Magestic Gorges, wonderful waterholes, rugged outback scenery. Ebsxjo!up!Csppnf 15 Day Tour 8th - 22nd August, 2018 Friends to travel with... O Shannessy s Sorrento Travel Pty Ltd T/A: 2121 Point Nepean Road, Rye Vic 3941 www.oshannessys.com.au Email: enquiries@oshannessys.com.au Toll Free: 1800 354 352
Price per person twin share $ 7,895 Repeat clientele twin share $ 7,845 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT $ 1,410 Tour Departs: Wednesday 8th August, 2018 Tour Returns: Wednesday 22nd August, 2018 Deposit: $200 per person upon booking Balance due on invoice approximately 45 days prior to departure Tour Price Includes: Pick up from and return to your home - Greater Melbourne, Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo, the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas, Phillip Island and some areas of Gippsland. QANTAS Flights: Melbourne to Darwin & Broome to Melbourne. Travel by our own state of the art luxury coach, equipped with restroom, satellite phone, fold-down arm rests, seat belts and extra leg room. Our coach has a kneeling device and second door for ease of entry and disembarkation. Our coach is also fitted with Road Cam TV monitors which display in real time the road ahead. The coach offers a smooth quiet ride and views through large panoramic windows. All tours and interest venues as per itinerary. Meals: Full cooked breakfasts, restaurant dinners, most lunches and morning teas. (4 lunches at own expense as per itinerary) Single travellers who are prepared to twin share will be matched with another passenger (of the same gender) or, if this is not possible, provided with single accommodation at the twin share fare. The following cancellation fees apply for this tour: 60 to 45 days BEFORE DEPARTURE Deposit Non Refundable 44 to 30 days BEFORE DEPARTURE 75% Refund of Tour Cost 29 to 15 days BEFORE DEPARTURE 50% Refund of Tour Cost 14 to 8 days BEFORE DEPARTURE 25% Refund of Tour Cost Within 8 days of departure and on or after departure - NO REFUND GIVEN All passengers are required to co-operate with the seat rotation program determined by O Shannessy s Tour Directors. TRAVEL INSURANCE IS NOT COMPULSORY HOWEVER IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND IS AVAILABLE FROM OUR OFFICE. The Proprietors reserve the right to vary any accommodation, price or other features of the tour at any time at their own discretion.
Tour Highlights: Darwin City Tour: Aviation Museum Litchfield Nat. Park (Wangi Falls, Termite Mounds, Florence Falls) Kakadu National Park - Nourlangie Rock (Aboriginal Art Site) Katherine Hot Springs Mirima National Park - Hidden Valley Durack Homestead Museum El Questro Argyle Diamond Mine Tour Yiyili Aboriginal Community Boab Prison Tree - Derby Willie Creek Pearl Farm (includes cruise) - Broome Japanese Cemetery - Broome Pearl Luggers Museum - Broome MULTIPLE NIGHT STAYS 3 Nights Darwin, Kununurra and Broome and 2 nights Katherine 7 CRUISES Spirit of Darwin Harbour Cruise - 2 Hour Dinner & Sunset Cruise Jumping Croc Cruise on Adelaide River Yellow Water Sunset Cruise - Kakadu Katherine Gorge Cruise - Nitmiluk National Park Ord River- Lake Argyle Afternoon / Sunset Cruise Chamberlain Gorge Cruise - El Questro Station Geikie Gorge Cruise - Fitzroy Crossing OPTIONAL FLIIGHTS (at own expense) Kakadu National Park (Optional Escarpment Flight) - N. T. The Bungle Bungles Flight - W.A.
U if!ljncfsmfz!fyqmpsfs Welcome to our 15 day Kimberley Tour. We have been touring this region for over 20 consecutive years and we are looking forward to your patronage on our 2018 Tour. We have always conducted this tour in July/August, as it is a comfortable time of year to travel. We have checked and cross checked other similar tours and believe this is the most comprehensive and relaxed tour available. We also believe our tour is the best value for money, as the price includes more meals, cruises and interest venues than other tours. Our policy is not to compromise quality for price and therefore we select the best available quality accommodation. Our patrons enjoy good quality, comfortable accommodation each night and cooked restaurant breakfasts and dinners at motels (NOT clubs). Our experienced coach crew (Hostess and Coach Captain) have toured the West Coast many times and will keep you informed and relaxed DAY 1: Wednesday 8th August, 2018 Home - Darwin Welcome to our fabulous tour! With personal pick-up from your home, we arrive at Melbourne Airport to join the QANTAS flight to Darwin. At Darwin Airport we are met by our O Shannessy s crew. First stop is a light lunch followed by a visit to the Aviation Museum. Here we see an impressive presentation of aircraft and displays including the massive Boeing B52 Bomber, one of only two on display in the world outside the USA. We ll take a good look around the Northern Territory capital tomorrow, but it s now time to check into our next three nights accommodation. Settle in and freshen up before our late afternoon transfer to Stokes Hill Wharf for our fantastic dinner cruise on Darwin Harbour What a wonderful way to start our tour as we see the Darwin skyline at sunset. Overnight: Double Tree by Hilton Esplanade, DARWIN
DAY 2: Thursday 9th August, 2018 Darwin Sightseeing Following a hearty breakfast, we take in the sights of Darwin. Many people aren t aware of the importance of Darwin during World War II so we ll look at the city as it is today and also learn about the involvement and history of the bombings of Darwin. The present city centre was established in 1869 and contains many of its historic buildings such as the Old Court House and Government House. We see the new Parliament House built on the site of the Darwin Post Office bombed during the war, the port area plus the many other fascinating sights of Australia s northern gateway. We then take a drive through Fannie Bay, popular with sailors, windsurfers and water skiers to East Point. Returning to our hotel, we have a few hours to relax and enjoy the resort facilities - perhaps a dip in the pool or some retail therapy. Later this afternoon, we visit Aquascene for the chance to feed the fish as they come close to shore on the turn of the tide. We can watch another sunset as we enjoy dinner at Cullen Bay. Lunch own expense/arrangement today Overnight: Double Tree by Hilton Esplanade, DARWIN DAY 3: Friday 10th August, 2018 Litchfield National Park This morning, we travel south to the small township of Adelaide River - about 110kms from Darwin. We make a brief stop at Adelaide River War Cemetery. This is the site of the only Australia war cemetery on Australian soil. There are 432 servicemen and 63 civilians, all of whom died as a result of Japanese bombing raids, buried in the cemetery. From here we enter Litchfield National Park. The 65,000ha National Park with its untouched rainforests, hot springs, magnificent waterfalls and stunning scenery has gained the reputation as the jewel of the Northern Territory s crown. There are some great photo opportunities. We stop to see the Magnetic Anthills and the magnificent Florence Falls from the lookout platform. We enjoy lunch at the Litchfield Cafe and visit nearby Wangi Falls where there is time for a refreshing dip! - so bring your togs! From Litchfield National Park we return to Darwin. Dinner this evening is at the hotel. Overnight: Double Tree by Hilton Esplanade, DARWIN
DAY 4: Saturday 11th August, 2018 Darwin - Kakadu With an early start, we say farewell to Darwin and travel the Arnhem Land Highway with our destination today being the World Heritage Listed Kakadu National Park. Our first visit on our way to Kakadu is the Jumping Croc Cruise - don t forget to bring your camera! After this fantastic cruise, we stop at the Corroboree Park Roadhouse for morning tea. Driving into the wonderland of Kakadu National Park, we have lunch at Jabiru. This afternoon we visit the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre before joining our magical 2 hour Yellow Water Sunset Cruise. This cruise has to be experienced to be believed. Nowhere else will you see such a concentration of so many species of diverse wildlife than here, including Brolgas, Egrets, Jabiru and hopefully some crocs! Dinner will be a little later this evening. Overnight: Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, KAKADU DAY 5: Sunday 12th August, 2018 Kakadu - Katherine Early this morning, we have the opportunity of an optional 30 minute scenic flight over the Arnhem Land Escarpment (Cost approx. $150 pp own expense). For those who choose not to fly we have a more leisurely start to the day with a slightly later breakfast. We then begin our day s touring with a visit to Nourlangie Rock and its ancient Aboriginal rock art. On leaving the National Park, we stop for lunch at Pine Creek before our journey south to Katherine. We have plenty of time to settle into our accommodation - perhaps a swim in the pool is called for! Overnight: Knotts Crossing Resort, KATHERINE DAY 6: Monday 13th August, 2018 Katherine Gorge A visit to Katherine would not be complete without a cruise through Katherine Gorge. This morning, we take the two-hour cruise through the southern edge of Nitmiluk National Park. Sheer walls of sandstone dotted with ancient Aboriginal rock art surround the crystal waters of the Katherine River where freshwater crocodiles can be seen along the banks. After our cruise through two of the gorges, we stop at the Visitors
Centre where we have time to look at their displays. Back in Katherine, we have time to purchase lunch and take a look at the township. This afternoon we have a choice - relax at the resort or come with us to unwind in the therapeutic crystal clear waters of the Katherine Hot Springs (32 o C). The area has been transformed with a new raised walking platform that has opened the area up to us so we can now see the source of the spring water via a viewing platform. The main pool has wheel chair access, stainless steel rails and the walls have been formed out of rock. We return to our accommodation with time to relax before dinner. Lunch own expense/arrangement today Overnight: Knotts Crossing Resort, KATHERINE DAY 7: Tuesday 14th August, 2018 Katherine - Kununurra Today we travel west calling at Victoria River and Timber Creek. We cross into Western Australia to arrive at Kununurra. We enjoy lunch before taking in the local sights. The town was established as the residential and administrative centre of the Ord River Scheme - a huge irrigation scheme that was developed in the 1970 s. Our sightseeing will include a visit to the town centre, the Diversion Dam and Ivanhoe Crossing. We also visit the Mirima National Park, often called Hidden Valley. The small park is just two kilometres out of town. The sandstone formations here resemble the domes of the famous Bungle Bungles (Purnululu National Park), which is why they are sometimes called Mini Bungle Bungles - it s a perfect opportunity to get an on ground experience! We then check into our next three night s accommodation. Overnight: The Kimberley Grande, KUNUNURRA DAY 8: Wednesday 15th August, 2018 Kununurra & The Ord River This morning we have the opportunity to take a scenic 2 hour flight over the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu National Park). This flight is optional and is an additional cost approximately $399pp. Departing from Kununurra Airport we fly over Packsaddle irrigation area, Ord River, Lake Argyle, Ord Top Dam, Cattle Stations, the Argyle Diamond Mine and the Heritage listed Bungle Bungle Ranges. Our flight
includes all window seats, an in-flight information booklet and professional recorded commentary. Those who wish not to fly may enjoy a sleep in. Mid-morning, when the flyers return, we drive towards Lake Argyle, stopping enroute to visit the Durack Homestead Museum. The homestead was originally built in 1895 by the Durack family on Argyle Downs Station (now mostly submerged by the lake). The famous pioneering Durack family home became known far and wide as one of the social gathering places of the East Kimberley. Constructed of handcrafted limestone blocks with crushed termites mounds used as mortar, it was a magnificent building for its time. During the early 1970 s a decision was made to remove the homestead before Lake Argyle began to fill in order to preserve this magnificent building for all time. The homestead was dismantled stone by stone with every stone back in its original position. The homestead now lives on as a museum dedicated to the pioneering spirit of the Durack Family. We travel on to Lake Argyle where we enjoy lunch at the Tourist Village. One of the many highlights of our tour to East Kimberley will be our cruise this afternoon with Lake Argyle Cruises. We take in the untamed landscape of the magnificent Carr Boyd Ranges along the inaccessible North Western shoreline as we cruise through some of the lakes 90 islands and inlets. Hopefully we ll see Rock Wallabies, Crocodiles, Wallaroos (Euros) and Birdlife, plus a Catfish feeding frenzy and the amazing spitting Archer Fish. We stay out on the water in an ideal setting to catch the last golden rays of the Kimberley sun the first of many! We return to Kununurra for a slightly later dinner. Overnight: The Kimberley Grande, KUNUNURRA DAY 9: Thursday 16th August, 2018 Wyndham & El Questro The Kimberley is one highlight after another and today is no exception as we head north to Wyndham. Wyndham, 100 kilometres north of Kununurra is a small frontier town that typifies the character of the Kimberley. Established near the tidal waters of the Cambridge Gulf, the port town is guarded by the thrusting summit of the Bastion Range, towering 1,100 feet above sea level at its highest point. Many people say the 5 Rivers Lookout from the top of the Bastion is one of the finest in Australia! We can t be this close to Wyndham and not go to the lookout, but today s real destination is El Questro Station - a million acre cattle station and wilderness park. On arrival we enjoy an early lunch before a cruise through Chamberlain Gorge, through a three kilometres waterhole with towering cliffs and lively and interesting bird life. Overnight: The Kimberley Grande, KUNUNURRA
DAY 10: Friday 17th August, 2018 Argyle Diamond Mine - Halls Creek We have another exciting day in the Kimberley. We enjoy beautiful scenery as we travel south between the Carboyd and the Durack Ranges. We divert from the main road and drive to the Argyle Diamond Mine. Here we take an impressive guided tour through the mine s processing plant from the comfort of our coach. We also observe the mine s open cut pit and visit the diamond viewing room and natural history museum with $1 million worth of diamonds on display. A buffet lunch is provided in the mine s dining room before we depart. We continue on to our accommodation in Halls Creek with time to relax, swim etc. before dinner. Overnight: Kimberley Hotel, HALLS CREEK DAY 11: Saturday 18th August, 2018 Halls Creek Derby As we continue west through the magnificent red mountain scenery of the Kimberley s, we have a brief stop at the Yiyili Aboriginal Community to view their gallery. After our break, we continue to Fitzroy Crossing where we enjoy lunch at the Lodge. This afternoon we travel out to nearby Geikie Gorge where we take a cruise through this spectacular landscape. The Fitzroy River has carved its path through the fossil "Barrier Reef" formed 300 million years ago, resulting in mountainous cliffs and breathtaking scenery. After our cruise we continue on our way to Derby for our overnight stay with a slightly later dinner this evening. Overnight: Spinifex Hotel, DERBY DAY 12: Sunday 19th August, 2018 Derby - Broome Our destination today is Broome, but on the way, we see the famous Boab Prison Tree, 7 miles south of Derby, which was used in the early days as an overnight lock up for prisoners before the final trek into Derby. Have your photo taken in front of the Longest Cattle Trough in the Southern Hemisphere. Back on the highway again, we can purchase our late lunch at the Willare Bridge Roadhouse before the last leg of our journey into Broome. Broome is situated on the coast at the southern tip of the Kimberley region. It is bounded by wide sandy beaches and turquoise water and
enjoys a warm climate with plenty of sunshine. The discovery of rich pearling grounds off the coast in the 1880s led to the foundation of Broome township in 1883. By 1910 Broome was the world s leading pearling centre. We check into our next three nights accommodation. Lunch at own expense/arrangement today Overnight: Oaks Resort, BROOME DAY 13: Monday 20th August, 2018 Broome sightseeing This morning we tour this fascinating town. We ll see the historic Gantheume Point, the Broome Wharf, the Japanese Cemetery and of course China Town. Another highlight today is our visit to the Pearl Luggers Museum. In air conditioned comfort we learn the history of pearl diving dating back 140 years. Our tour guide will share with us their specialised knowledge of this unique industry. We have some time to relax or swim etc. this afternoon before making our way to Cable Beach for the sunset and dinner. Overnight: Oaks Resort, BROOME DAY 14: Tuesday 21st August, 2018 Willie Creek Pearl Farm We enjoy a leisurely breakfast before we visit the Willie Creek Pearl Farm. We learn about pearling techniques and view the pearl panels suspended in the creek. We also gain a comprehensive insight into how the world s finest pearls are produced, with the process of cultured pearling, including the seeding of a live oyster shell. Lunch is included and we also enjoy a cruise aboard the Willie Wanderer. There ll be more time to relax back at the hotel before dinner this evening. Overnight: Oaks Resort, BROOME
DAY 15: Wednesday 22nd August, 2018 Home We have a leisurely breakfast in the morning. We then transfer to Broome Airport for our flight via Perth to Melbourne. With the change of time, we arrive quite late but as always our chauffeurs will be there to greet us and return us safely home. Lunch at own expense/arrangement today (Refreshment In-Flight) We thank you for travelling with O Shannessy s Tours and look forward to your patronage again in the future! For details of other tours available Phone toll free on 1800 354 352
Uif!Ljncfsmfz!! U Fyqmpsfs!Upvs!Nbq CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL Any special passenger requirements must be notified to O Shannessy s Tours at the time of booking. No passenger will be permitted to embark or continue on the tour while their mental or physical condition is, in the opinion of any representative of O Shannessy s Tours, such as to render them incapable of caring for themselves, or whereby they become objectionable to other passengers, or they become a hazard to themselves or other passengers. O Shannessy s Tours will not be responsible for expenses resulting in such persons being precluded from completing the tour for any such reason. It is also a requirement of O Shannessy s Tours that each passenger is able to negotiate coach steps without the aid of the coach crew or other passengers. Any passenger who requires assistance for any of the above is required to travel with a companion capable of providing all necessary assistance. If you are willing to twin share but are a smoker or have a CPAP machine or snore, you will need to pay a single supplement for a sole use room.