CAVANAGH S COACH TOURS ADELAIDE, THE RED CENTRE AND TOP END

Transcription

1 CAVANAGH S COACH TOURS ADELAIDE, THE RED CENTRE AND TOP END 26 MAGNIFICENT DAYS Departing 19th June, 2005 ULURU (AYERS ROCK) KATHERINE GORGE YOUR COACH... *Fully air conditioned *Reclining seats *Video equipped *Large Panoramic windows *Air ride suspension ONLY $ PER DAY

2 ADELAIDE, THE RED CENTRE AND THE TOP END Departing 19th June, HIGHLIGHTS - INCLUDED IN FARE Enjoy a tour of, and wine tasting in, the Barossa Valley Relax in the beautiful Adelaide Hills Travel on the Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin Tour Western MacDonnell Ranges and visit Simpsons Gap and Standley Chasm Explore Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata-Tjuta (the Olgas ) Watch the fish being fed at Darwin Board the Adelaide River Queen for the Jumping Crocs Cruise Visit Kakadu National Park Nourlangie Rock in Kakadu National Park Yellow Waters Billabong cruise (Kakadu) Cruise Katherine Gorge Tour outback Queensland including a visit to the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame Sunday 19 th June (D) ITINERARY Depart home this morning on a journey of a lifetime. We ll travel south to Sydney, arriving late afternoon for our overnight stay. Tonight we take a tour of Sydney by night including the infamous Kings Cross. Overnight & Dinner: Sovereign Inn Crows Nest Monday 20 th June (BD) Continue south through Goulburn and Gundagai before reaching Wagga Wagga, one of Australia's largest inland cities and considered the capital of the Riverina. The surrounding area consists of properties dedicated to wheat-growing, dairying, mixed farming and fat lambs. Overnight & dinner: Country Comfort Wagga Wagga Tuesday 21 st June (BD) Today we travel through Narrandera and Hay, the commercial centre of a huge area of semi-arid grazing country. where irrigation from the Murrumbidgee has led to an expansion of vegetable and fruit growing. We continue through Balranald to Mildura, a beautiful city on the banks of the Murray River. Overnight & dinner: Quality Resort Rockford Mildura Wednesday 22 nd June (BD) On leaving Mildura, we travel through Renmark, right in the heart of the oldest irrigation area in Australia to Waikerie, the citrus centre of Australia, surrounded by an oasis of irrigated vegetable gardens, lush orchards and vineyards in mallee-scrub country in the Riverland. We leave the Sturt Highway and spend some time in the Barossa Valley. First stop - Wolf Blass Wines for a taste of premium wines and a browse through the award winning Wine Heritage Museum. We visit Angus Park Promotion Centre at Angaston, where there are many varieties of dried and glace fruit, dried fruit confectionery, nuts, chocolate products, honey and many other unique South Australian products. We now make our way back to Tanunda for our last tasting of the day at Chateau Tanunda Estate. We then make our way into Adelaide. Overnight & dinner: Mercure Grosvenor Hotel Adelaide Thursday 23 rd June (BD) After some time in Adelaide City, we spend the remainder of the day in the beautiful Adelaide Hills. Our first stop is a Hahndorf where we take time to stroll the main street of this quaint little German influenced village. The German Cake Shop is sure to delight! Lunch available in Hahndorf (own expense). From Hahndorf we make our way to Littlehampton, and join the Platform 1 Heritage Farm Railway. We make our way back into Adelaide mid-afternoon, stopping at the Warrawong Earth Sanctuary on the way. Here we take a stroll through the sanctuary as our guide highlights the historical and natural features of this 34 hectare paradise. The sanctuary is home to many species of threatened animals and abundant bird-life, and if we are lucky we may catch glimpses of rare native animals such as bilby s and bandicoots in their native habitat. Overnight & dinner: Mercure Grosvenor Hotel Adelaide

3 Friday 24 th June (BD) A leisurely day today as we have some free time this morning, then make our way to the seaside suburb of Glenelg. No visit to Adelaide is complete without a 10 km trip down to Glenelg. Glenelg has come ahead in leaps and bounds and offers some of the most luxurious accommodation in SA. At around 4.00 p.m. we board the Ghan for the beginning of our journey to the Top End. Overnight & dinner: The Ghan Gold Kangaroo Service Saturday 25 th June (BD) Today we roll into Alice Springs around noon and after collecting our luggage we take a tour of The Alice and visit some of her famous attractions. Known as the heart of the Red Centre, Alice Springs is nestled at the foot of the northern slopes of the MacDonnell Ranges and is almost 1,500 kilometres from the nearest capital city. More than 350,000 visitors a year pass through this modern, well-maintained town. First up, the National Pioneer Women s Hall of Fame. Based in the heritage-listed Old Courthouse, the Hall of Fame tells the story of the courageous and ingenious pioneering women of the Centre. We stop off at Panorama Guth, a private art gallery housing a collection of photographs and memorabilia of the centre. The feature however, is the 360 o panoramic mural of the surrounding Central Australian country, which has been described as like walking up onto a lookout tower. Sunday 26 th June (BD) This morning we take a look at John Flynn s Grave Historic Reserve. We stop and take a walk in Simpson s Gap, reboard our coach and see what s left of the Twin Ghost Gums. Just past the Simpson s Gap turnoff stand the majestic Twin Ghost Gums, originally made famous by Aboriginal Artist Albert Namatjira. Continuing on, we leave Larapinta Drive again, this time to witness the magnificence of the unique Standley Chasm. One of the most spectacular breaks in the MacDonnell Ranges, the chasm is nine metres wide, towering to a height of approximately eighty metres. We ll be here around midday, the best time to visit - at this time the sun passes overhead and the walls blaze red with colour. We also visit Ormiston Gorge, at the base of Mt Sonder. Mid afternoon we return to Alice Springs - free time. Packed lunch today. Monday 27 th June (BLD) Up bright and early this morning as we make our way to Yulara, right in the heart of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The first priority for most tourists in the Red Centre is Uluru (Ayers Rock). We have the opportunity to take the challenge and climb Ayers Rock, before touring its base of gullies and caverns caused from years of erosion. The rock is 9 kilometres in circumference and, with the movement of the sun during the day, it changes colour through shades of fiery red, delicate mauve, blues, pinks and browns. When rain falls it veils the rock in a torrent of silver. We ll take a walk around a section of The Rock to see some Aboriginal Rock Art, before we make our way to Kata-Tjuta (The Olgas), a cluster of rounded, massive rocks equally mysterious. They too are dramatic and vividly coloured. The tallest dome of Kata Tjuta, Mount Olga, is 546 metres above the oasis-like Valley of the Winds that runs through the rock system. Ernest Giles, who first saw Mount Olga, named it after the Queen of Spain. Late afternoon we check into our accommodation. This evening we also take the opportunity to enjoy the sunset over The Rock. Overnight & dinner: Outback Pioneer Hotel Ayers Rock Tuesday 28 th June (BD) Another early start this morning as we take in the majesty and beauty of sunrise over The Rock. We then take the time for a leisurely breakfast before making our way to Erldunda where we join the Stuart Highway which will take us into Alice Springs, where we arrive early afternoon. Remainder of day at leisure. Wednesday 29 th June (BD) After a hearty breakfast, we visit The Royal Flying Doctor Base, where we are able to view the operations of a fl y- ing medical team which was introduced by the Rev John Flynn. We also visit the School of the Air. Officially opened in 1951, we are able to view the workings of this education by radio. This concept of education enables students to remain at home on the stations and in isolated areas during primary school years. Classes are held daily and teachers communicate with pupils as far as 1,000 kilometres away. Our day will also include a visit to the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. The telegraph station is a restoration of the original station, built in the 1870 s and is the site of the first European settlement in the area. Remainder of the day free to look around the Alice. This evening, our last in The Alice, we make our way to Anzac Hill to enjoy champagne and nibbles as the sun sets over the Red Centre. Thursday 30 th June (BD) At 4.30 p.m. we say goodbye to The Centre as we depart on The Ghan for Darwin. This section will complete our

4 2,796 kilometre train journey covering the continent from South to North. Settle back in the luxury of Gold Kangaroo Service and enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Red Centre, or make your way to the lounge car for a drink and a chat. Overnight & dinner: The Ghan Gold Kangaroo Service Friday 1 st July (BLD) After breakfast we sit back and enjoy more of the beautiful scenery before reaching Katherine at around 8.00 a.m. Free time then continue on to Darwin, arriving at approximately 4.30 p.m. We enjoy a brief introduction to Darwin enroute to our accommodation. Please Note: Optional Katherine Gorge tours are available on the train however we will be taking a cruise on Wednesday 6 th July. Overnight & dinner: Poinciana Inn Darwin Saturday 2 nd July (BD) We have a look around Darwin this morning, including the Stokes Hill Wharf precinct, before making our way to Aquascene a truly unique attraction. Aquascene is where hundreds of fish come to shore at high tide to be fed by hand. Milkfish, mullet, catfish, barramundi, rays and others can be seen close enough to touch as they compete with each other for food. We can choose to participate in the feeding or just sit and watch the spectacle either way it is a unique and memorable experience! We take some time to stroll along the foreshore in Darwin before enjoying lunch (own expense - anyone for fish?). This afternoon we visit the Museum of Arts & Natural Sciences. The museum houses an excellent collection of Aboriginal, Southeast Asian and Oceanic Art, as well as a permanent fine art collection of major Australian works, natural sciences of the Northern Territory and related areas. The museum is a great way to orient ourselves with the Top End. Today will also include a visit to the Darwin Botanic Gardens, which feature over 400 species of tropical and subtropical plants (timing dependent on feeding times at Aquascene). Overnight & dinner: Poinciana Inn Darwin Sunday 3 rd July (BD) We head out of town a little today to experience some of the Territory s locals at close hand. Our first stop today is the Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre at Beatrice Hill which provides an overview of the wetlands through a series of interactive displays. The centre also offers fantastic panoramic views from the balcony. Continuing on we board the Adelaide River Queen for the Jumping Crocs Cruise. The murky waters of the Adelaide River are home to some 1600 saltwater crocodiles. The boats are large and safe because the crocs that jump within arms length can be up to 6 metres in length and way over 1 tonne! Heading back to Darwin this afternoon we enjoy some free time before enjoying champagne and nibbles as we enjoy a spectacular Darwin sunset. Overnight & dinner: Poinciana Inn Monday 4 th July (BLD) Today we re off to Litchfield National Park bring your bathers!!!!! Comprising 143,000 hectares of the Tabletop Range and the Tableland Ranges, Litchfield Park is noted for four large and spectacular waterfalls. The park s scenic grandeur, permanent water and ever-changing terrain make it a popular bush-walking venue, and provide it s visitors with a fantastic experience. Overnight & dinner: Poinciana Inn Darwin Tuesday 5 th July (BLD) Today we make our way to Kakadu National Park, one of Australia s greatest natural treasures, where we begin with a visit to Nourlangie Rock a massive outcropping and a place of major significance for the Aboriginal people of the area. We ll break for lunch before taking a cruise on the Yellow Waters Billabong, and have the opportunity to spot some of the abundant wildlife, including saltwater crocodiles, innumerable bird species and perhaps the elusive buffalo. We ll stop at the Warradjun Centre for a brief visit and get a more comprehensive insight into this amazing area. We continue on through Pine Creek to Katherine. Overnight & dinner: Mercure Inn Katherine Wednesday 6 th July (BD) Katherine is the third largest town in the Northern Territory and a regional centre of beef, mining and horticulture, but is most noted for the Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park. There are a total of 13 gorges within the 180,000-hectare park. We enjoy a Gorge Cruise today before enjoying some free time. Overnight & dinner: Mercure Inn Katherine Thursday 7 th July (BD) Heading further south today, we ll make Daly Waters in time for lunch before continuing south through Dunmarra, Newcastle Waters and Renner Springs enroute to Tennant Creek. Although a modest outback town, Tennant Creek is the Territory's most important settlement after Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine. Overnight & dinner: Eldorado Motor Inn Tennant Creek

5 Friday 8 th July (BD) We head east into Queensland via Camooweal, stopping for lunch at Barkly Homestead before continuing along the Barkly Highway to Mt Isa, the largest and most impressive township in western Queensland. Overnight & dinner: Mercure Inn Burke & Wills Mt Isa Saturday 9 th July (BD) We travel through Cloncurry, and the small outback townships of McKinlay and Kyuna before reaching Winton, the birthplace of Qantas and where Waltzing Matilda was written. Late afternoon we reach Longreach where we spend the next couple of nights. Overnight & dinner: Jumbuck Motel Longreach Sunday 10 th July (BD) This morning we visit the Qantas Founders Outback Museum where we learn more about the history of Australia s oldest airline. After lunch (own expense) we visit the Australian Stockmans Hall of Fame, a national tribute to the pioneers and settlers of the Australian Outback. Overnight & dinner: Jumbuck Motel Longreach Monday 11 th July (BD) First stop today is Barcaldine, to view the Tree of Knowledge, the meeting place for the 1891 shearers strike, which resulted in the formation of the Australian Labor Party. We continue to Blackall, the centre of some of the most productive cattle country in Central Queensland and then Charleville the terminus of the Westlander rail service. The area around Charleville is a rich pastoral district carrying huge numbers of sheep and cattle. After dinner this evening we visit the Cosmos Centre where we ll view the stars, planets and moon like never before, as we take a journey across the night sky. Overnight & dinner: Mulga Country Motor Inn Charleville Tuesday 12 th July (BD) Today we pass through Cunnamulla, the biggest wool-loading station on the Queensland railway network, before crossing back into New South Wales as we pass through Barringun and head for Bourke. Overnight & dinner: Darling River Motel Bourke Please Note: Dinner tonight at the Bourke RSL/Oxley Club Wednesday 13 th July (BD) Today we pass through Brewarrina to Walgett, and enjoy some pleasant rural scenery as we continue through Wee Waa to Narrabri, right in the heart of cotton country. In Narrabri we visit the Australian Cotton Exhibition Centre to get a better understanding of the cotton industry from field to fabric. Overnight & dinner: Adelong Motel Narrabri Thursday 14 th July (B) Home today! Sit back, relax and reminisce about our magical tour. We should be home today late afternoon. Overnight: Home, sweet home.. JOIN OUR TRAVEL CLUB AND SAVE! MEMBERSHIP IS FREE! ENQUIRE WHEN BOOKING FARE SCHEDULE From the Mid North Coast 26 Days Adults Senior/pensioner Pensioner using pass $ $ $ Pick-ups may be arranged en-route please contact Cavanagh s Coach Tours for details.

6 CAVANAGHS COACH TOURS TOUR INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THE FARE: All coach travel, sightseeing, entrance and inspection fees as per itinerary, usually twin share accommodation and all meals as specified whilst on tour. NOT INCLUDED: Morning and afternoon teas, lunch, additional tours not undertaken by the company and items of a personal nature. YOUR COACH: Travel is in a modern, fully air-conditioned, toilet equipped luxury coach, designed and built for luxury tours. ACCOMMODATION: Will be the best available and will consist of Motel type with p rivate facilities. Single accommodation cannot be guaranteed, there will be an additional cost if required and if available. LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE: One medium size suitcase per person plus a travel bag which may be carried within the coach. Maximum weight of all luggage not to exceed 18kg(40lbs). CLOTHING: You will find casual clothing of all types comfortable and relaxing. Lightweight drip-dry clothing is ideal as this can be washed by hand in your motel room. Some warmer clothing for evenings and cooler days will be necessary. TRAVELLING ALONE? If you wish we will find someone of the same sex for you to travel with. If we cannot find a partner there will be no extra charge. SMOKING: In line with today's thinking, smoking is not permitted on board the coach. There are of course, many occasions to enjoy a cigarette during our regular stops. BOOKINGS AND CONDITIONS: To confirm your reservation, a non-refundable deposit of $ per person must be paid at the time of booking. Reservations will be held for 7 days only without deposit. Balance of payment for your holiday is to be paid 45 days prior to departure. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the final payment is received by the operator on the appropriate date. RETURNING TIME: A precise time of return for the coach may be obtained by telephoning Cavanagh s on (02) or (02) after 2.30pm on the final day of the tour. CANCELLATION POLICY: NOTICE GIVEN: more than 60 days...$ days % Cancellation fee of 100% of tour cost will be charged if tour has commenced. See Travel Insurance below. TRAVEL INSURANCE: It is strongly recommended that all passengers take out comprehensive travel insurance. This not only protects you against sickness, loss of personal luggage, hostpitalisation, but also against your need to cancel. This may be arranged through your Travel Agent. SEAT CHANGING: A rotation system ensures that all passengers will enjoy forward and window seating. ITINERARIES: Itineraries are subject to alteration without notice. This could come about due to road or weather conditions, strikes, non - performance by a supplier or other reasons. CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL: Cavanagh s Coach Tours is an agent only and enters into contracts as the agent of its various clients for the provision of services by carriers, hotels and tour operators. Such carriers, hotels and tour operators are unconnected with Cavanagh s Coach Tours and they, and not Cavanagh s Coach tours will be responsible to their clients provisions, upon the terms and conditions of such contracts. Cavanagh s Coach Tours shall not be liable or responsible to any passenger in the event of dissatisfaction with the standard of services or accommodation provided by any service provider or be liable or responsible for any disappointment, distress, loss of enjoyment arising from any act or omission whatsoever, Cavanagh s Coach Tours gives notice that they act only as agents for hotels, transportation companies and tour operators and are not liable for any loss, damage, delay or injury however caused. Air and surface transportation is subject to the conditions for carriage of the companies conerned. Baggage is at the owners risk throughout the tour. CAVANAGH S TRAVEL Lic. No. 2TA A Elbow street, Kempsey, N.S.W Phone (02) Fax (02) cavtrav@cavanaghs.com.au Your Authorised Travel Agent