Brisbane to Darwin

Day 1 (B,D) COOLANGATTA, TOOWOOMBA, DALBY
Passengers fly in from other states during the morning. Our tour departs from Coolangatta Airport and Brisbane Transit Centre as we travel west from Brisbane on the Ipswich Motorway to Toowoomba, the “garden city” with over 150 public parks and gardens and set in the Great Dividing Range. We continue to nearby Dalby and our overnight home, Dalby Manor Motor Inn. Relax, maybe enjoy a pre-dinner drink with fellow passengers prior to our first dinner together.

Day 2 (B,L,D) DALBY, MILES, ROMA, CHARLEVILLE
This morning we travel via Chinchilla and Miles to Roma, agricultural centre of a large wool, wheat, dairy, beef and wine area plus natural gas and oil. Visit the Big Rig, discover the story of oil and gas. During the afternoon we continue west to Mitchell, “gateway to the outback”, located on the Maranoa River. Visit the old courthouse, learn of the Kenniff Brothers trial for murdering a station manager. On to Morven and Charleville, centre of a rich pastoral area and our overnight home, Mulga Motor Inn. A highlight of our holiday tonight as we visit Cosmos Centre and Observatory – view the night skies.

Day 3 (B,L,D) CHARLEVILLE, BLACKALL, BARCALDINE
From Charleville we travel north to Blackall, discovered in 1846 and named after Queensland’s second governor. Here Jack Howe, shearing legend, set a record of 321 sheep in 7 hours 40 minutes with hand shears, unbeaten for 50 years and then only with machine shears. We visit the Woolscour, a stream powered wool washing plant, view a million year old fossilised tree stump and Pioneer Bore, first artesian bore in Queensland. During the afternoon we continue north to Barcaldine, site of the 1891 shearers strike. Visit the Australian Workers Heritage Museum, a national monument to country workers. Home tonight, the Ironbark Inn.

Day 4 (B,L,D) BARCALDINE, LONGREACH
A leisurely journey today from Barcaldine to Longreach along the Landsborough (Matilda) Highway. Visit the Qantas Founders Outback Museum (747 jumbo jet tour own expense), Pamela’s Display and Collectors Corner (hand made porcelain dolls plus much more) and the cultural centre. Home for two nights, Longreach Motor Inn.

Day 5 (B,L,D) LONGREACH
A later start today as we visit the Longreach School of Distance Museum. The school covers over 400,000 sq kilometres of territory educating around 200 pupils from prep to year 10. Then another highlight, the Australian Stockmans Hall of Fame, a national tribute to the outback pioneers and settlers, with exhibits covering mining, pastoral, land transport, aviation, communication and recreation. Lunch today as we explore this excellent attraction. Later, watch the sunset and the multitude of stars as we enjoy a Thompson River dinner cruise.

Day 6 (B,D) LONGREACH, WINTON, CLONCURRY
We continue through outback Queensland as we journey to Winton, on the vast Mitchell grass plains, and famous because it was here Banjo Paterson wrote Waltzing Matilda. North Gregory Hotel, where the song was first performed, still operates today. Visit the Waltzing Matilda Centre. During the afternoon we travel to Kyuna, visit the Combo Waterhole, referred to in Waltzing Matilda as “the billabong”, as we continue to Cloncurry, centre for a large grazing and copper and gold mining area, and our overnight home, the Gidgee Inn.

Day 7 (B,D) CLONCURRY, MT ISA
This morning enjoy Mary Kathleen Memorial Museum, named after an abandoned town from which three of the buildings originated, and John Flynn Place, a tribute to the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A short journey later in the morning to Mt Isa, on the Leichhardt River, once the home of the Kalkadoon tribe. We visit “Outback At Isa”, including Riversleigh Fossils Interpretative Centre. Some free time later in the afternoon. Home tonight is the Bourke and Wills Motel.

Day 8 (B,L,D) MT ISA, TENNANT CREEK
A day of travel today as we cross the Queensland – Northern Territory border near Camooweal on route to Barkly Homestead. Following lunch we continue to Three Ways, where we meet the north–south Stuart Highway. A short distance south lies Tennant Creek. Visit the Battery Hill Mining Centre, relax and enjoy the views prior to arriving at our overnight home, Eldorado Motor Inn.

Day 9 (B,L,D) TENNANT CREEK, DALY WATERS, MATARANKA, KATHERINE
An earlier start today as we again journey north along the Stuart Highway, call in at the Overland Telegraph Monument and Attack Creek Memorial Reserve. Stop at Newcastle Waters, once the drovers’ crossing point where stock routes from the east and south met, on route to Daly Waters Hotel, on display is “the loneliest traffic light in the west”. Lunch here today. During the afternoon enjoy the open vistas as we continue to Mataranka, scene of the famous book We of the Never Never, and Katherine, gateway to the “Top End”, adjacent to the Katherine River, home of the Tindal Air Force Base. Our home for two nights is the All Seasons Katherine.

Day 10 (B,L,D) KATHERINE, NITMILUK CRUISE, SPRINGVALE HOMESTEAD
A relaxing day today. A highlight of our holiday as we enjoy a two hour Nitmiluk Cruise at Katherine Gorge. (Note: Some walking is undertaken between the two gorges; reasonable fitness needed.) Time to view the exhibits in the Visitor Centre prior to lunch. Visit the Katherine Museum and Knotts Crossing, site of the 1870’s original township, a shanty pub and an overland repeater station, and Springvale Homestead.

Day 11 (B,D) KATHERINE, PINE CREEK, BOWALI VISITOR CENTRE, NOURLANGIE ROCK, COOINDA
This morning we continue to Pine Creek, a small settlement established after the discovery of gold in the late 1800’s and the only remaining mining town from that era, as we travel to Kakadu National Park. During the afternoon visit Bowali Visitor Centre, view displays of the major parts of Kakadu and the meandering South Alligator River and, time permitting, Nourlangie Rock (Burrunggui), take a short walk to an ancient living shelter, rock art sites and a lookout. We return to our overnight home at Gagudju Cooinda Lodge.

Day 12 (B,D) COOINDA, YELLOW WATER CRUISE, JABIRU, SOUTH ALLIGATOR
This morning a highlight of our holiday, the Yellow Water Cruise. Yellow Water wetland is home to brolga, kingfisher, jabiru, and fresh and salt water crocodiles. See these in their natural habitat and enjoy the informative commentary during the cruise. (The area teems with wildlife, however, sightings of any particular species are never guaranteed.) Later we continue our journey to Jabiru and our overnight home, Aurora South Alligator.

Day 13 (B,L,D) KAKADU, JUMPING CROCS CRUISE, DARWIN
Our journey continues as we travel the Arnhem Highway to Adelaide River, where we join the famous “Jumping Crocs” cruise – view huge crocs jumping up to 3 metres to “catch” food – while safely behind glass windows in air conditioned comfort. Spectacular birds of prey also often visit the boat hoping for a feed. During the afternoon we continue to our destination, the city of Darwin. Home for two nights, Mirambeena Resort. Settle in, relax, enjoy a swim if you wish prior to dinner together.

Day 14 (B,D) DARWIN
A relaxing day in our northern capital. Stroll in the Botanic Gardens, visit East Point Military Museum, free time and lunch in the city, afternoon visit to the Museum and Art Gallery – view the Cyclone Tracy exhibit – and later enjoy a sunset dinner cruise on Darwin harbour. A fitting last evening of our holiday.

Day 15 (B,) DARWIN, HOME
This morning we visit the new Parliament House and see the façade of the pre-cyclone Christ Church Cathedral. Sadly we transfer to Darwin Airport for our flights home. So concludes our outback holiday exploring a part of Australia less often visited but full of interest and enjoyment.