Gulf Country - Darwin to Townsville 2025
Traverse your way from coastline to country as we travel along picturesque stretches of road, visiting unique landmarks relating to Australia’s pioneering past and up to the Gulf of Carpentaria travelling between Mount Isa, Karumba and Cobbold Gorge
14 Day Tour
Saturday 24 May - Friday 6 June 2025
Tour Cost (GST inclusive):
$8,750 per person twin share
$1,695 single supplement
Inclusions
- Luxury Coach Travel in our Business Class Coach
- Economy flights from Brisbane to Darwin and Townsville to Brisbane
- Visit the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
- Entry to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory – MAGNT
- Visit to the Adelaide River War Cemetery
- Entry to Leliyn / Edith Falls
- Visit to Mataranka Mineral Springs
- Lunch at the Daly Waters Pub
- Entry and tour at the Mount Isa Underground Hospital & Museum
- Mine Tour, Riversleigh Guided Tour, entry to Isa Experience History Museum at Outback at Isa
- Dinner at the Sunset Tavern, Karumba
- Tour at the Barramundi Discovery Centre, Karumba
- Sunset tour with Croc & Crab Tours, Karumba
- Visit to True Blue Visitor Information Centre, Croydon
- Forsayth by Night tour
- Gorge tour Cobbold Gorge
- Guided tour of the Venus Gold Battery and Charters Towers
- Safari and Chuck Wagon Smoko at Texas Longhorn Tours
- 13 nights motel accommodation
- 13 cooked breakfasts, 13 two course dinners, 11 lunches
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: (D)
Brisbane to Darwin
Sat 24 May 25
Welcome to our tour travelling from Darwin to Brisbane, taking in the Gulf Country and outback towns of Mount Isa and Charters Towers on our epic adventure. Today we arrive in Darwin by flight, where our coach and driver will be eagerly awaiting our arrival. We check into our hotel where we meet our fellow travellers for our welcome dinner.
Day 2: (BD)
Darwin
Sun 25 May 25
Following breakfast, we look through the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens before arriving at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT). Set in a tropical garden at Bullocky Point, the MAGNT has a variety of collections that highlight the region’s art, culture and history. One of the more powerful exhibitions tells the story of Cyclone Tracey and how it changed, not just the urban landscape, but the lives of Darwin residents. We enjoy the time at leisure this afternoon..
Day 3: (BLD)
Darwin to Mataranka
Mon 26 May 25
We farewell Darwin this morning and head south to Adelaide River where we visit the Adelaide River War Cemetery, the site of the only Australian war cemetery on Australian soil. Buried in the cemetery are 434 servicemen and 63 civilians, all of whom died as a result of the Japanese bombing raids. Next, we travel to Pine Creek where we stop for lunch. Travelling further south we come to Leliyn (Edith Falls). Situated on the Edith River, a series of cascading waterfalls fall into a pool, naturally fringed by paperbark and pandanus. It’s a great place to dip your toes in the water and soak up the surrounds. Our final stop is Mataranka.
Day 4: (BLD)
Mataranka to Daly Waters
Tue 27 May 25
This morning, we have time for a swim the in the famous hot mineral springs of Mataranka before departing a little later this morning. One of the most iconic pubs in the Northern Territory is the Daly Waters Hotel – and that is where we are headed today. We enjoy a late lunch on arrival before having time to relax at our accommodation. Soak up the pub’s congenial atmosphere as you relax with a cool drink at the bar (own expense). Crammed with decades of quirky memorabilia, you can learn about the pub’s colourful history and fascinating beginnings just by staying here.
Day 5: (BLD)
Daly Waters to Barkly
Wed 28 May 25
We have a travel day ahead so sit back, relax and enjoy the open road. We stop at the remote roadhouse, Barkly Homestead for our overnight stay. Located halfway between Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory and Camooweal in Queensland, Barkly is known as the first and only stop for travellers crossing the border
Day 6: (BLD)
Barkly to Mount Isa
Thu 29 May 25
We cross the border into Queensland travelling through Camooweal to Mount Isa. Nestled among the ochre-red Selwyn Ranges and on the banks of the Leichhardt River, Mount Isa is a melting pot of culture and industry. We visit the Mount Isa Underground Hospital and Museum where we uncover the story behind Australia’s first and only underground hospital. Learn of the extraordinary efforts made by local miners who volunteered their time during construction and browse the collection of medical equipment gathered by former hospital matron, Beth Anderson. After learning about the interesting history of this hospital, we travel to our motel where we enjoy dinner at the onsite restaurant.
Day 7: (BLD)
Mount Isa
Fri 30 May 25
Today we find out more about the town at the Outback at Isa Complex by heading underground on the Hard Times Mine Tour. With our miner’s cap on and our lamps lit bright, we let our guide lead the way as we descend into the tunnels via the Alamac Cage. While underground our host will offer a real insight into the life of a miner along with an entertaining story or two. Back on topsoil, we experience a ‘one stop shop’. Here we can choose from a diverse range of activities from the fascinating Laboratory Tours at the Riversleigh Fossil Centre to the inspiring gallery inside the Isa Experience. After a day of unveiling Mount Isa’s secrets, we return to the hotel and freshen up for dinner.
Day 8: (BLD)
Mount Isa
Sat 31 May 25
We are back on the open road this morning as we travel to Karumba – where the outback meets the sea. We stop for lunch before making our way to the site of Burke and Wills last camp before they made their ill-fated journey home. Arriving in Karumba, we check in to our motel before enjoying the sunset with dinner at the Sunset Tavern.
Day 9: (BLD)
Karumba
Sun 1 June 25
This morning, we visit the Barramundi Discovery Centre, the only hatchery in the world to breed the Southern Gulf strain of this iconic fish. Here we’ll meet our guide who will unveil the life cycle of the Barramundi. The interactive and state of the art interpretive centre provides the history, stories, lifecycle and habits of these sought after fish. We enjoy lunch at Ash’s @ The Point Café before some time at leisure. Late afternoon we board Croc & Crab Tours for a special sunset cruise. Watch the sky turn into pops of bright colours upon the reflective waters of the beautiful Gulf of Carpentaria, while sipping on a cold beverage and enjoying some nibbles. Sunsets are renowned in this area and tonight we see why.
Day 10: (BLD)
Karumba to Forsayth
Mon 2 June 25
Today we travel through Normanton and Croydon where we stop to enjoy lunch. While here you might like to explore the Heritage Precinct which is a living testament to a bygone era. Wander through streets adorned with original structures from the 19th century before lunch at the local hotel. From here we travel to Forsayth, our home for the next two nights. This evening after dinner we are in for a treat as we discover Forsayth by night with a local. The interactive tour provides entertaining insights into the history and characters from a bygone era through the best of bush story telling traditions.
Day 11: (BLD)
Cobbold Gorge
Tue 3 June 25
Today we immerse ourselves in the natural wonder of this truly unique part of the outback and explore the remarkable Cobbold Gorge. Grasp the uniqueness of the narrow gorge with its majestic and sheer walls aboard a custom made, electric powered boat. Gliding along in almost eerie silence, you’ll find yourself keeping an eye out for the resident freshwater crocodiles. Our tour will also include the glass bridge, showcasing the narrow chasm, giving us a birdseye view deep into stunning Cobbold Gorge. This will be an unforgettable highlight of your trip! We return to the village for lunch before returning to Forsayth.
Day 12: (BLD)
Forsayth to Charters Towers
Wed 4 June 25
We have an early start as we travel through Conjuboy to Greenvale where we stop for lunch. Our afternoon’s drive takes us to Charters Towers, a scenic gold mining city with history and character. Here we visit the Venus Gold Battery, where our guide offers an insight into the amazing gold rush era! Through an audio-visual experience and guided tour, we’ll discover how gold was processed during the colourful goldrush. After a fantastic visit, we check in to our accommodation and freshen up prior to dinner.
Day 13: (BLD)
Charters Towers
Thu 5 June 25
Be ready with our cowboy hat and boots to visit the legendary Texas Longhorns! The Safari tour is the perfect way to see up close and learn the fascinating history of these historical and spectacular cattle. They are direct descendants of the millions of Texas Longhorns that walked in the great trail herds from Texas in the late 1800s. This special morning of discovery also includes a historic video presentation, entry to JR Gallery of Horns, a Chuck Wagon Smoko and delicious BBQ lunch. Heading back to the township, we meet a local guide and uncover the many significant sites and facts of the town. Afterwards, we return to our hotel to get ready for our farewell dinner.
Day 14: (B)
Charters Towers - Townsville - Brisbane
Fri 6 June 25
Our incredible tour has come to an end. This morning, we complete our checkout and travel to Townsville for our flight home. We arrive home later this afternoon from a fantastic tour of some of the most unique regions of Australia.