Gulf Savannah Wanderer

Your North Queensland tour begins on a high – quite literally – as you depart Cairns along the Kuranda Range road, weaving upwards into the rainforest-shrouded Atherton Tablelands. Talking of stepping back in time, Historic Village Herberton is a recreated tin mining town replete with shops, a pub, grocer, school and garage. There are more than 50 restored period buildings making this outdoor museum, all decked out with antiques and memorabilia. And you can visit them at your leisure – be sure to order a coffee in the Bakerville Tearooms.

If you’re looking for a reason to get up early this morning, make it a journey toward Mount Surprise. All aboard the 1960s Savannahlander train as it tracks towards Einasleigh in the Wet Tropics area of the Kuranda Range. You linger here with sufficient time to enjoy a cold one at the pub or visit Copperfield Gorge – remnants of an ancient lava flow that spewed from a now extinct volcano thousands of years ago – before the ‘silver bullet’ chugs on toward Forsayth, continuing northwest toward the sleepy village of Georgetown.

The aquatic jewel of your Gulf Savannah tour, Croydon’s Lake Belmore is the region’s largest body of water, stocked with a mind-boggling variety of fish. Stretch your legs here before reaching Normanton, a delightfully quirky town with old-world charm to spare. Have your camera poised to snap shots of the legendary ‘Purple Pub’, historic Burns Philp General Store and a replica of Krys, the (late) 8.63-metre crocodile. More fish await at Karumba, at the mouth of the Norman River on the Gulf of Carpentaria. This pocket of tropical paradise is also a twitcher's delight, as you’ll discover on a fiery sunset cruise.

Spanning 310,000 square kilometres, the Gulf of Carpentaria is a rare modern example of a shallow sea on top of a continent – a feature much commoner at earlier times of the Earth’s geologic history. It’s a unique marine ecosystem that fosters all manner of fish, including barra, as you’ll learn at the Les Wilson Barramundi Discovery Centre & Hatchery. The interactive and interpretive centre provides the history, stories, lifecycle and habits of these fish, and is the only place in the world to breed and hatch them. Feeling thirsty? Let’s head to Point Sunset for happy hour. Cheeers!

The Far North Queensland touring outback is beautiful. But 160+ years ago it was also harsh. Explorers Burke and Wills came through this part of the world while surveying the gulf. Campsite 119 was their most northerly post during their 1861 expedition. They didn’t make it to Mutton Hole Wetlands Regional Park, but you will, with time for croc- and bird-watching in this part of the largest continuous wetland in northern Queensland.

When the journey matters just as much as the destination, jump aboard the historic Gulflander RM93 train at Normanton’s handsome Victorian-era railway station. Your adventure through the savannah landscape crosses the Norman River to Critters Camp and on to Black Bull Siding before arriving in the old gold mining town of Croydon. As locals like to say, the train “travels from nowhere to nowhere”. But it sure is fun. Call in again at Georgetown and Forsayth en route to Cobbold Gorge.

Cobbold Gorge is the place to visit to put life in perspective – in the best possible way. This ancient geological landform is distinguished by its narrow, striated sandstone formations and humbling 10-metre cliffs. Waterways carved the gorge some 10,000 years ago, channelling through 135-million-year-old sandstone. Cruising here, the only sounds you’ll hear are the wind, wildlife and quiet hum of your boat.

Sleep in – we’re in no rush today. Quick stop at Forsayth, then we are heading to Talaroo Hot Springs, one of the Outback’s most extraordinary geological wonders with the Aboriginal hospitality of the Ewamian people. After lunch, we are joining a guided tour to learn more about this magical place, followed by a dip in the hot springs. In the afternoon we leave this magical place and arrive at our accommodation at Undara.

After breakfast in the Australian bush, an experienced Savannah Guide will meet you for an informative tour of the world’s largest, longest and most accessible lava tube system. The Undara Lava Tubes were carved by the world’s longest lava flow from a single volcano. Huge caves have formed along the tubes, creating a surreal underground world. We continue on our scenic and leisurely drive over the Tropical Tablelands past the Wind Turbines at Ravenshoe, stopping off at the magnificent Curtain Fig Tree, before making our way back to Cairns, where you will be taken back to selected accommodation. It’s a hard act to follow, but the heritage Curtain Fig Tree in the Atherton region puts up a good fight. Time to say goodbye to the Savannah. Make no mistake – this siren is one that will continually call you back for yet another Cairns tour.