Outback Sth Aust & Red Centre
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OUTBACK STH AUST & RED CENTRE 12 Day Tour Departing: Tuesday 01 August 2017 Returning: Saturday 12 August 2017 TOUR COST $4355.00 Per Person Twin/Double Share $5280.00 Sole Occupancy PICK UP TIMES: 6.40 am Crawford Street, Queanbeyan 7.20 am West Row Bus Stop, City 7.00 am Woden Bay 18 7.30 am Southwell Park (northbound) DAY 1 (D): CANBERRA TO HAY: Tuesday 1 August 2017 Welcome to our Red Centre tour. After we load the coach we get underway for our journey across to Hay. Our route will take us through Wagga Wagga and Narrandera arriving into Hay for our overnight stay. Bishops Lodge Motor Inn, Hay – ph 02 6993 3003 DAY 2 (BD): HAY TO BARMERA: Wednesday 2 August 2017 Following breakfast we travel the Hay Plain to Balranald then onto Mildura for a lunch stop (own expense). This afternoon we will cross the state border into South Australia, drive through Renmark and onto our destination of Barmera. The town sits on the shores of Lake Bonney, a part of the Murray River system and in 1964 it was the venue for a world water speed record attempt by the late Sir Donald Campbell. He didn’t make the record but achieved a speed of 214 mph! We check into our accommodation at the Barmera Country Club which overlooks the golf course and freshen up for dinner. Barmera Country Club – ph 08 8588 2888 DAY 3 (BLD): BARMERA TO PORT AUGUSTA: Thursday 3 August 2017 This morning we follow the Murray River to the historic river port of Morgan. Just near here is a place called Mallyons on the Murray – a delightful tea room and garden overlooking the Murray. We have arranged morning tea here before continuing to Peterborough for lunch. Peterborough’s history is all about rail. The railways officially arrived in town on January 17, 1881 when the line from Jamestown opened. Soon Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Adelaide and the Silverton Mines (Broken Hill area) were all connected by rail tracks that passed through Peterborough. The town forged ahead in leaps and bounds with the railways playing a major part in the development of it. In 1927 the workforce of the Peterborough Division of the South Australian Railways was 1800 with two thirds of them living in the town. Peterborough is unique in that we are in only one of two places in the southern hemisphere (Gladstone being the other) where broad (5'3"), standard (4'8½") and narrow gauge (3'6") railway tracks can still be seen together. The best place to get familiar with the history of the area is the Steamtown Museum which has undergone extensive expansion and refurbishment. After a light lunch and tour our afternoon drive takes us to Wilmington on the eastern side of the Southern Flinders and then onto the coast via Horrocks Pass to Port Augusta. Acacia Ridge Motor Inn, Port Augusta – ph 08 8642 3377 DAY 4 (BLD): PORT AUGUSTA TO COOBER PEDY: Friday 4 August 2017 We have an early start to the day today. Our morning’s journey takes us to Woomera which was once a closed defence town. The nearby Woomera Rocket Range carried out 3,000 missile and rocket launches during its 30 years of operation. It is now open to the public so we are here to visit the Heritage Centre and enjoy a wander around Breen Park. We now drive to Glendambo where we enjoy lunch at the Glendambo Shell Roadhouse. Our afternoon’s journey is through to Coober Pedy. First time visitors, in particular, will be fascinated by this town. About 80 per cent of the population lives underground. The reason for this is that the temperature can rise to 50°C in summer and it has been known to rise to 60°C. We have plenty of time to relax and settle into our next two night’s accommodation. After dinner this evening, depending on the cloud cover, a local stargazer and astronomy expert will join us for a Radekas’ Stargazing Tour. This presentation offers a fantastic insight into the desert night sky. We will learn about astronomy, the southern stars, the Southern Cross and how to navigate by the stars. Mud Hut Motel, Coober Pedy – ph 08 8672 3003 DAY 5 (BLD): COOBER PEDY: Saturday 5 August 2017 With the help of a local, today we get to experience Coober Pedy and how the discovery of Opal made this town what it is today. Upon collecting Wayne, our local guide, we begin with a town tour including a visit to the Serbian underground church, the Old Timers Mine and a look at Fay’s underground home. Heading out of town past the golf course, we make our way to the Breakaways. We’ll be taking the 70km loop road stopping en-route at the lookouts, with the beautiful Breakaways escarpment of colourful low hills and breathtaking views in the distance. This is also our venue to enjoy our picnic lunches. During our tour we see the dog fence, the 2m high wire barrier that stretches for over 5300km across three States, to protect the sheep country in the south from the native dog, the Dingo. The desert-like moonscape along the fence, with its fossilised shells, soft clay dirt and cracks that appear to be bottomless, has been nicknamed the moon plain. Our day complete, we arrive back in Coober Pedy having had a very interesting day. Mud Hut Motel, Coober Pedy – ph 08 8672 3003 DAY 6 (BLD): COOBER PEDY TO YULARA: Sunday 6 August 2017 We have a travel day today as we continue on the Stuart Highway through the vast and arid regions of northern South Australia. After a morning break in Marla we cross the border into the Northern Territory where we’ll stop for lunch at Erldunda, at the junction of the Lasseter highway. As we make our way through to Yulara this afternoon we pass Mount Conner on our left, the flat-topped mesa thought to be part of the vast rocky substrate beneath Uluru. We arrive in Yulara late afternoon and check into our next two night’s accommodation. Time permitting, we head out to the sunset viewing area to see the sun setting over Uluru. As we watch a remarkable light show unfolds changing colour from red to orange to lilac in a matter of minutes. We then return to the resort for dinner. Desert Gardens Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort – ph 08 8957 7714 DAY 7 (BD): ULURU & KATA TJUTA: Monday 7 August 2017 Our coach will make an early departure to the Sunrise Viewing Area to experience the first glimpse of the day over Uluru. This beautiful monolith, standing 348 metres high and boasting a circumference of 8.8kms, is an awesome spectacle dominating this otherwise flat, dry terrain. After breakfast at the resort we head back to Uluru for a guided Mala Walk. This is a lovely stroll to the edge of the Kantju Gorge. Learn about Aboriginal perceptions of Uluru, its powerful spiritual significance and how Anangu traditional owners and ranges are looking after the Park together. There are many fine examples of Anangu art to see along the way. Returning to the resort we have free time to enjoy a wander around the small village of Yulara and buy some lunch. This afternoon we head out to visit the Olgas, now more widely known as Kata Tjuta – the place of many domes. There are excellent views from an observation deck and time for a short walk into the beautiful Mount Olga Gorge. Back at the resort we freshen up for our unique outback experience at a special dinner under the stars. The Sounds of Silence Dinner will be a highlight of our stay in the Red Centre. The romance of the desert with the setting sun, the haunting sounds of a didgeridoo, sumptuous outback fare and the star-filled heavens - this is the best of the Red Centre, distilled into four magic hours. After a feast of Northern Territory delights including barramundi and bush salads and classic Australian desserts, we are treated to some of the world’s best stargazing with the assistance of a resident astronomer. It will be a memorable experience! We are then transferred back to the resort. Desert Gardens Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort – ph 08 8957 7714 DAY 8 (BLD): YULARA TO KINGS CANYON: Tuesday 8 August 2017 Today we farewell Uluru National Park and drive to Kings Creek Station for lunch. Nearby is Kings Canyon in the Watarrka National Park. Watarrka is an Aboriginal word that refers to the umbrella bush that proliferates here. The spectacular scenery, a permanent waterhole surrounded by palms known as the Garden of Eden and the Lost City combine to make Kings Canyon a most remarkable place. We then have time for leisurely walk along the floor of the canyon along Kings Canyon Creek. For those of us energetic enough, there is also time to do the return walk around the Rim of the Canyon, it is 6kms but well worth the view from the 300 metre drop to the valley floor. We check into the resort and freshen up for dinner. Some of us may like to walk to the nearby viewing point to watch the sun set over Carmichael Crag before returning for dinner. Kings Canyon Resort – ph 08 8956 7442 Day 9 (BLD): KINGS CANYON TO ALICE SPRINGS: Wednesday 9 August 2017 After breakfast we return to the Stuart Highway, stopping for our picnic lunches along the way. This afternoon we cross the Finke River and enjoy the ever changing scenery as we near Alice Springs.