21 DAY TROPICAL QUEENSLAND TOUR
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Let’s leave winter behind and join EP Coaches on a fabulous tour to beautiful tropical Queensland. We have a travel day today so sitback relax and meet your fellow travellers as we head into the outback to Broken Hill, with several stops made along the way. On arrival we have time to freshen up for dinner.

Silver Haven Motor Inn, Broken Hill – 1 night

Dinner in motel.

We have a more leisurely start today as we make our way to Wilcannia on the Darling River. Legends were made along the Darling. Literary myths were created by Henry Lawson, Will Ogilvie and Breaker Morant. Kidman, Tyson and McCaughey created pastoral kingdoms of unparalleled proportions. The Light Horsemen of World War 1 were bred on these vast planes. Wilcannia was once known as Queen City of the West and the site of the original Resches Brewery. Unfortunately the town has seen better days! We stop throughout the day to enjoy our picnic lunches before continuing onto Cobar for our overnight stop. The Shire of Cobar covers an area the size of Tasmania with a population of just 7000 people, most of who are involved with mining or pastoral industries.

Copper City Motel Cobar – 1 night

Breakfast and dinner in motel | picnic lunches included

We spend most of the day travelling today but will make some stops along the way as we pass Nyngan to the Walgett RSL Memorial Club for lunch before arriving in Moree for our overnight stay. The Moree Plains represent the richest agricultural producing shire in Australia and serves as the economic and cultural focus of North Western New South Wales. Our motel has its own artesian spa; its hot waters are drawn from the Great Artesian Basin, which underlies an extensive area of north western NSW, relieving our bodies aches and pains or simply to soothe our muscles.

Artesian Spa Motor Inn, Moree – 1 night

Breakfast and dinner in motel | lunch at Walgett RSL Memorial Club

We have an early start to the day so we can reach our destination of Hervey Bay; it will be a long travel day so bring a good book onboard, the travel day will be well worth it for our arrival onto the coast of Queensland late this afternoon. We can settle in and relax as this will be ‘home’ for the next 2 nights.

Kondari Resort, Hervey Bay – 2 nights

Breakfast and dinner in hotel

This morning we are off in search of whales with Spirit of Hervey Bay cruises. On our half day cruise we are looking for the gentle giants of the sea spy-hop, tail slap and breach. These massive mammals weigh in at around 40 tonnes each (equivalent to 11 elephants or 600 people) and to see such a sight is truly an experience not to be missed. Our cruise returns just on lunch time and we have a short walk to the Hervey Bay Boat Club, overlooking the marina. The rest of the afternoon is ours to enjoy the marina at leisure.

Breakfast and dinner in hotel | lunch at Hervey Bay Boat Club

We farewell our hosts and make our way to Agnes Waters stopping in Bundaberg’s Botanic Garden we visit the Hinkler Hall of Aviation, dedicated to the life and times of the famous aviator Bert Hinkler. In 1928 he made the first solo flight between England and Australia. The house in which he lived his final years was transported from Southampton, England to its present location within the gardens. You can’t visit Bundaberg with a visit to the iconic Bundaberg Rum Distillery. This Australian spirit has been rolled out of the production line for 110 years and today we are here for a guided tour. Look, feel and taste the way through the making process starting with the raw material molasses to the aromas of maturing spirit! Sitback and enjoy the scenery as we head to Agnes Water, where on arrival we can check in and unpack for the next 2 nights.

Lagoons 1770 Resort and Spa – 2 nights

Breakfast and dinner in resort

Today we journey into history over vast sandy beaches and crystal clear waters where we experience the same magnificent beauty that greeted Lieutenant James Cook when he stepped ashore here more than two centuries ago. The LARC! Travels around Bustard Bay, across 4 tidal creeks and then rests on the Northern tip of Middle Island for morning tea. The LARC! Treks across Jenny Lind Creek and begins the scenic 4WD journey up Bustard Headland to the Bustard Head Light-station – Queensland’s first coastal lighthouse! Standing 16 metres tall, you will have a 360degree view of the pristine coastline whilst marvelling at the lighthouse’s craftsmanship. We will hear the tales of triumph and tragedy as early settlers and light-keepers tried to tame this remote wilderness. We return to the LARC! enjoying the panoramic view of the Bay as we journey down the hill and across Jenny Lind Creek where we enjoy our picnic lunches. Back on dry land we return to our resort to freshen up before dinner.

Breakfast and dinner in the Resort | picnic lunch included

It’s time to leave the area and continue our journey north to Rockhampton. Upon arrival we have time to purchase some lunch before we visit the award winning Heritage Village. Step back in time experiencing the rich and colourful history of the district by vintage vehicle or horse-drawn carriage. There are unique original buildings, homesteads and businesses from the 100 year period between 1850 -1950. Next we take a look at the beautiful Botanic Gardens, regarded as among the best tropical gardens in regional Australia. Excellent specimens of palms, cycads and ferns are found throughout the beautifully manicured grounds. Tonight we are in for a treat at the Footlights Theatre Restaurant. We not only enjoy a delicious meal but will be entertained with their one-hour comedy show as well, giving us an evening of fun and laughter!

Quality Hotel Regent Rockhampton – 1 night

Breakfast in motel and dinner at Footlights theatre

Today we continue north to Sarina where we stop for a tour at the Sarina Sugar Shed followed by lunch at Sarina Motor Inn. The Sarina Shire is a relatively unspoilt area which has retained much of its natural charm and the miniature sugar processing mill and distillery is the only one of its kind in Australia. From here we continue north arriving into the delightful village of Airlie Beach. It is the gateway to the Whitsunday Group of Islands. The Whitsunday Coast is located on the same latitude as Rio de Janeiro and Tahiti. The average winter temperature is in the mid-20s. The coastal hub of the Whitsundays is Airlie Beach – a town with a laid back village atmosphere, nestled amongst the rainforest and overlooking the blue waters of the Whitsunday Passage. Within this archipelago lie the enchanted islands of the Whitsundays – some 74 within the immediate region. Despite its growth over the past 15 years Airlie Beach has retained its village atmosphere.

Mantra Club Croc – 2 night stay

Breakfast and dinner in hotel | lunch at Sarina Motor Inn

Our day is filled with cruising two stunning islands popular to the Whitsundays. Both islands showcase two very different faces of the Whitsunday islands. We’ll arrive at Hamilton Island with plenty of time to have a good look around. You might like to jump on a shuttle bus and tour around the island. The shuttles circuit the island all day stopping at key attractions, scenic points and resorts. So hop on and off as you please. Leave time to wander the waterfront of Hamilton Island’s famous Front Street and Marina Village taking in the sights, visiting the galleries, doing some shopping before enjoying lunch at the Marina Tavern. We now cruise to beautiful Whitehaven Beach on an uninhabited Whitsunday Island. With 7 kilometres of glistening pure silica sand, Whitehaven Beach is nature at its most unspoilt and spectacular best. Take a stroll or maybe a swim in the crystal clear blue water. Later this afternoon, we return to the mainland refreshed from a relaxing day on the water.

Breakfast and dinner in resort | lunch at Marina Tavern

This morning we travel to Bowen where we see one of Queensland’s popular “big things” at the Big Mango. The 10 metre high big mango represents the delicious fruit which carries the name sale of the town “Bowen Mango” Leaving here the day will be spent travelling to reach our destination of Cairns. We make stops along the way including one to purchase lunch. It will be a long day however worth it for our 5 night stay in Cairns. One of the last stops of the day is in Tully at the Big Gumboot for another of Queensland’s popular “big things”. We arrive into Cairns with time to freshen up before dinner.

Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort – 5 nights

Breakfast and dinner in hotel

Today will be spent on the Great Barrier Reef with Great Adventure Cruises. Cairns is a major gateway to the reef – the largest and most complex expanse of living coral on earth. Our first stop is to the beautiful Green Island for a leisurely self-guided nature walk on this unique reef and rainforest coral cay. Departing Green Island we continue our day’s adventure on the Great Barrier Reef. We moor alongside a permanent pontoon and enjoy an “on board” reef presentation and a delicious buffet lunch. Our afternoon will include a fish feeding display through the air-conditioned underwater windows, a touch tank display, glass bottom boat coral viewing tour and the use of snorkelling equipment to see the underwater display of coral and fish. We return to Cairns late afternoon to complete a fabulous day!

Breakfast and dinner in hotel | lunch included

Today we tour through the Atherton Tablelands, located near Yungaburra is the remarkable Curtain Fig Tree with its curtain of aerial roots that drop 15 metres (49 feet) to the ground. Large basalt boulders cover the forest floor which is probably why the forest here wasn’t cleared for farming – and why the curtain fig tree remains standing. The area is simply stunning. Lake Barrine is a beautiful volcanic crater lake, where we enjoy morning tea in the Tea House followed by a cruise on the Lake. Our afternoon is spent in the small township of Herberton to visit the Herberton Historic Village. Showcasing Australia’s rich and diverse history this outdoor pioneer museum is testament to an era that is long gone. It is also our lunch venue. Afterwards we have time to wander the village, which features many priceless antiques as well as buildings that have come from the town’s ancestors. The village currently has 50 original buildings that date from Herberton’s foundation years. Walking through here, we are given a sense of being in a real township complete with chemist, bottle collection, school, bank, grocer’s store, frock salon, toy shop, mechanic, jail and more. We return to Cairns for our final night on tour.

Breakfast and dinner in hotel | lunch at Herberton Historic Village

One of the “must do” tours in Cairns is a ride on the historic Kuranda Train for the spectacular ride to the famous, tropical plant clad Kuranda Station. The train journey takes us through the magnificent Barron Falls National Park. Highlights of the ride are picturesque valleys, jungles, railway bridges, tunnels built over a century ago and the Barron Falls themselves. Perched above Cairns on the top of the Range and surrounded by World Heritage Listed Rain Forest is the village of Kuranda. The town is full of arts and craft shops and we have plenty of time to explore the village and enjoy lunch at the Kuranda Hotel & Restaurant. We then board the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, and travel in a gondola across the rooftop of World Heritage listed rainforest areas and back down to the coastal plain. The views are spectacular. We stop off during our descent to visit a rainforest interpretative centre and for a short walk along a boardwalk through the rainforest. We’ll arrive back at the hotel with the evening at our own arrangements – there are plenty of restaurant options along the waterfront to purchase dinner.

Breakfast at the hotel | lunch at Kuranda Hotel and restaurant

Another adventure awaits us today in the form of the Daintree Rainforest. Mother Nature has put on a show better than anything man made in this ecologically unique rainforest which is home to an extensive range of rare plants and animals. We take a cruise on the Daintree River to gain an understanding of this wildlife environment – keep your eyes open for birds, unique plants, tree snakes and of course the estuarine crocodile. Back on dry land, we wind our way through the rainforest to Alexandra Lookout – here we can see spectacular views over the Daintree River estuary, Snapper Island and beyond. We enjoy a delicious tropical lunch before reaching Cape Tribulation. Walk on the world-renowned rainforest beach and admire the coastline and fringing coral reef from the Kulki Lookout. Our final stop for the day is Mossman Gorge. Here we hear an indigenous presentation by the traditional owners of the gorge, the Kuku Yalanji people, before boarding our eco shuttle for the transfer into Mossman Gorge. Our driver/guide will take us for a guided walk, sharing their knowledge of this enchanting rainforest environment. Learn about the fascinating secrets of one of the world’s oldest rainforests. It will be a full day, but an interesting one!

Breakfast and dinner in hotel | lunch included

It’s time to farewell Cairns and begin our journey south. Our first stop will be the Babinda Boulders for a photo opportunity then it’s onto historic Paronella Park. What an amazing place! Created in the 1930s by Spanish Immigrant Jose’ Paronella, this once thriving social and entertainment centre is today still enjoyed by visitors from near and far. Protected by the National Trust, Paronella Park is what remains of a magnificent castle surrounded by acres of gardens, modelled on the best botanic gardens of Europe. The castle was lit by power; generated by North Queensland’s first hydroelectric scheme. Whilst here, we enjoy morning tea and time to explore the site. Our drive from here sees us travel through Cardwell and Ingham and onto Charters Towers to check into our accommodation.

Cattleman’s Rest Motor Inn, Charters Towers – 1 night

Breakfast and dinner in hotel

We have a real treat this morning. Our morning will be spent at the Texas Longhorn Wagon Tours complex where we indulge in a magnificent ‘smoko’, a wagon ride and a lot of fun with the resident characters that call this place home. We can be thankful that we have a coach for the afternoons touring as we leave the wagons behind us and travel to Emerald.

Emerald Explorers Inn – 1 night

Breakfast and dinner included

Departing early today gives us time to stop in Roma for a look at Roma Big Rig. The venue includes information about the gas and oil industry in Australia. Boring? No, not at all! We may be surprised at the impact these commodities have in our lives. This is also the perfect place to enjoy lunch before our afternoon of travel, arriving in St. George late afternoon.

Riverland Motor Inn, St. George – 1 night

Breakfast and dinner in motel | lunch at Roma Big Rig

We have a full travel day today to reach Cobar. We will make stops along the way to purchase lunch and to stretch our legs, but make sure you have a good book onboard as we express through inland Australia.

Copper City Motel, Cobar – 1 night

Breakfast and dinner in motel

From Cobar we travel west across the vast outback plains of NSW to Wilcannia where we will have lunch at the Wilcannia Golf Club then travel through to Broken Hill, an artificial oasis in the vast arid lands of Western NSW. “Beyond the Darling River, on the edge of the sundown”, is where they used to say you would find Broken Hill. Dominating this town is the “Line of Lode” – the seven kilometre strip of what was the biggest deposit of silver, lead and zinc in the world. Unlike modern mining towns, where the accommodation is built well away from the mine activities, Broken Hill’s population, in the pick and shovel days, built their houses as close as they could to their work. Today, one of the best views of the town is from the top of the Line of Lode where the Miners Memorial is located, listing the names of more than 800 people who have died working at the mine. We have some time for a photo opportunity before checking in to our accommodation.

Silver Haven Motor Inn, Broken Hill – 1 night

Breakfast and dinner in motel | lunch at Wilcannia Golf Club

With our bags packed full of wonderful memories it’s time to head for home. What a fantastic holiday we have had travelling with old and new friends made along the way.

Breakfast in motel

All itineraries are subject to change due to occasional restrictions in opening times/days of some attractions and inclement weather.

• Complete charter
• 20 nights accommodation
• 20 cooked breakfasts
• 19 dinners
• 12 lunches

• Whale watch cruise including morning tea
• Cockpit Tour at Hinkler Hall of Aviation, Bundaberg
• Entry and tour at the Bundaberg Rum Distillery
• LARC Paradise Tour Entry and Guided village tour at Heritage Village, Rockhampton
• Visit the Botanic Gardens Rockhampton
• 3 course dinner and 1 hour show at Footlights Theatre Restaurant
• Sugar Tour at Sarina Sugar Shed followed by lunch at the Sarina Motor Inn, Sarina Sugar Shed
• Hamilton Island and Whitehaven Beach cruise with lunch at the Marina Tavern
• Green Island and Great Barrier Reef Morning tea and cruise at Lake Barrine Cruises
• Entry to the Historical Village and lunch at Herberton Historic Village
• One Way Kuranda Scenic Railwa
• One Way Skyrail Experience Cruise including Morning tea and a fully guided tour of the Daintree River
• Lunch at Daintree Teahouse Restaurant
• Visit to Centre at Mossman Gorge Centre
• Entry and tour including Morning tea at Paronella Park
• Texas Longhorn Safari
• Entry and lunch at Roma Big Rig
• Visit Miners Memorial Line of Lode