AUDLEY IN AUSTRALIA7THE TOP END,NORTHERN TERRITORYAustralia's Top End plays host to some of itsmost intriguing wildlife and Aboriginal heritage.Darwin is a vibrant, hot city with an undeniabledynamism whose surrounding countryside ofmonsoon rainforest, Outback escarpments andremote billabongs shelter an array of wildlifefrom crocodiles and kangaroos to sea eaglesand Jesus birds. Though you can glimpse thenatural world through daytrips we believe ittakes longer to explore the vast wilderness: wereach often overlooked areas including Kakadu,Lichfield National Park, the Tiwi Islands, ArnhemLand and the Coburg Peninsula with its SevenSpirit Bay. We offer small-group tours thatsensitively visit Aboriginal communities andexperience Outback farming life with visits toremote stations. The extreme seasons of the TopEnd may affect your travel plans, the best timeto visit is the dry season, from April to October.After this the weather gets very hot and humiduntil the 'wet', from November to March,washes out roads and turns plains into swamps.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.THE RED CENTRE,NORTHERN TERRITORY Marooned amongst the Red Centre's vastscrubland lies Uluru/Ayers Rock and KataTjuta/The Olgas, two of Australia's awesomeicons whose colours change with the shiftingdesert light. The nearby desert outpost of AliceSprings is an important stop for the GhanRailway on its journey across the continent, acentre for the Flying Doctor Service and a vitalsupply point for the scattered residents who callthis unforgiving region home. To ensure you getthe most out of Uluru and Kata Tjuta we useAboriginal guides to explain the landscape'sspiritual significance, and further the experienceby meeting the Aboriginal community of GunyaTitjikala, south of Alice Springs, taking theLarapinta Trail, exploring the East and WestMcDonnell ranges and experiencing theOutback at its best at Ooraminna Homestead onDeep Well Station. The best time to visit is fromJuly to September, with warm days, cool nightsand fewest flies.AUSTRALIAUNCOVEREDA first time trip to Australia would not be completewithout visiting, 'Sydney, Rock and Reef'. Let us takeyou there, but include Outback life and Aboriginalexperiences and the stunning scenery of the TopEnd. Get the most out of your stay with a judiciousmix of self-driving and small group guided touring.Day 1:Arrive in Sydney, head for Circular Quayand enjoy a sail around the harbour. Day 2:Discover the history of Sydney through awalking tour of the historical Rocks. Day 3:Spend the day at leisure; perhaps take asea plane flight over the city. Day 4:Drive to the Hunter Valley and drop inon one or two of the local wineries. Day 5:Rise early and take a hot air balloon flightbefore enjoying a relaxing long lunch.Day 6:Take a drive to the Blue Mountains. Day 7:Spend the day walking through theJamison Valley. Day 8:Return to Sydney, fly to Cairns and drivethe short distance to Palm Cove. Day 9:Spend the day soaking up Palm Cove'svillage atmosphere. Day 10:Discover the underwater world of theGreat Barrier Reef. Day 11:Drive to the rainforest area of theAtherton Tablelands. Day 12:Explore this region's famed waterfalls. Day 13:Fly to Alice Springs. Day 14:Join a specialist small group tour of theRed Centre and drive to Kings Canyon. Day 15:Walk around the base of Uluru andwitness the spectacular sunset. Day 16:Take a walking tour through the domesof Kata Tjuta.Day 17:Return to Alice Springs. Day 18:Take the late afternoon train to Darwin. Day 19:Stop at Katherine and enjoy a short tourof Katherine Gorge. Continue to Darwin. Day 20:Spend the day at leisure in Darwin. Day 21:Explore Litchfield National Park. Day 22:Join a small group tour of Kakadu andArhem Land to discover rock art sitesaccompanied by an Aboriginal guide. Day 23: Head further in to Arhem Land and meetwith local Aboriginal communities. Day 24:Return to Darwin later in the day. Day 25:Leave Darwin.EXTENSIONSUnwind on a Great Barrier Reef island or spendtime soaking up the atmosphere on a sprawlingOutback station, or for those with an adventurousstreak, drive along the Gibb River Road to Broome.QueenslandGarma festival, Arnhem Land

The Block Arcade, Melbourne8VICTORIATemperate Victoria presents an endless varietywith 'four seasons in one day' blowing in fromthe Southern Ocean. Melbourne is relaxed andcivilised, with excellent restaurants, galleries anda cultural vibe. Drive out to discover excellentwildlife, with fairy penguins along the coast andan array of native wildflower species burstinginto life each spring amongst the caves and rockart sites of the Grampians; this route can alsotake in the Yarra Valley vineyards, a selection ofspas in Daylesford and the arts scene of theMornington Peninsula. Alternatively, head westalong the Great Ocean Road, tracking thedramatic coastline towards Adelaide. Thoughmost people rush along this route, it is worthtaking longer to explore the historic towns andnational parks along the way. Walhalla, Wilson'sPromontory and Lakes Entrance are among thestate's more secret highlights. Less humid thanthe other states, Victoria is hot and dry in thesummer, fresh and beautiful in spring andautumn, and damp in winter.SOUTH AUSTRALIA Driest of all Australia's states, South Australiahas an easy-going capital city, temperatenational parks, dramatic deserts and quirky,remote communities. Adelaide is a friendly,bookish place ideally explored on foot, nearbyKangaroo Island is one of the country's mostsignificant wildlife reserves, while the coast isdotted with national parks including Coorong'smagnificent waterbird haven, the orchids, ferns,bandicoots and whales of the FleurieuPeninsula, and the sealions, koalas, echidnasand platypus of Baird Bay. Head inland and -unless you get no further than the Barossa orClare Valley wineries - the landscape dries intothe little-visited but spectacular Gawler andFlinders ranges, the strange opal-mining townof Coober Pedy and vast Outback stations. Thesummer from November to March is the besttime to visit the coast, though the Outback willbe hot and fly-blown, while cool winter monthscan see rain along the coast but a morecomfortable and relaxed Outback.The Remarkable Rocks, Kangaroo Island