Flinders Ranges & Arkaroola 27

DAY 1

ALBURY – WENTWORTH TUESDAY 15TH JUNE, 2027
Welcome aboard Martins touring coach for our 9 Day Outback Adventure Tour to South Australia. Depart from Lavington Shopping Centre Griffith Road Bus Stop 6.45am, Albury Railway Station 7.00am and Wodonga Plaza Smythe Street 7.15am.
This morning make our way to Deniliquin and stop for morning tea off the coach and look through the Depot Historic Collection. From here its onto Moulamein for lunch at the Moulamein Hotel and time to look at the historic wharf nearby. Back on the coach, this afternoon we pass through Balranald and arrive in Wentworth for the night.
Accommodation: Wentworth Grand Resort, Wentworth Ph: (03) 5027 2225

DAY 2

WENTWORTH – PETERBOROUGH via BURRA WEDNESDAY 16TH JUNE
Departing Wentworth, we head across the South Australian border, travelling through the Riverland region before arriving in Burra, a copper mining town that saved South Australia from bankruptcy in the 1840s. Here we’ll stop to see the ‘Monster Mine’ which was once the largest metal mine in the country employing 1,000 people. Cornish and Welsh miners flocked to Burra to work for the South Australian Mining Association and set up homes in dugouts hewn out of the banks of the Burra River. Next, we enjoy lunch at the Burra Hotel before a local expert joins us on the coach for a guided tour of Burra. From here our journey takes us to Peterborough for our overnight accommodation.
Accommodation: Roundhouse Motel, Peterborough Ph: (08) 8651 2078

DAY 3

PETERBOROUGH – WILPENA POUND THURSDAY 17TH JUNE
After breakfast, we get familiar with the history of Peterborough and the best place for this is the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre where we learn about Peterborough’s rail history. After a guided tour we head north to drive into the Southern Flinders Ranges. On arrival in Hawker, we stop at the Jeff Morgan Art Gallery. Jeff has created a unique work of art in a round format which can be viewed by climbing onto a large platform which gives the illusion of standing on top of St. Mary’s Peak in the Flinders Ranges. After our art gallery visit, we enjoy lunch at the Flinders Food Co. From Hawker it’s only a short drive to Wilpena Pound. This will be our home for the next two nights as we explore the Flinders Ranges National Park.
Accommodation: Discovery Resorts, Wilpena Pound Ph: 1800 805 802 (2 nights)

DAY 4

THE FLINDERS RANGES FRIDAY 18TH JUNE
This morning a local guide joins us for an insider’s tour of this stunning National Park. The Flinders Ranges are known for their wildflowers but it’s the dramatic gorges and spectacular peaks that are the real highlights of this beautiful part of Australia. We’ll stop at a lookout for stunning vistas, a good opportunity for a group photo, and visit some of the gorges (subject to weather and road conditions). We enjoy our packed lunch along the way and return to Wilpena Pound mid-afternoon. Wrap up warmly as late afternoon we’ll drive to Pugilist Lookout for nibbles and drinks as we watch the sunset.

DAY 5

WILPENA POUND – ARKAROOLA SATURDAY 19TH JUNE
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning before we begin our touring. The Northern Flinders are not as well-known and are a little more difficult to get to than Wilpena Pound, but the effort is well worth it! We travel north out of the Flinders Ranges National Park to Blinman, where we stop for an early lunch. From here we make our way via Chambers Gorge to Balcanoona. Later this afternoon we arrive at Arkaroola in the Gammon Ranges National Park. Largely unknown, Arkaroola is one of Australia’s true tourism gems. Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is blessed with a unique landscape created over two billion years ago. The area is an ancient uplifted seabed and now is home to the most rugged chain of mountains in the Australian Outback. Upon arrival, we’ll have time to settle in and perhaps take a self-guided walk to immerse ourselves in the stunning surroundings before dinner.
Accommodation: Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary Ph: (08) 8648 4848 (2 nights)

DAY 6

ARKAROOLA SUNDAY 20TH JUNE
Today we take the incredible 4WD ‘Ridge Top Tour’ showcasing timeless terrain and natural beauty of the area. An experienced tour guide will share their knowledge of Arkaroola’s 1600-million-year geological history as they navigate the famous Ridgetop Track. We’ll explore ancient granite mountains, hillsides covered in native bush and several lookouts with breathtaking vistas. See the jaw dropping 1,000m Yudnamutana Gorge, the plains and Lake Frome Salt Lake. Return to Arkaroola for lunch before an afternoon at leisure. Take a self-guided walk, a scenic flight of the Gammon Ranges (own arrangement and cost) or perhaps relax in the beautiful surroundings. The choice is yours! 

DAY 7

ARKAROOLA – PORT AUGUSTA MONDAY 21ST JUNE
This morning we make our way out of the Ranges west then south to Leigh Creek. It was once a modern company town on the edge of the desert built to house the workers and their families who provided the labour force for the huge Leigh Creek open cut coal mine 22 kms north of the town. We have lunch here before driving south to Hawker and on to Port Augusta. Upon arrival in Port Augusta, we head to the Wadlata Outback Centre for a visit. Through ‘hands on’ displays and audio-visual presentations we learn about the outback culture, its history and the incredible achievements of both the Aboriginal and European people through graphic displays. Tonight, we head to Quorn, for the nightly Silo Light Show that displays an audio-visual celebration of the Flinders Ranges, the Pichi Richi Railways, local stories and other local heritage onto the Silo once the sun goes down. Tonight’s dinner is close by at the Great Northern Lodge before returning to our hotel.
Accommodation: Standpipe Golf Motor Inn, Port Augusta Ph:  (08) 8642 4033

DAY 8

PORT AUGUSTA – MILDURA TUESDAY 22ND JUNE
Departing Port Augusta early this morning, we journey towards the Clare Valley to Bungaree Station. Located 12 kilometres north of Clare and established in 1841, it became the headquarters to an extensive sheep station with 100,000 merino sheep by the 1880s. Now run by the descendants of the original founder, G.C. Hawker, Bungaree Station is a living record of rural Australia. We enjoy a guided tour conducted by a member of the family exploring the property’s rich history of the modern farming enterprise and gain amazing insight into 19th century station life. After a lovely lunch here we continue our journey towards Mildura, arriving late this afternoon with time to settle into our accommodation.
Accommodation: Best Western Chaffey Motor Inn , Mildura Ph: (03) 5023 5833

DAY 9

MILDURA – SWAN HILL - ALBURY WEDNESDAY 23RD JUNE
After breakfast we head back to Albury stopping enroute to purchase lunch and arrive home late afternoon with some fantastic memories of our sensational Outback South Australian Adventure!

TOUR COST

$4896.00 Twin / Double Share
$5894.00 Single Supplement

INCLUDES

Coach travel and transfers for duration of tour
Accommodation on basis as booked
Meals as indicated on itinerary
Entrances to attractions as per itinerary
Goods & Services Tax

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner