2 Adults, Vehicle and Camper/Caravan for 22 days and nights.
Our tour begins in Melbourne with a bus day trip to Royal Park, the starting point
for the 1860 expedition. Then it’s on to the the cemetery where Burke and Wills
are buried and to Moonee Ponds, where the expedition party camped for their
first night. Leaving the city of Melbourne behind in our own vehicles, we travel
through Bendigo and Swan Hill and on into western New South Wales, looking at
interesting monuments along the way.
After stopping at Pooncarie and camping overnight on the banks of the mighty
Darling River, we move onto Menindee for a relaxing evening at Copi Hollow, part
of the Menindee Lakes System. We then divert a little with a 2-night stay in Broken
Hill for a day off, during which we will be visiting the Living Desert Sculptures
exhibition. Back on the road again, we continue north to Tibooburra, where we’ll
be spending the night.
The following evening will be spent at Innamincka on Cooper Creek. Here we visit the sites where Burke and Wills eventually perished.
Then it is on to Dig Tree, Camp 65 on the Burke and Wills expedition. From Dig
Tree we head north to Haddon’s corner, spending the night at Deon’s Lookout. Our
next 2 nights will be spent in Birdsville, gateway to the Simpson Desert. If you have
ever wanted to drive up Big Red, the largest sand dune in the Simpson, now’s your
chance.
Whether you climb the dune or not, you will be treated to dinner at the infamous
Birdsville Pub. Fully refreshed, we continue north on to Bedourie, Boulia then Mt
Isa. At Mt Isa we will visit the Underground Hospital and Museum.
Once we reach Normanton, where we stay for 2 nights, we will have a day trip on
the Gulflander Train. Our tour will finish at Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria. It
is here we will get to do something that Burke and Wills couldn’t; enjoy a glass of
champagne and a cheese platter on the beach as we watch the sun go down over
the water. In the evening a seafood banquet will be our farewell dinner.
Included in tour fees:
- All camping, Caravan Park, National
- Park fees and permits
- Welcome Dinner
- All Breakfasts
- Camp cooking plate – cooking and packing hints
- Bus tour of Melbourne
- Numerous monuments dedicated to Burke and Wills
- Living Desert Broken Hill
- Dinner at the Birdsville Pub
- Mt Isa Underground Hospital and Museum
- Gulflander Train journey
- Champagne and Cheese Platter at Karumba
- Farewell Dinner
- Fully-equipped escort vehicle fitted with satellite phone and emergency first aid kit