GREAT RAIL JOURNEYS57OFF-TRAIN TOURINGOn both routes, the trains make stops to refueland take on provisions, presenting an idealopportunity to take one of the optional off-traintours which can be purchased on board.Ghan Gold Kangaroo Service travellers betweenAdelaide and Darwin enjoy a complimentaryhalf day tour at Alice Springs which includes avisit to the Desert Wildlife Park, home to afascinating array of Outback plants and wildlife.At Katherine, you can enjoy a boat cruiseshowcasing the breathtaking Katherine Gorge.Indian Pacific travellers can explore Broken Hill, abase for the famous Royal Flying Doctor serviceand one of Australia's richest mining regions.A brief stop to re-water at the tiny outpost ofCook in the barren Nullarbor Plain allows gueststo explore before a final stop at Kalgoorlie, withits heritage architecture, old pubs and the vast,floodlit 'superpit' renowned for being the richestsquare mile of gold-bearing earth in the world.classicrail journeysTHE GHANAfter exploring the delights of the Red Centre andthe magnificent Uluru, Kata Tjuta and theMacDonnall Ranges you board The Ghan onWednesday morning in Alice Springs and headsouth. Instead of heading directly to Adelaide youwill make a fascinating stop in the middle of theOutback in the opal mining town of Coober Pedy. Day 1:The train departs in the morning and youdisembark in the evening at Manguriwhere you will be met by the side of therailway track and driven to your hotel inCoober Pedy.Day 2:Spend the day exploring the fascinatingMoon Plains and Painted Desert as wellas the underground buildings of the town. Day 3:You have another day to explore thisquirky town. Day 4:The train will stop to collect you in theevening at Manguri and will then continueon overnight to Adelaide. Day 5:Arrive in to Adelaide.THE INDIAN PACIFICTake advantage of the 'flexifare' available on bothThe Indian Pacific and The Ghan and travel fromSydney to Adelaide, via historic Broken Hill. InAdelaide take a short flight to Kangaroo Island andenjoy the island's wildlife. You can then rejoin thetrain and continue to the Outback town of Kalgoorlieand on to Perth. Day 1:Depart Sydney on Wednesday afternoonon The Indian Pacific.Day 2:Arrive early in the morning at Broken Hillwhere you enjoy a tour learning of thetown's mining history as well as visitingthe Flying Doctor base.Day 3:You have a full day of wildlife viewingfrom a 4WD vehicle with aknowledgeable local guide.Day 4:Today you have another day of exploringbefore flying back to Adelaide.Day 5:Visit some of cosmopolitan Adelaide'sattractions before re-boarding the train.Day 6:Arrive in Kalgoorlie to see the floodlit'superpit' goldmine and the heritagearchitecture. The train departs later inthe evening.Day 7:Your train arrives in Perth in the morning.tailor-made travelAll our travel arrangements are on a private,individual basis to offer you complete freedom ofchoice. The itineraries and accommodation optionsthroughout the brochure are designed to give you aflavour of what is possible and can be tailor-made tosuit your preferences. Prices vary according toselected accommodation and season. Please callour Australia specialists on 01869 276 345 todiscuss your individual requirements.SERVICEThere are two classes of travel available on bothThe Indian Pacific and The Ghan. The premiumGold Kangaroo Service offers twin and singlesleeper cabins (with ensuite in twins), which arecomfortable lounges during the day and convertto bunk beds at night. All meals are included inthe restaurant car and there is also an exclusiveGold Kangaroo communal lounge car. RedKangaroo Service offers comfortable, reclining'Daynighter' seats and shared bathroom facilitiesat the end of each carriage. Travellers also haveaccess to the Red Kangaroo Lounge & Dinerwhere meals and drinks can be purchased.FLEXIBLE FARESNeither The Indian Pacific nor The Ghan need tobe booked in their entirety if shorter journeyssuit your travel plans and the 'Flexifare' allowstravellers to break their journey in order toexplore places in more depth. Indian Pacificpassengers can take a break of a few days atAdelaide and perhaps visit Kangaroo Island withits astounding wildlife. The Ghan passengerscan stop at Alice Springs for several days andexplore Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta and Uluru.Southbound passengers can take a novel visit tothe Opal Capital and troglodyte town of CooberPedy, disembarking in the evening at Manguri toa glass of bubbly by the trackside as the sunsets and then transferring to the Desert CavesHotel in the centre of town.Camel trainCave church, Coober PedyDesert peas

ADELAIDEEdged by the Mount Lofty ranges and the longwhite sands of the Gulf of St Vincent, the styleof the city, influenced by Australia's first freesettlers, is still very much in evidence as graciousstone buildings pepper the streets and you willnever stray far from open green parkland. Agreat charm, and indeed calm, infuses the cityand it can be easily explored on foot. Thecultural centre lies in a string of commandingpublic buildings that run between the grand, oldtree-lined North Terrace and the River Torrens,while the north of the city is a lattice of bluestone cottages and thriving al fresco restaurants.The gorgeous Adelaide Hills, draped in steepvineyards amidst acres of bushland and bustlingupcountry towns, are less than half an hour bycar from the city and offer a superb alternativeto a stay in the centre itself. Glenelg, reached bya vintage tramline, is a cheerful seaside resortwhere open-air cafés are set around a lovelyswimming beach and is the ideal place to whileaway time. The city prides itself on being theartistic capital of Australia, especially at the timeof the acclaimed Adelaide Festival, and theAustralian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery houses anextensive collection of artefacts and artworks.Adelaide Heritage CottagesThis selection of delightful character propertiesscattered around the charming streets of NorthAdelaide are all within walking distance of O'ConnellStreet with its diverse collection of restaurants. Thejewel in the crown of the group is the 'Bishop'sGarden', formerly the Bishop of Adelaide'sresidence. Just around the corner is Buxton Manor,a rambling mansion that houses four apartments ofwhich Musica Viva and the Garden Loft are ourfavourites. For something less conventional, stay inthe Old Fire Station, complete with 1930s fireengine, or the Friendly Meeting Chapel, bothsomewhat quirky, but no less comfortable.South Australia58The beaches and cliffs of SouthAustralia's southern coastline shelter agreen landscape that quickly fades intothe Outback at its most remote,peppered with quirky outposts ofwestern civilisation and suffused withthe myths and legends of AboriginalDreamtime. The state's original settlersestablished Adelaide as the world's firstplanned city and German Lutheransarrived ten years later to do the same tothe landscape, planting neat vineyardsin the Barossa Valley, but a wave ofItalian immigration in the 1950sbrought expresso and a certain Latinflair. Whether in its capital, Adelaide,its small rural market towns or remoteopal mining and farming communities,character shines through the dramaticlandscapes that fade towards the aridexpanse of the Nullarbor Plain and theRed Centre. Wildlife viewing here issecond to none, with Kangaroo Islandand the rugged Gawler Ranges on themainland, and southern seas patrolledby whales, where swimming withsealions is a once-in-a-lifetime highlight,little wonder they call South Australiathe country's best kept secret.Buxton Manor, Adelaide Heritage Cottages