21 Day Great Cape York Experience
Departs: Tour Completed
21 DAY TOUR COST: from $5279 pp twin share
14 Day Cairns – Cairns Option Available
Departs: Wednesday 19th July 2008
14 DAY TOUR COST: from $4168 pp twin share
The month of July is superb for travelling to Cape York, the days are warm and sunny, the nights cool and the countryside spectacular after the wet season; so leave the cold weather behind and come away on a holiday to tropical North Queensland. This fabulous tour takes us through the heart of Queensland, visiting historic Charters Towers, the lakes and falls of beautiful Atherton Tablelands and the unique and isolated Cape York Peninsula. Take a walk of discovery through the Malanda Falls rainforest; cruise the beautiful Daintree River with its crocodiles and abundant wildlife; tour the bauxite mining operation at Weipa; visit Somerset, the original settlement of Cape York and walk to the very ‘Tip of Australia'. Take a tour of historic Thursday Island (optional) or perhaps spend a day fishing in the Torres Strait. Come and experience a journey of discovery to this unforgettable part of Australia known as Australia’s last frontier.
DAY 1 HERVEY BAY—BILOELA (D)
Friday 4th July: Depart Brisbane Roma Street Transit Centre at 7:30am. Travel north on the Bruce Highway. After a lunch stop in the Heritage City of Maryborough head inland to the citrus growing areas of Gayndah and Mundubbera to Biloela, a thriving rural town in the Banana Shire, which is in the Callide Valley south west of Gladstone. Stay Settlers Motor Inn.
DAY 2 BILOELA—CLERMONT (D)
Saturday 5th July: Today travel west to the coal mining town of Moura. Just outside Moura we stop at Apex Park to view the 150th Meridian before a visit to the Moura Information Centre to view the mining museum. The Dawson Highway leads the way to Rolleston, Springsure and Emerald. Only a short run along the Gregory Highway to the oldest inland settlement in Central Queensland, Clermont. Stay Clermont Motor Inn.
DAY 3 CLERMONT—CHARTERS TOWERS (BLD)
Sunday 6th July: Today the lonely Gregory Development Road guides us through large cattle stations to Charters Towers. The impressive buildings and architecture of Charters Towers stand testament to the wealth of the gold rush era. Enjoy a few hours of free time to have lunch and explore the town before a guided tour of Venus Gold Battery, which gives a fascinating insight into how the gold was extracted from the ore. The tour includes a hologram-and-film presentation projected onto a water screen. Tonight enjoy the Ghost After Dark Show on Tower Hill where the ghosts of the past have a starring role. Stay Cattleman’s Rest Motor Inn.
DAY 4 CHARTERS TOWERS—ATHERTON (BLD)
Monday 7th July: Our journey continues north, through Greenvale, a town which was set up to mine nickel but now that mining has ceased, the town relies on tourists travelling through to support the local economy. From here we travel through Mt Garnet to the Atherton Tableland. There is a noticeable change in the scenery, from the dry, sparsely timbered interior to the rainforests and lush grassed areas of the tableland. 2 Night Stay Atherton Rainforest Motor Inn.
DAY 5 ATHERTON SIGHTSEEING (BD)
Tuesday 8th July: Enjoy a relaxing day as we take in the sights of the beautiful Atherton Tablelands with its glorious pristine crater lakes and waterfalls. Visit the Malanda Dairy Centre. Watch and experience the processing of milk and the making of delicious cheese. Take a walk of discovery through the Malanda Falls rainforest. Malanda Falls is one of the few areas of the world where it is possible to view tree-kangaroos in the wild. Travel the Millaa Millaa Waterfall Circuit, and visit Lake Tinaroo, Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine as well as the Curtain Fig Tree before returning to our motel for another delicious meal.
DAY 6 ATHERTON—CAIRNS (BD)
Wednesday 9th July: This morning visit the Mareeba Heritage Museum with it’s extensive aboriginal cultural display. There are also displays on mining, forestry, tobacco, agriculture and the Wet Tropics. Experience the thrill of a rainforest tour in a WW11 Army Duck at the Rainforestation Nature Park at Kuranda. After your Army Duck Tour, take time to meander through the Tropical Fruits Orchard, which features over 40 different species of exotic tropical fruit trees. Continue on to Cairns for a night in tropical paradise. 14 Day passengers join us tonight. Stay Cairns Plaza Hotel.
DAY 7 CAIRNS—MUSGRAVE STATION (BLD)
Thursday 10th July: Travel to Mareeba where the Mareeba-Dimbulah Irrigation Area provides the water supply to the tobacco and mixed agricultural fields of the area. Pass Mount Carbine to arrive in Lakeland – known as the Gateway to the Peninsula. Enjoy a brief tour of the area, then join the lonely Peninsula Development Road for travel to Musgrave Station. Stay in twin share dongas (share facilities).
DAY 8 MUSGRAVE STATION—BRAMWELL STATION (BLD)
Friday 11th July: Photograph the only original telegraph station remaining in the area. Then view the abandoned Great Northern and Mount Wilson mines, a reminder of the gold strike in Coen in 1876. Continue over the Wenlock River to stay at the revamped Bramwell Station (private facilities not available).
DAY 9 BRAMWELL STATION—BAMAGA (BLD)
Saturday 12th July: Excitement rises as today is the day we reach “the top”. Join the Bypass Road to journey through the spectacular Jardine River National Park. Cross the mighty ‘Jardine’ by ferry and continue to Bamaga, our scenic base for the next three nights. Stay Bamaga Resort.
DAY 10 CAPE YORK SIGHTSEEING (BLD)
Sunday 13th July: A full day is spent with our experienced 4WD team to further explore this unique area. Stand on the very tip of Australia, enjoy a picnic lunch and retrace the footsteps of our early explorers and settlers at Somerset (road conditions permitting). Return to Base late afternoon.
DAY 11 BAMAGA RESORT— FREE DAY (BD)
Monday 14th July: A day at leisure for relaxing or further sightseeing. Options (own expense) include a Thursday Island day tour, guided rainforest walk, a sports-fishing trip or perhaps a scenic helicopter flight.
DAY 12 BAMAGA—BRAMWELL STATION BLD
Tuesday 15th July: Bid farewell to this northern paradise. Retrace our steps south with an exciting day negotiating river crossings and bush tracks through spectacular heathlands and exotic zamia forests. Late afternoon return to Bramwell Station.
DAY 13 BRAMWELL STATION—WEIPA (BLD)
Wednesday 16th July: Up early for travel to Batavia Downs Station. Detour west to the blue waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria, passing through vast cattle runs and Aboriginal Tribal lands to the major bauxite mining town of Weipa. A guided tour reveals an insight into the massive open-cut mines of the region. Stay Albatross Motel.
DAY 14 WEIPA—MUSGRAVE STATION (BLD)
Thursday 17th July: Travel across rolling Picanniny Plains to Archer River Roadhouse. Continue via Coen to return to Musgrave Station for the night.
DAY 15 MUSGRAVE STATION—COOKTOWN (BLD)
Friday 18th July: Divert off the Peninsula Road to enter the massive bird and animal sanctuary of Lakefield National Park. The park is an amalgamation of three cattle stations with many fauna and flora making the park their home including huge crocodiles, waterfowl and waterlilies. Follow tracks first blazed by gold crazed hunters to Laura and arrive at Cooktown with time for a sightseeing tour. Stay Seaview Motel.
DAY 16 COOKTOWN—MOSSMAN (BLD)
Saturday 19th July: Begin the morning with a stroll through the James Cook Historical Museum then on to the Daintree National Park for a cruise on the Daintree River where the secrets of the rainforest and river are revealed. Glide close to mangrove banks, watching closely for hidden crocodiles, snakes, wildflowers and birdlife. Only a short distance to Mossman for overnight. Stay Demi View Motel.
DAY 17 MOSSMAN—CAIRNS (BD)
Sunday 20th July: Today discover beautiful Port Douglas. Explore the Mirage Marina and its shopping complex before continuing our journey along the scenic Cook Highway where the mountains are divided from the tropical beaches only by the road. Arrive at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventure in time to purchase lunch before a boat ride on Hartley’s Lagoon, a natural habitat of the saltwater crocodile. Learn about the ecology of the wetlands and spot some of the 140 species of birdlife that make the Lagoon their home. Before heading for our accommodation in Cairns enjoy a few hours of free time to explore the Farm. Options for the afternoon include a tour of the croc farm, a snake show and the Crocodile Attack Show. Stay Hotel Cairns.
DAY 18 CAIRNS — FREE DAY (BD)
Monday 21st July: A free day in Cairns to explore the city at leisure. Perhaps an island cruise, the Aboriginal Tjapukai Cultural Park or board the Kuranda Scenic Railway or Skyrail (own expense).
DAY 19 CAIRNS—AYR (BD)
Tuesday 22nd July: 14 day passengers depart today. Up early to head south to Innisfail to visit fascinating Paronella Park then continue through the sugar towns of Babinda and Ingham to arrive in Townsville. Continue to Ayr and Home Hill on the Burdekin Delta. Fossick for gemstones on display at the Home Hill Rock and Gem Gallery before making our way to our accommodation. Stay Parkside Motel.
DAY 20 AYR—ROCKHAMPTON (BD)
Wednesday 23rd July: A leisurely journey south passing through the cane country around Mackay. The region produces one third of the nation’s sugar crop. See the bulk sugar terminal, deep harbour and the tropical palm lined main street. Continue on to the ‘Beef Capital’ of Australia, Rockhampton with time to admire the Victorian buildings in Quay Street. Stay Quality Inn Centrepoint.
DAY 21 ROCKHAMPTON—BRISBANE (B)
Wednesday 24rd July: Farewell your holiday friends who shared this wonderful holiday with you. Travel south on the Bruce Highway with drop-offs en-route. Arrive in Brisbane at 6.00pm.