Be part of Travelrite’s & John Howie’s outstanding 2021 Birdsville Races Adventure August 29 to September 8, 2021 Including the legendary Birdsville Races

11 Day Tour

The Crackup Sisters – S.T.Ruth & Twig

• Transport by luxury coach • Hotel and motel accommodation throughout, , Wentworth, Tibooburra, except for Birdsville, where accommodation is in Innamincka, Birdsville, Marree, the excellent Tent City run by Kangaroo Bus Lines • Includes 3 nights in Birdsville, for the outstanding Peterborough, Mildura, Melbourne Birdsville Races carnival/festival Big Red sand dune, near Birdsville Birdsville Races Outback Adventure

BIRDSVILLE

INNAMINCKA MARREE TIBOOBURRA PETERBOROUGH Highlights: WENTWORTH MILDURA • Fantastic outback scenery. • 3 night stay in Birdsville, for the legendary Birdsville Racing Carnival. MELBOURNE • Near Innamincka, visit the Dig Tree, and other iconic sites relating to the 1860-61 Burke & Wills Expedition. • Visit many iconic outback towns: e.g., Broken Hill, Tibooburra, Innamincka, Birdsville & Maree.

Join us for an experience you will never forget. This is a fabulous tour, visiting many of the most remote and beautiful places in outback Australia, including Broken Hill, Tibooburra, Innamincka, Birdsville, Marree, & the southern Flinders Ranges. Plus, the tour includes a 3 night stay in Birdsville, for the iconic Birdsville Races festival!

Itinerary

Day 1 Sunday August 29, 2021 Depart Melbourne. Wentworth Depart Melbourne and travel by coach to Wentworth, NSW, where the Murray The spot where Burke died, near Innamincka and Darling rivers meet. On arrival, panoramic tour of the town, including the river junction, Possum’s Statue (Possum was a famous hermit who lived along the banks of the Murray), and the Fergie Tractor monument (the grey Fergie Day 3 Tuesday August 31, 2021 Innamincka tractor saved the town in the 1956 flood). Also, see historic Old Wentworth Travel northwest to Innamincka. Visit Fort Grey, where Sturt established his last Gaol (built between 1879 & 1881). Overnight: Wentworth Grande Resort. ( - ) base camp in 1845 before pushing on to the Cooper. Then proceed to Cameron Corner, where the borders of NSW, QLD and SA meet. See Australia’s famous Day 2 Monday August 30, 2021 Tibooburra Dingo Fence. Have lunch at the beautifully named Corner Store (a pub). Proceed Today we travel along the Silver City Highway, to Tibooburra. Morning: Travel to Innamincka, which is situated on close to where the ill-fated to Broken Hill. On arrival, sightseeing tour of this fascinating outback mining Burke and Wills expedition of 1860-61 came to its tragic end. Evening: After town, with local guide. See iconic buildings, including the ornate Trades Hall dinner spend a relaxing evening around the Innamincka Hotel. Overnight: The building, the photogenic Post Office, with clock tower (constructed 1890 – Innamincka Hotel & Innamincka Trading Post cabins. (B,L,D) 1892), and the Palace Hotel (1889), which featured in the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. During lunch break, in Broken Hill, you may like to visit The Big Day 4 Wednesday September 1, 2021 Innamincka Picture (excellent art gallery/retail establishment) (optional). Afternoon: Morning: Visit Burke’s Grave and the beautiful Cullyamurra Waterhole, both Continue our journey. Afternoon tea at the historic Albert Hotel (1882), in a few kilometres east of our hotel. The scenery along Cooper Creek, in the Milparinka. This former gold mining town (established 1880) is virtually a ghost vicinity of Innamincka, is stunning. Beautiful water holes, fabulous gum trees, town these days. Then proceed to Tibooburra, a true outback town in the and lots of colourful Australian birds. Then visit the famous Dig Tree, where on ‘corner country’ of far western NSW. You will have time to explore the town, April 22nd 1861 Burke, Wills and King probably realised they were doomed. including the two pubs. The interior walls of the Family Hotel boast a mural Afternoon: Free time. Make sure you visit the former Australian Inland Mission of artwork by famous Australian artists, including Clifton Pugh and Russell Hospital building, now a National Parks office and museum, located right next Drysdale. Evening: Enjoy an excellent dinner at T.J.’s Roadhouse. Overnight: to our hotel. Late afternoon: Further exploration of Cooper Creek. Travel to ‘The Granites’ Motel. (B,AfternoonTea,D) the west of our hotel, including a visit to King’s Marker (marks the spot where King was found alive by a search party following the Burke & Wills expedition). istoric buildings, Milparinka’ Evening: Enjoy another relaxing evening at the Innamincka Hotel. (B) Day 5 Thursday September 2, 2021 Birdsville Depart Innamincka and head northwest to Birdsville, in . Picnic lunch along the way. On arrival in Birdsville we will settle into our Tent City accommodation. Our accommodation includes tents, with stretchers in them, and breakfast, lunch & dinner each day. Evening: After dinner spend some time getting to know the locals, and other visitors, at the Birdsville Pub. Overnight: Kangaroo Bus Lines Tent City. (B,L,D) Day 6 Friday September 3, 2021 Birdsville Morning: Panoramic coach tour of Birdsville and surrounds. Travel west of Birdsville to see (and climb) Big Red, a huge sand dune at the edge of the . Travel 12 kms north of Birdsville, to see a small stand of one of Australia’s rarest trees – the waddi tree. The wood of these slow growing trees, believed to be 500 – 1000 years old, is so hard it can damage an axe. A member of the local aboriginal community (Jimmy Crombie) will accompany Big Red sand dune, near Birdsville

The Birdsville Races is the most iconic ‘bush’ race meeting in Australia. The first race meeting took place in 1882, and with the exception of a period during WW11, has only been cancelled twice (2007, due to an outbreak of equine influenza in Qld & NSW, & 2020, due to the COVID-19 epidemic). During the races weekend Birdsville’s population explodes from 100 to 6000 and there’s a wonderful festival atmosphere in town. The two-day race meeting is famous for its colourful ‘fashions’, lots of good-natured revelry, and the running of the legendary Birdsville Cup. us on some of this morning’s tour (if available) and talk to us about Birdsville. Afternoon: Attend the first of our 2 days at the Birdsville Races. Evening: After dinner attend the Birdsville Races live entertainment of your choice (optional), or join in the general revelry as large crowds gather in the vicinity of the Birdsville Pub. Entertainment may include live music, Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe, and possibly a Sportsman’s Night. (B,L,D) Day 7 Saturday September 4, 2021 Birdsville Morning: Free time. Afternoon: Attend the second of our 2 days at the Birdsville Races. Today we will see the running of the legendary Birdsville Cup. Other entertainment at the Birdsville Races carnival will possibly include Fashions on the Field, whip cracking, sideshows, and a giant auction. Evening: Attend Birdsville Races live entertainment of your choice (optional) or relax with the large crowd of revellers in & around the Birdsville Pub. (B,L,D)

The Cazneaux Tree, with Wilpena Pound in the background

Afternoon tea in the town of Hawker. We will visit a well-known service station/ shop – Hawker Motors. It has a museum with a display of gemstones, fossils, pioneer memorabilia and aboriginal artefacts, plus an outstanding selection of books (for sale) on the Australian outback. Then proceed to the historic railway town of Peterborough. On arrival enjoy a short panoramic coach tour. See the statue of Bob the Railway Dog, and an impressive 1880s Y Class steam locomotive (one of the first steam trains to operate between Silverton, Peterborough and Port Pirie). Overnight: Roundhouse Motel Peterborough. (B) Day 10 Tuesday September 7, 2021 Mildura Morning: Visit Peterborough’s excellent Motorbike Museum & Antique Centre, before commencing our journey to Mildura. Along the way we visit historic Burra, once a booming copper mining town. After a tour of the town you may Gill Delaney & friends, at the 2018 Birdsville Races like to sample one of the delicious local Cornish pasties, for lunch. Afternoon: Continue on to Mildura, via the towns of Morgan, Berri and Renmark. On Day 8 Sunday September 5, 2021 Marree arrival in Mildura, visit Lock 11, on the Murray River, before checking into our accommodation. Evening: For our final night of the tour enjoy a special End-of- Depart Birdsville and head south along the famous , to Tour Dinner. Overnight: Quality Hotel Mildura Grand. (B,D) the remote town of Marree. Marree is located at the southern end of the Birdsville Track, at the junction of the Oodnadatta & Birdsville Tracks. Lunch Day 11 Wednesday September 8, 2021 Melbourne at Mungerannie Roadhouse. On arrival in Marree enjoy a short panoramic tour Return to Melbourne. On the way, visit Bendigo. See magnificent public of the town. See many reminders of Marree’s past. For many years the town buildings & monuments…. reminders of Bendigo’s gold rush boom times; was an important railhead. Goods would arrive in Marree by rail, then the e.g., the Shamrock Hotel, the Bendigo Historic Post Office building, and the Afghan cameleers would transport the goods further on into the outback. Our impressive Alexandra Fountain. Arrive Melbourne approximately 6pm and the accommodation, the two-storey, solid stone Marree Hotel is one of Australia’s tour concludes. (B) classic outback hotels (built in 1883). Evening: Enjoy dinner in our hotel. You will also want to spend some time relaxing & chatting in the hotel’s bar. Overnight: Marree Hotel. (B,L,D) Relax and enjoy! Day 9 Monday September 6, 2021 Peterborough Travel south to Peterborough, via the southern Flinders Ranges. Shortly after leaving Maree, visit the colourful ruins of Farina township. Morning Tea at the Copley Bush Bakery & Quandong Café. Visit Leigh Creek township, then pass through scenic Parachilna Gorge, in the Flinders Ranges. Lunch in the historic copper mining town of Blinman. Near Wilpena Pound, see the Cazneaux Tree, subject of a famous photograph entitled The Spirit of Endurance, taken by Dick Smith’s grandfather, Harold Cazneaux, in 1937. Continuing south, we will pass Wilpena Pound… an extraordinary natural basin measuring approximately 14 by 7 kilometres. It’s like a huge natural fortress, with only one entry point. Birdsville Pub’ Birdsville Races Outback Adventure August 29 to September 8, 2021

TOUR PRICE The price per person, twin-share $ 3,850 Young ladies Single supplement $ 350 at the Birdsville Races

Included in the tour price: Not included in the price: • 10 nights’ accommodation in well located hotels and motels, on a twin-share basis, with private facilities, throughout the tour, except • Airfares. At the time of making your booking let Travelrite for the following: (1) Accommodation in Birdsville is in good quality pre-erected safari style tents, on a twin-share basis (those paying International’s experts secure you the best available airfare. single supplement have single tent accommodation). Tents are provided by Kangaroo Bus Lines Tent City. Sturdy stretchers & rubber • Travel insurance ‘mattresses’ provided by Travelrite/John Howie Music Tours & Moonee Valley Coaches. (2) Accommodation in Tibooburra. There are • Meals and drinks not specified in the itinerary 2 coach groups staying in Tibooburra on Aug. 30th. Our accommodation in Tibooburra is organised by Mavis Jackson (‘The Granites’ • Sightseeing and general expenses not specified in the itinerary Motel). Most tour group members will be staying in the modern motel units. Mavis has about 3 modern houses (close to the motel) that she uses as additional motel type accommodation. Some of our tour group members might be staying in these houses. Excellent quality • Items of a personal nature accommodation, but may have shared shower/toilet facilities. Also, there is a new hostel being built in Tibooburra. If accommodation is • Additional travel arrangements not in the tour itinerary really ‘tight’, in Tibooburra, on Aug. 30th, two or three of our tour group members may be required to stay there. (3) Accommodation in will be quoted for separately Marree. There are 2 coach groups staying in Marree on Sept. 5th. Most of our tour group members will be staying in modern motel type units, with en-suite facilities. Others will be staying upstairs in in the Marree Hotel, with shared shower/toilet facilities. During our 3 nights stay in Birdsville we will be staying • Hotel taxes and service charges. in the excellent Kangaroo Bus Lines Tent City. There will • Daily breakfast (except for Day 1); 7 dinners; 5 lunches; 1 afternoon tea; approx. 9 roadside morning & afternoon teas ‘from the coach’. be a few portable toilets available in the KBL Tent City, • Entrance to all sightseeing attractions mentioned in the itinerary, except for those marked ‘optional’. for the sole use of those staying in the KBL Tent City. Also, • Souvenir Birdsville Medallion, which gives admission to the Birdsville Races (both days) and some other Birdsville Races entertainment everybody staying in the KBL Tent City will be given a KBL events. The medallion may not cover some entertainment events (such as Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe) ,which will be ‘optional’. wrist band. This wrist band will give those staying in the • Sightseeing tour, with local guide, in Broken Hill. Sightseeing tour, with local ‘identity’ Jimmy Crombie (if available), in Birdsville. KBL Tent City full access to the excellent toilet & shower • Travel in first class chartered coach. facilities at the Birdsville Caravan park, right next to the Tent City. All tour group members need to bring their own • Tour leadership by a professional Travelrite tour manager. sleeping bag & pillow, for the 3 nights in Birdsville. If you don’t have a sleeping bag Travelrite will hire one for you. (Please tick the relevant tick box on the tour booking form.) General information and booking conditions Local and international touring can involve a considerable amount of walking and stair climbing in the places visited and it is important that all tour participants have a level of physical fitness that allows them to take part in this activity without the need of assistance from others. TOUR OPERATOR: Tour Operator: Travelrite International Pty Ltd, (ABN RESPONSIBILITY: Travelrite International Pty Ltd. (ABN 64 005 817 International any cost thereof and you indemnify Travelrite International 64 005 817 078) is the tour operator. 078) is the tour organizer. Travelrite acts only as an agent in the making in respect of any cost it incurs in this regard. Travelrite advises you to obtain TOUR COSTS: The tour costs are based on general transport, entry, and of arrangements for hotels, transportation, restaurants or any other travel insurance generally including in respect of the risk that any such service and does not assume any liability whatsoever for any injury, good or service may become required. accommodation costs. Travelrite reserves the right to alter the costs if any damage, death, loss, accident or delay to person or property due to an of these factors change, giving any passenger that has booked the right HOW TO BOOK: Bookings can be made by completing a booking form and act of negligence or a default of any hotel, carrier restaurant company to withdraw with full refund of monies paid or modify arrangements. No sending it with a deposit of $500 per person to: or person rendering any services included in the tour, or by act of God. alterations to price will be made within 45 days prior to commencement Further no responsibilities are accepted for any damage or delay due to Travelrite International P/L of tour. sickness, pilferage, labour disputes, machinery break-down, quarantine, DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS: A deposit of $500 per passenger for is government restraints, weather, terrorism or other causes beyond 423 Whitehorse Road required at the time of booking. Full payment will be required 60 days their control. No responsibility is accepted for any additional expense, before departure for the Outback Tour. Cancellation over 60 days before omission, delays, re-routing or acts of any government authority. The Balwyn, Victoria 3103 tour departs the deposit is refundable. Cancellation under 60 days before passage contract between the carriers concerned, when issued, shall Further information can be obtained by telephoning tour departs will result in a loss of all monies paid. Payment may be made constitute the sole contract between the carriers and the purchasers of by cheque or cash a 1.5% administration fee will be charged on payments this tour and/or the passengers. The right is reserved to withdraw any Toll Free: 1800 630 343 made by credit cards. tour and/or make such changes in the tour as may be found desirable or necessary for the convenience of the parties and the proper carrying out Phone: (03) 8803 6868 TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel insurance is recommended to cover the costs of the tour. This contract shall be construed in accordance of the laws of Email: [email protected] of cancellation fees due to illness, death in family, etc. the State of Victoria, Australia and any legal action must be undertaken MINIMUM TOUR NUMBERS AND CONDITIONS: The tour has been priced in the State of Victoria. www.travelrite.com.au on the basis of a minimum number of passengers having booked 45 days DELAYS AND UNFORESEEN EVENTS: You engage Travelrite Interna- prior to departure. Travelrite reserves the right to cancel the tour, giving ABOUT TRAVELRITE INTERNATIONAL: tional to book this tour on your behalf and you acknowledge that Travelrite Travelrite International Pty Ltd (A.B.N.64 005 817 078) is a well- a full refund of all monies paid or offer arrangements to proceed with the International acts as your agent for the purpose of making contracts tour at a modified cost. established travel company which has been operating in the between you and the various providers of accommodation, transportation eastern suburbs of Melbourne for more than 38 years. It is fully TOUR ORGANISATION: Travelrite reserves the right to change advertised and other services that comprise the tour. 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Travelrite International has been operating special for your benefit to maintain the tour itinerary, repatriate you or otherwise services not utilized after the tour has commenced. interest tours for 30 years, and now runs over 120 tours a year. accommodate, transport or sustain you in circumstances in which the Travelrite International Pty Ltd is a full member of the Australian BAGGAGE: Due to coach restrictions, tour members can only bring one tour itinerary fails wholly or partly for any reason. You appoint Travelrite Federation of Travel Agents – AFTA.

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