Australia spans a mind-boggling 2.96 million sq miles, so it’s inevitable that visitors will spend a good chunk of their holiday travelling.
But there’s no need for this to be a boring exercise in getting from A to B. Make their journey part of the holiday with one of these iconic Aussie experiences.
Hit the road
Stretching 150 miles between Geelong and Portland along the south-western coast of Victoria, the Great Ocean Road winds through deep green forests and
along huge seaside cliffs dotted with picturesque lighthouses. The route’s steep inclines and hairpin bends make for a thrilling ride.
Views are stunning, and there are regular designated photo points where clients can pull in safely and snap away at the dramatic rock formations. They may even spot one of the whales which gather off the coast to feed between June and October.
Visitors should dedicate two or three days to the drive, enabling them to stop and enjoy the extraordinary attractions along the way. These include the Twelve Apostles, the 200 million-year-old towering limestone rocks that jut out of the sea at Port Campbell; the charming seaside village of Apollo Bay, which offers all sorts of watersports; and the Great Otway National Park, home to giant rainforest trees, wallabies and koalas.
The Great Ocean Road forms part of the route between Melbourne and Adelaide, so clients could carry on through the Grampians National Park and the Barossa wine region for a longer trip, taking around five days including sightseeing stops. For those who don’t want to drive themselves, operators such as AAT Kings offer similar trips by coach.
Sample product: Austravel offers a five-day self-drive itinerary from Melbourne to Adelaide, travelling the Great Ocean Road and through the Grampians and Barossa, from £320. The package includes four nights in three-star accommodation and a compact five-door car. austravel.com0800 032 5492
Other great drives: The Pacific Coast Touring Route between Sydney and Cairns; the 322-mile Birdsville Track, a former cattle route in South Australia. Drivers should ensure they take a large supply of water and petrol, and a mobile phone to avoid any difficulties along the way.
Take the train
The Indian Pacific has been traversing Australia from Sydney to Perth for 40 years, passing through an awesome range of terrain on its way.
From Sydney the route cuts through the canyons of the Blue Mountains before reaching the New South Wales outback.
After Adelaide’s pretty colonial buildings and wine regions, the train passes through the vast, treeless Nullarbor Plain for 296 miles before reaching Perth. It’s world’s longest stretch of straight railway.
Clients can keep an eye out for real versions of the train’s symbol, the wedge-tailed eagle, which boasts a two-metre wingspan.
The train runs each way twice a week, leaving Sydney on Saturday and Wednesday at 2.55pm, arriving in Perth on Tuesday and Saturday at 9.10am, and departing Perth at 11.55am on Wednesday and Sunday, arriving in Sydney at 10.15am on Saturday and Wednesday respectively. The three-night journey stops in Broken Hill, Adelaide and Kalgoorlie on the way.
Clients may want to disembark for a few nights and explore or, if time is limited, take advantage of the whistle-stop tours the Indian Pacific offers. These
one-hour excursions allow a glimpse of the towns they stop in, scheduled to fit with the timetable.
Economy travel is in Red Class, offering either compact cabins or airline-style reclining seats. Passengers can buy food in an on-board restaurant. Gold Class passengers have roomier sleepers with private toilets and showers, a special lounge car and a dining car offering complimentary meals.
Sample product: Gold Medal Travel offers the three-night trip from Sydney to Perth or vice-versa in Gold Class from £986 per person. goldmedal.co.uk
0871 700 8523
Other great train journeys: the Ghan train, from Darwin through the Red Centre to Adelaide; Brisbane to Cairns on the Sunlander, with a stop to visit Fraser Island or the Whitsundays.
Barrier Reef cruises
Stretching for more than 1,240 miles off the Queensland coast, the Great Barrier Reef is so large it can even be seen from space.
There is a huge range of cruising options. Intrepid clients might like to sail around the Whitsunday Islands on a tall-masted ship – they can choose between sleek America’s Cup-type yachts and elegant heritage-style vessels.
Barrier Reef cruises head out of most of the coastal towns, but Cairns is the primary gateway. Cruises can last as little as a day or as much as a week, with many of the longer itineraries travelling from Cairns to Townsville or vice-versa.
Suggest clients take a cruise in one direction and get the speedy 100mph Tilt Train on the way back – it runs all the way between Cairns and Brisbane and gives a great snapshot of the Queensland coast.
Diving and snorkelling are obvious highlights, with everyone from beginners to experts catered for. Many operators offer a five-day learn-to-dive course through Pro Dive, where clients can spend a couple of days getting the basics in a classroom before heading off on a liveaboard to dive the reefs.
Clients can also disembark their boats at some of the uninhabited islands to take nature walks through the pristine rainforest.
Sample product: Anzcro offers a three-night Cairns to Townsville Coral Princess cruise, including full-board accommodation in a cabin, snorkelling equipment, guided excursions and scuba introduction, from £860 per person. anzcro.co.uk01872 266899
Other great cruises: Mainstream cruising is an increasingly popular way to see New Zealand. Austravel has just partnered with Royal Caribbean to offer cruise trips, and Qantas Holidays has expanded its range to offer 50 cruises with Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Yachts of Seabourn.
