Flinders Island Highlights - 14-21 October 2019 (7 nights) - International Park Tours
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Flinders Island Highlights
14–21 October 2019 (7 nights)
Highlights
•• Explore the bays & high points of the largest island in the Furneaux group with
locals
•• Enjoy views of Flinders & surrounding islands off Tasmania’s north east coast
from Mt Strzelecki
•• Gentle coastal walks to bays, inlets & headlands with ever-changing vistas
•• Admire the orange hue of lichen-covered rocks & the intricate patterns of tidal
pools
•• Cruise in sheltered waters to the outer islands, bustling with shearwater rookeries
& other sea birds
Sixty kilometres off north-eastern Tasmania is a world of craggy mountains, quiet
inlets, lagoons and white sandy beaches. Spend a week with local people as we
explore the bays, headlands and high points of Flinders, the largest island in the
Furneaux group. On half day walks, we enjoy the peace of quiet bays, the orange
hue of lichen-covered rocks or the intricate patterns of tidal pools. For a bigger
picture, there is the option to hike to the summit of Mt Strzelecki, the highest point
on the island. On a clear day, the views are spectacular to the far north east coast
of Tasmania. A half-day coastal walk leads to the limestone formations and caves of
Settlement Point plus Wybalenna, the last settlement of Tasmanian Aborigines. The
nearby Furneaux museum documents the island’s history. There are also chances DETAILS
to see Cape Barren Geese, the second rarest in the world. A day cruise in sheltered
waters explores the outer islands, bustling with shearwater rookeries and other sea Price: Twinshare / person (ex Essendon)
birds. On the last day, enjoy the views from the craggy granite formations of Darling Advanced Early Bird: A$3,200 until
Range. 22/02/2019
Early Bird: A$3,400 until 14/06/2019
Regular: A$3,700
Single Supplement: A$750
Note: For single people who prefer
to share, we will try to find a suitable
roommate, but if this is not possible the
sole-use surcharge will apply.
Minimum Group size: 8 guests
Special Interest: Birding, Wildlife,
Botanical, History
Note: Can be joined with Great Ocean to
Grampians
For bookings call 1300 197 201 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 1
Flinders Island Highlights
14–21 October 2019 (7 nights)
WALK RATING FAQ’S
Easy to Moderate: 5-11km per walking day with optional challenging walk. How & when to book?
Age is not necessarily as important as your fitness and recent walking
experience, and anyone of reasonable fitness should be able to join
Our biggest message to you is BOOK EARLY!! Many tours
this tour. We reserve the right to be flexible with the itinerary to allow for book out very quickly so the moral of the story is the early
unforeseen circumstances including weather conditions and group fitness. bird catches the worm! To qualify for any of the early bird
prices, you simply need to send a completed booking form
INCLUSIONS and deposit of A$400 per person per tour, by the early
bird dates listed at the front of the tour itinerary. We offer
• 7 nights twin share accommodation - 2-3 bedroom cottage and unit A$500 discount per person if you book by the Advanced
accommodation with shared facilities Early Bird date and A$300 discount per person if you book
• Domestic flights from Melbourne (Essendon) to Flinders Island return by the Early Bird date. If your deposit arrives after any of
• Meals include - 6 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, and 7 Dinners the early bird dates, the tour balance will be at the regular
• All transfers as listed in itinerary price. To place your booking, simply visit www.parktours.
• National park, wildlife sanctuary and museum entry fees com.au to pay your deposit and book online, or complete a
• Days cruising on board charter boat
Tour Booking Form, and post / fax / email it to us with your
• Professional tour leader assisted when required by local tour guides
• Pre-departure material including background & personalised A-Z tour deposit. Once you have booked on a tour, we will stay in
information contact with regular mailings (see below).
What information and contact can I expect?
EXCLUSIONS When you send your initial deposit, we will contact you to
confirm your booking. Once the tour has been confirmed
• Airfares & taxes to / from start / end of tour to depart, a comprehensive information pack will be sent to
• Heavy or excess baggage you, including a Tour A-Z, suggested packing list, medical
• Travel insurance questionnaire, balance of payment invoice, and pre / post
• Personal expenses e.g. drinks (water, alcoholic, tea & coffee), laundry, accommodation options. We can assist you with flight
telephone, or optional tours / excursions arrangements but please don’t book flights until our office
contacts you to confirm that your tour has been confirmed
TOUR LEADER/GUIDES to depart. The final mailing is sent out approximately three
weeks before departure and includes final tour documents,
David Heap was brought up in the north of England address list for family and friends, meeting points, and any
where his first experience walking was with his school’s final travel information.
hiking club. From there, he spent much of his time in
the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District, North Wales, various What is the group size?
parts of Scotland and the South of England. He has We specialise in small group travel with an average group
spent time underground exploring the subterranean size of around 10-20 guests. Please see the front page for
wilderness in England, France and Tasmania. After details on the minimum group size for this particular tour. All
emigrating in 1988 he found many new caves within tours need a minimum number of passengers to operate at
the pristine rainforests of the West Coast and nurtured
the price listed in the itinerary. If the minimum number is not
a passion for Tasmania’s beauty, both above ground and underground.
In recent years David has returned to the UK to walk the Pembrokeshire reached, a tour may still operate with a surcharge.
Coast Walk, the Coast to Coast, the Cape Wrath Trail and parts of the How fit do I have to be?
Pennine Way. He has walked extensively throughout Tasmania and New When you are assessing your ability and agility to
Zealand, and has called Flinders Island home for the past 11 years. His
participate, age is not necessarily as important as your
interests include geology, flora and fauna of the areas visited and sharing
his passion for bushwalking. fitness and recent walking experience. Please read the tour
walk rating and the day by day walking descriptions in the
itinerary to determine if the tour is suitable for your fitness.
Click map to view If you have any queries, we are happy to put you in touch
in Google Maps with either the tour coordinator or tour leader to discuss
your fitness in more detail.
What gear and equipment do I need to take?
Because we focus on half and full day walks, returning to
our accommodation in the afternoon, you don’t need to
carry any more than a daypack with rain wear, sunscreen,
drinking water, camera and lunch. A few tours include an
overnight hike where you will need to carry personal gear
for the journey. We recommend hiking boots on most of our
tours as they offer good ankle support and grip. A detailed
packing list is included with your tour’s information pack.
For bookings call 1300 197 201 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 2
Flinders Island Highlights ITINERARY 14–21 October 2019 (7 nights) TOUR ITINERARY Day 1 – Mon 14 Oct | Whitemark Our flight to Flinders Island departs Essendon Airport, Victoria this afternoon. We will be met by our tour leaders on arrival at Whitemark Airport. After settling into the cottages we enjoy a welcome BBQ dinner. Meals: D Walks: None Day 2 – Tue 15 Oct | Settlement Point Today we spend walking around the coast of Settlement Point in two easy stages. This is an attractive area halfway up the west coast of Flinders Island with numerous bays, interesting limestone formations, caves, and views of mountain ranges and offshore islands. Plenty of history is on offer during our visit to Wybalenna, the settlement of the last of the Tasmanian Aborigines, and the Furneaux Museum, which tells the history of the islands. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 6.5km / 3-4 hr, easy / moderate, rock hopping and beach walks Day 3 – Wed 16 Oct | The Darling Range Today we walk through the heart of the Darling Range which forms a spine up the centre of the southern half of the island. Starting from Walkers Hill Lookout to traverse Mt Leventhorpe, we get up close to intricate and craggy granite formations and the views are fantastic. Our dinner this evening will be at the restaurant of the Resort of Healing Dreams. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 7km / 2-3hr, beach and wooded track Day 4 – Thu 17 Oct | Islands in the Sound We set off this morning on the charter boat ‘Strait Lady’ to visit some of the outer islands in the Furneaux group. Walking on these islands with their shearwater rookeries, sea birds and scenery, offers a completely different perspective. This day is in sheltered waters with much of the time spent ashore. We also visit the Farsund, a steel sailing ship run aground on the south-eastern end of Vansittart Island. Meals: B, L, D Walks: Short walks on the islands during our 5-6 hr cruise Day 5 – Fri 18 Oct | The Dock / Killiecrankie We drive towards the west coastal area of The Dock, so named for the natural rock formations. The walk down into this area affords dramatic views out to sea and spectacular rocky outcrops. We then follow the coast south, past a succession of bays and beaches around the headlands of Mt Killiecrankie. At Killiecrankie Bay, we search for the famous Killiecrankie Diamonds, which are actually white topaz. We continue walking to the fishing hamlet of Killiecrankie, with its fishing boats moored in the bay. We enjoy afternoon tea here, followed by a visit to Palana Beach and North East River estuary. For those who wish, the climb to the top of Mount Killiecrankie provides steep granite cliff faces and spectacular scenery. You are rewarded for your effort with breathtaking views. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 9km / 4-5hr, part track, rock hopping and beach walks For bookings call 1300 197 201 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 3
Flinders Island Highlights ITINERARY 14–21 October 2019 (7 nights) TOUR ITINERARY CONTINUED... Day 6 – Sat 19 Oct | East Coast After a relaxing morning, we travel eastward to Patriarch Inlet, which usually hosts a good variety of bird life. We walk the beach to Red Bluff hoping to see the Cape Barren geese – the second rarest goose species in the world with black feet, pink legs and yellow- green facial cere. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 7km / 2-3hr, beach and wooded track Day 7 – Sun 20 Oct | Mt Strzelecki The islands’ most imposing features are the granite mountains of Flinders and the Strzelecki Peaks. Today’s strenuous hike takes us along a well-marked track through wooded slopes and damp fern gullies, to the summit of Mt Strzelecki, named after the Polish explorer who climbed the peaks in 1842. The views are stunning and on a clear day we can see north east Tasmania. After our descent, we will have a picnic lunch by the crystal clear waters of Trousers Point, a beautiful granite headland. There is a short run of beaches here, well worth exploring before we return to our accommodation. There is also an optional 2.5km gentle walk above the rocks from Trousers Point Beach to Fotheringate Beach on the north side of the point. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 5-10km challenging walk / 3-5 hr on graded tracks and some optional creek scrambling Day 8 – Mon 21 Oct | Tour end The tour ends after an early breakfast this morning, with our transfer to Whitemark Airport for our morning return flight to Essendon. Meals: B Walks: None For bookings call 1300 197 201 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 4
REDISCOVER EXPERIENCE CONNECT
WHY TRAVEL WITH US?
InterNATIONAL PARKtours have been leading small group walking
holidays since 1975. Our like-minded guests bond easily and often
create reunions, celebrations and friendships, many of them life-
long. Our tours are active with regular half and full day walks. Aside
from walking, we also spend time meeting local people, tasting
regional food and immersing ourselves in the culture and history of
a destination. Our flexibility enables us to adapt to the likes, dislikes Responsible Travel
and agility of our travellers, and changing situations such as weather
For your protection, we are
and unforeseen circumstances. In most locations, we stay 2-3
allied members of the Australian
nights and sometimes longer. This allows us to slow down, unpack
Federation of Travel Agents.
our bags and enjoy the local atmosphere at different times of the
Your payments are kept in a
day. Accommodation is comfortable, unique plus locally owned and
trust account until required
operated where possible.
for payment of your tour. We are
Our guides are dedicated, informative people who share their passion accredited with ATAS, a national
and knowledge on local history, culture, wildlife & topography. accreditation scheme, endorsing
Our journeys are designed to safeguard the ecosystems; benefit travel agents who have met strict financial and
the communities we visit and contribute to the sustainability of customer service criteria. We also have advanced
destinations. Travel is a chance to change your perspective. Nature accreditation with Ecotourism Australia and are
always provides a new view if we take the time to look. members of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council
Serendipity of travel
Our guides will work 24/7 on your behalf to make sure
“IPT offers great value for money with their that we are doing all we can to ensure your enjoyment.
We have planned an intimate adventure, but adventure
programmes. There is minimum spending cannot be guaranteed. If indeed it could then it would
money needed once on tour and there are lose its appeal.
no hidden extras along the way.” Though we do the best we can to plan a smooth
journey, sometimes things change at short notice.
Judy & Peter Hughes
Some things may take longer than anticipated,
transport and accommodation arrangements may alter,
and you may experience occasional shortcomings and
“I know that you get the blue ribbon extras be frustrated by the ‘manana’ attitude; at other times
with IPT and I was in the mood to be you will be amazed by local efficiency. Tour itineraries
may need to be modified but this is done so with your
spoilt.” needs in mind and to provide the best tour experience.
Judy Potkonen So, be flexible, surprised and delighted with the
serendipity that comes from being open to the
unexpected. Your enjoyment of this journey is
Disclaimer of Liability ultimately up to you.
Although interNATIONAL PARKtours has prepared the Information contained in this itinerary with all due care
and updates the Information regularly, interNATIONAL PARKtours does not warrant or represent that the
Information is free from errors or omission. Whilst the Information is considered to be true and correct at the
date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the
Information. The Information may change without notice and interNATIONAL PARKtours is not in any way
liable for the accuracy of any information printed and stored or in any way interpreted and used by a user.
Itinerary Updated: October 26, 2018 12:11 PM
T 1300 197 201 | T +61 7 5533 3583 | F +61 7 5533 3683
28 Timbarra Drive Beechmont QLD 4211 Australia
info@parktours.com.au | www.parktours.com.au
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