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Departing Melbourne at 8am, the flight is 3½ hours via Bourke for fuel and so arrival at Eulo is around 12:30am. This is an interesting town. A visit to Nan and Ians date wine farm for a sample of their produce is a must before lunch at the Eulo Queen Hotel. Departing at 3pm we fly 1½ hours to Windorah, a quaint tidy town in the heart of outback Queensland. Accommodation - Cooper Cabins
Day Two: Windorah - Chillagoe - Jowalbinna
After a great breakfast in the homestead kitchen we depart at 9 am for a 3 hr flight to Chillagoe. This town is famous for it's limestone caves and so we venture down the Donna Cave for a fascination 1 hour tour. After the tour lunch is served at the local motel and then we depart at 3.00 pm for Jowalbinna. arriving at about 3.30pm. The drive from the airstrip is about 30 minutes to the camp site. The accommodation is twin share tents and an outback bush shelter kitchen/dining room. Showers and toilets are typical bush facilities. Accommodation - Jowalbinna Bush Camp
Day Three: Jowalbinna Lotus Bird Lodge
This is Steve Tresize's bush camp and there are many great aboriginal rock art sites to view. In the morning we drive out to the Giant Wallaroo and a number of other rock art sites. This requires about 2 hrs of walking. After lunch we depart for Violet Vale station. This is a 30 minute flight. We drive a short distance to Lotus Bird Lodge . Luxury type wooden cabins overlooking a bird covered billabong. Time for a walk around this billabong before drinks at sunset. Accommodation- Lotus Bird Lodge
Day Four: Lotus Bird Coconut Island
After lunch depart for Poruma Resort on Coconut Island. This is a 90 minute flight and then transfer to our cabins. Coconut Island is only the length of the airstrip. The only tourists on the island are the people staying at the resort (maximum of about 8) so you are made to feel very special by the local Torres Strait community.
After arrival a relaxing afternoon and depending on the tide, a swim may be possible right in front of the cabins or for the keen maybe a fishing expedition in the small boats off the beach. Drinks that evening are in front of the cabins for a magnificent sunset and then another great seafood meal. Accommodation - Poruma Resort Cabins
Day Five - Six: Coconut Island
A full day is spent at the Island resort. One full day will be a boat trip on the Northern Blue 40 ft vessel. The destination depends on the weather and could include Bird Island or Roberts Island (2 of about 8 in the area). We do some deep sea fishing and trolling on the way. Snokelling and swimming on the island beaches are a must. Lunch will be provided on the boat during the day. We return, with our catch, at about 5pm in time for another swim and then sunset drinks on our verandahs before another seafood extravaganza.
The second day is negotiable depending on preferences. It may be another full boating day or just a half day or may be more relaxing just around the locality of Coconut itself. Accommodation- Poruma Resort Cabins
Day Seven: Coconut Island - Horn Island - Inkerman Station
Departing after breakfast at 9am we return to Horn Island for fuel and then fly down the western coastline of the Cape York Peninsula to Weipa and on to Inkerman station. A two hour flight plus refueling means we arrive in time for lunch at 1pm at the homestead on this huge working cattle station, we then take a 4 wheel tour of the property , ending up at the coast yet again for another magnificent sunset. Dinner this night is in the homestead. Accommodation - Inkerman Station Homestead
Day Eight: Inkerman - Sweers Island
After breakfast depart at 10 am for Sweers Island via Karumba for fuel. This takes about 1 hour and on arrival at Sweers it is a short 5 minute drive to the resort. Sweers Island, is in the Gulf of Carpentaria, approx. 23 miles off the coast. There are miles of golden beaches, blue waters, a wealth of history, a huge variety of birdlife, and as well as being a fisherman's paradise it has enjoyment for everyone. The nearest neighbours are the local aboriginal people, very friendly and helpful people who often take visitors on their turtle or dugong hunts. Here we are accommodated in share cabins/cottages. Once settled we meet at the open air bar/dining room for lunch and decide the afternoon's activities. Options include boat fishing ( which is what Sweers Island is famous for) or maybe a drive around the island and walks and swimming on some on the local safe beaches.
Ray will no doubt dish up a fabulous seafood meal that evening in the open air eating area overlooking the setting sun on the ocean. Accommodation - Sweers Island
Day Nine: Sweers Island
Accommodation - Sweers Island
Day Ten: Sweers - Lawn Hill Gorge (Adels Grove)
An early morning departure to have as much time as possible in the Lawn Hill National park, home of Lawn Hill Gorge, truly one of the most spectacular gorges in the Gulf Country, with luxurious tropical rainforest-like vegetation, sheer red cliffs and unusual green water. Access to the gorge system is by delightful walking tracks, and exploring the middle and upper gorge system is by canoes. It is fantastic for swimming especially around the naturally bubbling spas, or just out in the centre of the gorge looking up at the sheer cliffs and tropical vegetation. Enjoy a packed lunch while exploring and walking the whole gorge area before returning to Adels Grove for pre dinner drinks in the open air restaurant/bar. Accommodation - Adels Grove (twin share tents, no ensuite) Flying time 45 mins
Day Eleven: Adels Grove Boulia Birdsville
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