Half Day Tours

CAIRNS HIGHLIGHTS, BOTANIC GARDENS AND ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE VISITOR CENTRE
Monday 3 September 2007 – 9.00am to 1.00pm
Minimum requirement of 15 passengers
Cost per passenger:AUD55
Meet your local representative at reception for an orientation tour of Cairns including the waterfront development, heritage buildings and pubs and passing through tropical suburbs.Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service.This important medical service was started by Reverend John Flynn in 1928 and the Cairns Visitors Centre opened in July 1972. During your visit learn of this remarkable service and its history. On display is a Queenair aircraft once used by the Service. Onto the Flecker Botanic Gardens for a guided walk through a collection of lush native and exotic tropical plants – orchids, palms, bamboo and tropical fruits. Continue past the stunning Paradise Palms Golf Course to Palm Cove an idyllic beachside town for a stroll along the beach front esplanade.

HARTLEY’S CROCODILE ADVENTURE
Sunday 2 September 2007 – 1.00pm to 5.00pm
Wednesday 5 September 2007 – 1.00pm-5.00pm
Minimum requirement of 15 passengers
Cost per passenger:AUD75
Meet your local representative at reception. Depart for half day tour at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures is the best place to see crocodiles and native wildlife in Tropical North Queensland. Set in the foothills of the MacAlister Range, in a World Heritage listed area, and is home to a range of habitat types including melaleuca wetlands, riverine rainforest and eucalypt woodland. Experience an innovative approach to viewing and interacting with wildlife and become immersed in a natural environment with safety. A series of timber boardwalks provide elevated viewing of wildlife as you journey through a range of natural habitats. Hartley’s is famous for its exciting and educational wildlife presentations including crocodile shows, wetland wildlife, snake show, cassowary feeding, koala feeding and more.

WHITE WATER RAFTING
Daily departures 1.30 pm to 5.30pm
Cost per passenger:AUD95
The Barron River Gorge is located 20 minutes drive north of Cairns and lies along a traditional pathway used by the original indigenous Djabugay people.The spectacular Barron Falls, further upstream, are considered a sacred site.The famous Kuranda Railway and Skyrail Cableway also traverse sections of the gorge. The heart thumping ride spears through The Barron Gorge National Park and the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics. In the calmer sections you will get to enjoy the ethereal beauty of the worlds oldest rainforest and waterfalls from a unique waterline perspective. During the day you will also discover why the Barron’s rapids have names such as “Rooster Tail”,“Cheese Churn” and “Hells Gate.” Included return transfers, all safety equipment and light refreshment.

NB. Government and National Parks fees of AUD25 is payable on the day

Full Day Tours

OUTER GREAT BARRIER REEF CRUISE
Daily Departures from Reef Fleet Terminal
10.00am to 5.30pm
Cost per passenger:AUD172
The beauty of the Great Barrier Reef is yours to experience when you cruise by luxury catamaran to the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef enroute an informative presentation by a marine naturalist.The pontoon features undercover seating and tables to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch, full bar facilities, a swimming enclosure for children, change rooms with freshwater showers, sundeck, and scuba diving facilities with semisubmerged platform.You will be able to snorkel and dive amongst some of the most spectacular coral gardens and marine life diversity on the Great Barrier Reef. Or if you choose to stay dry, you can still embrace the natural wonderland below in our underwater observatory and spacious, air-conditioned semi-submersible vessel or glass bottom boat.Your day includes all snorkelling equipment, semi-submersible coral reef viewing or glass bottom boat viewing, underwater Observatory.

Optional activities (own expense) to personalise your day on the water including Certified and Resort Dives, Scuba Doo Helmet Diving and Guided Snorkel Tours; and Scenic Helicopter Flights are also available and may be booked onboard.

DAINTREE AND CAPE TRIBULATION TOUR
Saturday 1 September 2007– 7.00am to 6.00pm
Tuesday 4 September 2007 – 7.00am to 6.00pm
Minimum requirement of 15 passengers
Cost per passenger:AUD152
Meet your local representative at reception.You travel along one of Australia’s most spectacular coastal drives to the village of Port Douglas.Your guide will explain the unique geographic and historic features of the area enroute to Mossman Gorge, part of the Daintree Rainforest. At Mossman Gorge join your guide for a guided rainforest walk. Embark on a one hour Daintree River cruise.The Daintree River is home to a diverse ecosystem and the cruise guide will help you spot some of the wildlife. After the river cruise, you will travel up to the spectacular Alexander Range Lookout before arriving for lunch at a tropical location. After lunch, we travel further north to the isolated Cape Tribulation, where the beach beckons for you to stroll along it’s coral sands or boardwalk.There is time to visit the Lookout before departing for an informative guided walk through the Cape Tribulation National park. By visiting this area, you can appreciate the importance of this rainforest and why it has recently been given World Heritage status. Then you will transverse the Alexander Range where you will see the rare and primitive King Ferns growing in abundance.Then recross the river by Cable Barge and enjoy a leisurely drive back to Cairns with spectacular views of the Coral Sea.

KURANDA, SCENIC RAIL, RAINFOREST STATION & SKYRAIL
Monday 3 September 2007– 8.00am to 5.00pm
Thursday 6 September 2007 – 8.00am to 5.00pm
Cost per passenger:AUD199
This morning you are transferred by coach for the short journey to the Cairns rail station to board the Kuranda Scenic Rail.Travel the beautiful route up the mountainside, through long tunnels and over bridges spanning spectacular gorges. A stop at Barron Gorge to view the Falls before arriving at Kuranda, the “Village in the Rainforest”. Spend some time exploring this quaint village and the Butterfly Sanctuary (at own expense). Rainforestation is a 100 acre (40 hectare) tourist attraction set in the midst of World Heritage Rainforest and situated five minutes from Kuranda Village Ride through the magnificent rainforest on an amphibious Army Duck and explore the rainforest habitat. Enjoy a BBQ lunch before travelling back down to sea level aboard the Skyrail, travelling over the rainforest canopy, with stops along the way to stroll through the forest and interpretive Centre.

Evening Tours

CAIRNS NIGHT ZOO TOUR
Saturday 1 September 2007– 6.30pm-10.30pm
Cost per passenger:AUD118
A great Australian night out for all ages.Transferred to zoo, where a guide will meet you at the entrance and escort you to the famous Aussie BBQ. Enjoy a delicious barbeque dinner followed by dessert. Relax with a drink from the licensed bar (own expense). After dinner your guide will provide you with a torch and lead you into the darkness to meet the creatures of the night. Learn how owls hunt, touch a possum and pat a koala. On clear nights the guides will take you star gazing. See the Southern Cross, the Big Dipper and other well known constellations. In the Aussie bush there’s always a chance you will cross paths with a ‘Swaggie’(an original Australian bushman). Join our hospitable Swaggie and enjoy billy tea and damper with him by the campfire. His friends, the kangaroos, will come down to say G’day and maybe even share a bite to eat! After a complimentary cold beer, or wine, join in the fun as the guides teach you some famous Aussie Bush Dances. Dance and sing-along, it’s more fun than you can imagine!

TJAPUKAI BY NIGHT
Monday 3 September 2007– 6.45pm to 10.00pm
Thursday 6 September 2007 – 6.45pm to 10.00pm
Minimum requirement of 15 passengers
Cost per passenger:AUD99
In the evening you will transferred to Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. Only from the darkness do we see the light… A powerful and personal experience will leave you with a deep and lasting memory, and open your heart to the beauty and power of Australia’s ancient indigenous culture! Thunder and lightening herald the Gadja, a Dreamtime spirit in glowing, UV fibre-optic costume. A good spirit, he tells of the past. Suddenly, his opposite appears from nowhere – the Quinkan towers six metres above the audience, bidding them to enter the past. After, the audience is handed tapsticks and asked to join the Tjapukai lakeside, where they become part of an ancient corroboree ritual which climaxes in the ceremonial making of a fire.The Tjapukai hurl the fire spear across the lake where it contacts with the ancient tribal lands to become a mushrooming fireball, illuminating the lakeside and the audience. A canoe appears, guided by Tjapukai carrying flaming torches.The dancers from the corroboree guide the canoe and its people to the shore. Here, they bid the audience to follow their light, as their flame torches magically create a pathway from the darkness up into the glowing restaurant overlooking the Caravonica Lakes. Here, guests dine at a beautifully presented buffet which uses the best of the region’s fare, and enjoy great Australian wines. Afterwards, the lights dim, heralding the finale of the night. In an all-new production, the Tjapukai claim the stage, presenting their culture with their inimitable blend of theatre and black humour.The tribe’s hunters conduct a witty, unsuccessful kangaroo hunt and then must sing for their supper.