MELBOURNE TO PORT DOUGLAS

Welcome to our exciting 17 Day Savannah Discovery tour from Cairns to Darwin. With chauffeured pickup from home, we travel to Melbourne Airport. Here we’ll be greeted by an O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours representative, who will assist us with check in and see us onto the plane for our flight to Cairns. Arriving at Cairns Airport, we will be welcomed by our O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours coach crew who will assist us with our luggage. We board the coach and take a scenic drive to the tropical North Queensland township of Port Douglas for our first two night stopover. Before checking in to our accommodation, spend some time in the township of Port Douglas, checking out the local wares.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement / Refreshments available on the flight

OVERNIGHT: Oaks Resort, PORT DOUGLAS

MOSSMAN GORGE & CAPE TRIBULATION

This morning we head to beautiful Mossman Gorge, visiting an indigenous ecotourism development at the gateway to Mossman Gorge. First up, we enjoy some lovely damper with our morning tea. We are then transferred in a shuttle bus up to the gorge. We can walk to a lookout with views of the Mossman River and the mountain ranges beyond. The track includes two sections of elevated boardwalk which pass through the lower rainforest canopy. From here we continue further north into the real tropical part of North Queensland, crossing the Daintree River on the Ferry. We visit the Daintree Discovery Centre to view the oldest tropical rainforest in the world, estimated to be over 150 million years old! The Daintree Rainforest is home to the endangered Southern Cassowary and the oldest flowering plant species known as Idiot fruit. The Daintree Discovery Centre is an award-winning world-class interpretive facility that allows visitors easy access to every level of the Daintree Rainforest, from the forest floor to the uppermost reaches of the canopy. To finish our day, we drive up to Cape Tribulation for a look before returning back to Port Douglas.

OVERNIGHT: Oaks Resort, PORT DOUGLAS

PORT DOUGLAS TO MAREEBA

After breakfast, our first stop is just down the road at the Wildlife Habitat Sanctuary. Spend time enjoying all the beautiful birds and animals as well as a Wetlands Tour. We then make our way via Mount Molloy to Mareeba. This town was settled by European John Atherton in 1877 who arrived with cattle at Emerald End, just north of the town today. It quickly became a busy coach stop for Cobb & Co before the railway arrived in 1893. This afternoon, a local guide shares the history of the township when we visit the Mareeba Heritage Museum. We spend time walking down memory lane before we check in to our motel for the next two nights.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement

OVERNIGHT: Cape Gateway Motel, MAREEBA

SAVANNAHLANDER TRAIN TO CHILLAGOE

We make our way to the Mareeba Railway Station to board the historic Savannahlander Train. Whilst on this unique outback rail experience from Mareeba to Almaden, our drivers who are talented, witty and downright charming, will entertain us in their 1960s classic "silver-bullet" rail motors. Enjoy a relaxed pace and great company whilst travelling in style through country we will never forget. There will be a short stop at the Dimbulah Railway Station with time to stretch our legs. From here cultivated fields and agriculture give way to the rugged bush and we begin more ascents up the Featherbed and the Lappa Ranges. We arrive at Almaden for lunch. This afternoon, we reboard our O'Shannessy's Coach to explore the area and the local township of Chillagoe. The old township is still dominated by the Chillagoe smelters which were built at the turn of the century by miners and speculators, convinced the region was set to become the next Broken Hill. The rail link followed and the town grew to 10,000. The region however failed to live up to its promise and millions were lost in the inevitable bust. The smelter staggered on until the 1940's when it was abandoned. The town today is based on tourism.  We return to our accommodation in Mareeba late afternoon.

OVERNIGHT:  Cape Gateway Motel, MAREEBA

MAREEBA TO UNDARA

Leave your swimming gear out today as we head across the Atherton Tablelands, making our way to the oldest town on the Tablelands - Herberton. This town sits on a hilly landscape with streets dotted with Jacaranda trees. Herberton's main claim to fame was Tin Mining. We visit The Herberton Mining Museum & Visitor Information Centre, allowing time to see the many mining displays and local history archives. From here, we continue to the beautiful Millstream Falls, reputedly the widest single drop falls in Australia. Our next stop is at Innot Hot Springs. Enjoy a dip in the natural mineral springs at Nettle Creek, known for rejuvenating and healing. The water was even bottled and shipped to Europe at one stage. After feeling extremely relaxed, sit back in our coach and enjoy the rest of the journey through to Undara National Park. Tonight, some of us will sleep in beautifully restored, turn-of-the-century, ensuite railway carriages, surrounded by tall trees and native wildlife. If you miss out on one of these carriages, the accommodation will be in ensuite Pioneer Homesteads featuring all the modern conveniences and a private verandah, enabling you to do some wildlife spotting.

OVERNIGHT:  Undara National Park, MOUNT SURPRISE

UNDARA - FORSAYTH

After enjoying a lovely bush breakfast, we check out of our rooms in time to join a Savannah guide who will take us on the Archway Explorer Lava Tube Tour. This gives us an excellent overview of the Lava Tubes and how they were formed. Our guide will point out other interesting environmental, geological and historical features on our trip to and from the caves. Back at the resort after a great couple of hours, we enjoy lunch, then board the coach to make our way across The Savannah Way through Mount Surprise and on to Georgetown, where we visit the world-class Ted Elliott Mineral Collection in the Terrestrial Information Centre. Ted’s passion for minerals started back in 1946 on his father’s farm in Wirrimah near Young NSW. This is now one of the largest and most comprehensive private collections in Australia, consisting of world-class specimens from Australia and all over the world. From here we continue on to Forsayth for our next two night stopover.

OVERNIGHT: Finnigans Rest, FORSAYTH

COBBOLD GORGE

This morning we head to Cobbold Gorge, a hidden oasis tucked away within the rugged sandstone formation of North Queensland.  An ancient landscape invites you to breathe in the bush and breathe out your worries.  First we take a spectacular three hour Cobbold Gorge Cruise and Escarpment walk with a local Savannah guide. Majestic sandstone 30 metre cliffs tower on either side, only 2 metres wide in some places. The silence is broken only by the distant chattering of birds. The gorge is home to fish such as black bream, archerfish, long tom, and freshwater crocodiles. After lunch, you may wish to take an optional helicopter flight over the escarpment or relax around the resort before we return to our accommodation.

OVERNIGHT:  Finnigans Rest, FORSAYTH

FORSAYTH TO KARUMBA

This morning we drive through to the former booming gold town of Croydon. The Croydon Historic Village contains what is left of a much larger gold mining city of the late 1800s. Two museums display the early mining machinery from the age of steam and walking tracks provide us with an insight into local environs. After enjoying lunch here, we continue our journey to Karumba, being the only town along the southern Gulf of Carpentaria. This isolated fishing village is home to a large fleet of prawn trawlers and once an important Cataline base during World War II. Before dinner, we enjoy a Sunset Cruise which will include some nibbles and local banana prawns.

OVERNIGHT: Karumba Lodge Hotel, KARUMBA 

KARUMBA TO MOUNT ISA

This morning, we visit “the Rattler” – the famous Gulflander Motor Rail. We have a last chance to get a photo of the train and we have time to look through the museum station and gift shop. The Gulflander is probably Australia’s most unusual  train service, running along a completely isolated and unconnected 150km line from “nowhere to nowhere”. The line was first planned to be operated between Normanton and Cloncurry, but the 1880s gold rush at Croydon lead to its diversion to this destination. From here our coach takes the Burke Developmental Road to the Burke & Wills Roadhouse for a break. A couple of hours further on we arrive in Cloncurry. In the 1880’s Cloncurry was an important resting spot for drovers overlanding cattle across northern Queensland and the Northern Territory. We then continue our scenic drive through to Mount Isa for our next two night’s stay.

OVERNIGHT: Abacus Motel, MOUNT ISA

MOUNT ISA

Today, we explore the township of Mt Isa, which is nestled among the ochre-red Selwyn Ranges, on the banks of the Leichhardt River. The town is a bustling melting pot of culture and industry being home to one the most productive single mines and hosts the southern hemisphere’s largest rodeo. It’s grown from strength to strength over the years but the harsh picturesque landscape has barely changed. We start our day with a visit to the information centre to experience the Isa Experience Museum. This will give you a fascinating insight into the mining industry development in the area around Mt Isa. We then visit the Mt Isa Underground Hospital and Museum. This wartime underground civilian Hospital, constructed during 1942 was built by off-duty miners from Mount Isa Mines. Enjoy some free time in town and a chance to grab some lunch, before we finish our day with a drive to the local lookout for a bird’s eye view of Mt Isa City.

Lunch own expense and arrangement

OVERNIGHT: Abacus Motel, MOUNT ISA

MOUNT ISA TO BARKLY HOMESTEAD

We depart Mount Isa this morning, driving through only one place today, Camooweal.  This is located just 12km from the Northern Territory border and is still classed as a suburb of Mount Isa. Once a colourful droving centre, Camooweal's droving heritage has not been forgotten. The Camooweal Drover's Festival, held each year at the end of August, is an event that embodies the spirit of the Outback. It provides a chance for drovers, young and old, to share a yarn or two and show off the skills they learned to survive in this harsh land. We cross into the Northern Territory, stopping for a photo stop, then on to our accommodation at Barkly Homestead, an oasis roadhouse in landscaped surroundings with all amenities. Traditional 'Southern Cross' windmills provide good photographic subjects against the flat plains and bright blue sky.

OVERNIGHT: Barkly Homestead, BARKLY TABLELANDS

BARKLY HOMESTEAD TO CAPE CRAWFORD

Leaving Barkly, we hit the road and turn northwards onto The Tablelands Highway 

- a 378 km single-lane sealed road taking us to Cape Crawford. The remote stop is home of the famous Heartbreak Hotel at the junction of the Carpentaria and Tablelands Highway. Despite the first part of its name, Cape Crawford is situated approximately 120 kilometres from the ocean and is so named because it is situated at the northern extremity or 'cape' of the Abner Ranges, which were first discovered by drover Lindsay Crawford in 1880. Our accommodation for the next two nights will be in basic "donga" style ensuite motel rooms. Our meals will be in the hotel, where we should be able to catch up with and hear some of the yarns from the locals who live in this remote area of the Northern Territory. This afternoon, we will have time to relax and enjoy the serenity of this beautiful part of Australia.

OVERNIGHT: Heartbreak Hotel, CAPE CRAWFORD

THE LOST CITY

Today, we drive north east along the Carpentaria Highway to Caranbirini Conservation Reserve. This is a remarkable reserve that protects a large number of habitats within its small area. We’ll explore its sandstone hills and ridges, a semi-permanent waterhole surrounded by riverine vegetation, open woodland and interesting sandstone spires known as 'Lost City' formations. The reserve is located midway between Borroloola and McArthur (Heart Break Hotel), on the western extremity of the Bukalara Range.  For the energetic people amongst us, we can take the 2 kilometre Barrawulla Loop Walk and explore the Lost City, where impressive spires rise to 25m in height and provide shelter for wildlife. Bring your camera to make sure you capture images of this remarkable landscape.  There is a short 300 metre return walk to the bird hide where we can view the birds at the semi-permanent Caranbirini Waterhole. Continuing to Borroloola, we visit the Old Borroloola Police Station Museum after lunch.  Later this afternoon, we return to our accommodation, and have some time to relax and take some time out!

OVERNIGHT: Heartbreak Hotel, CAPE CRAWFORD

CAPE CRAWFORD TO KATHERINE

An early start today, travelling across the Carpentaria Highway to Daly Waters for our lunch stop at the oldest pub in the Territory – Daly Waters Pub. This is an experience not to be missed! From here we travel on the Stuart Highway north passing the township of Larrimah, then to Mataranka Thermal Pool and Rainbow Springs. Enjoy a dip in the crystal clear and warm springs. We then drive to Katherine for tonight’s accommodation.

OVERNIGHT: Knotts Crossing Resort, KATHERINE

KATHERINE TO DARWIN

An early morning cruise for those interested in beautiful Katherine Gorge. This cruise is at patrons own expense and is highly recommended. (This cruise can be booked with your Tour Director who will have further details. The optional cruise is subject to availability.) Later this morning, we leave Katherine making our first stop at the lovely Edith Falls for a quick dip. This is a real oasis, where there is lush green grass and a beautiful refreshing swimming hole that is very safe, remember to keep your bathing costumes out.  From here we continue through to Pine Creek for a look at the Old Ghan Train & Station, then on to Adelaide River, site of the only Australian War Cemetery on Australian soil. There are 432 servicemen and 63 civilians, all of whom died as a result of Japanese bombing raids, buried in the cemetery. Our last day of travel and our destination tonight is Darwin.

OVERNIGHT: Hilton Garden Inn, DARWIN

DARWIN

With this fabulous tour coming to an end, today we have a free day to enjoy the city of Darwin. Maybe take a stroll along the Esplanade, a swim at the Waterfront Lagoon, visit a museum, catch up on some shopping or just relax around the pool. The day is yours to fill before we enjoy our last dinner together.

Lunch own expense and arrangements

OVERNIGHT: Hilton Garden Inn, DARWIN

DARWIN TO MELBOURNE

Time to pack our bags and head for home. Completing our memorable tour of the naturally beautiful top of Australia, we are transferred to Darwin Airport for our return flight to Melbourne. Upon arrival, our chauffeurs will be waiting to transport us safely home with many interesting stories to tell of our Savannah Discovery adventure - all a part of the O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours experience.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement / Refreshments available on the flight