Dinosaur Discovery Tour

Day 1

Brisbane - Charters Towers
Your tour begins with a morning transfer to the Airport where our staff will assist with your check-in. On arrival into Townsville, you will be welcomed by your Coach Captain and Hostess before enjoying lunch. It's then time to depart Townsville and head to Charters Towers - the Queensland town with a golden past, located in the Burdekin Basin. Settle in for the next 2 nights at the Cattleman's Rest Motor Inn.

Day 2

Charters Towers
A town tour of Charters Towers will highlight the unrivalled architecture and unique history which makes this one of the most beautiful inland cities in Queensland and the hub of a cattle raising area. Charters Towers became a gold rush town when gold was discovered in 1871 and is now home to over 60 buildings of historical significance, such as the elegant Boer War Memorial Rotunda, the classic Royal Private Hotel, the grand Charters Towers Bank building and the historic Ambulance Centre. Visits to the Venus Battery and Visitor Information Centre will enable you to see behind the scenes of the real-life gold rush days. Return to the motel for an early dinner before visiting one of Australia's oldest operating open air theatres, which is certain to bring back memories for some. (It 'maybe a good idea to bring along a small torch to light your way tonight.

Day 3

Charters Towers - Winton
The drive from Charters Towers to Hughenden on the Flinders Highway, presents a stunning landscape. See the many scientific displays of fossils housed in the Flinders Discovery Centre, which forms part of Australia's Dinosaur Trail. The centre houses an amazing exhibition of fossils and gems from around the world, as well as an extensive and growing display of fossils from the local area - where "Hughie" is the star attraction. During this tour, you have been experiencing nature's diversity and today is no exception. This afternoon, arrive into Winton and settle in for the next 2 nights at the Boulder Opal Motel.

Day 4

Winton - The Jump Up and Lark Quarry
Today is a day of Dinosaur Discovery. Travel out to The Jump Up - home of The Australian Age of Dinosaurs. Take a guided tour through the museum and laboratory to view dinosaur fossil collections and the exciting new 3D digital theatre with animations of Australian dinosaurs all whilst enjoying the superb mesa country view and seeing real dinosaur bones being prepared in the laboratory. After morning tea, set out (weather and road conditions permitting) for a visit to Lark Quarry - the site of the Dinosaur Stampede National Monument, for an informative guided tour after a picnic lunch. The quarry is the only site in the world that depicts a dinosaur stampede with over 5,000 fossilised footprints. Good walking shoes are a must for today and make sure to bring your camera!

Day 5

Winton - Longreach
This After breakfast, our journey takes us to the remote town of Muttaburra. Muttaburra's main 'claim to fame' is the discovery site of the Muttaburrasaurus in 1963. There is now a full sized replica of the 12metre long and 2 metre high dinosaur in the town. Enjoy lunch at The Exchange Hotel before a visit Dr Arratta's Medical Museum with original operating theatres and wards in the medical and hospital displays. Continue on to Longreach, where we will settle in at the Longreach Motor Inn for the next 2 nights.

Day 6

Longreach - Town Tour and Billabong
A town tour by our Coach Captain this morning reveals the distinctive Water Towers, the Centenary mural, a replica of the first QANTAS booking office and QANTAS park memorial, the Tropic of Capricorn marker and the Arid Zone Research Institute. Take a guided tour of the School of Distance Education to see the modern communications used to educate youngsters in the outback. We return to the Stockman's Hall of Fame where the exhibits comprise of an eclectic mix of objects, images, touchscreens, audio-visual presentations and open displays which allow you to interpret the outback story inyour own unique way. Take the opportunity to purchase your own lunch before we visit the QANTAS Founders Outback Museum where we will take a self-guided tour. After freshening up, late afternoon we'll board the historic "Thomson Princess Riverboat" to cruise the Thomson River, a 10km natural waterway called the "Long Reach", to enjoy a Traditional Stockmans Dinner, a spectacular Sound and Light Picture Show ending with the timeless favourite - billy tea and damper.

Day 7

Longreach - Emerald
This morning will be spent in Barcaldine which has earned the title of "Garden City of the West". Visit the Tree of Knowledge and The Australian Workers Heritage Centre, a tribute to all Australian workingmen and women. Pause for lunch in Alpha, the "Town of Murals", where the colourful murals were painted after the devastating flood in the 1990's. Continue onto Emerald for your overnight stay.

Day 8

Emerald - Injune - Roma
As you travel in a southerly direction today via Rolleston, it is now very evident what a huge state Queensland is. Stop in Injune, a thriving township nestled in the quiet bushland at the base of the majestic Carnarvon Ranges, and enjoy a picnic lunch on the verandah of the Injune Information Centre. The closer to the coast you travel, the more dense the population becomes and agriculture and beef become the main industries. Stay overnight in Roma.

Day 9

Roma - Brisbane
Keeping with the outback history, travel to Wallumbilla where we will stop for a visit and a Devonshire morning tea at Calico Cottage. Continue on through Chinchilla before arriving into Dalby for lunch. Resume your homeward journey, taking time to sit back and reflect on this vast and diverse state. On arrival back into Brisbane your Coach Captain and Hostess will have your transfers arranged. Thank you for sharing this "Dinosaur Discovery "outback experience with us; we look forward to seeing you out on tour again soon.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner