Australia — Come say G'day

CAIRNS AND GREAT BARRIER REEF - 4 Days / Tour Code ICC4

Queensland Australia is one of the worlds great vacation destinations. Where else can you enjoy the Great Barrier Reef, Australia's amazing Outback, World Heritage Rainforest and the Aussie beach culture.

The main population center here is the state's capital, Brisbane. An hour to the north are the beaches of the Sunshine Coast. An hour to the south are the beaches of the Gold Coast. An hour to the west is the city of Toowoomba and the start of the Queensland Outback. And an hour across the bay to the east are large, subtropical islands and, yes, more surf beaches.

You'll see signs saying all 'major credit cards welcome', followed by signs saying ' caution, koalas and kangaroos cross at night'. You'll find some of Australia's finest restaurants not far from free ocean front barbecues where you can sizzle your own prime steaks or fresh prawns (shrimp).

'The Outback' region of Queensland is larger than the entire State of Texas. It has to be this big so that the emus (flightless birds standing 6-feet tall in their bare feet) and equally tall red kangaroos, can roam about. Individual cattle stations (ranches) are measured in hundreds of square miles.

The outback is full of character, from the landscapes to the pubs to the Aussie outback folk. These characters are the heart of Australia and you haven't really done the outback until you've had a beer with the locals in a 'true-blue' bush pub. The Birdsville Hotel is one of Australia's best know pubs, as is Walkabout Creek Hotel which made the silver screen in "Crocodile Dundee".

Of all the Barrier Reef gateways, casual Cairns is the only one that's a popular tourist attraction in its own right. It's a lovely, thriving city of 40,000, similar to a Florida west coast resort town. Only Cairns has a dramatic backdrop of purple mountains, fields of sugar cane on three sides, a front yard of aquamarine that reaches to the Reef 40 miles away. Downtown the wide streets are lined with two-story buildings, stores, their sidewalks crowded with friendly, unhurried people. A great place to recharge your batteries!
Great Barrier Reef: This is one of the great vacation destinations of the world - partly because of its expanse and natural splendour, and partly because it hugs the coast of one of the world's friendliest places: sunny, tropical Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef is about 1,200 miles long and is made up of countless reefs, coral cays and islands.

Some islands have resorts, ranging from 'family friendly' to exclusive hide-ways. Others are uninhabited paradises where you can pitch a tent under the stars on the beach and hike through rainforest covered hills.

The colored coral expanses just below the surface of the warm, crystal clear tropical waters are home to an unbelievable array of sea life. Your can scuba to the deeper recesses, snorkel just below the dazzling surface, or view the watery wonderland from semi-submersibles and stay bone dry.

On the mainland you can explore ancient rainforests, venture west into The Outback, or laze on sandy beaches. Get an adrenalin rush rafting down the rapids of a wild river. Cruise quietly along a still river where crocodiles bask on the banks. Stay on a working cattle station (ranch) and taste billy tea under a billion southern stars.

Learn about some of the oldest living cultures from a local Aboriginal peoples. Find out how traditional boomerangs are made and hear some of the mystical Dreaming stories which have been handed down over a thousand generations.

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