15 Day - Eyre Peninsula & Flinders Ranges
Depature Date: Tour Completed
Tour Cost: from $3744 per person twin share
The Eyre Peninsula and the Flinders Ranges are two of Australia’s most stunning, rugged and beautiful destinations and we’ve combined them for you in this holiday! You'll enjoy the varied route to South Australia then from our base in Port Lincoln we explore the idyllic Eyre Peninsula region with daily coastal and hinterland excursions. The area is a treasure trove of seafood and aquaculture and of course the Great Australian Bight is “one of the greatest shows on Earth!” Cruise magnificent Boston Bay and visit Whalers Way, a wonderland of cliffs, blowholes, crevasses, caves and golden beaches. From Port Lincoln journey across the Peninsula to visit Murphy's Haystacks, the Point Labatt Sea Lion Colony and ride the famous Pichi Richi Railway!
Next, experience the ancient grandeur of the Flinders Ranges, where rugged mountains compete with stunning tree-lined gorges, spectacularly steep ridges of rock, rolling plains and time-worn creeks. Discover the essence of Wilpena Pound with its eerie ridge-top finger “curled” upwards, and at Arkaroola we join a famous 4WD Ridgetop Tour that includes Siller’s Lookout…the view is unlike anything you have experienced before! Our homeward route ensures plenty of adventure as we travel via Tibooburra and the Strezlecki Track to Cameron Corner where three states meet – Qld, SA and NSW! See the Dog Fence and Sturt’s 1945 ill-fated campsite. Visit the Darling River pioneer port of Bourke, prior to a visit to the gem town of Inverell. Come join us for a great adventure; the scenery will certainly come alive on this tour as it is without a doubt some of the best Australia has to offer!
DAY 1 HERVEY BAY—NARRABRI D
Monday 8th June 2009: An early start for passengers joining between Hervey Bay and Caloundra. Brisbane and Gold Coast passengers join at Brisbane Roma Street Transit Centre at 9:00am. Travel west to Toowoomba and across the border at Goondiwindi. The Newell Highway takes us through vast agricultural areas to Narrabri. Stay Nandewar Motor Inn.
DAY 2 NARRABRI—COBAR BD
Tuesday 9th June 2009: Continue along the Newell Highway through the heart of New South Wales, see cotton fields and the extensive Pilliga Scrub country. At Coonabarabran view the rugged peaks of the Warrumbungle National Park. Join the Oxley Highway at Gilgandra and travel west to Cobar. Stay Cobar Motor Inn.
DAY 3 COBAR—BROKEN HILL BD
Wednesday 10th June 2009: Head further west along the Barrier Highway. The channel water supply has transformed the area from an arid landscape to a green oasis. Travel to Wilcannia to tour the town and see the impressive sandstone buildings of a bygone era when Wilcannia was a key inland port for paddle steamers. Further across the barren wastelands of New South Wales to the "Silver City" of Broken Hill. Stay Old Willyama Motor Inn.
DAY 4 BROKEN HILL—PORT PIRIE BD
Thursday 11th June 2009: Follow the Barrier Highway to the historic town of Burra and purchase your lunch before a guided Heritage Tour. Burra is an old copper mining town, with many historic buildings, pretty Cornish cottages and National Trust sites still remaining. Passing through the town of Crystal Brook at the southern gateway to the Flinders Ranges we arrive at Port Pirie, the site of the world's largest lead smelter; it also produces refined silver, zinc, copper and gold. Stay Comfort Inn John Pirie.
DAY 5 PORT PIRIE—PORT LINCOLN BLD
Friday 12th June 2009: Onwards through Port Augusta and Whyalla, where we pause to admire the panoramic views at Hummock Hill to Cowell, the start of the beautiful rugged coastline of the Eyre Peninsula. At the Cowell Jade Showroom admire the extensive display of locally mined and processed jade before enjoying lunch at the magnificent Commercial Hotel. After lunch travel along the Spencer Gulf to Port Lincoln in time for a guided town tour before settling into our motel. 2 Night Stay Limani Hotel.
DAY 6 PORT LINCOLN BLD
Saturday 13th June 2009: Port Lincoln is Australia's tuna fishing capital. Learn about the industry this morning with a tuna farm cruise. At the marina pontoon be welcomed aboard and given a brief history of the industry. On reaching the tuna farm, basic instructions are given for the best way to feed and interact with tuna and other fish. Everyone is encouraged to move about on the purpose-built pontoons and feed the fish with sardines. On our return enjoy a delicious lunch at the Marina Hotel before a guided tour of Whalers Way with its sensational views of coastal scenery, flora, fauna and blow holes.
DAY 7 PORT LINCOLN—STREAKY BAY BLD
Sunday 14th June 2009: Today we head north along the West Coast with spectacular views of the rugged coastline. At Elliston, admire the grandeur of the Great Australian Bight, and perhaps a pod of dolphins from the Great Ocean View Lookout. Visit Murphy’s Haystacks before making our way to Point Labatt for a picnic lunch and to view the sea lions. After lunch continue onto Streaky Bay via Cape Blanche Road. Stay Streaky Bay Hotel Motel.
DAY 8 STREAKY BAY—PORT AUGUSTA BD
Monday 15th June 2009: As we journey to Port Augusta stop at the Big Galah in Kimba. The Big Galah stands 8 metres tall outside the Halfway Across Australia Gem Shop. Then on to Iron Knob Tourist Centre for a browse and time to purchase lunch before continuing on to Port Augusta. Stay Acacia Ridge Motor Inn.
DAY 9 PORT AUGUSTA—WILPENA POUND BLD
Tuesday 16th June 2009: It’s ‘all aboard’ this morning as we embark on a journey through Pichi Richi Pass along the historic rail line to Quorn. Board a Barwell Bull railcar at Port Augusta, stop at Woolshed Flats for a delicious home cooked morning tea and a guided walk through the old Settler’s Camp then on to Quorn to reboard your coach. Enjoy a picnic lunch at Hawker before pressing on to beautiful Wilpena Pound. 2 Night Stay Wilpena Pound Resort.
DAY 10 WILPENA POUND FREE DAY B
Wednesday 17th June 2009: A free day today to discover the delights of Wilpena Pound. The light should be fantastic for an optional early morning flight over the giant oval-shaped basin with its great serrated red walls enclosing a huge amphitheatre surrounded on all sides by tall peaks. Wear walking shoes for the short walk to an early settlers cottage. For the more energetic, climb the Wangara Lookout and be rewarded by panoramic views of the vast amphitheatre and the mystic central core of the Pound.
DAY 11 WILPENA POUND—ARKAROOLA BLD
Thursday 18th June 2009: This morning we depart Wilpena for Arkaroola in the Flinders Ranges. This special place will spellbind you with its beauty. The vast Arkaroola Sanctuary is home to the most rugged chain of mountains in the Ranges and this afternoon we take the incredible 4WD Ridge Top Tour driving along mine tracks winding through some of Australia's most rugged mountains. Visit Crystal Candy Mountain, Mt Painter, Yudanamutana Gorge and Sillers Lookout with awe-inspiring views extending more than 80 kms over Lake Frome. Arkaroola is also one of the best places in the Southern Hemisphere for viewing the stars at night. A large computer driven astronomical observatory offers an expert nightly tour through the universe. Stay Arkaroola Wilderness Lodge.
Please note: Weather conditions on the Ridge Top Tour can prove extremely cold, warm clothing is required.
DAY 12 ARKAROOLA—TIBOOBURRA BLD
Friday 19th June 2009: Farewelling Arkaroola we turn north east to join the Strzelecki Track at Mt Hopeless. Continue on to Merty Merty crossing red sand dunes to arrive at Cameron Corner, where the borders of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia meet. Travel through the Sturt National Park and via Fort Grey (where the explorer Sturt set up a base camp on his 1845 expedition to find the inland sea) to Tibooburra for our overnight stay. Stay The Granites Motel.
DAY 13 TIBOOBURRA—BOURKE BLD
Saturday 20th June 2009: Travel along red-dirt roads through saltpan and coolabah country, home of mulga, ironwood, black box, gidgee, beefwood and leopardwood, great bush trees of Australia. Stop for a picnic lunch at Wanaaring then cross the Paroo River and head to Bourke. On arrival drive through Bourke’s tree-lined streets with historic buildings and see the re-constructed wharf. Visit the grave of pioneer eye surgeon, Fred Hollows before settling into our accommodation. Stay Major Mitchell Motel.
DAY 14 BOURKE—INVERELL BD
Sunday 21st June 2009: Today we pass through Walgett, a town at the centre of an enormous pastoral area which stretches to the state border. Continue along the Gwydir Highway to Moree with time to purchase your lunch and visit the Big Plane (an old DC3 originally used in combat in World War 2) before we move on to Inverell home to much of the world’s blue sapphires. Before settling into our motel, we call in to the Tourist Centre which also includes displays relating to the history of mining in the area and a working model of a sapphire mine. Stay Top of the Town Motel.
DAY 15 INVERELL—HERVEY BAY B
Monday 22nd June 2009: Bid farewell to Inverell as we make our way homeward with memories of some awe-inspiring moments fresh in our minds from our fabulous holiday. Travel home through Tenterfield and across the border to Stanthorpe and onto Warwick for lunch (own expense). We continue over the Cunningham Highway and into Brisbane mid afternoon. North bound passengers stay onboard the coach for arrival in Maryborough and Hervey Bay early evening.