Australian Natural Adventures

Itinerary for Matthew Oswald continues...

Day 7 - Tuesday, October 11: Atherton / Undara National Park
Your journey today, though short, will take you from some of the wettest country in Australia, with over 150” of rain per year, to the rain shadow where drought is a way of life, and back again as we approach the coast. Today will show the true nature of Australia. From the Lodge drive through the southern tablelands to Undara National Park. Although the Tablelands are rainforested, as you drive west you break into the shadow of this 3000ft range, and emerge into typically Australian dry eucalypt habitat. The park is about 3 hours away, a pleasant drive through ever-changing landscape. The Undara Lava Tubes were formed some 190,000 years ago when a major volcano in the McBride volcanic province erupted, its molten lava flowing down a dry river bed. As the top layer quickly cooled and crusted, the fiery magma below continued to flow through the tubes taking it further and further from the volcano. The eruption slowed and then stopped, the lava drained out of the tubes leaving a series of long, hollow tunnels. Ancient roof collapses created deep, dark and moist depressions where fertile pockets of rainforest can now be seen. Rainforest plants and animals thrive in this environment; each tube offers a rare insight into this unusual geological wonder. The word Undara means 'a long way' in the Aboriginal language, and one of the lava flows from Undara extends 160 kilometres (or 100 miles) making it the longest lava flow from a single volcano on our planet. The original tube formed by the flow extended for approximately 100 kilometres, and several sections are accessible. During the eruption cycle, the Undara volcano spewed forth 23 cubic kilometres of lava covering 1550 square kilometres. So far, 68 separate sections of cave have been identified from over 300 lava tube roof collapses. On arrival you can explore the immediate area around your lodge, where you may find a frisky kangaroo or two, before your outback dinner. Your accommodation is in the form of a hard-base tent, allowing you to take in the sounds and scents of the Australian bush at night. D

Day 8 - Wednesday, October 12: Undara National Park
Spend the entire day on guided tours around the tubes, park and surrounding formations and savannah habitats. You visit several different sections of the Lava Tube line beginning with an easy walk around the rim of Kalkani Crater where the collapsed line of the lava tube is highly visible and the vast scope of the tube system is most evident. Your Savannah Guide explains environmental, geological and historical features. Tour includes morning tea, lunch taken back at the lodge, and afternoon tea. Return late afternoon in time for a sit around the camp with a cool drink, and then another outback dinner followed by good company, bush yarns and singing around the campfire. A short walk usually reveals rufous bettongs, small members of the kangaroo family. B,L,D

Day 9 - Thursday, October 13: Undara / Cairns
This morning take an easy drive back to Cairns at your leisure, coming down from the Tablelands via the Gillies Highway, with its specatcular views. During your stay in Cairns you may wish to vist the Outback Opal Mine, where as well as buying opals you can learn from a educational film and display how and where they are mined. Return your car this evening, and once again your hotel is the Tradewinds Esplanade. B

Day 10 - Friday, October 14: Great Barrier Reef
This morning you are picked up for your second reef trip, with Tusa Dive. this time to another part of the outer edge. There are different corals, fishes and other marine life. You will be on another small boat, Tusa, and visit a number of sites. Again, all snorkeling equipment (including wet suits) is provided, and an excellent lunch. The two reefs trips – a cay and the outer reef – will give you a much fuller appreciation of this natural wonder than a single visit could. You will be returned to your hotel about 5.30pm, again you may choose to remain downtown.           L

Day 11 - Saturday, October 15: Cairns / Adelaide / Kangaroo Island
Today is primarily a travel day, as you head from the top of the country to the bottom, over 2000 miles away. The morning is free, then make your way to the airport for your 1.30pm Qantas flight QF703 to Melbourne, arriving at 4.55pm. Transfer to your next flight, Qantas QF697 departing at 5.40pm for Adelaide. After your 6.30pm arriva taxi to your overnight Adelaide hotel,a bout ten minutes away. Please note the luggage resrictions on your flight to Kangaroo Island; you should repack yur bags so you can leave one with the Rex Airlines baggage people. On your return from Kangaroo Island the left bag will appear on the luggage carousel with the one that you took to the island.              *L

Day 12 - Sunday, October 16: Kangaroo Island
This morning return to the airport for your 9.25am Rex Airlines flight ZL4753, which arrives on Kangaroo Island at 9.55am. You are met to begin your exploration of this wonderful island. You’ll first visit the redgum forest along the Cygnet River valley to seek out koalas sleeping in the forks of the trees, then travel through some of the best wool-producing areas on the island to a conservation park on the north coast. Here we walk through the habitat of Kangaroo Island Kangaroos, Tammar Wallabies and the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo. For lunch enjoy a delicious seafood barbeque served with fine South Australian wines before heading to a colony of Australian Sealions. At Seal Bay Conservation Park a walk among Sealions on a beautiful sandy beach may reveal watching pups nursing or playing in the surf. Old bulls bear the scars of territorial disputes, as your guide explains when he tells us about their unique breeding biology. In the afternoon we visit Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park including D'Estrees Bay - where ospreys nest, and kangaroos come out late in the day to feed. After this you are dropped off at your accommodation. This evening go to the Kangaroo Island Marine Center, just down the road on the Kingscote Wharf, for a guided Fariy Penguin walk, or alternatively you can just go across the road to the Rock Pool and adjacent dunes where penguins nest. Guided walks begin at 8.30pm and 9.30pm, but check with your hotel for more details as times are influenced by daylight saving.                           B,L,D

Day 13 -Monday, October 17: Kangaroo Island / Adelaide
Flinders Chase National Park is a 74,000 hectare (190,000 acre) wilderness which covers the entire west end of the Island. We’ll visit Rocky River Homestead - originally a small farm and now the Park headquarters. This area is home to kangaroos, wallabies, possums, goannas, echidnas, koalas, platypus and many birds including the rare Cape Barren Goose. At Cape du Couedic on the south-west tip is a New Zealand furseal colony which is rapidly expanding. These animals can be observed at rest on the rocks or frolicking in the surf under Admirals Arch - a spectacular coastal grotto. On the headland above is Cape du Couedic Lighthouse which plays an important role in navigation. Further down the coast are the Remarkable Rocks, huge natural granite sculptures on the cliff top. Lunch today is a picnic in the bush before exploring more of the Island. Depending upon the day you might take a walk to a secluded cove, or watch for a platypus by a quiet pool. You return to the eastern end of the island via Vivonne Bay, one of the few protected bays on the south coast At the end of your exciting day you will be taken to the airport, for your 6.35pm Rex flight 4772 back to Adelaide, where you connect with your Qantas flight QF698 to Melbourne, departing at 8.15pm and arriving at 10pm. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, the Travelodge Southbank.             L

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