11 minute read
Northern Territory
Head to the Northern Territory for the ultimate Australian outback adventure. Famed for its dramatic desert landscapes, this vast federal territory – six times the size of Britain – is home to iconic national treasures like Kakadu, Uluru and Kata Tjuta. The NT is also renowned for its ancient Aboriginal culture and diverse birdlife and wildlife. As the catchphrase from a memorable NT tourism campaign in the 1990s told us: “You’ll never never know if you never never go.”
1
THE TOP END
There’s no experience quite like a trip to the ‘Top End’, incorporating the Darwin and East Arnhem regions, and also including Katherine (see page 97). You’ll encounter superb national parks, diverse wildlife, World War II history, ancient Aboriginal rock art and so much more.
Visit vibrant Darwin
Welcome to the NT’s capital, Darwin, a multicultural coastal hub that invites your tour group to enjoy its laid-back tropical lifestyle. A former frontier post, these days Darwin is a vibrant centre with a surprising food and market scene to be found along its leafy streets. You can see the best of Darwin via the hop-on, hop-off bus stopping at the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, Crocosaurus Cove, Aquascene Fish Feeding Sanctuary at Doctors Gully, and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Darwin is also the place to begin the Ghan Expedition to Adelaide, one of the world’s most renowned rail journeys taking you through Australia’s vast interior (journeybeyondrail.com.au/the-ghan).
Explore Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks
You simply can’t come this far north without venturing into timeless Kakadu National Park, a biodiverse nature reserve and cultural site of great significance. Club members can experience the breathtaking prehistoric
1. If you’re brave enough, you can get up close with a saltie at Crocosaurus Cove
2. A tour aboard the Ghan between Darwin and Adelaide is an iconic Australian experience
3. Jim Jim Falls, in Kakadu National Park is best viewed from the sky
4. Karlu Karlu (aka the Devils Marbles) translates to ‘round boulders’ in the language of the traditional owners
landscapes of Kakadu by boat, plane, or guided fourwheel drive tour – depending on the time of year. Spot crocodiles, jabirus, sea eagles, magpie geese, whistling kites and other species as you cross the floodplains through the enchanting wilderness. At the much smaller yet equally magical Litchfield National Park, 100km south-west of Darwin, you’ll be surrounded by idyllic waterfalls, lush waterholes and fascinating wildlife on a memorable day trip.
Enjoy unforgettable highlights of the Top End on one of AAT Kings’ short breaks from Darwin, including the Kakadu & Litchfield National Parks 3-day tour (aatkings.com/tours).
KATHERINE & BARKLY TABLELANDS
Make your way to captivating Katherine, a wonderful region that comes to life in the wet season. Further south you’ll find one of the most sparsely inhabited regions anywhere in the world, the Barkly Tablelands – a seemingly endless plain of grassland defined by rugged beauty and premier cattle stations.
Discover Katherine
Go ‘where the outback meets the tropics’ at the country town of Katherine. Experience the wonder of Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, the jewel of the area, on board a peaceful cruise or from inside a clear-nosed helicopter. At the Katherine Outback Heritage Museum, originally constructed as an air terminal during World War II, you’ll discover an eclectic collection of pioneer memorabilia and Aboriginal artefacts. The museum houses the De Havilland Gipsy Moth plane used by the first ‘flying doctor’, Dr. Clyde Fenton, for his pioneering aero-medical work in the 1930s. Opening times are seasonal, so check the website (katherinemuseum.com) for updates. After a day of sightseeing, soothe your muscles in the relaxing thermal baths at Katherine Hot Springs.
5. Litchfield National Park possesses some of Australia’s most beautiful waterfalls, including Florence Falls
Marvel at Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles
Members will undoubtedly be in awe of the region’s most celebrated landmark, the Devils Marbles. Appearing to have dropped from the sky into a shallow valley, these ancient granite boulders balance precariously as if defying the laws of gravity. Known as Karlu Karlu in the language of the traditional owners, the sacred site formed over millions of years. The scattered formations continue to crack and erode from the forces of wind and rain, subtly changing their appearance as time passes. Your group can explore the Devils Marbles on a self-guided walking trail supported by informative signage.
AT A GLANCE
The Ghan
1800 703 357 journeybeyondrail.com.au/ the-ghan
AAT Kings 3-day Kakadu & Litchfield National Park tour
1300 300 911 aatkings.com/tours
Katherine Outback Heritage Museum
08 8972 3945 katherinemuseum.com
THE RED CENTRE
Travel deep into Australia’s arid ‘Red Centre’, a vast terrain of dusty red desert, mountains and gorges where native bird and animal species thrive. As the heart and soul of the outback, Alice Springs is an immensely popular gateway for tours of this remarkable region.
Journey to remote Alice Springs
Alice Springs, located halfway between Darwin and Adelaide on the Stuart Highway, was made famous by Nevil Shute’s 1950 romance novel, A Town Like Alice. But the origin of the remote town actually dates back to 1872 as a station on the Overland Telegraph Line linking Darwin and Adelaide. This history is well preserved in the vintage buildings and equipment at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve – site of the first European settlement in Alice Springs (alicespringstelegraphstation.com.au).
While the town itself is tiny, Alice Springs offers visitors the chance to enjoy scenic walking trails, beautiful gardens, historic buildings and Aboriginal art galleries. Plus,
1. A camel train makes its way past Uluru on a clear outback evening
2. The distinctive layout of Alice Springs framed by the MacDonnell Ranges and desert landscape
3. Alice Springs’ Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum is housed in the original Radio Station House
4. Hikers trekking through Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Club members can learn all about outback life on visits to the Royal Flying Doctors Service Alice Springs Base (rfdsalicesprings.com.au), the Alice Springs Reptile Centre (reptilecentre.com.au) and the world’s largest classroom – the Alice Springs School of the Air (assoa.nt.edu.au).
Drive through the West MacDonnell Ranges
It’s well worth driving through the majestic West MacDonnell Ranges (Tjoritja) – snaking almost 200km west of Alice Springs – for some truly spectacular scenery including magnificent waterholes and hidden gorges and chasms. Stop to enjoy natural attractions like Simpsons Gap, Glen Helen Gorge, the narrow Serpentine Gorge, and Ochre Pits – a sacred Aboriginal site of colourful rock layers mined for art and body paint. Continue to Watarrka National Park for a picnic and sunset viewing at Kings Canyon, forged through layers of sandstone and hard shale to create plateaued cliffs rising 270 metres above sea level.
See Uluru & Kata Tjuta
A five-hour drive south-west of Alice Springs will take you to the iconic sandstone monolith known as Uluru. Thought to have started forming around 550 million
3
years ago, Uluru is sacred to Indigenous Australians and admired by everyone who visits the world-famous landmark. Your group can experience the legendary rock at sunrise on a camel tour or at sunset with an outback barbecue dinner under the stars.
Only 50km west you’ll find another geological wonder, Kata Tjuta (aka The Olgas) – impressively large, domed rock formations that will have photographers in their element. Visit at sunset to watch them glow and change colour with the surrounding desert landscape.
All About Travel offers fantastic NT tours taking your Club to the highlights of Alice Springs, Uluru and plenty more (allabouttravel.travel). ■
AT A GLANCE
Alice Springs Telegraph Station
08 8592 3993 alicespringstelegraph station.com.au
Royal Flying Doctors Service Alice Springs
08 8958 8411 rfdsalicesprings.com.au
Alice Springs Reptile Centre
08 8952 8900 reptilecentre.com.au
Alice Springs School of the Air
08 8951 6800 assoa.nt.edu.au
All About Travel
1300 484 510 allabouttravel.travel
Q+A
DAN SULLIVAN, COLLETTE CEO
In preparation for your next big overseas adventure, Dan Sullivan joins us to discuss international travel and how it has changed.
G’day Dan – tell us, how did your passion for travel begin, and how has it shaped your family business?
Jack Collette started Collette Tours in Rhode Island in 1918 with a bus of travellers that left Boston headed for Florida. That three-week adventure cost just $68.50. In 1962, Jack Collette (who didn’t have any children) sold the company to my father, Dan Sullivan Sr. I joined the company in 1973, and in 1990 I took on a leadership role. I guess you can say that I caught the travel bug from my father – and now almost 50 years later, it brings me great joy to make decisions alongside other members of the family who have joined the business. My father saw something in this industry that few others could understand at the time. He would be proud to see all that we have built.
We’ll put you on the spot here: what’s your favourite travel destination?
One of the greatest places I’ve had the opportunity to travel in recent years has been Japan, where I helped with designing the popular Cultural Treasures of Japan tour. The Cultural Treasures tour has been popular with Australians. The tour takes in some of the classic highlights – Tokyo, Mount Fuji. Also, Japan Past & Present is a small group tour that uses the Shinkansen (bullet train) to travel between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. The inclusions on this tour are impressive, such as staying with Buddhist monks at a monastery on Mount Koya.
What are the benefits of group travel?
Of course, the tour manager leads the way; they are on hand to provide expert practical advice and commentary on the sights and experiences. Many long-lasting friendships are formed, often with people who ordinarily reside across the world. Perhaps most important today is that there is the convenience of all the components of an outstanding journey being looked after by one organisation, which makes things straightforward for the traveller. We found
Dan presents a $20,000 cheque to Kangaroo Island Native Plant Nursey to aid regeneration after the 2019-20 bushfires this especially over the past two years. We have operated several hundred tours in this time and, while we missed our Australian guests, we have been very active in managing various rule changes throughout the world so our guests have an excellent experience.
We’re very excited about the return of international travel. How has travel changed in a post-COVID world, and what advice can you give Probians considering travelling abroad for the first time in over two years?
Of course we have had a long period of time with travel being severely restricted and rapid changes to rules. Accredited travel advisors/agents are the way to book in today’s environment – not only are they members of every local community, but they also have the knowledge and expertise that ultimately will provide peace of mind before you travel. And when you arrive, one of the great benefits of guided travel is having the tour manager by your side, to help navigate the unknown and maximise enjoyment of those places we have waited so long to see.
Some of us are still quite worried about the uncertainty that surrounds international travel. What is Collette’s refund policy?
Australian guests have the cancellation waiver included with their tour, so guests can cancel for any reason and get their money back (less the deposit) – all the way up to 24 hours before the tour departs. It’s also possible to change the tour date or destination for free, up to 45 days prior to departure. We’ve offered this plan for decades to give our travellers assurance every step of the way – with no blackout windows or hidden restrictions. This meant that globally we refunded the equivalent of over AU$220million due to COVID-19. My view is that until Collette provide you with your tour, your money is protected.
NEW ZEALAND & THE REST OF THE WORLD
Whether you’re a New Zealand Probus Club hunting for a travel experience at home or an Australian Probus Club ducking across the pond, NZ’s rich palette of possibilities makes it one of the most wondrous countries on earth. On the following pages, we’ve chosen just a small selection to get the juices flowing. Or, for Tour Officers from either country looking to plan for an international travel adventure, you’ll also find ideas for the Pacific Islands, Asia, Europe, the USA and Canada. Let the adventure begin...
102 NEW ZEALAND & THE PACIFIC ISLANDS 124 EUROPE
104 Waitangi Treaty Grounds 104 Rotorua 105 Waitomo Caves 106 Wellington 106 South Island – East Coast 107 South Island – West Coast 108 Milford Sound & Doubtful Sound 108 Fiji 109 Cook Islands 110 Tahiti
116 ASIA
118 Tokyo, Japan 118 Kyoto, Japan 118 Cherry Blossom Festival, Japan 120 Bohol, Philippines 120 Borneo, Indonesia 121 The Mekong River 122 Singapore 126 A trip through Italy 126 The landmarks of London 126 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 127 Sail the Danube 128 See the Northern Lights 128 Travel around Poland 128 The city of Athens 130 Explore the Alps 130 Walk the Camino de Santiago 131 Keukenhof Flower Festival
132 USA & CANADA
134 New York City 134 New Orleans, Memphis & Nashville 135 Albuquerque International
Balloon Fiesta 136 Eastern Canada 136 Canaadian Rockies