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Home , Camooweal, Mount Isa

Ancient Fossils & Eco Discovery Tour – camping & accommodated

8 Days/7 Nights – price on application Uncover ancient fossil deposits at the Riversleigh Fossil Fields, the richest known fossil mammal deposit in , and explore Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park, one of ’s most significant geological parks. Excavate your very own 100-million-year-old marine fossil at Richmond and explore the geology, wildlife and plant life of Porcupine Gorge National Park. Spend a memorable night at ’s Reef HQ and learn about the Barrier Reef’s diverse and complex eco-system.

Riversleigh Fossil Display

Day 1 – Homeport to

Journey: Homeport to Mount Isa...... (, ) Highlights: at Isa Riversleigh Fossil Centre Morning: Arrive in Mount Isa with time to settle into our accommodation and enjoy a short welcome tour of Mount Isa. Lunch: Outback Park, Outback at Isa facility. Afternoon: At the Riversleigh Fossil Centre, we’ll meet the resident guide for an interpretive tour presenting fossils extracted from the nearby Riversleigh Fossil Fields. We will be introduced to the background story behind the Riversleigh Fossil Fields in preparation for our site visit tomorrow. Accommodation: Isa Youth Camp, , Mount Isa. Ph: (07) 4743 9881 Day 2 – Mount Isa to Boodjamulla National Park

Journey: Mount Isa to Riversleigh Fossil Fields...... 310km/3hrs 30mins Riversleigh Fossil Fields to Adels Grove...... 53km/1 hr Highlights: Riversleigh Fossil Fields Morning: We travel northwest to the World Heritage-listed Riversleigh Fossil Fields, home to the richest and most extensive fossil deposits in the world, some dating back 15 to 25 million years! Experience the record of life following the separation of Australia from the early continent, Gondwana. See limb bones and gizzard stones of towering flightless birds and the remains of the largest known freshwater crocodile. Lunch: Picnic lunch on the Gregory River (10 minutes before Riversleigh Fossil Fields) – Swimming opportunity. Afternoon: A real visual treat awaits us at Boodjamulla National Park, one of Queensland’s most significant geological national parks. This afternoon we’ll check into our accommodation at nearby Adels Grove, an eco-sensitive property set among a plantation of exotic trees initially grown by the

1 Overlander’s Way | School Excursion Itineraries French botanist Albert de Lestang over 80 years ago. We’ll have time for a refreshing swim in Lawn Hill Creek, a perennial and spring-fed waterway. Tonight enjoy nocturnal walks after dinner by the Adels Grove Savannah Guides followed by a campfire and supper. Accommodation: Adels Grove, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park. Ph: (07) 4748 5502

Day 3 – Boodjamulla National Park

Highlights: Guided walks around Lawn Hill Gorge Swimming Canoeing (school to provide canoeing instructor) Ranger Talks Morning: This morning we’ll enjoy guided walking tours to Island Stack, Wild Dog Dreaming site (of significance to the Waanyi people) and the Cascades where we Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park can view fascinating tufa formations. Lunch: Adels Grove Campsite. Afternoon: This afternoon, we can walk, swim or canoe to the Indarri Falls. At the falls, enjoy a refreshing swim in the cool water and observe local birdlife in the creek-side vegetation. Tonight enjoy nocturnal walks after dinner by the Adels Grove Savannah Guides followed by a campfire and supper. Accommodation: Adels Grove, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park. Ph: (07) 4748 5502

Day 4 - Boodjamulla National Park to Julia Creek

Journey: Adels Grove to Gregory Downs...... 84km/1hr 20 mins Gregory Downs to Cloncurry...... 341 km/3hrs 30mins Cloncurry to Julia Creek...... 137km/1hr 30mins Highlights: Cloncurry Unearthed John Flynn Place Museum & Art Gallery Julia Creek Dunnart viewing Star Gazing activities Morning: We depart Adels Grove after breakfast and travel via Wills Developmental Road to Gregory Downs for a morning tea stop. Continuing on we will arrive in Cloncurry, home of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, in time for lunch. Lunch: Picnic lunch en route. Afternoon: We travel on to Julia Creek, home to the endangered Julia Creek Dunnart, an extremely shy nocturnal hunter found on the Mitchell grass downs surrounding Julia Creek. Enjoy some free time at the campsite to relax. Tonight enjoy a barbeque dinner followed by star gazing activities. Accommodation: Julia Creek Caravan Park. Ph: (07) 4746 7108

Cloncurry Landscape

2 Overlander’s Way | School Excursion Itineraries Day 5 - Julia Creek to Porcupine Gorge National Park

Journey: Julia Creek to Richmond...... 149km/1hr 36mins Richmond to Hughenden...... 112km/1hr 10mins Hughenden to Porcupine Gorge...... 74km/1 hour

Highlights: Fossicking at Richmond fossil site Kronosaurus Korner Flinders Discovery Centre

Morning: This morning we travel the short distance to Richmond. We’ll meet a local Paleontologist who will show us how to find, identify and excavate our very own 100-million-year-old fossil! With fossil in hand we’ll make our way to Kronosaurus Korner.

Here, we’ll discover the most complete marine reptile fossils in the world on a guided museum walk. The museum has been designed to display local fossils from the Cretaceous Inland Sea that covered a large section of Queensland 100 million years ago.

Lunch: Kronosaurus Korner.

Afternoon: We continue our Overlander’s Way journey to Hughenden, home of ‘Hughie’ the life-size replica of a Muttaburrasaurus. Along with ‘Hughie’ we’ll discover an amazing collection of fossils and gems at the Flinders Discovery Centre.

Travel about an hour north of Hughenden to Porcupine Gorge National Park, known as Australia’s ‘Little Grand Canyon’. Set up camp and relax.

Accommodation: Pyramid Campsite, Porcupine Gorge National Park. Ph: 13 QGOV (137468)

Richmond Fossil Site

3 Overlander’s Way | School Excursion Itineraries Day 6 - Porcupine Gorge National Park

Highlights: The Pyramid (sandstone monolith) Bush walking and plant species identification Ranger talk on the Park’s geology Porcupine Creek Swim in pristine rock pools Morning: Follow the Pyramid track, a gradually descending walking track to the bottom of the gorge. Discover permanent deep pools with resident turtles and enjoy the cool, clear, flowing creek. Explore the floor of the gorge in the shadow of the Pyramid, an isolated monolith of multi-coloured sandstone. Lunch: Picnic lunch at Pyramid Campsite. Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll meet the Park Ranger for an interesting discussion on the park’s geology, wildlife and plant life. Time for a swim and relax before returning to our campsite for dinner. Accommodation: Pyramid Campsite, Porcupine Gorge National Park. Ph: 13 QGOV (137468)

Day 7 - Porcupine Gorge National Park to Townsville

Journey: Porcupine Gorge to Hughenden...... 74km/1 hour Hughenden to Charters Towers...... 243km/3 hours Charters Towers to Townsville...... 134km/1 hr 30 mins Highlights: Venus Gold Battery Reef HQ tour and sleepover Morning: We pack up our campsite after breakfast and travel the short distance back to Hughenden, then continue along the Overlander’s Way to Charters Towers. Following a catered lunch at the Venus Gold Battery (Australia’s largest surviving battery relic) we’ll join a guided tour of the facility to learn how the mill operated and how the battery’s equipment was used to extract the gold from the . Lunch: Venus Gold Battery. Afternoon: The last leg of our Overlander’s Way journey takes us to Townsville and the amazing Reef HQ. Here we’ll get to learn about one of the richest, most complex and diverse ecosystems in the world. Tonight we’ll go behind-the-scenes with a sleepover at Reef HQ. Observe the nocturnal habits of our reef creatures, have supper and fall asleep with the amazing reef creatures that call Reef HQ Aquarium home. Accommodation: Reef Sleep at Reef HQ, Townsville. Ph: (07) 4750 0890

The Pyramid Rock, Porcupine Gorge

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YARRADEN Day 8 - Townsville & Homeward Bound Connections

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