State: Victoria
Operator: KIRKHOPE AVIATION
Minimum Price: AUD $ 0

When time is limited, travel on a charter air tour to remote outback places of Australia. All tours depart from Melbourne. Small group tours ensure personal service. If you have your own group of friends, structure the holiday to your own individual interests or time frame. Travel South & Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania ,New South Wales and of course to Pungalina Station.

Day One: Melbourne - Andamooka - Ayers Rock Depart Melbourne early in a comfortable twin-engine aircraft. Fly over Wilpena Pound in the Southern Flinders Ranges via Mildura if necessary for fuel, then over the vast dry lake of Lake Torrens before landing at Andamooka Opal town at about 11am. We then take a short tour with Margot Duke of this unusual rugged yet quaint outback opal town. A visit to Albert's underground house/mine and the old historic cottages are a must. A light lunch and then we depart at 1.30 pm for William Creek for fuel and maybe a quick drink in this famous pub near the edge of Lake Eyre. Leaving there at 3 pm we fly 2 hours with a scenic flight over Ayers Rock and the Olga's and then land at the modern Yulara resort. View the spectacular sunset before dinner. ACCOM: THE OUTBACK PIONEER HOTEL/MOTEL... YULARA http://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/outback/ Day Two: Ayers Rock - Bungle Bungles View the sunrise if desired. Then after breakfast drive out to Ayers Rock for a tour of the base (with Aboriginal paintings, caves, rock pools, etc.). The climb is not encouraged nowdays by request from the aborigine community. Depart Yulara,at about 11.30am and fly via Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater (one of the world's largest) to Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles). You will be met by the local tour operator for a short drive to the permanent established camp at Bellburn Creek. After lunch, drive to the southern end of the park to visit the Bee-Hives Rock formations and walk into Cathedral Gorge, prior to returning to camp for a rest and dinner. The camp has twin-share tent sized cabins with comfortable beds, dining facilities, and shared shower/toilet facilities. All meals are supplied by the local tour operator (East Kimberley Tours) http://www.eastkimberleytours.com.au/ ACCOM: BELLBURN CREEK CAMPSITE at BUNGLE BUNGLES Approx. Flight Time: 3 hrs 25 mins Day Three: Bungle Bungles A full day in the northern end of the park with the local tour guide, exploring the chasms and gorges of this unique massif, the Bungle Bungle, said to be 350 million years old, with an area of 300 square kilometres. Includes Picanniny Gorge, Mini Palms and Echidna Chasm. Highly recommended is the helicopter ride over the Bungles. This can be organised on Day 2 or Day 3 (an optional extra cost). The pre-dinner drinks are around the campfire with maybe a bit of singing if somebody has a guitar! ACCOM: BELLBURN CREEK CAMPSITE at BUNGLE BUNGLES Day Four: Bungle Bungles - Old Mornington Station Leave the Bungles at 7am…it is daylight at 5.30!. Fly 1 hour to Old Mornington Station. A short drive to the camp and after settling in we drive 1 hour to Diamond Gorge. Spend the day there , swimming, canoeing, fishing for barramundi before returning to the open air bar and dining area of Mick Cur’s bush camp. ACCOM: OLD MORNINGTON BUSH CAMP...Tents twin share. Flight time 1 hr Day Five: Old Mornington - Bell Gorge - Cape Leveque Depart after breakfast to Silent Grove airstrip in the Kimberleys, home of Bell Creek Gorge....10 minutes flight. Drive 30 minutes then walk an hour to Bell's Gorge. Swim and lunch at this spectacular waterhole, one of the most magnificent in the Kimberleys. Early afternoon fly to Cape Leveque (via Derby for fuel) on the tip of the Dampier Peninsula overlooking the Indian Ocean. Pristine beaches, spectacular coastal scenery with stunning colour contrasts and magnificent sunsets and sunrises. Accommodation is in open-air cabins on the beach and dinner in at the open-air restaurant overlooking the ocean. ACCOM: KOOLJAMAN CABINS at CAPE LEVEQUE Approx. Flight Time: 1 hrs 20 mins http://www.kooljaman.com.au Day Six: Cape Leveque - Mitchell Falls - Faraway Leave Cape Leveque to fly over the spectacular coastal scenery of King Sound, the famous Horizontal Waterfalls and the myriad islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago such as Koolan and Cockatoo Islands. Next stop is the Mitchell Plateau airstrip. With the local guide drive to the beginning of the 3 km walk to the Mitchell Falls, visiting the Big and Little Merten's Falls and the Kimberley Wanjina Aboriginal Art sites on the way. Enjoy lunch and an afternoon swim at the falls. Helicopters will fly everybody back to the plane at about 3pm and then we fly 45 minutes to Faraway Bay. This is a remote safari yet upmarket accommodation on the northern Kimberley coast. It takes about 40 minutes to drive to the resort. Accommodation is in twin share cabins on the top of a cliff overlooking the sea. We relax with a drink in teh spa pool before dinner in a magnificent open air setting on the same cliff. ACCOM: FARAWAY BAY RESORT http://www.farawaybay.com.au/ Day Seven: Faraway Bay A magnificent breakfast on the cliff restaurant and a swim and then we board the boat to spend the whole day exploring this coastal scenery. The destination is the spectacular King Edward falls. Here we have a refreshing "dip" on the front of the boat as we get close to the falls. Activities on the way include lunch and some great sea fishing for fish such as Emperor. Returning to home at about 5pm we once again enjoy the pleasant surrounds and environment of the resort before another spectacular fish dinner on the balcony. ACCOM: FARAWAY BAY RESORT...twin share cabins Day Eight: Faraway Bay - El Questro After breakfast we are transported 40 minutes back to the airstrip and fly one hour across the rugged Kimberley Ranges to EL Questro Station. El Questro is a working cattle and tourist station of 1 million acres. Accommodation is in modern cabins nestled between the pandanus and palms along Pentecost Creek. A fully licensed restaurant and bar and shop is nearby and the river swimming hole is right next to the cabins. After booking in we take a short drive to the Chamberlain Gorge for a boat trip along the Chamberlain River to discover excellent examples of Wandjina art. Depending on the time and conditions, a fish for the elusive barramundi may be possible and maybe spot a freshwater crocodile. Returning to the station for lunch and then a short drive for a swim in the relaxing warm thermal pools at Zebedee Springs amongst pandanus and palms. In the late afternoon return to El Questro station ACCOM: EL QUESTRO STATION BUNGALOWS ACCOM: The Bungalows El Questro http://www.elquestro.com.au Day Nine: El Questro - Mt Borradaile A relaxing start to the day and then at 9 am depart for Arnhem Land, via Kununurra for fuel. Arrive in time for a late lunch at Mt Borradaile in Arnhem Land. Late afternoon enjoy a magnificent sunset cruise on the billabong where there is abundant birdlife and crocodiles for you to see. This is an exclusive Aboriginal cultural experience and wildlife adventure, in a most beautiful and exciting wilderness area. At Mt. Borradaile all accommodation is twin-share tented accommodation, with comfortable beds, dining facilities and shared toilet/shower facilities. All meals are supplied by Max Davidson the local tour operator. ACCOM: DAVIDSON'S SAFARI CAMP at MT. BORRADAILE Approx. Flight Time: 2 hrs 45 mins http://www.arnhemland-safaris.com Day Ten: Mt Borradaile A full day is spent at Mt. Borradaile with activities moulded to your interests - walking, exploring the bush with the chance of sighting buffalo or wild pig, birdwatching, boat cruising, fishing, visiting ancient Aboriginal rock art sites of extraordinary beauty, or simply just soaking up this unique wilderness lifestyle. The sunset cruise on the vast and beautiful billabong, is a highlight not to be missed, where there are birds in their thousands, saltwater crocodiles, mangroves, lillies and paperback swamps. ACCOM: DAVIDSON'S SAFARI CAMP at MT. BORRADAILE Day Eleven: Mt Borradaile - Oenpelli - Pungalina After breakfast fly to Oenpelli to refuel. Oenpelli, an Aboriginal town near the border of Arnhem Land and Kakadu, has an excellent Aboriginal art gallery just down the road from the airstrip. Well worth a quick visit for those interested to purchase paintings and artefacts. A two hour walk is also recommended for those keen on aboriginal rock art. This is escorted by local aborigines and the art is magnificent. Then fly across Arnhem Land to the Gulf of Carpentaria to Pungalina on the edge of the NT/QLD border. Pungalina is a 500,000 acre property which is set up for small group tours in safari style camp. The tents are twin share and there is a flushing toilet, two showers and a great spring fed stream for swimming (although very shallow). We can spend the afternoon fishing for Barramundi, touring a limestone cave, canoeing or just relaxing. At sunset we drive out to Calvert Gorge for drinks before dinner back at the camp. ACCOM: PUNGALINA SAFRAI CAMP....twin share tents www.pungalinasafaris.com.au Day Twelve: Pungalina - Sweers Island More activities can be continued in the morning , including bird watching for the photographer, before we depart for Sweers Island ....a 50 minute flight...arriving at about 12.30 in time for lunch. After lunch there is time to try your hand at fishing off the boat and or just visit and walk/swim the beaches on this great island. The open air bar and restaurant is a great spot for sunset viewing and the evening meal. ACCOM: SWEERS ISLAND.....cabins.. http://www.sweers.com.au Day Thirteen: Sweers Island - Lawn Hill Gorge - Avington An early morning departure to have as much time as possible in the Lawn Hill National park, home of Lawn Hill Gorge, truly one of the most spectacular gorges in the Gulf Country, with luxurious tropical rainforest-like vegetation, sheer red cliffs and unusual green water. Access to the gorge system is by delightful walking tracks, and exploring the middle and upper gorge system is by canoes. It is fantastic for swimming especially around the naturally bubbling spas, or just out in the centre of the gorge looking up at the sheer cliffs and tropical vegetation. Enjoy a delicious lunch back at Adels Grove camp , and a great swim, before flying onto Avington Station just south of Longreach. At Avington the plane is taxied right up to the house. There would be time for a scenic relaxing boat cruise down the Barcoo River and or a ride on their 4 wheel drive bikes and buggies. After great hospitality , a good station meal and a comfy night . ACCOM: Avington homestead....rooms. Approx flight time 3:00 hrs http://www.avington.com.au/ Day Fourteen: Avington - Innamincka - Essendon In the morning, after a typical homestead breakfast, there is time for more of the same or maybe even a small game of golf on their local course. A 2 hr flight ends at Innamincka where we have lunch and a boat crise on the famous Coopers Creek.The final leg home via Broken Hill is about 4 hours flying arriving back at Essendon in the early evening.. ACCOM: MELBOURNE Approx. Flight Time: 6 hrs

Notes:

Special Departure Dates: On clients application
Trip Duration: 14 days
Departs from: Melbourne
Tour Ends: Melbourne
Departure Time: 7.00 a.m
Return Time: 7.00 p.m
All Prices: On clients request