Days 1-2

Departing from Brisbane, within the hour, you’ll be climbing to the summit of a volcanic plug and gazing at others filling the panorama, all steeped in the Aboriginal legend of the Glass House Mountains NP. You’ll enter a world of sub-tropical rainforest protecting the finest stand of Bunya Pines and learn of the extraordinary nut harvest and festive gatherings of now displaced Aboriginal tribes. Dine in quaint boutique wineries and tea houses and roam freely with the mountain bird and wildlife population. Discover the unique interdependence of species and habitats of the rainforest, the life of Brush Turkeys, Fairy Wrens and Bower Birds, of primitive grass trees that are neither grass or tree and lava created mountain bald's.

Accommodation:  Mountain cottages  2 nights

Day 3

Today you’ll travel through a rich tapestry of farming lots across the Darling Downs, to villages wrapped in historic murals and the Kangaroo retreat of a true blue Australian bushie. Community traditions and the environment are, in part, in conflict with large scale corporate cotton and grain growing enterprises. There’ll be time for you to reflect on the courage and challenges of explorers, pioneers and settlers who earlier passed your way. Lunch in a quaint village coffee shop and  then opportunity for you to observe the character, color and textures of the Australian bush, the magnificence and uniqueness of the Eucalypt or Gum Tree, as we travel the back roads to Australia’s granite belt.

Accommodation: Environmental Lodges  2 nights

Day 4

From our comfortable environmental lodges, we will walk the trails of Girraween NP, the place of flowers, with adventure climbs of the Pyramid, Castle Rock and Sphinx. Here is a world of huge granite boulders and tors balancing precariously on each other, of curious reptiles, kangaroos and wallabies, the extremity in range of native species from all points of the compass.

Day 5

After climbing the largest granite monolith in the southern hemisphere (second in size to Uluru – Ayers Rock) we’ll journey down through history and a town made famous by the impassioned speech of an English immigrant, which gave birth to our nation and two other creative Aussies, one who excelled on the dizzy stages of Broadway NY and the other, author of Australia’s legendary bush poetry. Time permitting, we’ll visit to the National Trust home of a former pastoral dynasty and roam the streets of an historic regional city – Armidale, with its cold climate gardens and parks.

Accommodation: Armidale based motor-inn  2 nights

Day 6

We’ll rise to an early walk in the wilderness of the world heritage New England NP, a reserve of geological significance, diversity of habitats, plants and animal species. Impenetrable ridges of volcanic origin dating back 18 to 500 million years protect dense sub-tropical rainforest through to high country snow gums and a windswept plateau of stinted heath, 1000 plant species in all. Be ready for a chance meeting with a Scarlet Robin, the Superb Lyrebird or Spotted-tailed Quoll. Absorb the panorama and echoing bird calls from the precipitous escarpment and enjoy the views stretching 70 kms to the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean, breaking on a coastline of golden beaches.
More startling scenery awaits you, of tortuous gorges eating into the Great Divide escarpment, the Waterfall Way, humble villages and a quaint bush chapel. We pass through historic wool producing properties once fit for royalty, search for our largest bird of prey, the Wedge-tailed Eagle, soaring up to 2000 meters on the thermals or trace the haunting cries of Peregrin Falcons nesting on their precipitous ledges. Spot the endangered Brush Tailed Rock Wallabies or our living fossil the Echidna. Finally we enjoy dinner in an Aussie village pub before returning to our Armidale base.

End of 6 day sectional journey. Note we arrive back in Armidale in the evening after dinner determining that any connecting flights should be scheduled for the following day, if you are not taking the optimum journey back to Brisbane.

Day 7

A well deserved lazy day today as you enjoy a scenic valley drive and descent from the Great Divide to the iconic beaches of the east coast. Be ready to roam the sand and surf at sunset and experience the special magic of Byron Bay, the down to earth and unpretentious retreat of the rich and famous and a host of alternative life-stylers drawn to the beauty and energy of the Bay. Somehow a casual dinner and breakfast by the sea always seems to appeal.

Accommodation:  Seaside village units or hotel

Day 8

An early beach walk and climb to the precipitous Cape Byron, Australia’s most easterly point, where you can savour the new day, a grand vantage point for witnessing dolphins surfing on the waves, giant Manta Rays and in season, migratory whales cruising the ocean swells below. First landfall to the south is Antarctica, to the north, Siberia and to the east, Chile. A beach cafe breakfast and we’ll then travel into the world heritage Border Ranges NP pausing for inspirational views of the extinct volcano, Mt Warning, calling in to view a couple of fine art galleries reflecting the creative communities inhabiting this picturesque region. A relaxed drive back to Brisbane with the sun setting over the peaks and ridges of The Scenic Rim will complete a memorable journey.
We’ll arrive in Brisbane late afternoon in time for any early evening connecting flights