Tour Dates & Route Map

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30 April - 13 May 2010

 

DAY 1-STAWELL TO Coober Pedy

This morning we depart Stawell early to track across the freshly sown crops of the Wimmera area of Victoria and the Murray Mallee of South Australia, crossing the Flinders Ranges and the wine growing areas of the Clare Valley to our first fuel and morning tea stop at Port Pirie.

 Departing Port Pirie we track across the upper reaches of the Spencer Gulf, passing Port Augusta and the many salt lakes south of the Woomera Rocket Range. On this track we overfly many northern South Australian sheep stations on our way to overnight at the Mud Hut Motel in Coober Pedy. On our arrival we are picked up at the airport by Desert Cave Tours and taken to our motel then on a tour of the mines and attractions of Coober Pedy.

DAY 2-Coober Pedy TO GILES

After an early morning breakfast this morning we are airborne for the direct flight north west to Ayers Rock. We leave the moon like landscape of Coober Pedy, tracking past the Mintabie Opal fields passing Ernabella Aboriginal Community in the Musgrave Ranges. Upon arrival we pick up our bus and spend time touring the Ayers Rock Resort. There will be opportunity for those who wish to make the optional trip to climb the rock or take a base walk around part of the rock. We depart mid afternoon for the 1¼ hr flight to overnight at Warra Kurna near Giles Weather Station in the Gibson Desert.

DAY 3-GILES TO NEWMAN

After a hearty breakfast we visit the weather station for a tour and watch the daily weather balloon launch. This weather station provides very important met information which is used by meteorologists all over Australia to predict forthcoming weather. The hydrogen filled balloon ascends to 70,000 feet and transmits information back to the station. You can watch the balloon being tracked on radar, and view the various other meteorological equipment used at the station.

Mid morning we depart and track north west across some of the most remote areas of Australia passing the Rawlinson Ranges and following the Gunbarrel Highway for part of our trip landing at Patjarr in the Clutterbuck Hills, one of the most remote aboriginal communities in Australia. This is a "dry" Aboriginal Community, home of the Patjarr people. We meet the people and visit their community.

Early afternoon we will depart across the Little Sandy Desert crossing the Canning Stock Route near Well 15, south of Durba Hills and Lake Dissapointment. Upon arrival at the mining town of Newman we will transfer to our accommodation for dinner and overnight

DAY 4-NEWMAN TO Karijini national park

This morning we meet at the Newman Tourist Information Centre to view a video of the operation of the huge Mt Whaleback Iron Ore Mine before joining our guide and boarding the bus for the morning tour. On this tour you will see the huge 250 tonne Haulpak trucks carting iron ore from the mine and loading the 4.8km long trains which transport the ore to Port Hedland. After the tour we have lunch and return to the airport and depart for the 40 minute flight to the Karijini National Park.

We land near the Karajini National Park Visitor Centre and after a visit to the centre we are transported the 26km to our overnight accommodation at the new Karajini Eco Retreat. This evening we dine at the Al Fresco Licensed restaurant and retire to our accommodation at the new Karijini Eco Retreat facility.

DAY 5 -KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK - Theverard island

This morning we are met by our local guides for our morning tour to some of the magnificent gorges in this park situated in the Hammersley Ranges. Lunch is provided prior to our departure

On leaving Karajini we track north west to our over night stop Theverard Island, in the Mackeral Islands Group. Our track takes us over many iron ore mines of the Hamersley Range, the coastal station country, and past the huge salt evaporation flats near Onslow. We then fly a short distance to land on the 1000m brick paved runway on tiny Theverard Island, overnighting at Club Theverard.

DAY 6-Theverard Island - CORAL BAY

This morning we depart coastal, landing at Learmonth for fuel before continuing on to the Ningaloo Reef Resort at Coral Bay.  At Coral Bay  we stay for the next three nights and have free days to spend relaxing with plenty of time to take part in the great variety of activities available here including reef, deep sea, and game fishing, quad bike tours, swimming with Whale Sharks or Manta Rays, snorkelling or reef coral viewing tours. Accommodation and meals is at the Ningaloo Reef Resort.

DAYs 7 & 8 -CORAL BAy

Free days at Coral Bay

DAY 9-CORAL BAY TO Meekatharra 

After breakfast at Coral Bay we depart with our packed lunches for the 1½ hour flight to Mt Augustus, arriving late morning. This year as the Mt Augustus resort is closed for refurbishment we will land at Mt Augustus station for our lunch stop. Our track takes us right past Mt Augustus which is 2 ½ times larger than Ayers Rock, standing 858 metres above the surrounding plain and 1105 metres above sea level and is the world's largest monolith with a central ridge almost 8 km long. It is estimated to be 1000 million years old. We then depart south and land at the old mining town of Meektharra for our overnight stop

DAY 10-Meekatharra TO KALGOORLIE 

This morning we track directly to Kalgoorlie, arriving late morning where we pick up our transport and travel into the city for lunch. During the afternoon we tour around Kalgoorlie, including the Super Pit the huge open cut gold mine and on to the historic town of Boulder. Our course may take us via the famous "Hay Street". Later in the afternoon we will check into our accommodation for the evening, the Palace Hotel in the centre of town and meet for dinner, a Chinese banquet at the New Hong Kong restaurant within walking distance of our hotel.

DAY 11-KALGOORLIE TO Eucla 

You have free time this morning to wander around the Kalgoorlie CBD, and we will meet for an early lunch.

Departing Kalgoorlie we fly east long the transcontinental railway line to Forrest for fuel. Forrest was once the intermediate fuel stopover between Perth and Melbourne in the days of piston engine airliners.

We then track south east to Eucla, overnighting at the Eucla Motel. This evening before dinner you may wish to take a walk through the beautiful restaurant garden and around this small settlement in the middle of the Nullabor Plain.

DAY 12-EUCLA to port lincoln

As we leave Eucla we follow the line of 150 metre high cliffs which run between the Nullarbor National Park and the sea, from the air out over the sea is the best way to see this amazing area. As we approach the Head of the Bight, usually up to 70 southern Right Whales are visible. The Whales migrate here each year to breed and are often clearly visible as we fly over. At Port Lincoln we pick up our cars and drive to our accommodation at the Port Lincoln Marina. Tonight our dinner is gourmet pizza at the Marina Hotel.

DAY 13-PORT LINCOLN 

Today is a free day to explore this area with plenty of activities available including a trip to the tuna farms to name just one, perhaps lunch at Coffin Bay, internationally famous for their oysters. Dinner tonight will be freshly cooked local seafood.

DAY 14-PORT LINCOLN to Stawell

This morning we depart Port Lincoln and track south of Adelaide across the Spencer and St Vincent Gulf for lunch stop at Goolwa and then via the Coorong National Park, returning to Stawell mid afternoon.