Innamincka & Birdsville Outback Adventure

Tour Dates | Inclusions | Cost | Itinerary

A great Outback tour. By day you travel through some of the harshest but most spectacular country in Australia; yet each night there is the welcoming hospitality of a bush pub to wash off the dust and quench your Outback thirst. Out here there are no borders even though, before Federation, Innamincka and Birdsville were customs towns, where duty was collected on traffic between Queensland and South Australia! Enter the Simpson Desert and experience for yourself why it was only first crossed in 1939; visit the historic “Dig Tree” and remember Burke and Wills who lost their lives in a tragic expedition to conquer this arid country, and travel the Birdsville Track. We will take you to an environment where the average traveller never goes and you will take away a feeling of having experienced what Outback Australia is really all about.

DURATION:

12 days and 11 nights. Ex Sydney

TOUR DATES (ex Sydney Mondays):

Suggested itinerary only. Tour on request only. Minimum numbers apply. Groups welcome. Specialised itineraries available on request.

INCLUSIONS:

Broken Hill Tibooburra Innamincka Birdsville Marree Blinman Peterborough

Historic “Dig Tree” Simpson Desert Lake Eyre Famous Birdsville Track Meals as shown Air-conditioned 4WD touring with experienced Outback Guide Stunning scenery

TOUR COST:

On application

PLEASE NOTE:

Single accommodation can not be guaranteed in some locations, therefore quotes would be twin share basis.
Pre - and/or post-tour accommodation in Broken Hill can be arranged.

TOUR ITINERARY:

DAY 1 Monday: 19/05/08: SYDNEY to BROKEN HILL (NM)
Sydney passengers early morning departure from Sydney Central Station on CountryLink’s Outback Explorer train. You will be met on arrival in Broken Hill Monday night and transferred to quality Motel accommodation.

DAY 2 TUESDAY: 20/5/08 (BROKEN HILL to TIBOOBURRA) (LB,L,D)
Depart for start of an adventure into Outback of 3 States. Travel north through the Barrier Ranges into open red soil country, whilst hearing about life on surrounding sheep stations. Lunch, then continue via Milparinka and Depot Glen to Tibooburra, the most remote in NSW, for dinner, overnight at Tibooburra Hotel.

DAY 3 WEDNESDAY: 21/5/08 (TIBOOBURRA to INNAMINCKA via the “DIG TREE”) (LB,L,D)
Travel through Sturt National Park, home to a variety of wildlife. Cross into Queensland through the dingo fence, the longest netting fence in the world, and continue north to “Nappa Merrie” Station, site of the famous “Dig Tree”. Head west through the South Australian border to the remote town of Innamincka, on the peaceful Cooper Creek, where our accommodation for the next 2 nts is the Innamincka Hotel-Motel.

DAY 4 THURSDAY: 22/5/08 (INNAMINCKA) (LB,L,D)
We are in relax mode for a day of leisure with plenty of time to take in the sights and history of Innamincka. Perhaps you might fancy birdwatching along the Cooper at dawn or dusk, or even fishing for Yellowbelly!
Optional: late afternoon river cruise along the Cooper to view birdlife (cost approx. $40.00 p.p.)

DAY 5 FRIDAY: 23/5/08 (INNAMINCKA to BIRDSVILLE) (LB,L,D)
Head north along eastern edge of Sturt’s Stony Desert, named after the explorer who surveyed the area in 1845. After crossing the border we are now in real frontier country, over sandhills and gibber plains, pondering the vast loneliness and natural beauty of the Outback, while continuing west towards Birdsville in remote Queensland. Late afternoon we reach Birdsville. Birdsville is famous throughout the nation for its hotel and its bush races, held every September. Established in the 1870s as a depot and customs post, the town has developed into the small but important regional centre that it is today.

DAY 6 SATURDAY: 24/5/08 (BIRDSVILLE) (LB,L,D)
Situated only 12 kms from the QLD-SA border, the town of Birdsville derives its name from the wide variety of birds found in the area. More adventure and excitement as we head out to the Simpson Desert - Australia’s only true sandhill desert with sand ridges up to 30 metres high. No trip to Birdsville would be complete without marvelling at “Big Red”, the huge red sandhill that marks the eastern boundary of the Simpson Desert. Return to town for dinner at the famous Birdsville Hotel.

DAY 7 SUNDAY: 25/5/08 (THE BIRDSVILLE TRACK to MARREE) (LB,L,D)
Over the Diamantina River we head south along the famous Birdsville Track again crossing into S.A, passing “Pandie Pandie” Station and Moongara Channel on western edge of Sturt Stony Desert. As we travel in air-conditioned comfort think of Sturt walking across this desolate landscape with no knowledge of what lay ahead. Stop at Mungerannie Roadhouse, a true oasis on eastern edge of Tirari Desert, then travel past Mulka ruins and cross Cooper Creek flood plain enroute to Marree for 2 nights (“camel capital” of Australia).

DAY 8 MONDAY: 26/5/08 (LAKE EYRE SOUTH) (LB,L,D)
Take the Oodnadatta Track to see Australia’s great salt lake system, Lake Eyre South. Sometimes after good rains in the Queensland Channel Country the lake will receive water; more often than not it is a glistening salt pan devoid of all life. Visit spectacular mound springs as well as old Ghan Railway Siding at Curdimurka.

DAY 9 TUESDAY: 27/5/08 (MARREE to BLINMAN) (LB,L,D)
From Marree follow the old Ghan Railway south through Farina and Lyndhurst, then past Leigh Creek coalfields, through Beltana, with the spectacular Flinders Ranges as a constant backdrop. Our journey takes us on a leisurely tour through magnificent gorge country to our overnight stay at Blinman.
Overnight & dinner: Blinman Hotel/Motel (08) 8648 4867 (ensuites)

DAY 10 WEDNESDAY: 28/5/08 (BLINMAN to PETERBOROUGH) (LB,L,D)
Heading south from Blinman we travel through the day with the scenery of the stunning Flinders Ranges as a changing backdrop. Dinner and overnight at Peterborough quality motel.

DAY 11 THURSDAY: 29/5/08 (PETERBOROUGH to BROKEN HILL) (LB,L,D)
From Peterborough we make our way eastward through South Australia, via Yunta, then back into NSW at the border town of Cockburn, arriving in the “Silver City” late afternoon. Transfer to overnight accommodation.

DAY 12 FRIDAY: 30/5/08 (DEPART BROKEN HILL) (LB)
Day at leisure to explore this historic Outback city. Late-afternoon transfer to Railway Station for overnight return to Sydney on the Indian-Pacific.

Cost: $3315.00 per person twin share.

Ph: (08) 8087 6956
Fax: (08) 8087 8175
Toll: 1300 723 583
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