Reef to Outback - An Undiscovered Australian Journey is a market driven initiative that was created following an identified need to promote the 'central' area of Queensland in the international market.
Reef to Outback - An Undiscovered Australian Journey links two of Australia's most iconic natural attractions - the World Heritage-listed wonders of the Great Barrier Reef with the wide open spaces of the magnificent Queensland Outback by taking a journey through the uncrowded and not-so-well known hidden treasures where Australians like to live and take holidays.
This vast natural playground offers experiences as varied as some of Australia's best Aboriginal rock art in magnificent Carnarvon Gorge to exploring the coral gardens of Lady Elliot Island in the midst of the Great Barrier Reef. There are old-style seaside villages where the locals holiday, and the chance to get up close to Australia's unique wildlife. Fossick for gems, stay on a working farm or marvel at ancient dinosaur fossils. Rediscover the freedom of what holidays used to feel like.
This journey is designed to be incorporated into other itineraries and has the flexibility and versatility to suit all needs, timeframes and interests. The primary target markets for this campaign are Europe (predominantly Germany, France and Italy), United Kingdom (including Ireland and Nordic countries) and New Zealand.
Suggested Itineraries
Day 1 Fly to Rockhampton, Australia's Beef Capital. See the sale yards and grab a bite to eat at the Great Western Hotel. Head west and join in the daily life of a working cattle station or farm stay. Learn how to muster cattle on horseback, milk cows and enjoy real country hospitality around a blazing campfire, sipping Billy tea.
Day 2 Drive to Emerald and make your way to Rubyvale and the Sapphire Gemfields. Here you can try your hand at fossicking in the largest commercial sapphire fields in the Southern Hemisphere. Who knows what little gems you might dig up!
Day 3 From the Gemfields head further west to the heart of Queensland's Outback and visit the town of Longreach, home to the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founders Museum.
Day 5 From Longreach, continue your journey to Winton where you'll discover dinosaur footprints and visit the home of Australia's famous anthem - Waltzing Matilda.
Day 7 Head south to Carnarvon National Park where you can spend your day discovering the magnificent ancient gorges and experiencing the wonderful rainforests, creeks, cliffs and animals.
Day 9 Explore Cania Gorge National Park with towering sandstone cliffs, unexplored caves and imposing gorges.
Day 11 Head to the coast at Agnes Water and the Town of 1770 where you can take part in the charter fishing tours or have a surf on Queensland's northern-most surf beach. Alternatively, take a day trip out to Lady Musgrave Island where you can experience an untouched coral cay, or Fitzroy Reef Lagoon, a naturally formed all-tidal entrance lagoon on the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
Day 1 Fly direct to Rockhampton and pick up your rental vehicle. Explore the Capricorn Caves, just 20 minutes out of Rockhampton, touring the tropical limestone caves and chambers. Spend the night at a real Australian working farmstay.
Day2 Do as much or as little as you like, getting involved and learning about farm life. Enjoy mustering cattle on horseback, feeding the horses or milking a cow, and sit around an open campfire exchanging stories of the day's adventures!
Day 3 Drive west to Rubyvale (via Emerald) where you can overnight in a cabin and dine at the local pub.
Day 4 Spend the morning exploring Queensland's Sapphire Gemfields before driving back to Emerald to meet your flight home.
Day 1 Fly to Lady Elliot Island where you can step off the beach and snorkel the southern reaches of the Great Barrier Reef. Come face to face with turtles, colourful coral and schools of reef fish. The coral gardens surrounding the island are also a breeding and feeding area for the giant "kites of the reef", manta rays.
Day 2 Fly to Town of 1770 and stay overnight at the Rocky Point Estate. Have your own chef create a gourmet meal of your choice as you overlook the Pacific Ocean from the privacy of your luxurious loft.
Day 3 Fly to Carnarvon Gorge and spend a few days in your luxury resort accommodation. Spend your days experiencing the wonderland of rainforest, creeks, cliffs, ancient Aboriginal rock art and graded walking tracks.
Day 6 Fly to Gladstone and meet a helicopter transfer to Heron Island. Take time out to see the laying or hatching of sea turtles throughout the summer months and learn more about this eco award-winning destination through a range of guided interpretive activities on offer.
The campaigns aims to
- Provide a compelling and distinctive account of the experiences in the Central Queensland/Outback regions, attractive for the international markets targeted.
- Bring the range and diversity of product and experiences in the Central Queensland/Outback regions under one umbrella.
- Provide the international market with a comparable and complementary product to Northern Queensland and Southern Queensland touring programs.
- Encourage international visitors to make their own journey of discovery of the key iconic attractions throughout Central and Outback Queensland, under the trail Reef to Outback – An Undiscovered Australian Journey.
Top 10 experiences
Aboriginal Art Walk
You'll find some of Australia's finest Aboriginal rock art in Carnarvon Gorge. Home to the Karingbal and Bidjara people, this historically significant gorge is one of the only places where intact 40,000 year old art is easily viewable from boardwalks.
Real Aussie Towns
Choose from a whole range of tours, ranging from a few hours to extended adventures where you can experience the real Australia. Travel in comfort to authentic country or seaside towns, meet colourful local characters and visit friendly Aussie Pubs.
Great Barrier Reef
The region is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, renowned for its untouched, colourful and varied reef ecosystems. Enjoy uncrowded conditions and excellent visibility as well as easy access to the reef and rare turtle nesting sites.
Sapphire Gemfields
Discover the largest sapphire gemfields in the Southern Hemisphere. Take a walk in tour of a mine and learn more about where some of Australia's largest gems are found, as well as learning how to fossick for your own treasures.
Australian Wildlife
The journey is home to abundant Australian wildlife including wallabies and kangaroos. Mon Repos near Bundaberg is the largest turtle rookery in the Southern Hemisphere while Heron and Wilson Island's are renowned bird nesting locations.
National Parks
Carnarvon, Cania Gorge, Kroombit Tops and Isla Gorge National Parks are all part of the region's stunning and vast sandstone wilderness area. Experience spectacular bushwalking, camping, Aboriginal Rock Art viewing and bird watching.
Seaside Villages
Quiet, uncrowded and non-touristy seaside villages are found along Queensland's central coastline. It's where the locals go to experience the simple pleasures of unspoilt beaches, swimming, surfing, fishing, sailing and beach walks.
Farmstays and Rodeos
Experience the action of a rodeo or life on an authentic working farm where you can stay, watch or get involved in daily activities, including feeding the animals and horse riding. Some are located within two hour drive from major airports.
Dinosaur Fossils
Follow the dinosaur trail north-west starting at The Caves near Rockhampton, then inland to Mt Morgan, home to giant dinosaur footprints dating back 150 million years. In Queensland's Outback, don't miss the ancient dinosaur track ways at Lark Quarry outside Winton.
Journeys
Take as much time as you like exploring the magnificent and rugged natural beauty of the region by car, charter flight or Spirit of the Outback train journey.
More information
For commissionable product specific information, please contact:
Bundaberg Region
info@bundabergregion.org
www.bundabergregion.info
Capricorn Region
holidays@capricorntourism.com.au
www.capricorntourism.com.au
Gladstone Region
gapdl@gapdl.com.au
www.gapdl.com.au
Outback Region
info@outbackqld.com.au
www.outbackqld.com.au
