September 03 - 16, 2019
14 Days
Tour Status - Available
Travel across the vast savannah plains of Far North Queensland and visit major cattle stations and leading irrigated properties.
This tour is operated by one of our Tour Partners {Quad}
What’s Included:
All land travel in the private use of a modern comfortable coach
Specialist Quadrant tour manager – with practical knowledge and experience within the North Queensland agricultural sectors
Sightseeing and technical visits as outlined in itinerary
Hotel/motel accommodation as detailed (or similar)
Meals shown in itinerary as BLD. B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D= Dinner.
Commonwealth Goods & Services Tax (GST) – 10%
All entrances fees or special events as detailed
Tour kit including maps and technical information
Click Image to Enlarge
Tour Highlights
Major cattle stations and leading irrigated cropping properties
Charters Towers with its well preserved buildings and gold mining past
Adel’s Grove adjacent to spectacular Lawn Hill National Park and a farmstay at Wambiana
Richmond with its fascinating Dinosaur Museum
Crab & Croc Cruise at Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria
Tropical Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands
NOT INCLUDED
Airfares or travel costs to Townsville and home from Cairns
Meals not specified in the itinerary
All items of a personal nature, such as laundry, phone calls and alcoholic beverages
Optional excursions and public transport
Travel insurance, cancellation fees
Passport fees and visa charges
01 | ARRIVE TOWNSVILLE Tue 3 Sep
Individual travel arrangements to arrive at your accommodation in Townsville (no transfer included). Afternoon sightseeing tour of this lively city and this evening gather at the hotel for a welcome dinner and overview of the program.
Meals: - - D Hotel Grand Chancellor Townsville (or similar)
Scott Perkins - Tour Manager
Scott loves outback Queensland. He grew up on a sheep property near Winton in Queensland and in Townsville. During a long army career, he served in many parts of Australia as well as overseas. He left the Army to take up a position as General Manager of a Correctional Centre which, in addition to the normal range of activities, included a dairy and irrigated pasture. Scott completed an MBA before taking up management positions in the sugar industry, mining and government. Scott retains a lifetime interest in agriculture and is a director of Quadrant Australia.
02 | TOWNSVILLE - WAMBIANA Wed 4 Sep
Depart Townsville and drive to the fascinating outback town of Charters Towers, with its unrivalled architecture and beautifully preserved historic buildings; a legacy of the glory days of gold. Visit Towers Hill to learn about the town’s rich gold mining past and see the historic stock exchange. After lunch, head south to Wambiana for an afternoon tour of this unique cattle property, with award- winning management and cell grazing operation.
Meals: B L D Farmstay, Wambiana
03 | WAMBIANA – RICHMOND Thu 5 Sep
After breakfast on the farm with your hosts, depart and travel west to visit a large Brahman breeding operation. An interesting enterprise on the property is the production of lick supplements especially constituted to suit the animal requirements of the local area. Later continue to Hughenden for lunch and then drive west to Richmond, a regular winner of the “Tidy Town” competition.
Meals: B L - Ammonite Inn, Richmond (or similar)
04 | RICHMOND – JULIA CREEK Fri 6 Sep
Travel north of Richmond to visit a 60,000 hectare property running around 10,000 head of cattle and a large irrigation project with annual crops that include cotton and mung beans. The establishment of viable irrigation developments in this region is of national strategic importance – judge for yourself! Return to Richmond, have lunch and then visit the Dinosaur Museum (Kronosaurus Korner). Meet the Curator, who will provide a briefing on the collection and latest research. Later head west to Julia Creek for overnight.
Meals: B L - Julia Creek Motel (or similar)
05 | JULIA CREEK – LAWN HILL GORGE Sat 7 Sep
This morning travel north to the “Three Ways” and visit one of the larger company enterprises in the region – a major breeding enterprise on endless black soil plains! After lunch continue to travel further north west to the eco-sensitive outback resort of Adel’s Grove – a welcome oasis situated on Lawn Hill Creek among a plantation of exotic trees grown by a French botanist over 80 years ago.
Meals: B L D Adel’s Grove Resort
06 | VISIT LAWN HILL NATIONAL PARK Sun 8 Sep
Today drive into the nearby Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park for a briefing and an opportunity to hike some of the walking tracks in spectacular gorge country. Enjoy a picnic lunch and watching birds and other wildlife plus the opportunity for a canoe paddle through the gorge. Return to Adel’s Grove mid-afternoon for time to relax, explore the creek, or even have a swim!
Meals: B L D Adel’s Grove Resort
07 | LAWN HILL GORGE - KARUMBA Mon 9 Sep
After breakfast retrace your steps then move onto another company property in the gulf! This one certainly has the “wow” factor with 15-20 thousand head of cattle, irrigation and corn silage, as well as breeding cattle. Get a feel for the opportunities that exist in this region of Far North Queensland. Continue to the small cattle town of Normanton – one of those outback towns you only see in the movies. Explore the old Gulf port township (on the Norman River) prior to the short drive northwards to on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Settle into your accommodation and enjoy a spectacular sunset across the Gulf. Meals: B L - Karumba
08 | FROM KARUMBA Tue 10 Sep
After breakfast enjoy a half day calm water ‘Crab & Croc’ cruise with cooked mud crabs and prawns for lunch. On debarkation there will be a familiarisation tour of the township of Karumba, including a drive past the live cattle export loading facilities and a visit to the Barramundi Hatchery. This evening take the opportunity to “catch your breath,” with a free evening in this idyllic setting.
Meals: B L - Karumba
09 | KARUMBA - MT SURPRISE Wed 11 Sep
Early breakfast and board the famous Gulflander Rail Motor for the journey eastwards to Croydon, with a morning tea stop at Blackbull. The Gulflander travels over the ancient rail track laid across the flood plains, to provide port access to the Croydon Goldfields. Reboard your coach after morning tea and travel onto the famous old gold mining town of Croydon for a brief tour around the township, with its many interesting relics and buildings. Later continue east onto historic Georgetown, to inspect the Terrestrial Centre and this old, but still important, township and then onto Mt Surprise.
Meals: B L D Bed Rock Village and safari camping
10 | MT SURPRISE Thu 12 Sep
After a Bush Breakfast tour the Undara Lava Tubes, a fascinating geological formation, with an expert local Savannah guide. The massive volcanic tubes were formed around 190,000 years ago when a single shield volcano erupted and huge lava flows drained towards the sea, forming a surface crust as they cooled. In the afternoon venture into the village of Mt Surprise, where you can view (and purchase) local Topaz, Citrons and Aquamarine! Explore the surrounding Savannah country before returning to the Bed Rock Village.
Meals: B L D Bed Rock Village and safari camping
11 | MT SURPRISE - ATHERTON TABLELANDS Fri 13 Sep
Check out and head for the Atherton Tablelands, an “Cool Tropical” region with some unique attractions created by the high rainfall and relatively cool temperatures. Visit the scenic Millstream Falls, the Crater in Mount Hypipamee National Park, as well as one of the huge curtain fig trees near Yungaburra. During the afternoon visit a large avocado plantation where our host is an industry leader. Overnight on the Tablelands.
Meals: B - - Jackaroo Motel (or similar)
12 | ATHERTON TABLELANDS - CAIRNS Sat 14 Sep
Depart after breakfast for the last day of technical visits. Travel around the district to get a good feel for the diverse agricultural production on this part of the Tablelands. Visit a sugarcane farm and later free time for lunch at Kuranda village on the edge of the escarpment. Board the Skyrail for the seven km cable car descent to the coast passing over tropical rainforest on the Kuranda Range, with unique views of the forest canopy and spectacular views to the coastal plain. On arrival at the coastal plain, visit Tjapukai – Aboriginal Cultural Centre with their history, songs and dances as well as bush medicine and boomerang throwing.
Meals: B - - Pacific Hotel Cairns (or similar)
13 | AROUND CAIRNS Sun 15 Sep
Choose from a selection of options at the beginning of your journey:
Option 1: Great Barrier Reef Cruise with under‑water coral viewing from semi‑submersible vessels, snorkelling, and a magnificent buffet lunch (with morning/afternoon teas) all included.
Option 2: A full day touring through the Daintree Rainforest – includes Cape Tribulation, lunch in a tropical setting and also a Daintree River Cruise.
Option 3: Half day Green Island Cruise.
Tonight, for your final relaxed evening in the tropics, enjoy a farewell dinner.
Meals: B - D Pacific Hotel Cairns (or similar)
14 | CAIRNS TO HOME Mon 16 Sep
Tour concludes after breakfast. Make your way to the airport for outbound flights as required, or stay and enjoy the relaxed ambience of Queensland’s tropical north. Flights and extended stays in Cairns arranged as required.
Meals: B
PER PERSON, DOUBLE - from $6,500.00 (Land only)
Single Occupancy - add $1,220.00
Plus Gov't Taxes
INITIAL DEPOSIT - $2,000.00 at time of booking
FINAL PAYMENT due prior to June 03, 2019
