ESCAPE THE WINTER BLUES TO OUTBACK QUEENSLAND 2015 Outback Queensland Sunday 28 June- Wednesday 8 July, 2015 Highlights Charleville & The Cosmos Centre 4 nights at Longreach The Stockmans Hall of Fame Qantas Founders Outback Museum Waltzing Matilda Centre Winton Emerald Roma & The Big Rig Lightning Ridge – Chamber of the Black Hand Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo Day 1 (LD): SYDNEY TO MOREE – Sunday 28 June, 2015 Welcome to our 11 day tour to Outback Queensland. After loading the coach and completing our passenger pick up service we are on our way. From Sydney we head north and join the New England Highway and then the Kamilaroi Highway to Gunnedah where we stop for lunch. Pushing north this afternoon we arrive at Moree for our first night on tour. Although the town is quite remote, it is located in the Gwydir Valley which has some of the richest and most productive agricultural country Australia. The major industries are cotton, beef cattle, pecan-nuts, olives, wheat, sheep wool, cereal crops. Moree is also famous for its hot mineral baths. (Club lunch/Dinner in the motel) Dragon & Phoenix Motel, Moree – 02 6752 5555 Day 2 (BD): MOREE TO CHARLEVILLE – Monday 29 June, 2015 We continue north today, over the Queensland border to St George – 400kilometres inland from Toowoomba and situated on the Balonne River. This will be where we have our lunch break. While we are here we plan to take a brief look at the Unique Egg! This is a genuinely impressive and interesting collection of hand-carvedemu eggs, illuminated from within. Created by Steve Margaritis over a period of more than 40 years, they have been displayed at World Expos but are on permanent display in a sports store in St. George!! We now travel through to Charleville. Late this afternoon, we visit Charleville’s best known attraction, the Cosmos Centre. The centre is an audio-visual extravaganza featuring hi-tech interactive displays that take you on an astronomical journey through the ages, unravelling many mysteries of our night sky. We will enjoy some nibbles and drinks before the open-air observatory and viewing of the outback night sky. We then return to the motel for a two-course dinner. (Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Lunch own arrangements & cost) Mulga Country Motor Inn, Charleville – 07 4654 3255 Day 3 (BLD): CHARLEVILLE TO LONGREACH – Tuesday 30 June, 2015 After breakfast we continue north to Blackall, home to the legendary “gun shearer” Jackie Howe and where he set the almost unbelievable record of shearing 321 sheep with blade shears in a day. A bronze statue now stands as a monument to the man and the achievement. Blackall also claims to be the home of the black stump which has always loomed large in rural Australian mythology as a place beyond which was no man’s land. This historic site permanently marks the original Astro Station established in 1887 by the Surveyor-General for the purpose of survey. The surveyors placed their theodolites on the stump for latitude and longitude observations. The stump was used rather than a set of legs because the theodolite used on such observations were of a large size. It was considered, at the time, that the country to the west of Blackall was ‘beyond the black stump’. This piece of petrified wood replaces the original stump which was burnt out. From Blackall we head west beyond the black stump to Isisford, a charming little settlement which has not changed significantly since the turn of the century. Banjo Paterson wrote Clancy of The Overflow here – and today we enjoy lunch at Clancy’s Overflow Hotel. Next is Infracombe where we have time this afternoon to “wet the whistle” at the famous Wellshot Hotel. From here it’s onto Longreach, a town which has played a significant role in the early development of central Queensland and outback Australia. On arrival we settle into our motel for the next 4 nights. (Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Pub lunch) Longreach Motor Inn, Longreach – 07 46582322 Day 4 (BLD): EXPLORING LONGREACH – Wednesday 01 July, 2015 Longreach is in the centre of a vast area known as the Central West, in the geographical heart of Queensland. There are some fascinating things to see and do in this part of the world – a region that attracted bush poets like Banjo Patterson and pioneers, like the early post world war one pilots who formed the Queensland and Northern Territory Arial Services, which in turn helped form the Flying Doctor Service. What really makes the area are the characters who live here. Richard Kinnon is one. At Kinnon & Co in Longreach we will meet Richard as he performs in a hysterical tribute to legends of the bush – featuring his horse whose tail is where its head should be! Graham Dean is another local character. Not only does he run the famous open air theatre in the centre of Winton, he does a weekly “poetic review” of issues in Australia for the ABC! This morning we will uncover some national treasures. Our first visit of the day is the School of Distance Education, which is a huge consideration to living in the outback. Next stop is Stockmans Hall of Fame. We’ll reconvene for the 11am Outback Stockmans Show. This new show, which opened in April 2012, tells the story of real life stockmen and women who work on the land. The performer, Luke Thomas, is a known horse breaker, drover, bush poet and raconteur as well as one of the last bullockies. The Outback Stockman’s Show encompasses the modern day aspects of being a stockman, as well as telling the tales of what it used to be like in the past. We have lunch here before spending some more time in the Hall of Fame. We drive back into town now for some free time to explore the main street. Tonight we enjoy a sunset dinner on the banks of the Thomson River – a timeless waterhole. There will be an open fire and bush poetry. It will be a fantastic night. (Breakfast in the motel/Light lunch at Stockmans Hall of Fame/ theme dinner) Longreach Motor Inn, Longreach – 07 4658 2322 Day 5 (BLD): OUTBACK STATIONS – Thursday 2 July, 2015 Today we are going to have a special experience as we get an insight to the area through the eyes of local graziers and pioneer families. We will meet the owners of a local station called Strathmore and learn about their operations and the challenges of operating on the land. Returning to town, we really step back in time – at Kinnon & Co. Their Station Store has an amazing range of traditionally made leatherwear and a treasure trove of historic nostalgia. And while we are here we will meet that famous horse – whose tail is where his head should be – and the larrikin owner and his son who present a live show “Starlights Spectacular” – a legends tribute. It will be a lot of fun. This afternoon, we visit the historic 1922 QANTAS hanger at the QANTAS Founders Museum. The historic photographs, memorabilia and multi media displays bring alive the inspirational stories of one of the world’s pioneering airlines. The complex houses the museum, theatrette and exhibition hall and visitor information centre. A Boeing 747-200, donated by Qantas Airways Ltd, forms a spectacular part of the museum’s outdoor display. Our guided tour provides us with an appreciation of the vision and achievements of the Qantas Founders, which is “that Qantas would one day become one of the worlds’ greatest airlines”. (Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Light lunch) Longreach Motor Inn, Longreach – 07 4658 2322 Day 6 (BLD): DINOSAURS & BUSH POETS – Friday 3 July, 2015 With an early start this morning we are off to experience the freedom of the vast open plains and Coolibah lined creeks. We will see some dramatic and ever changing scenery around Winton including the “jump up” – a rugged mesa plateau formation that stands 75 metres above the surrounding plains. There have been some ground breaking science discoveries in these parts – an area that was once home to dinosaurs. On arrival into Winton we visit the impressive Waltzing Matilda Centre – the only museum in the world dedicated to a song! There will be some free time to wander along the main street – make sure you take a look at the Opal Walk and the historic Royal Open Air Theatre and Museum. We then head back to Longreach. (Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Light lunch included) Longreach Motor Inn, Longreach – 07 4658 2322 Day 7 (BLD): LONGREACH TO EMERALD – Saturday 4 July, 2015 This morning we farewell Longreach and travel to Barcaldine, a town steeped in the history of the early pioneers struggles and the evolution of Australia as a nation. Hear about the shearers strike in the 1890’s and see the “Tree of Knowledge” monument next to the Barcaldine Railway Station, which marks the spot where the Australian Labour Party was formed (unfortunately, the tree was poisoned). We also visit the Worker’s Heritage Centre, the only national attraction dedicated to celebrating the lives and proud heritage of ordinary working people. The displays tell the stories of the railway workers and blacksmiths, the farmers, nurses and teachers who shaped the nation. After taking in the history of this fascinating area we continue on the Capricorn Highway. We will stop to enjoy our picnic lunches as we travel through the outback towns of Alpha and Bogantungan. Time permitting, before checking into our overnight accommodation, we take in the sights of Emerald which include the historic railway station built in 1900 and now classified by the National Trust. Outside the Town Hall we also see a fossilised tree that is 250 million years old. It was unearthed on the banks of the Mackenzie River when a railway bridge was being constructed to one of the local mines and donated to the town on the event of its centenary by BHP Mines (breakfast and dinner in the hotel / picnic lunch provided) Emerald Meteor Motel – 07 4982 1166 Day 8 (BLD): EMERALD TO ST. GEORGE – Sunday 5 July, 2015 We travel south this morning to Rolleston to connect with the Carnarvon Development Road which takes us through to Roma. Lunchtoday will be at the Riggers Mess Café at the Big Rig Tourist Complex. We will also enjoy a short tour of the Oil Patch, which features a giant 1920 Emsco Rig, the last steam driven rig in Australia. A fascinating series of interactive and informative panels, audio presentations describe the Roma landscape some 300 million years ago. This afternoon we are on the road again, heading for St. George. (Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Light lunch included) Riverland Motor Inn, St. George – 07 4625 1229 Day 9 (BLD): LIGHTNING RIDGE – Monday 6 July, 2015 After breakfast we make our way over the New South Wales border to Lightning Ridge. Our first stop is Walk-In-Mine to experience the atmosphere of an underground mine. We enjoy a tourincluding a video presentation and explanation about opal mining. After lunch, we then visit the showroom to view the opals that came from the mines in this area and we have the opportunity to purchase an opal from the showroom. To finish our visit, we embark on a sightseeing tour of the town. Our final visit for the day is a very special experience at the Chambers of the Black Hand. Opened in April, 2007, this is a unique tourist mine. More than 11 metres underground local artist Ron Canlin has created the most awesome paintings and sculptures. There is The Last Supper, Archangel Gabriel and the Chinese Terracotta Warriors. Ron is constantly carving new work such as a samuri warrior, so there are changes every day as there is no end to his talent. The second level is a mine that has been worked for over 100 years, and all the old shafts and drives that were dug by the old timers are still there. On this level we get a geology tour on the different strata’s opal formation, which is an experience not be missed. It is amazing and there is nothing like it in Australia. We then check into our accommodation and freshen up for a slightly later dinner. (Breakfast in the motel/light lunch at Walk-in-Mine / Dinner in the Bowling Club) Wallangulla Motel, Lightning Ridge, 02 6829 0542 Day 10 (BD): LIGHTNING RIDGE TO DUBBO – Tuesday 7 July, 2015 Following breakfast, we travel south through Coonamble and Gilgandra to Dubbo. After time to purchase lunch, we visit the Western Plains Zoo. The zoo is one of the largest in the world, covering some 300 hectares, where animals live in large natural areas behaving very much as they would in the wild. We are joined by a local guide who will board our coach and provide us with an insight into the animals and zoo (with plenty of stops for explanations and photos). After our tour, we have some free time to revisit the animals. We then check into our accommodation. (Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Lunch own arrangements & cost) Golden West Motor Inn, Dubbo – 02 6882 2822 Day 11 (B): HOMEWARD BOUND – Wednesday 8 July, 2015 From Dubbo, we take the Mitchell Highway south through Wellington to the village of Molong. At nearby Manildra there is an interesting theatre – the Amusu Theatre – Australia’s oldest cinema. In 1923 a young man named Allan Tom realised his dream when he took to the road with a Travelling Picture Show screening in marquees and halls in all kinds of weather, bringing entertainment to people in remote outback areas. Firstly Allan screened silent movies, then with the advent of “talkies”, the Amusu Touring Talkies was born. A few years later Allan established Theatres in Manildra, Cudal, Millthorpe, Tullamore and Peak Hill. He was one of the true pioneers of the Australian Motion Picture Industry, and his efforts were rewarded in January 1993, when he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to the entertainment industry. Sadly, Allan died in 1995 at the grand old age of 93, but his story lives on in the Amusu Theatre. We continue to Bathurst and home to Sydney to complete a sensational 11 day tour. (Breakfast in the motel/Lunch own arrangements & cost) All itineraries are subject to change due to occasional restrictions in opening times/days of some attractions, e.g. churches, wineries etc. We cannot be held responsible for any changes due to closures, inclement weather etc. Tour Cost (GST inclusive) $2970.00 per person twin share $ 575.00 single supplement Tour Inclusions 10 nights motel accommodation as per confirmation 10 cooked motel breakfasts 9 motel dinners and one other – see below (dinner in Moree and Charleville are two course – main and dessert. All others are three-course) Lunch at the Gunnedah Services & Bowling Club Guided tour and talk about the Unique Egg, St. George Twilight entry, nibbles & drinks at the Cosmos Centre, Charleville Lunch at Clancy’s Overflow Hotel, Isisford Entry to the School of Distance Education, Longreach Entry, show and light lunch at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, Longreach Drovers Sunset Cruise and dinner, Longreach Visit to Strathmore Station for tour and smoko, ex Longreach One hour Harry Redford Old Time Tent Show at Kinnon & Co Station Store, Longreach, followed by a packed lunch Entry and tour of the Boeing 747 at Qantas Founders Outback Museum, Longreach Entry and light lunch at the Waltzing Matilda Centre, Winton Guided tour of Barcaldine Entry to the Australian Workers Heritage Centre for a self guided tour, Barcaldine Packed lunch from the Longreach Motor Inn Light lunch at The Big Rig, Roma followed by the Oil Patch tour Harlequin package at the Walk In Mine to include a group mine tour, light lunch, audio-visual presentation and town tour, Lightning Ridge Entry to the Chambers of the Black Hand, Lightning Ridge Entry to the Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo and two-hour guided tour Entry to the Amusu Theatre, Manildra Please Note A NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT OF $100 PAYABLE ON BOOKING TRAVEL INSURANCE IS SUGGESTED ALL ENQUIRIES TO: AUSSIE SIGHTS COACH TOURS 02 96449005 0407 924487 [email protected] PO BOX 177 GRANVILLE 2142 WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 09:27:20 +0000
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