Members $6, Non Members $6, Single Supplement $1, Kalgoorlie Eucla Hyden PERTH Balladonia Margaret River Esperance Albany Pemberton Ceduna Port Augusta BRISBANE Grafton Coonabarabran Broken Hill Cobar Deposit of $ is required at the time of booking A progress payment of $2, due 24 May 2018 Balance due on or before Wednesday 1 August, Itinerary subject to change without notice. Cancellation provisions will apply please contact our office for full details. Minimum numbers will apply to this tour. Payments can be paid by Cash, Cheque, Money Order or Eftpos. You may wish to join our West Coast Tour from Darwin to Perth departing Thursday 23 August then continue on our West to East Tour and travel from Perth back to Grafton. Please contact our office for further details. 21 DAY West to East Tour Thursday 13 September 2018 Tour Departs Grafton Other pick up points to be arranged Tour Inclusions Airport transfers 20 nights quality accommodation Perth to Fremantle Cruise Taffy s, Bunbury Underwater Observatory & Train Ride Busselton Jetty Guided tour of Mammoth Cave, Margaret River Cave Works Interpretive Centre Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse Precinct Margaret River Chocolate Factory Wine tasting in Margaret River Tram Ride, Pemberton Wilderness Eco Cruise, Walpole Tree Top Walk, Walpole King George Sound Cruise, Albany Historic Whaling Station, Albany Meals as indicated in itinerary 20 breakfasts 20 dinners (B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner Wildflower Shoppe, Hyden Guided tour of Wave Rock Esperance Municipal Museum Guided Tour of Kalgoorlie Guided Super Pit tour, Kalgoorlie Hannan s North Tourist Mine, Kalgoorlie Whale Watching Reserve Iron Knob & Yawning pit Tour Royal Flying Doctor Guided Tour, Broken Hill Silvery City Mint & Art Gallery, Broken Hill Silverton Hotel Lunch Silverton Gaol Museum The Sculpture Symposium, Broken Hill Great Cobar Heritage Centre Entry to attractions as set out in itinerary Luxury five star coach travel Professional and caring Coach Crew

3 Day 1 - Thursday 13 September Home to Perth D Welcome to our fantastic tour from Perth to Home via the South West and the Nullarbor. After our pickups are complete we travel to Brisbane Airport. We check in for our flight to Perth and then you will have time to have a cuppa before you depart. On arrival in Perth Airport you will be transferred to our accommodation for three nights. Accommodation: Pan Pacific Perth Day 2 - Friday 14 September Perth B D We embark on a sightseeing tour of the Western Australian capital. Discover the unique charm of Perth City, featuring its unusual combination of skyscrapers and colonial architecture, including Parliament House, St Mary's Cathedral, Government House, Barrack Arch, London Court and the Perth Mint. We then head to Kings Park with spectacular views over the city and river. There will be time for a walk through the tree tops along Federation Walkway before we join Captain Cook Cruises for a cruise down the Swan River to Fremantle. Our coach will meet us at Freo with some time in the historic port area before travelling back to Perth via the coastal road. Accommodation: Pan Pacific Perth Day 3 - Saturday 15 September Perth - Leisure Day B D Today is yours to enjoy. There are some fantastic cafes in the Mall if a spot of shopping is desired. Maybe do some sightseeing on your own like the Bell Tower with it s 18 bells or take a tour of the Perth Mint or take cruise to Rottnest Island and get a photo with a quokka. Accommodation: Pan Pacific Perth Day 4 - Sunday 16 September Perth to Margaret River B D We say goodbye to those leaving the tour today and for everyone else the adventure continues. Leaving Perth we travel south via the Coastal Highway to Bunbury. We visit Taffy s who produce 77 different delicious candies on site including their famous Salt Water Taffy. See a demonstration utilising the taffy puller and the model K Kiss Wrapper. From here we travel onto Busselton with time to purchase lunch before our afternoon Busselton Jetty Experience. The Busselton Jetty, at 140 years old and approximately 2 kilometres long, is the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere. We board the Jetty Train and travel to the Underwater Observatory. We continue onto Margaret River to complete our interesting day. Accommodation: Grange on Farrelly Motel, Margaret River Day 5 - Monday 17 September Margaret River B L D The Margaret River area is a rich dairy cattle and timber region, with a reputation for fine wines and surfing. This morning we drive south along the scenic Caves Road to Mammoth Cave where we take a guided tour of the cave. Nearby is the Cave Works Interpretive Centre an eco-complex designed to describe the region s fascinating limestone caves. From here we continue to Cape Leeuwin, named after the Dutch ship Leeuwin which passed this point in This is the land s end of the South West and the junction of the Indian and Southern Oceans. The coastal views are spectacular. We have arranged a light lunch here before heading north along the Bussell Highway to the Margaret River Chocolate Factory. Of course, no visit to this area would be complete without a wine tasting so we will enjoy a stop at a nearby winery prior to returning to our motel. Accommodation: Grange on Farrelly Motel, Margaret River Day 6 - Tuesday 18 September Margaret River to Pemberton B D This morning, we drive through Nannup to Pemberton, a town established in 1913 as a State Saw Mill. We stop at the famous giant (61 metre) Gloucester Tree, chosen for a fire lookout in After some time to purchase lunch we transfer to the Pemberton Railway Station. All aboard the Pemberton Tram as this unforgettable service shuffles out of Pemberton past the Saw Mill and descends deep into the Karri forest. The tram meanders through the forest crossing six bridges stopping at the Cascades and at the Warren River Bridge where the Lefroy Brook joins the Warren River. Our tram then returns to Pemberton. Accommodation: Best Western Motel, Pemberton

4 Day 7 - Wednesday 19 September Pemberton to Albany B L D We make our way through karri forests to Walpole. Here we join WOW Wilderness Eco-Cruises. This fascinating cruise takes us through the wilderness areas and waterways of Walpole s National Parks. Back on dry land, we enjoy a picnic lunch. This afternoon we divert off the highway and travel through the dense forest of unique hardwood tingle trees east of Walpole known as the "Valley of the Giants" in the Walpole National Park. We take a Tree Top Walk and explore the world-famous forest of gigantic tingle trees from 40 metres up in the canopy! This world-class tree-top walk soars gently upwards amidst the tingle foliage and opens up a world of birds and flowers that most people never see. The Ancient Empire boardwalk (on the forest floor) meanders around and sometimes through, a grove of veteran tingle trees. Later this afternoon we continue on through Denmark and onto Albany where we settle into our motel for the next two nights. Accommodation: Best Western Ace Motor Inn, Albany Day 8 - Thursday 20 September Albany B D Albany was Western Australia s first settlement. King Gorge Sound and its inner harbour provided the only natural haven for shipping in thousands of kilometres of coast between Shark Bay on the Denham Peninsula and Melbourne. Albany became the entry port for Western Australia during the second half of the 19th century as well as a major whaling station. This morning we cruise around King George Sound and see the historic and natural sights as well as the wildlife. Following our cruise we have time to purchase lunch then travel to nearby Frenchman Bay, the location of the old whaling station. At the Historic Whaling Station we take a guided tour through the old whale processing factory and have a look through a restored whale chasing ship. Accommodation: Best Western Ace Motor Inn, Albany Day 9 - Friday 21 September Albany to Hyden B L D We head north this morning through the stunning Stirling Ranges National Park to Hyden. We enjoy a late lunch at the Wildflower Shoppe before we meet our local guide who will show us one of Western Australia s most famous landmarks, Wave Rock. We see Hippos Yawn first, a little wave rock given its name as it resembles a yawning hippo. Then we head to Wave Rock, a granite cliff measuring 15m high and 110m long. Its rounded shape has been caused by weathering and water erosion which has undercut the base and left a rounded overhang. Hear the wind in the Sheoak trees and climb to the top for views across the surrounding farmland. Following a fascinating afternoon, we check into our overnight accommodation. Accommodation: Wave Rock Motel, Hyden Day 10 - Saturday 22 September Hyden to Esperance B D Travelling southeast today we make our way to Ravensthorpe and onto Esperance. There are many natural attractions here particularly the spectacular coastline with pure white sandy beaches, massive granite outcrops and sheltered beaches. Off shore approximately 100 islands form the Archipelago of Recherche. We ll have our lunch break in town (own expense) and then explore the Esperance Municipal Museum. The museum has a collection of material from the 1800 s through to pieces of the first American Space Station Skylab which crashed to earth in the Esperance Region in From here we check into our motel and freshen up for dinner. Accommodation: Best Western Hospitality Inn, Esperance Day 11 - Sunday 23 September Esperance to Kalgoorlie B D This morning we visit the Ten Mile Lagoon Wind Farm, Australia s first commercial wind farm. We then travel north to Norseman for a lunch stop (own expense). There is an interesting statue of a horse called Norseman in the main street. The horse allegedly pawed at the ground and unearthed a nugget of gold that started the Norseman gold rush. From here we continue onto Kalgoorlie. The towns of the Goldfields share a common colourful past and the most famous and enduring of them all is Kalgoorlie-Boulder, now classified as a city and the home of two-up and the Super Pit. Kalgoorlie is built around the richest square mile of gold-bearing earth in the world. Kalgoorlie s days of glory began in 1893 when Paddy Hannan and his fellow Irish prospectors Thomas Flanagan and Dan Shea found gold near Mt Charlotte. Accommodation: Quality Inn Railway, Kalgoorlie

5 Day 12 - Monday 24 September The Goldfields B D This morning we take in the local sights of the city. Hannan Street in Kalgoorlie and Burt Street in Boulder offer an insight into the way things were in the 1890 s. We now embark on a tour of Australia s largest gold producing mine, the Super Pit. We will view the mining operations from the safety of the Mine-Spec Tour Coach. Be amazed by the size of the CAT 793 Haul trucks as we travel through the tracks of the site. The view of the Super Pit from Harvey Hut will take our breath away as we see the old miners workings with old shafts and watch the work of the trucks. Following our tour, we have time to purchase lunch in the main street before our afternoon visit to the Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame. This provides a unique experience that combines an historic gold mine with interactive galleries, a changing display of art works and contrasting landscapes. We have plenty of time to witness a gold pour and try our hands at gold panning. Wander through the Historic Precinct to experience a slice of the life of prospectors and miners 100 years ago. Spend some time exploring the interactive galleries of the Hall of Fame. After a fascinating day in the goldfields we return to our motel. Accommodation: Quality Inn Railway, Kalgoorlie DAY 13 - Tuesday 25 September Kalgoorlie to Balladonia B L D Today we commence our trek across the vast Nullarbor Plain. From Kalgoorlie we retrace our steps to Norseman. From here we turn to east and head out across this vast expanse of Australian landscape and onto the Nullarbor Plain. In 1979 Balladonia hit the world news when parts of the US Skylab space station fell to earth around here. You can see some bits at the free Balladonia Cultural Heritage Museum. Accommodation: Balladonia Hotel Motel Day 14 - Wednesday 26 September Balladonia to Eucla B L D An early start today as we continue our journey east across the vast Nullarbor Plain. To the east of Balladonia is Australia's longest straight road, all kilometres of it. For those of us who are metrically challenged it s more common name is the "90 Mile Straight." We continue on through Cocklebibby to Madura, the midway point between Adelaide and Perth where robust horses known as Walers were bred for the Australian Light Horse Brigade in World War I. Our destination today is Eucla just 12 kilometres from the border. It is near here that the old telegraph station, once Australia's busiest regional telegraph station was. Today it is being slowly claimed by the drifting sand dunes. Accommodation: Eucla Motor Hotel Day 15 - Thursday 27 September Eucla to Ceduna B L D Following breakfast we continue east crossing into South Australia. We follow the coastline closely as we cross the Nullarbor Plain and make our way to The Head of Bight Lookout. Here we will stop to enjoy the spectacular views from the high cliffs to the ocean below. We travel onto the Yalata Aboriginal Reserve to Twin Rocks for exceptional views of the Bunda Cliffs, where the flat plain drops some 80 metres to the sea below. In spring, Southern Right Whales migrate from Antarctica to the warmer waters of the Great Australia Bight to mate, give birth and raise their young calves. We may not see whales on this occasion but the views are sensational, so don t forget your cameras. We continue onto the town of Ceduna for dinner and overnight accommodation. Accommodation: Best Western Ceduna Foreshore Hotel, Ceduna Day 16 - Friday 28 September Ceduna to Port Augusta B L D We rejoin the Eyre Highway this morning that takes us across the top of the Peninsula through Wudinna and into Kimba, where we enjoy our lunch at the Kimba Gateway Hotel. This afternoon we arrive into the semi-desert area of Iron Knob (the annual rainfall is rarely more than 200mm) and is widely recognised as the first commercial iron ore mine in Australia. It is not a particularly attractive town but what it lacks in savoir faire, it more than makes up for in genuine interest. In recent years BHP, who have run their mining operations in the area and administered the town, has now handed the town back to the local residents and they have had to deal with the complexities of local government and the establishment of revenue raising activities so that local services can be maintained. We ll enjoy a visit to the Iron Knob Community Tourist Centre including a tour of the town and Yawning Pit. Following our tour we drive to Port Augusta and check into our motel for the night. Accommodation: Acacia Ridge Motor Inn, Port Augusta

6 DAY 17 - Saturday 29 September Port Augusta to Broken Hill B D Port Augusta is often referred to as the "Crossroads of Australia. This town, at the top of the Spencer Gulf, is at the junction for the major trans-continental transport services. Australia s best known trains, the Indian Pacific which travels between Sydney and Perth and the Ghan which serves Alice Springs, both stop at Port Augusta as do the main east west and north south highways. After the flat country we have travelled through over the past couple of days, it will feel strange as we climb into the Southern Flinders Ranges, travelling through Peterborough and joining the Barrier Highway to continue onto Broken Hill. We check into our accommodation, home for the next two nights and settle in for dinner. Accommodation: Silver Haven Motor Inn, Broken Hill DAY 18 - Sunday 30 September Broken Hill B L D We start the day with a visit to the Royal Flying Doctor Visitor Centre. We ll tour the base, viewing the aircraft in the hangar, watch a unique film and explore the new Mantle of Safety Museum. Back in town, our next stop is the Silver City Mint and Art Centre. Known as one of the best galleries in town, the centre houses jewellery, a mineral display and an extensive range of original paintings by well known artists. It is the dramatic Big Picture painted by Peter Anderson that will be a highlight. It s the world s largest acrylic painting on canvas that totally immerses visitors into the local landscape. We now drive to Silverton which today is a virtual ghost town but a number of the historic buildings remain. Silverton has hosted film crews who have produced many well known movies such as Mad Max 2, A Town Like Alice and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. We enjoy a light lunch at the Silverton Pub before returning to Broken Hill. Late afternoon we visit the Living Desert and Sculpture Symposium on the outskirts of the town. Twelve of the finest sculptors from around the world created this unusual attraction from large pieces of Wilcannia Sandstone. The arrangements of the stones is double colonnade which defines a special flow from the Pinnacles Hills to Fred Hollow s resting place in Bourke and provides one of the most spectacular views in the area. We then head back to our motel for dinner. Accommodation: Silver Haven Motor Inn, Broken Hill DAY 19 - Monday 1 October Broken Hill to Cobar B L D We have a more leisurely start today as we make our way to Wilcannia on the Darling River. Legends were made along the Darling. Literary myths were created by Henry Lawson, Will Ogilvie and Breaker Morant. Kidman, Tyson and McCaughey created pastoral kingdoms of unparalleled proportions. The Light Horsemen of World War 1 were bred on these vast planes. Wilcannia was once known as Queen City of the West and the site of the original Resches Brewery. Unfortunately the town has seen better days! We stop for an early lunch at the Wilcannia Golf Club before continuing onto Cobar for our overnight stop. The Shire of Cobar covers an area the size of Tasmania with a population of just 7000 people, most of whom are involved with mining or pastoral industries. Accommodation: Cobar Motor Inn, Cobar DAY 20 - Tuesday 2 October Cobar to Coonabarabran B L D This morning we visit the Great Cobar Heritage Centre, the former Administration Building (circa 1910) of the Great Cobar Copper Mine. The Centre captures the essence of Cobar, housing an outstanding collection of exhibits which date from the early 1870 s to the present day. From Cobar we travel east to Nyngan, at the junction of the Mitchell and Barrier Highways. We ll enjoy our picnic lunches in Rotary Park, on the banks of the Bogan River before continuing onto Gilgandra. We have time for a stop at the Coo-ee Heritage Centre where we can view exhibitions like the Coo-ee March and local pioneer history. From here we make our way through to Coonabarabran for our final night on tour. Accommodation: Matthew Flinders Motor Inn, Coonabarabran DAY 21 - Wednesday 3 October Coonabarabran to Home B Our last leg on tour takes us through Gunnedah, Tamworth and Armidale with a stop enroute for lunch (own expense). Later this afternoon we arrive home in Grafton to complete a wonderful and memorable holiday crossing the continent from the West to East.

7 Terms & Conditions of Travel Acceptance of Terms & Conditions It is understood by Northland Coach & Travel that the terms and conditions of travel are accepted by the passenger when the deposit is paid. Payments, Cancellations and Refunds Bookings can be made by completing the booking form and a deposit per person is required within 7 days of booking to confirm your seat. All balance payments must be received by Northland Coach & Travel within the date specified prior to the tour commencement. Payments are available to be made by cash, cheque, eftpos and direct deposit. Northland Coach & Travel also reserves the right to cancel this tour due to insufficient numbers and in this instance a substitute date will be offered or a full refund will be made available. Cancellation Policy The following fees apply according to the notice given:- 60 days or more prior to the commencement of the tour forfeit deposit paid days prior to commencement of tour 20% of total fare to be paid days prior to commencement of tour 40% of total fare to be paid 13 8 days prior to commencement of tour 50% of total fare to be paid 7 days or less no refund payable. Where a non refundable ticket is pre purchased this will be in addition to the cancellation fee. If the tour has already commenced, no refund of fare or unused portion of the tour can be given. Travel Insurance Travel insurance is not included in this tour. We strongly recommended that you take out fully comprehensive travel insurance. We can help with travel insurance or contact your local Insurance Agent to discuss options available to you. Tour Prices Tour prices are correct at time of printing but subject to change without notice for unforseen circumstances such as higher hotel rates and fuel prices. All prices quoted include GST. Tour price excludes drinks, telephone calls, travel insurance or items of a personal nature. General Conditions Seats cannot be reserved on tours. However it is a policy of Northland Coach & Travel that passengers will rotate seats daily so that all passengers enjoy front and window seats. Should you require a single seat on this tour, you will be required to pay the coach content of the additional seat. Luggage Restrictions Due to strict government vehicle weight restrictions, one medium size suitcase per person. Maximum weight of all luggage not to exceed 20kg. We suggest you have a suitcase with wheels for easy of manoeuvrability. In addition, one piece of hand luggage may be carried onboard the coach with your personal items. Special Dietary Requirements Special meal requests must be advised at the time of booking. All efforts are made to accommodate special dietary requirements, like vegetarian and coeliac meals however in some locations this cannot be guaranteed. Single Supplement & Travelling Alone A limited number of single supplements rooms are available on each tour (the additional cost for sole use of a room). Where a single passenger is willing to share accommodation with a fellow single passenger, will endeavour to find a compatible rooming companion of the same gender for you. If we are unable to do this, then the passenger will be treated as a single and the supplement must be paid. Accommodation is on a twin share basis and Northland Coach & Travel accepts no responsibility for the rooming partner. Special Needs It is essential you advise us of any mobility, medical conditions or special needs you may have at the time of booking so that we can ensure your needs are met as best as possible. Passengers requiring special assistance are welcome onboard provided they are accompanied by an able-bodied companion capable of providing all necessary assistance and do not require special assistance from Northland Coach & Travel personnel or anyone else on the tour. Smoking & Alcohol Government regulations prohibit the consumption of alcohol on board Coaches. Smoking is also not permitted. Smokers will find that frequent stops made for sight-seeing provide the ideal opportunity to smoke. Liability Northland Coach & Travel reserves the right to alter or change the itinerary, accommodation or carriers at any time for any reason. Northland Coach & Travel reserves the right to substitute coaches at any time when circumstances may require so, without prior notice. Northland Coach & Travel shall not be liable to any person taking its tour for loss, injury or damage to such persons or their belongings or otherwise in connection with any accommodation, transportation or other services or resulting directly or indirectly for any occurrences beyond its control including breakdown of equipment, theft, delay or cancellation or changes in itinerary or schedules etc.

8 Tour Name: Tour Booking Form PLEASE RESERVE THE FOLLOWING PERSONS ON West to East Across the Nullarbor Departure Date: Thursday 13 September 2018 GIVEN NAME:.. SURNAME: Please print your name as per your Photo ID Preferred name on tour:... GIVEN NAME:.. SURNAME:. Please print your name as per your Photo ID Preferred name on tour:.... ADDRESS: PHONE: (Home).. (Mobile) ACCOMMODATION Double Twin Single (extra to be paid for single supplement) Do you suffer from mobility problems? YES NO Do you require a special room? YES NO If sharing with someone (Name):.... Are you a Northland Travel Club Member? Yes/No Medical Dietary Requirements:.... In the event of an emergency please provide us with your Next of Kin details. NAME:.. PHONE:... PAYMENT: Enclosed is my Deposit / Full Payment of $... FOR.. PERSONS Cheques to be made payable to Northland Coach & Travel TRAVEL INSURANCE Travel Insurance is not included but is strongly recommended. Northland Coach & Travel has offered to provide travel insurance, but I have elected to: Purchase an alternative policy use my credit card policy depart without travel insurance On behalf of all persons named, I/We have read, understand and agree to abide by the booking conditions. SIGNATURE:. DATE:. Please complete this form and post with your deposit to Northland Coach & Travel PO Box 384 South Grafton NSW 2460 Shop L10 The Link, Grafton Shoppingworld Tel: Fax: enquiries@northlandcoaches.com.au