Australia photos
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING AUSSIE – SCUBA dive the Great Barrier Reef, experience a working outback cattle station, learn to surf and explore the largest white sand island in the world!
$5,888.00
Two CPR and Wilderness First Responder AAVE leaders and one Active New Zealand guide; all ground costs, all ground transportation including airport pickup and drop-off; all camping and camping gear (except sleeping bags, sleep mats and mess kits); all activities and gear listed in the above itinerary; all meals; local gratuities to wait-staff and all hotels or hostels.
Flights to/from Cairns or Brisbane; optional gratuities, extra snacks and souvenirs.
Our trip starts with a five-day PADI SCUBA course including nine dives on a live aboard luxurious dive boat! Experience unparalleled beauty and exotic creatures on the largest living reef system in the world. The aqua adventure continues as we whitewater raft Class 3 & 4 rapids on the Tully River in the stunning World Heritage Rainforest.
A day of sailing and snorkeling in the Whitsunday Islands takes us to one of the top ten beaches in the world! In the Outback we enjoy a homestay on a working ranch. Milk cows, ride a horse, 4WD and sleep under the twinkling stars of the Southern Cross! Next stop is the world famous Australian Zoo to see koalas, kangaroos, and of course, crocs!
We catch a ferry across to Fraser Island to 4WD beach-cruise and swim in one of the 200 freshwater lakes. Teeming with bird and animal life, washed-up shipwrecks and the occasional remote settlement, Fraser Island is a natural paradise.
Surf’s up! Enjoy the historical surf spot in the town of 1770 with a three-day surf school. In the afternoons we give back to the beautiful places we have seen.
All students must pass a thorough SCUBA diving physical and cannot have used an inhaler or suffered from asthma in the past three years. For those not wishing to SCUBA dive, alternative water activities are available.
We head to our first camp in Cairns to settle in and begin our orientation. During orientation we get to know each other and learn what to expect in the days ahead. Our daily routine, daily jobs, safety rules and all trip logistics are explained and the process of growing together as a group begins.
Our 5 Day PADI Learn to Dive Course is broken down into two components: 2 Days of classroom and pool training followed by a 3-day, 2-night, 9 dive, liveaboard dive trip to some of the best Outer Reef dive sites available. We’ll have the opportunity to participate in 9 dives on a variety of our 16 exclusive dive sites on the outer Great Barrier Reef. Our first 4 dives will complete your open water certification and then as certified diver you are able to undertake up to 5 more recreational or pleasure dives. One of these dives is a guided night dive! These extra dives will be a highlight of your course and a truly memorable experience.
Today we head to the Tully River for some whitewater rafting. Situated in a stunning World Heritage Listed rain forest, the Tully River offers an awesome day out rafting class 3-4 rapids over 5 hours. Enjoy a well earned barbecue lunch alongside the river bank. Expect the need to hold on at times on these moderate technical rapids, however no experience is necessary. A sense of adventure is a must! Our destination tonight is a real treat. Mission Beach a very laid-back and beautiful place to wind down and get you in the holiday mode. With Great Barrier Reef Islands and mountainous national parks surrounding the region, this is a beautiful stretch of the classic east coast route.
The long, mostly-deserted stretches of road along the Capricorn Coast provide a constant reminder of the vast expanses of uninhabited land so typical of outback Australia. Our journey today is a long one (6 hours) but our destination makes it totally worthwhile. The 74 islands of the Whitsunday Islands are the focus of this part of Queensland and it’s easy to see why. We have a full day based in the travelers’ hub of Airlie Beach, a brilliant spot to hang out, people-watch, swim and more to take it all in.
We will be warmly welcomed as we arrive at our farmstay in the late evening. Spending time with our host family on a working cattle station is a unique Aussie experience. Milking the cows, horse-riding, goat mustering, taking 4WD farm tours and joining in seasonal farm activities – it’s all dirty, fun and different! Imagine telling your friends back home that you’ve learnt to crack a stock whip or lasso a calf!
Grab your iPods and play DJ as we relax in the van, enjoy some music, and take in the scenery. Leaving our friendly farm family behind us, we make our way to Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast, our final stop today and gateway to Fraser Island. With a well-developed tourism infrastructure, Hervey Bay offers us plenty of dining options tonight. Fish and chips on the beach is a popular pastime.
Another early morning as we catch a ferry across to Fraser Island and anticipate a full day in the great outdoors. Four-wheel drive beach-cruising, exploring the interior on rough sand tracks, swimming in one of the 200 freshwater lakes and taking rain forest walks are just the beginning. Teeming with bird and animal life, washed-up shipwrecks and the occasional remote settlement, Fraser Island is a nature lovers’ paradise. Taking our time, we can fully appreciate Fraser’s many features and wonders. We’ll cross the desert, see colored sands, have a game of cricket on the beach, and take time for a barbecue. We return to Hervey Bay late on day 15.
Leaving Fraser Island behind us, we head to the river city of Brisbane. Blessed with extensive parklands and gardens, a flourishing art scene and a burgeoning cafe culture, Brisbane is a great spot. Along the way we stop at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo – there are always plenty of exciting wildlife shows to see, friendly zoo keepers to chat with and heaps of drop-dead gorgeous animals that can’t wait to get up close and personal with YOU!
Today we head south to the town of 1770 to start our surf camp. This will start with a briefing, including a safety speech, the buddy system to be used, and structure of all lessons. All students will be taught information related to surfing and safety, i.e. the sand movements, waves, rips & safety signals. Over the next few days you will participate in surf sessions, covering standing up, surfing across waves and learning to turn. In the afternoon we will complete our service project giving back to the beaches we have been enjoying.
Head to the airport to say goodbye to all your new friends after the summer adventure of a lifetime that is AAVE in Australia!
This itinerary is a sample outline of the program highlights. It is not a precise description. Changes made before or during the trip will only be made in the interest of safety or a more successful trip. This diverse itinerary is our framework for a summer of exhilaration and adventure. Get your mind and body set. Activities are planned using years of experience with your highest expectations in mind.