Great Australian Train Trek

Welcome to Sydney! Sydney’s stunning natural harbour forms the centrepiece of a dynamic city that has grown dramatically since its beginnings as a prison colony. Situated in the temperate area of Australia, Sydney is surrounded by National Parks and has a beautiful range of flora and fauna. It is Australia’s largest city with over 5 million citizens thriving in a multicultural society in a congenial climate. Sydney is dominated by Sydney Harbour, of which Port Jackson is only a small part. The city covers a large area, twice the size of London with half the population, and has large parks and sparkling sandy Pacific Ocean beaches, such as the well-known and very popular Bondi and Manly. Your Group Leader and Sydney Site Coordinator will meet you when you arrive at the hotel. At 11:00 a.m, we board our motorcoach at the hotel and head off to visit Sydney's eastern suburbs, including a chance to stretch our legs at Sydney's famous Bondi beach.

At a typical, local Australian RSL (Returned Services League) club in Bondi, we will have pre-ordered, plated meals.

Following lunch, we will visit South Head to get a perspective of the city and harbour from land before transferring to Watsons Bay wharf. Here we board a ferry to take in the splendour of magnificent Sydney Harbour. Surrounded by stunning scenery, we gain an understanding as to how Sydneysiders interact with and embrace this gorgeous natural asset. After disembarking, we walk across Circular Quay to Sydney's local train system. We pass through two of Sydney's most historic stations en route to Central. At Central Station we view the historic Grand Concourse before taking the short walk to our hotel. We check in to our rooms and come back together for our welcome meeting and dinner. Orientation. The Group Leader and Site Coordinator will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. The Group Leader and local Site Coordinators will provide information and lead field trips at most study sites. The format of meals will vary based on each venue, with some meals being buffets, others plated and served, and some ordered in advance. Beverages typically include coffee, tea and water, with other beverages available for purchase depending on location. Free time is reserved for your personal exploration. Evenings at leisure offer opportunities to make the program more meaningful and memorable through independent exploration, attending performances or other events on your own, or simply relaxing and making new friends among fellow participants. The Group Leader and local Site Coordinators will always be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local conditions/circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At our hotel we will have a buffet dinner. We will have "Welcome to Australia" wine with dinner tonight.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We will be joined by a local educator who will present a lecture on the history and settlement of Australia. We then journey to Milsons Point via public transit. From Milsons Point we walk under the roadway and up to the pedestrian walkway along the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Walking across the bridge, we take in the stunning views of Sydney Harbour, the city and the suburbs of the lower north shore. At the bridge's southern end, we visit the Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout & Museum. We walk down off the bridge and commence a walking exploration of The Rocks area, giving us further insight into Sydney’s colonial past. The Rocks was the area of Sydney first settled by the British, and it has a fascinating history and wonderful sandstone buildings.

From local cafés.

The remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure. You can explore as you see fit using your local public transport "Opal Card". To return to base, you can easily jump aboard Sydney's light rail system and travel up George Street back to our hotel. George Street was once a city street choked by traffic largely at a standstill but is now largely devoted to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

On your own to enjoy what you like. Sample what Sydney's restaurant scene has to offer.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

A local educator will give a lecture introducing us to the Australian rail system. We then take our motorcoach across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Taronga Zoo, located on the north shore, with delightful views across the harbour to the city. Here we will begin our study of Australian fauna. As well as meeting kangaroos, koalas and wallabies — and hoping for a glimpse of the rather more elusive wombat, echidna, and platypus — we will have a lecture from one of the keepers introducing some of Australia’s more dangerous inhabitants: spiders and snakes.

Packed lunch at Taronga Park Zoo.

Next, we will take a ferry back across Sydney Harbour to Circular Quay. We will walk around the Quay to the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House, where we will have an expert-led exploration of this truly wonderful, iconic building, a masterpiece of late modern architecture. Exactly which areas of the Opera House we see will depend upon what performances and rehearsals are taking place at the time. There are five main performance spaces at the Sydney Opera House — the Concert Hall, the Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre (formerly the Opera Theatre), the Drama Theatre, the Playhouse and the Studio — and the availability of these spaces for public visits changes from day to day. We will then return to our hotel and have some time to freshen up and relax before an early dinner.

We will have an early buffet dinner at our hotel allowing us to get to tonight's performance at the Opera House in plenty of time.

We will attend a performance in the Sydney Opera House. Program 3110-110924 will attend Sydney Theatre Company's "Sunday" in the Drama Theatre. We will return to the hotel via motorcoach. Prepare for check out and departure in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

This morning we check out of our Sydney hotel and coach to Sydney Domestic Airport for our flight to Perth. Perth, the capital city of Australia's most vast, desolate and expansive state, Western Australia, is a modern, scenic and multicultural city. With a Mediterranean climate, Perth is Australia's sunniest capital and has an atmosphere particularly conducive to an al fresco lifestyle. The city is 20 kilometres upstream from the port of Fremantle, where Australia strove unsuccessfully to retain the America's Cup in 1987. Delightfully bisected by the Swan River, the city enjoys many scenic surf beaches and well-kept parklands, including centrally-located Kings Park where native wildflowers flourish.

On board our Sydney to Perth flight.

Upon our arrival in Perth we are met by our local Site Coordinator. We have a course overview as we transfer on our motorcoach to Kings Park. Here we have an expert-led exploration of the gardens that offer wonderful views over the city. We carry on to our hotel and check in. Before dinner we have a lecture on the history and growth of Western Australia looking at the impact of the mining boom and agriculture.

In the hotel, we will have plated meals.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We transfer by motorcoach to Perth's Barrack Street Jetty and board a ferry to Rottnest Island via Fremantle. En route to Fremantle we shall cruise up the Swan River taking in the lovely views of Perth that the ferry offers. Once on Rottnest we have an expert-led walk to learn about the settlement and natural history of the island.

On Rottnest Island, we have a packed lunch.

After lunch we try to spot Rottnest Island's unique marsupial, the quokka, from our motorcoach as we have an expert-led exploration of the Island. We board our ferry back to the mainland, disembarking in Fremantle. We then have a stroll with our Site Coordinator introducing us to the history and lifestyle of this sought-after beachside suburb.

At a Fremantle restaurant, we have a plated dinner.

We board our motorcoach for the 30-minute journey back to our hotel in Perth.

Hotel buffet.

We first visit the Bell Tower set in parkland beside the Swan River. Here we learn about the history of this Ring of Bells and the techniques required to make them ring. We then visit Perth Mint to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of gold on the State's history. While we are at the mint, we will have the opportunity to view a gold pour.

At own arrangements.

Free time.

At own arrangements to enjoy what you like. Sample what Perth's restaurant scene has to offer.

At leisure. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer tomorrow.

Hotel buffet.

We check out of our hotel and transfer via motorcoach to Perth Railway Station to board the Indian Pacific.

On board the Indian Pacific, we have plated meals.

We roll east out of Perth and start heading across the West Australian countryside. Expert commentary is given as we travel.

On board the Indian Pacific, we have plated meals.

On board the Indian Pacific. Late tonight we will arrive in the mining town of Kalgoorlie. The train company runs a short excursion to view this rugged town that those participants who are still awake are most welcome to join. Please note that this excursion is included as part of the train journey (rather than being a specific Road Scholar field trip) and participation is entirely optional.

On board the Indian Pacific, we have plated meals.

Today we continue the epic journey across the Nullarbor Plain including the famous “long straight” – 299 miles of gun-barrel straight track. We watch the changing colours of the desert environment from our cabins or the comfort of the lounge car where we may well get the opportunity to mix with local travellers.

On board the Indian Pacific, we have plated meals.

We carry on across the Nullarbor Plain and into South Australia.

On board the Indian Pacific, we have plated meals.

At leisure on board the Indian Pacific.

We have a snack on board the Indian Pacific as we arrive into Adelaide, the capital of South Australia.

Adelaide is a solid, elegant city with many buildings of stone constructed by early colonists. The city is bordered by the Mount Lofty Ranges to the east, and by gulf waters and long sandy beaches to the west. The Torrens River runs through the North Parkland and there are port facilities at Port Adelaide. The city was named for Queen Adelaide at the command of her husband, King William IV, and is the only freely-settled colony of Australia. Its people have embraced multiculturalism, providing a cohesive society on which to build the State. The draft of the Australian Constitution was prepared in South Australia, in the ballroom of St. Mark’s College’s Downer House. We disembark our train and are met by our local Site Coordinator. We board our motorcoach and have an orientation to Adelaide. From Mount Lofty, we gain an understanding of Adelaide's layout and surroundings. We carry on into Adelaide and to the Museum of South Australia. The Museum is home to the world's largest collection of Aboriginal artefacts. Here we will have an expert-led visit.

At a local café.

After lunch, we walk to the Art Gallery of South Australia. We will explore some of the gallery, home to over 47,000 works of art with our Site Coordinator. From the art gallery, we head to the Parliament of South Australia (subject to the Parliament's sitting requirements). Here we learn something of the government of South Australia and, by extension, the Australian political system. We board our motorcoach and transfer to our hotel. We check in and have some down time. We then board our motorcoach for the short ride to dinner.

At a local restaurant, we have pre-ordered, plated meals.

We return on the motorcoach to our hotel. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer tomorrow.

Boxed breakfast.

We check out and transfer to Cape Jervis for our ferry across to Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island. Kangaroo Island, Australia’s third-largest island, is a unique, unspoiled wilderness 91 miles (146 kilometres) long and 25 miles (40 kilometres) wide. It is located 9 miles (14 kilometres) south of the South Australian mainland. Its coastal scenery is spectacular with rugged high cliffs and long, white, sandy beaches. The island is known for its abundant wildlife, including its resident sea lion colonies. Over a third of the island is protected in nature reserves, home to native wildlife such as koalas, a range of other marsupials and abundant bird species. Kangaroo Island is also home to some verdant farmland. We first visit a local farm where we gain insights into the training and usage of farmers' working dogs. From here we head to the Pelican Lagoon research centre for a field trip. The resident biologists - experts on the echidna, Rosenberg's goanna, tiger snake ecology and the little penguin - will lead us on a walk to introduce us to some of the local wildlife. They will provide us with an insight into the Island's ecology.

We transfer to Brown's Beach where we have a picnic lunch.

We board our motorcoach and transfer to the Australian Sea Lion colony at Seal Bay where a local expert will teach us about these intriguing creatures. There are approximately 1,000 sea lions in the local colony. We then transfer to our hotel and check in before dinner.

At the hotel we will have pre-ordered, plated meals.

After dinner, we will have a local conservationist present to us on the environment of Kangaroo Island. The remainder of the evening is at leisure.

Hotel buffet.

This morning we transfer to Raptor Domain where we meet and learn about some of Australia's birds of prey. Raptor Domain is an educational rehabilitation centre that rehabilitates rescued and injured birds, many of which are not fit to be re-released into the wild. We then transfer to the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park for a private, expert-led visit among their kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, dingoes and other Australian fauna.

At Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, we have a packed lunch.

We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Flinders Chase National Park under the leadership of our local Site Coordinator. We visit the impressive Remarkable Rocks, one of Kangaroo Island's most iconic landscapes. We will also visit Admirals Arch, one of 27 officially-designated geological monuments situated throughout Kangaroo Island. We then transfer to the Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery. Here we have an expert-led introduction to the distillery process.

At the Emu Ridge, we will have a BBQ dinner.

After dinner we return to our hotel on our motorcoach. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer tomorrow.

Hotel buffet.

We have a leisurely start this morning. We board our motorcoach and transfer to a local winery. Here we will have an expert-led tasting introducing us to the wines of Kangaroo Island.

At the winery, we have a platter lunch.

After lunch, we transfer to the wharf and board our ferry back to the mainland. Once we disembark the ferry, we have a field trip introducing us to South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula. The Peninsula is home to stunning coastal landscapes, wonderful wineries and charming rural villages. We will gain an understanding as to why Adelaide locals love to escape to this area. We carry on to our hotel and have some time to relax before dinner.

At the hotel, we will have pre-ordered, plated meals.

At leisure. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer tomorrow.

Breakfast at accommodation.

We have a leisurely start this morning before checking out of the hotel and coaching to the Adelaide Domestic Airport for our flight to Darwin. We are met at Darwin Airport by our Northern Territory Site Coordinator. We board our motorcoach bound for our hotel in Jabiru in the heart of Kakadu National Park.

Light lunch provided on flight.

Kakadu National Park is a unique archaeological and ethnological reserve. Located in the Northern Territory, it covers an area of almost 5 million acres and has been inhabited continuously for more than 40,000 years. It is a unique example of a complex of ecosystems including tidal flats, floodplains, lowlands and plateaux, providing habitat for a wide range of endemic and rare species of plants and animals. This magnificent world heritage national park has breathtaking escarpments that give way to open wetlands and rainforest pockets. Prolific bird life, diverse plant life, ancient Aboriginal rock art, boat cruises through wetlands, bushwalking, photography and four wheel drive tracks collectively add to the attributes of this wonderful park. We will pause at the "Window on the Wetlands" visitor centre, located on Beatrice Hill, one of the highest points on the Adelaide River floodplain. Here we will view the interactive displays introducing us to the complex ecology of the wetlands. We arrive at our hotel and check in. We have some time at leisure before our pre-dinner lecture on Kakadu National Park and the Aboriginal heritage of Arnhem Land.

Hotel buffet.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We begin today with a visit to the Kakadu National Park Visitors' Centre where we gain further understanding of this World Heritage-listed National Park. We then embark on a cruise on the Yellow Waters flood plains. On our cruise, under our local expert's guidance, we shall view Kakadu's abundant birdlife. We should also be able to spot the crocodiles that call these wetlands home.

At Cooinda Lodge.

After lunch, we visit the Warradjan Cultural Centre. Here we gain an insight into local Aboriginal life. We return to our hotel and have some free time before dinner.

Hotel buffet.

At leisure. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer tomorrow.

Hotel buffet.

This morning we focus on Aboriginal rock art. We travel by motorcoach to view some rock art sites of great cultural significance to the local Aboriginal people.

We return to our accommodation for lunch before we depart for Darwin.

Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, is located on the Timor Sea. With a population of around 130,000 it is Australia’s least populous capital. Initially a pioneer outpost, in many ways Darwin is among Australia’s most modern and multicultural cities. It has close links to southern Asia, in particular countries such as Indonesia and East Timor, and is physically closer to a number of Asian capitals than it is to Canberra. Darwin has been rebuilt twice; initially following Japanese bombing raids during WWII and then again following the devastation wrought by Cyclone Tracy, which hit the city on Christmas Eve, 1974. Darwin has a typical tropical climate with the wet season running from October to March bringing tropical monsoons and occasional cyclones. Traditionally the home of the Larrakia group, Darwin was given its name by the crew of the survey ship HMS Beagle on 9 September 1839 in honour of famed scientist Charles Darwin, a former shipmate. Upon arriving in Darwin, we have an orientation to the city en route to our hotel. After checking in to our hotel, we have some free time to relax in our rooms or partake in some independent exploration of the city. We transfer to Darwin's Stokes Hill wharf area for dinner overlooking the harbour.

At a local restaurant, we have plated meals.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

This morning we begin with a Site Coordinator-led field trip around the city of Darwin to explore Darwin's historical and contemporary relationships with Asia. We then visit the Defence of Darwin Experience to learn about Darwin’s role in WWII. Opened in 2012 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin, the Defence of Darwin Experience provides an opportunity for visitors to understand the impact of the war on Darwin and its inhabitants, both civilian and military. We transfer to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory where we have the opportunity to explore on our own.

At a local café, we have a light lunch.

After lunch we return to our hotel. Free time. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure allowing you to relax or explore as you see fit.

On your own.

At leisure. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer tomorrow.

Hotel buffet.

We check out of our hotel and coach to Darwin Railway Station to board The Ghan train for our overnight journey to Alice Springs.

On board The Ghan, we have plated meals.

The train will pause in Katherine. While in Katherine, we will travel into Nitmiluk National Park to join a train company-organised cruise in Katherine Gorge. We will learn of the geology, plant life and wildlife in the gorges and will have the opportunity to view some Aboriginal rock paintings. We re-board The Ghan to continue our journey to Alice Springs.

On board The Ghan, we have plated meals.

At leisure on board The Ghan.

On board The Ghan, we have plated meals.

We disembark The Ghan upon our arrival into Alice Springs. Alice Springs is located almost exactly at the geographic centre of Australia and has been a home for Aboriginal Australians for at least 30,000 years. Many of the physical features of the land have great cultural significance. Originally established in 1888 as Stuart, the town developed due to the need for an overland telegraph line to assist Australia with its communications to the world. Today, “The Alice” is a pleasurable, modern town and is a major access point for the many tourist attractions of central Australia. On arrival, we meet our second Northern Territory Site Coordinator who leads us to ANZAC Hill to give us an overview of Alice Springs. We transfer into the centre of Alice Springs and have some time to stretch our legs as we explore on foot. We then head to our hotel for a course overview before lunch.

At the hotel, we will have a platter lunch before we check in to our rooms.

Our field trip this afternoon is to the School of the Air. In Australia’s vast territories, most people live near the coast. Those in the Outback — remote, rural, sparsely populated interior regions — often suffered from a lack of educational opportunities. The School of the Air was established in 1951 as a radio network for two-way teaching and learning broadcasts. New technology and the Internet have since made things much easier. We will visit the School of the Air Visitor Centre to gain an understanding of the techniques employed to provide education across the isolated and remote expanse of the Outback. Before dinner, we come together for a lecture in which our local Site Coordinator introduces us to the culture, art and heritage of the Aboriginal Australians of the Red Centre.

At a local restaurant, an indigenous caterer and businesswoman will introduce native Aboriginal bush foods, describe their traditional use and demonstrate how they are increasingly being incorporated into contemporary cuisine. We will have dinner at the restaurant where our taste buds will discover for themselves just how contemporary Australian cuisine is utilising traditional Aboriginal flavourings.

Weather permitting, a local astronomer will introduce the stars of the southern sky. We can look for the Southern Cross and other southern constellations in the clear air of Australia's Red Centre. We return to our hotel via motorcoach.

Hotel buffet.

We will visit Alice Springs Desert Park where our local Site Coordinator will help us gain an understanding of the beauty and mystery of the Australian desert and the life that exists there.

At Alice Springs Desert Park, we will have a buffet lunch.

Next, we will we travel to Simpson’s Gap in the Western MacDonnell Ranges and view the permanent waterhole in its stunning location under the towering cliffs of the Simpson Range. Returning to Alice Springs, we will visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and learn how aircraft and technology are used to deliver medical services across the huge distances of central Australia. Founded in 1928, the RFDS is now one of the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisations in the world, providing primary health care and 24-hour emergency service to people over an area of nearly 3 million square miles (7.3 million square kilometres).

At the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, we will have a BBQ dinner. As we dine a local musician will entertain us with ballads and yarns of the Australian bush. From the official Australian government website: “The bush has an iconic status in Australian life…especially as expressed in Australian literature, painting, popular music, films and foods. The bush was something that was uniquely Australian and very different to the European landscapes familiar to many new immigrants…revered as a source of national ideals.”

We return to the hotel on our motorcoach. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

We will check out of the hotel and board our motorcoach for the journey to Uluru. We will pause for morning tea at a typical Outback roadhouse. Rising from the arid heartland of Australia are the haunting geological marvels of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). They lie within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which is owned by the local Aboriginal Australian people. Uluru is a red sandstone monolith, the world’s second largest at 5.5 miles (8.9 kilometres) around, with smooth slopes rising to 1,098 feet (335 metres). For thousands of years this rock has been the focus for religious, cultural, territorial and economic inter-relations among the Aboriginal peoples of the Western Desert. Caves around the base of the rock were used by Aboriginal peoples for shelter and were decorated with their paintings. Kata Tjuta is a collection of smaller, more rounded rocks that are very captivating. The tallest rock, Mt Olga, is nearly 656 feet (200 metres) higher than Uluru.

At Uluru, we have a light lunch.

We will explore Uluru by motorcoach and on foot. This sacred Aboriginal site is truly awe-inspiring. Our Northern Territory Site Coordinator will explain something of the significance of the Rock to the local Aboriginal peoples. We will then transfer to our hotel and check in. In the late afternoon, we will take in a sunset viewing of Uluru, watching the amazing colours of the Rock as the sun sets.

In the hotel, we will have pre-ordered, plated meals.

At leisure. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

We check out of the hotel and travel out to Kata Tjuta, the spectacular formation of 36 rounded domes. Kata Tjuta means "many heads" in a local language. We transfer to the airport and check in for our flight to Cairns.

On board our flight.

Cairns, on the east coast of Australia, is the most northerly city in the state of Queensland. It is always green and lush with abundant tropical plants and flowers. It is also one of Australia’s fastest-growing cities and, in addition to its role as a regional centre for dairy, timber and sugar production, it is also an important tourist destination. Cairns is uniquely situated between two UNESCO World Heritage-listed areas: the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. Upon our arrival, we will be met by our Cairns Site Coordinator and transfer to our hotel, with an introduction to Cairns and our program en route. After checking in, we will join our Site Coordinator for a walking exploration of the downtown and lagoon area. We return to the hotel where we are by a local marine biologist for a lecture on the Great Barrier Reef. We will gain insights into what we might encounter on our study cruise out to this natural icon.

At accommodation

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

Sure to be one of the highlights of our program, we will have a full day cruise on the Great Barrier Reef where we can view the coral reefs. We will be able to snorkel among the spectacular coral reef and/or view the reef from a semi-submersible vessel. As UNESCO notes, “The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the north-east coast of Australia. It contains the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc.”

Aboard our cruise vessel, we will have a buffet lunch.

Our cruise continues this afternoon. We return to Cairns in the late afternoon.

On your own to enjoy what you like. The Esplanade's wide range of restaurants is only a block or two from our hotel.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We will have a lecture by a local expert introducing the second of Cairns’ World Heritage-listed features, the Wet Tropical Rainforests of North Queensland. We will gain an understanding of the abundance of life in the tropical rainforest. We then take our motorcoach to Cairns Railway Station where we board the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway bound for the village of Kuranda, a mountain retreat surrounded by rainforest. Upon our arrival we have an expert-led visit to the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, the largest butterfly aviary in Australia and home to many local tropical species.

At a local restaurant in Kuranda, we will have pre-ordered, plated meals.

After some time to explore Kuranda independently, we walk to the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to take the stunning cableway journey sweeping above the canopy of the rainforest. At the Rainforest Interpretive Station, our lecturer will lead a walk on a circular track of boardwalk as we learn more about this special environment. We reboard our motorcoach and transfer the short distance back to our hotel. Prior to dinner, we will come together to review our program and share highlights.

Back at the hotel, we will have our farewell dinner tonight. We will have "Farewell to Australia" wine with dinner.

At leisure. Prepare for hotel check out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

Free Time. Take this opportunity to see and do more of what interests you most, whether exploring Cairns or final packing. We come together at the hotel and transfer to the airport for our flight to Sydney.

At own arrangements, although we will be offered a light meal on board our flight.

We fly to Sydney this afternoon. Upon our arrival in Sydney, we transfer by motorcoach to our Sydney airport hotel in the safe hands of our Group Leader.

At our hotel, we have pre-ordered, plated meals.

At leisure. Prepare for hotel check out and departure in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

We will check out of our hotel independently and make our own way across to the terminal to check in to our flights. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!