10 Day Tour - Flinders Ranges, Birdsville Track & Plenty Highway
(ADELAIDE - ALICE SPRINGS)

Hotel / “Bush Lodge” Accommodation

This tour is not scheduled for 2010 or 2011, however we welcome your interest. Please contact our office to register your interest in this tour (no obligation or deposit required at this stage). Price for this tour to be advised when re-scheduled.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Welcome dinner in Adelaide
• Clare Valley wine country
• Historic Burra
• Wilpena Pound and Flinders Ranges
• Old Ghan Railway history and relics
• Birdsville Track
• Outback QLD and Birdsville
• Min Min light country at Boulia
• Adventurous driving along the Plenty Highway
• Gem fossicking at Gem Tree
• Alice Springs

PRICE INCLUDES:
• Travel in modern 4WD coach
• 1x night hotel accommodation in Adelaide,
• 8 x nights “Bush Lodge” accommodation
• Meals as shown (B-breakfast, L-lunch, D-dinner)
• National Park Fees
• Guide and equipment at Gemtree gem fields
• Experienced driver/ guide and hostess/ cook
• GST

Day 1: Adelaide
Transfer to the Hotel in central Adelaide and enjoy a ‘welcome to the tour’ dinner with fellow travellers and the tour leaders. (D)

Day 2: Adelaide – Wilpena Pound
Northbound via the pretty wine producing area of Clare, the historic former copper mining town of Burra and the grain growing belt before heading into the dry, desert country. We pass through Hawker and drive into the Flinders Ranges to our destination for the next two nights at Wilpena Pound. The support crew will have the “Bush Lodge” luxury camping village established ready for our arrival. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Wilpena Pound
Spend the day enjoying the many superb walks into the Pound, or perhaps take an optional scenic flight (at your own expense) over the famous Flinders Ranges landmark. (B,L,D)

Day 4:  Wilpena Pound – Farina
We enjoy the wonderful scenery of the Flinders Ranges as we drive via Blinman and the beautiful Parachilna Gorge to the modern coal mining area at Leigh Creek where we see the massive open cut mines. Tonight we stay at Farina which was once a thriving town on the old Ghan railway and is now a ghost town.  (B,L,D)

Day 5:  Farina – Birdsville Track - Birdsville
Before travelling the famous Birdsville Track we visit Marree and see the sculptures made from old sleepers and the old railway relics from the historic Ghan railway. The Birdsville Track takes us through dry, desolate country with saltpans, red sand dunes and the occasional remote cattle station homestead. We cross the Cooper Creek and Diamantina River along the track. Our “Bush Lodge” accommodation is erected by the support crew at the Birdsville Caravan Park for the next two nights.  (B,L,D)

Day 6:  Birdsville
First highlight is a short drive out to see the largest sand dune in the Simpson desert which is known as “Big Red”! Back to Birdsville and the remainder of today is free for you to enjoy in this famous outback town.  (B,L)

Day 7:  Birdsville – Boulia
Today’s route is northbound following the Eyre Developmental Road through remote country with many claypans and the occasional homestead. Our destination is Boulia which is situated on the Burke River and is famous for the phenomenon known as the ‘Min Min light’.  (B,L,D)

Day 8:  Boulia – Jervois Station
We leave Boulia and travel westward on the Donohue Highway towards the QLD/NT border through Mitchell grass country with the occasional section of Gidgee scrub, stony undulation and coolabah fringed creeks. At the border the road changes it’s name and becomes the Plenty Highway and takes us through some of the last area in Australia to be settled by Europeans. The lack of surface water kept the pastoralists at bay until bore- drilling equipment became available in the 1940’s. Our “Bush Lodge” camp is established tonight on Jervois Station amongst the ghost gums alongside the Marshall River.  (B,L,D)

Day 9:  Jervois Station – Gemtree
We continue along the Plenty Highway with the scenery changing greatly from open and flat red plains to attractive flat- topped ranges fronted with tall woodlands of Whitewood and Ironwood. We pass by remote cattle stations and communities and stop for the night in the gem fields at the Gemtree Caravan Park on the gum-lined banks of Gillen Creek.  (B,L,D)

Day 10:  Gemtree – Alice Springs
Our last day on tour is enjoyed firstly with a guided inspection of the gem fields by a local guide and the opportunity to try your luck fossicking with equipment provided. We continue in to Alice Springs arriving mid afternoon where you will be dropped off at your centrally located accommodation.  (B,L)