Lake Eyre Tours & Flights with Spirit Safaris Flinders Ranges Lake Eyre Tours & Flights Depart from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Broken Hill, Alice Springs 3-9 days Destinations / Locations include (not all tours visit all locations) - Kings Canyon Lake Eyre National Park (4WD to wetlands), Oodnadatta Track, Marree, Leigh Creek, Copley, Flinders Ranges , Coward Springs, William Creek, Coober Pedy, Woomera, Port Augusta, Alice Springs, Broken Hill, Sydney. Uluru Up Close Uluru - Ayers Rock Includes - 4WD transport, comfy accommodation, delicious meals, Outback Kids National Park entries, Outback Kids support, professional guides, PLUS being part of a creation much bigger than most can imagine ! Kata Tjuta - Olgas www. Spirit Safaris .com ® Sydney 02 8213 3225 Melbourne 03 9017 6862 Brisbane 07 3137 1607 Perth 08 6364 3651 Local Call in Australia 1300 763 188 [email protected] Inspiring People & Planet Terms & conditions apply. Prices subject to change. ACC No 33224 ABN 24002623814 Lake Eyre & Birdsville 4WD Tours - Birdsville Track, Birdsville, Simpson Desert, Cooper Creek Wetlands Cruise, Lake Eyre 4WD Tour & Flight - 6 days Lake Eyre & Birdsville 4WD Tour Lake Eyre & Birdsville - Birdsville Track, Simpson Desert, “Big Red” sandhill, Flinders Ranges & Lake Eyre Tour & Flight, Wetlands Walk, Cooper Creek Cruise from Adelaide return to Adelaide May 24-29 – 6 days / 5 nights July 5-10 – 6 days / 5 nights Hotel upgrade options or luxury camping Cooper Creek flowing to Lake Eyre Floodwaters pass by Birdsville and head for Goyder Lagoon on the way to Lake Eyre Lake Eyre & Birdsville - Birdsville Track, Wilpena Pound, Brachina Gorge, Flinders Ranges & Lake Eyre Tour & Flight, Wetlands Walk, Simpson Desert, Big Red, Cooper Creek Cruise from Adelaide return to Adelaide Connection options to Sydney, Broken Hill, Adelaide or Melbourne. Day 1 - From Adelaide city or airport we depart via spectacular mountain scenery adjacent the Flinders Ranges. Travel via the rich wine producing region of the Clare Valley ((wine tasting optional) and through the rich countryside of rural South Australia. Enjoy picturesque scenery, and rural town stops with lunch and a morning and afternoon teas. We cross the Goyder Line, view the Elder & Heyson Ranges, Wilpena Pound & Lake Torrens and visit the historic and award winning Prairie Hotel at Parachilna with great outback art b efore arrival at our cosy overnight stop at Copley. Dinner at the historic 1880’s Leigh Creek Hotel in Copley L, D Page 24 Revised: 22 April 2011 Lake Eyre & Birdsville - Birdsville Track, Birdsville, Simpson Desert, Cooper Creek Wetlands Cruise, Lake Eyre 4WD Tour & Flight Wilpena Pound Day 2 – At Marree check out the ancient mosque, Old Ghan railway history and Lake Eyre Yacht Club. From Marree we take a 1 1/2 hour scenic flight over Lake Eyre. (Optional 2.5 hour flight available). We visit the shores of Lake Eyre at Madigan Gulf where Donald Campbell set the land speed record In 1963. The flight includes viewing Cooper Creek, Warburton Groove (the major inflows), Elliot Price Conservation Park, Campbell Point, Jackboot, Halligan & Belt Bays, Lake Eyre South, major islands & landmarks. Learn of the Marree Man giant sculpture. The flight gives you a great perspective of the region we are about to travel up the Birdsville Track. We visit a wetlands by Muloorina Station, a favourite spot for birds (including brolgas) and birdwatchers, and connect with the wonder of the bird and plant life revitalised by recent flooding rains. Overnight Marree with a few yarns in the pub or around the campfire. Big Red Sandhill - Simpson Desert Big Red Sandhill - Simpson Desert Lake Eyre Flight Day 3 – Depart Marree and today we pass through various terrain including harsh red stones of the Sturt Stony Desert to the yellow dunes of the Natterannie Sandhills as we head north to Birdsville. We pass ruins of old sheep and cattle stations, and currently operating stations. Just north of the Dog Fence (5,600 km long) are the hot springs of Clayton Creek, near Clayton Station. Another 30 km on is Dulkaninna Station, these names made famous in the Tom Kruse film “The Outback Mailman.” We arrive at the Cooper Creek crossing, which depending on water levels may be the punt (Cooper Creek Ferry) or a water crossing (1.5 km wide in flood time). We stop at Mungeranie Wetlands and check out the birdlife here over lunch. We pass Gypsum Cliffs, Mirra Mitta Bore and Lake Howitt, to Tippipilla Creek campsite, (some bird spotting) near the Warburton River, and arrive Birdsville for overnight BLD Page 25 Revised: 22 April 2011 Lake Eyre & Birdsville - Birdsville Track, Birdsville, Simpson Desert, Cooper Creek Wetlands Cruise, Lake Eyre 4WD Tour & Flight Day 4 - Birdsville is an icon of the outback, attracting outback travellers to connect with the frontier history of this landmark town. Birdsville used to be the customs post for goods and cattle travelling to and from South Australia before Federation. It was the route used by the great cattle drovers, including S. Kidman & Co, and there's plenty of this history to experience in Birdsville, especially at the local museum, adjacent the tasty treats of the Hard Road Cafe. Today we visit Big Red, the Simpson Desert’s biggest sand hill, and see Burke & Wills marked tree on the Diamantina River. An optional flight over the Simpson Desert and Goyder Lagoon is available here. After a good look at Birdsville, we head off south on the Birdsville Track following the spectacular Diamantina River past Pandie Pandie station and Goyder Lagoon. for overnight, or alternatively overnight at Mungeranie Roadhouse on the Birdsville Track. Travellers willing, some time in the hot spa might be in order. BLD Day 5 – Time and track conditions willing, we visit Kalamurina Station, part of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy on the Warburton River or alternatively a cruise on the Cooper Creek. We also visit the shores of Lake Eyre in the National Park at Level Post Bay, see the Donald Campbell memorial and enjoy the vitality of the bird and plant life at the permanent Muloorina water hole, a favourite spot for birds (including brolgas) and birdwatchers. We enjoy the day with memories of life on the track before overnight in Marree with a few yarns around the campfire or at the local pub. Overnight Marree. BLD Day 6 – Today we visit the ruins of the old Ghan railway town of Farina, which once supported 300 people. We view the giant Leigh Creek coal mine, enjoy a break at the Quandong cafe at Copley and travel via old Ghan railway towns to Parachilna, and in the foothills of the Flinders Ranges to Hawker and picturesque mountain landscapes to arrive in Adelaide around 6pm, delivered to your accommodation or airport connection. BL Lake Eyre & Birdsville - Birdsville Track, Birdsville, Simpson Desert, Cooper Creek Wetlands Cruise, Lake Eyre 4WD Tour & Flight Includes Lake Eyre & Birdsville via Birdsville Track, Flinders Ranges & Lake Eyre Tour & Flight, Wetlands Walk, Simpson Desert, Big Red, Cooper Creek Cruise from Adelaide return to Adelaide Price includes all meals, NP park entry fees, professional guide, Lake Eyre flight (less if flight not required), luxury 4WD transport. Price of $2,780 is for comfy camping OR for 5 nights accommodation upgrade add $495 per room (couple or twin). Rooms are in country hotel or cabins. May 24-29 – 6 days / 5 nights July 5-10 – 6 days / 5 nights From Broken Hill or Adelaide return Book Now or Call 1300 763 188 Burke & Wills Tree Birdsville Or Email with any questions to [email protected] Frequent departures from February to October & beyond – please ASK for Lake Eyre Tours & Flights or see http://www.spiritsafaris.com/lake_eyre_tours_flights.htm Other Outback tours – Kimberley, Kakadu, Uluru etc see www.spiritsafaris.com/tours.htm NOTE - Not all departure dates are shown in tour details that follow – Please ask for your preferred date Tel: 1300 763 188 Sydney 02 8213 3225 Melbourne 03 9017 6862 Brisbane 07 3137 1607 Perth 08 6364 3651 Adelaide 08 8120 0366 Alice Springs 08 8120 0366 Page 26 Revised: 22 April 2011 .