Remote Air Tour to South Australia

DAY 1 Departure /Coober Pedy
Today we depart Adelaide on our flights to Coober Pedy. Please be ready to depart from Adelaide at 9.30 am. On arrival, we will be met by our private coach to have a tour of this picturesque desert mining settlement, known as the opal capital of the world. We are then transferred to our unique underground hotel for check in. In the evening, we will enjoy a welcome dinner.

DAY 2 Coober Pedy
Today we will enjoy a visit to the historic Old Timers Mine, which was hand-dug in 1916. It features a walk-through tour of display galleries and two unique underground homes. Tour members have a chance to fossick for opals in noodling pits. We continue with a visit to Umoona Mine & Museum which contains an underground house, panoramic theatre and historic displays, opal retailing shop and showroom plus Aboriginal arts and crafts. We will have time to purchase opals and other souvenirs. We visit Coober Pedy’s Big Winch 360 cinematic experience. We continue with a visit to the world-class, Coober Pedy’s Big Winch 360 Circlevision immersive cinematic experience. Our last visit today will be to the gorgeous underground Catacomb Church.

DAY 3 Coober Pedy
Today we enjoy a tour to the Painted Desert, an ancient Inland Sea bed, where the hills are the result of rain, weather and erosion. The slopes and shapes include many different colours and shades of orange, brown, red, yellow and white, and it is the coloured shale on the faces of the hills from which the name “Painted Desert” came.

DAY 4 Ceduna
This morning, we depart Coober Pedy by plane and fly to the town of Ceduna on the coast of the Great Australian Bight. On arrival we have a tour of the town. We see Ceduna’s town centre, Poynton Street which is jam packed with shops including café’s, restaurants and galleries. We visit The Ceduna School House Museum where you can immerse yourself in the regions pioneering and agricultural history. We continue with a visit to the Ceduna Arts & Culture Centre, where we can enjoy the breathtaking artwork and handicrafts from over 140 Indigenous artists local to the region. In the afternoon we drive to Denial Bay where we will see McKenzie’s Landing. The jetty offers fantastic fishing, group members may get the chance to view the fur seals and their pups while they use the jetty as a bed and breakfast on their way back to their colony. We visit McKenzie’s Ruins. McKenzie was the first settler in the area in 1889 and his original homestead and settlement is available to explore. After we check in you might like to try the Oyster Barn for dinner. Voted South Australia’s 3rd best fish and chips in 2021, select from a variety of fresh seafood, sushi and the weekly special ranging from Thai Curry to Mexican.

DAY 5 Ceduna
Today we travel east to Smoky Bay. We will stop at Laura Bay Conservation Park to see the original vegetation which once covered South Australia’s western coastline. We may be lucky to see ospreys and other coastal raptors fishing along the shallow waters offshore. Smoky Bay, home to the regions thriving seafood industry and aquaculture park is home to 20 local growers. We take a tour and enjoy first-hand the life of an oyster grower as we head out over the crystal-clear waters to a purpose-built platform overlooking the S.A. Premium oyster lease. We will enjoy an included lunch, sampling the freshest oysters directly plucked from the water and listen to local tales before heading back to the mainland. On return to Ceduna group members will have the opportunity to take a leisurely stroll as the sun sets following the Encounter Trail, a four km coastal track winding from the Ceduna Jetty to the Thevenard Port viewing platform at Pinky Point. The trail depicts the journey of Matthew Flinders and the first settlement to more modern times.

DAY 6 Ceduna
Today we travel West to the Nullarbor, which is an entirely different experience of the desert. We first visit the Murrawijinie Cave. The furthest of the caves contains indigenous ochre hand stencils, which are located just inside the cave’s entrance (bring a torch!). We stop at the Head of Bight Visitor Centre where we will see spectacular views of the Bunda Cliffs. We will have time for lunch and to view the Southern Right Whale during their migration. Fowlers Bay is now teeming with marine life including the Southern Right Whale. We will enjoy a late afternoon whale watching tour. The town has the remnants of the old whaling station with whale bones on display. On the last leg home, we visit the Penong Windmill Museum, where we will be able to get an epic holiday shot with Australia’s largest windmill.

DAY 7 Port Lincoln
This morning, we depart Ceduna by plane to fly over the spectacular coastline to Port Lincoln on the Great Australian Bight. We explore the coast of the region and first visit to Whalers Way – a private sanctuary known for its rugged cliffs, secluded beaches, and stunning views. The land on the tip of the Southern Eyre Peninsula offers some of the most spectacular, accessible and dramatic coastal views in the state. A wonderland of cliffs, blowholes, crevasses, caves and golden beaches, this spot is not to be missed! We continue to Lincoln National Park. We have option to hike to Stamford Hill for panoramic views of the Spencer Gulf or relax on the sand at September Beach. We return to Port Lincoln and our hotel.

DAY 8 Port Lincoln
Today we visit Coffin Bay only 30 minutes’ drive from Port Lincoln. Coffin Bay is renowned for its crystal-clear waters, marine wildlife, and world-famous oysters! We continue with a cruise of Coffin Bay. We get up close and personal with the local dolphins as we sail out into the most scenic part of Coffin Bay for a once in a lifetime experience with the resident Burrunan Dolphins. We visit Coffin Bay National Park for a relaxed afternoon on one of the many serene beaches. We then have a tour with of a Coffin Bay Oyster Farm. We wade out into the crystal-clear waters to learn about the art of shucking oysters, and of course indulge in as many oysters as your heart desires!

DAY 9 Port Lincoln
This morning, we visit Winter Hill for a photo opportunity with some of the best views you can get of Port Lincoln. This lookout provides stunning views of the Port Lincoln township and Boston Bay. There will be time to stroll around the town centre exploring shops and galleries, picking up some local souvenirs to take a little piece of Port Lincoln home with you. Be sure to visit The Bay Room for beautiful homewares and gorgeous fashions, and EP Surf to get kitted out in some seriously cool local surf wear! We visit Jump Ship Brewing. This local establishment is a family-owned business committed to brewing quality craft beers with a nod to their family history and the pristine environment of the Eyre Peninsula.

DAY 10 Kangaroo Island
Today, we fly to Kangaroo Island. Kangaroo Island is a South Australian icon and one of the world’s finest nature destinations, with breathtaking landscapes, fascinating wildlife and a renowned food and wine industry. Upon arrival we will have a gourmet tour of the island visiting some of the wine, cheese and gourmet food producers that Kangaroo Island is famous for. We then check into our hotel in Kingscote.

DAY 11 Kangaroo Island
This morning, we visit the westernmost part of the Island, Flinders Chase National Park, one of Australia’s largest and earliest conservation parks. We travel through the park and enjoy breathtaking views of its unique trees, plants and coastal scenery. We will see the rock formations known as The Remarkables and Admirals Arch as we continue around the rugged southern coastline. In the afternoon we continue to the southern coast of the island, where we will have a tour of Seal Bay, viewing the sea lion colony and learning about their habitats before returning to Kingscote early evening.

DAY 12 Victor Harbor
This morning we depart Kangaroo Island and travel by Ferry to the mainland. We then travel to Victor Harbor. There will be free time for lunch. In the afternoon we visit the South Australia Whale Centre located in a former railway building. The centre offers an incredible interactive journey through 3 floors of whaling history where you will discover new information at every turn.

DAY 13 Victor Harbor
In the morning, we take the historic Horse Drawn Tram across the Heritage listed Causeway to Granite Island. The Tramway commenced operation in 1894 and is one of two remaining in the world that operate a daily service. We will have time to explore Granite Island known for its marine life and unusual granite formations. We then take a boat trip to see whales in season, seals, sea lions and dolphins at Seal Island and Wright Island.

DAY 14 Victor Harbor
This morning we travel on the Cockle Train to the nearby town Goolwa which is sited at the mouth of the Murray River by Heritage 400 class Redhen Railcar. We continue with a visit to the Murray Riverboat Centre that houses a museum showing riverboats that used to ply the Murray. We take a cruise on the historic paddle steamer the Oscar W up the Murray River.

DAY 15 Adelaide
This morning, we travel to the quaint town of Hahndorf – “Australia’s Oldest German Town”, settled in 1839 by Lutherans fleeing religious persecution in Prussia. Hahndorf was named after the ship’s captain Hahn, whilst dorf is German for village. We continue to Carrick Hill a house built 62 years ago, before a guided tour of the 400 years old interior, which was shipped from England. The house contains some wonderful antiques. The garden has a large collection of roses including important collections of old fashioned and Australian roses. We then check into our hotel in Adelaide. This evening, we will enjoy a farewell dinner to say goodbye to tour members.

DAY 16 Departure
This morning you will be transferred to Adelaide airport. Please arrange flights, which depart after 12.00 noon. The tour concludes.