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 Following In The Footsteps
State: New South Wales
Operator: Australian Eco Adventures Minimum Price: AUD $ 4,290 Travel from Sydney down to Melbourne visiting Beechworth and then follow the route of Australia's first South to North crossing of the continent by Burke & Wills. DAY 1 Wednesday 16 August Departing Sydney we travel down the Hume Highway through merino sheep country. We cross the mighty Murray River at Albury before turning toward historic Beechworth where Robert Burke was Inspector of Police. (Overnight Carriage Motor Inn, Beechworth). 510 km
DAY 2 Thursday 17 August We spend the morning in Beechworth then head to Melbourne where we will inspect some paintings of the Burke and Wills Expedition at the National Gallery of Victoria. (Overnight Kingsgate Hotel Melbourne). 350 km DAY 3 Friday 18 August Our journey commences from Royal Park where the Victorian Exploration Expedition left for its fateful journey north. Our route will follow modern day roads as close as possible to the actual route. We detour into Castlemaine which was Burke’s last posting as police inspector. We arrive in Bendigo in the early afternoon for a tour on the Talking Tram, one of the best ways to see this historic gold rush town. (Overnight Best Western Heritage Motor Inn) 220 km DAY 4 Saturday 19 August Today we resume our journey in Burke & Wills’ footsteps as we head north; first to the river port of Swan Hill, then we proceed to Balranald. From Balranald we deviate slightly off their route to see Wentworth, the junction of the Darling and Murray Rivers where we will stop tonight. (Overnight Two Rivers Motel Wentworth) 500 km DAY 5 Sunday 20 August An early start today as we head northwest and back on their route near Lake Mungo. We will take time out to explore this world heritage national park with aboriginal settlement dating back 40,000 years and appreciate its beauty. (Overnight Mungo Lodge) 220km DAY 6 Monday 21 August This morning we recommence our journey along the route beside the Darling River, passing through Pooncarie where some of the group took a paddle steamer up to Menindee. Following the river up to Menindee we will visit the historic Menindee Pub, one of their supply depot sites, and Kinchega National Park before deviating off the route again to Broken Hill where we will spend 2 nights. (Next two nights Miners Lamp Motor Inn Broken Hill) 350 km DAY 7 Tuesday 22 August Today we will take time out from our history lesson to visit Silverton, the Desert Sculptures, a few art galleries and other interesting sights in Broken Hill. 100 km DAY 8 Wednesday 23 August This morning we head for Mootwingee National Park where we will not only rejoin the route north but will see some aboriginal engravings during a guided tour. In the afternoon we continue the route north to the most remote town in New South Wales, Tibooburra. (Overnight Tibooburra Hotel )435km DAY 9 Thursday 24 August Today sees us crossing the NSW/QLD border at Warri Warri Gate then passing through the remote cattle areas of southwest Queensland and the Santos gas field before reaching the “Dig Tree”. After absorbing the history here we proceed to Innamincka, our stopping place for the next 2 nights. (Next two nights Cooper Creek Homestay & Innamincka Trading Post) 355 km DAY 10 Friday 25 August We will visit Coongie Lakes, Burkes Memorial, Wills Grave and Kings Marker all set alongside the magnificent Coopers Creek. On dusk we will hear all the corellas settling down in the trees beside the waterhole for the night. 255 km DAY 11 Saturday 26 August We deviate slightly off their route that went north of the Coongie Lakes to the most parallel road that will take us through sandhill country to join the Birdsville Track and then cross the border back into Queensland. We will pass through Birdsville but before settling down for a cool drink at the Birdsville Pub we take a side tour to “Big Red” a large sandhill to the west of Birdsville that marks the edge of the Simpson Desert. (Overnight Birdsville Hotel). 365 km DAY 12 Sunday 27 August Here we travel through “channel country” northwards along their route passing through Bedourie to Boulia, which is famous for its “Min Min” lights (Overnight Australian Hotel/Motel) 390 km DAY 13 Monday 28 August Variety of landscape changes awaits today. We head north into the Selwyn Ranges where we will visit O’Hara’s Gap before reaching Cloncurry, where we will visit the “John Flynn Museum” (Overnight Gidgee Inn Cloncurry) 380 km DAY 14 Tuesday 29 August From Cloncurry we will follow as closely as possible their route to their northernmost point, Camp 119 situated on the junction of the Flinders and Boyne Rivers. It is from here that Burke and Wills trekked a few kilometres to the north to find the river lined with mangroves and effected by the tides. They assumed any further effort would be wasted as they were very close to the coast so commenced their return south. We will continue on to Karumba, a prawn trawler and mineral export port on the Gulf of Carpentaria, and enjoy fresh prawns with sparkling wine watching the sunset over the Gulf before returning to Normanton. (Overnight Gulfland Motel Normanton) 620 km DAY 15 Wednesday 30 August Today we board the “Gulflander” for our journey to Croydon.On arrival we can explore this gold rush town before settling down in the evening. (Overnight Croydon Club Hotel). 180 km DAY 16 Thursday 31 August Following the Savannah Way we head east inspecting ruins of the gold mining era before passing through Georgetown and Forsyth. We arrive at Cobbold Gorge Lodge in time for an afternoon cruise along this magnificent gorge; also available this afternoon are optional helicopter flights over the gorge. (Overnight Cobbold Gorge Lodge) 250 km DAY 17 Friday 01 September We depart the lodge and head first to Tallaroo Hot Springs for a walk through this amazing area and a short swim in the thermal pool. We pass through Mt Surprise and its amazing basalt wall before arriving at our destination Undara Lodge. (Overnight Undara Lodge) 250 km DAY 18 Saturday 02 September After a morning inspection of the lava tubes, with optional scenic flight over the area, we will head toward the Atherton Tableland. We will see our first lush green vegetation in many days before dropping down to the coast at Cairns where we will arrive about 5:30pm. 290 km Notes:Tour Code: A01 Special Departure Dates: 16 August - 2 September 04 - 11 February 2006 Trip Duration: 18 days Departs from: Client's Sydney Accommodation Tour Ends: Client's Melbourne accommodation Departure Time: 7.30 a.m Return Time: 5.30 p.m All Prices: 18 days/$4290.00 pp twin 8 days/ $1750.00 pp twin $240.00 single supplement Send enquiry / Check Availability
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