5 Top Things To Do In The Queensland Savannah

EXPERIENCE IT ALL ON OUR QUEENSLAND SAVANNAH ADVENTURE NEXT JUNE-

The Gulflander-

Often affectionately described as ‘a train from nowhere to nowhere’, the heritage listed Normanton to Croydon line was never connected to the rest of the Queensland Rail Network. From lush wetlands and grasslands to barren Savannah terrain, the Gulflander traverses through countryside most people will never experience.

Also known as the ‘Tin Hare’, this iconic little train began as a regular once a week service in 1891 and has been operating on the same timetable almost continually ever since. Steam locomotives were used until 1922 when diesel railmotors were introduced. The present three-car railmotor set is a taste of nostalgia; one of the last great characters of the rail world.

Today the line exists as a tourist attraction, and is said to be more an adventure than a train ride. The crews are qualified guides and stop the train at points of interest. Overall, the Gulflander is the perfect way to discover an area steeped in pioneering history and heritage.

the-gulflander

Undara Lava Tubes-

The Undara Lava Tubes stand as silent sentinels to our pre-history; the oldest giant volcanic caverns in Australia and the longest on Earth. The tubes were created when the Undara Volcano erupted over 190, 000 years ago, expelling enough lava to fill Sydney harbour three times over.

Explore this natural geological wonder on a guided tour as you walk the path of the volcano. Vast underground tunnels paint a picture of this fascinating and henomenal natural occurrence, connecting you with the essence of this timeless land.

Karumba-

As the sun descends into the Gulf in a fiery ball of burnt amber, this town is a little piece of outback paradise. The rich marine wetlands wind their way inland some 30 kilometres from the Gulf of the Carpentaria coastline, where the sea sits as a radiant divide between the horizon and the shore. This is truly where the savannah outback meets the ocean.

Already well known as a recreational fishing and birdwatching hub, Karumba is the only town accessible by sealed road on the entire Gulf coast, and is a great place to kick back for a few days. Watch the sky and Arafura Sea turn to fire while relaxing on Sand Island with a dinner of Gulf Mudcrab, Banana Prawns, (a specialty fish dish), tropical fruit platters and ice cold beers.

Cobbold Gorge-

This Gorge was created by a series of intriguing geological processes. Sand and mud sediment was deposited on the (then) ocean floor, until it built up to be over 10 kilometres thick. Movement in the Earths crust caused the sedimentary rock to fracture, and wet seasons over thousands of years spilled torrents of water through the little fractures, forming deep ravines and permanent springs! Cobbold gorge is unique as it narrows to a tiny 2 metres in places, and is set amid rugged sandstone formations, with spectacular, 30 metre cliffs.

A guided tour presents you with an extraordinary insight to an ancient geological story, which continues to unfold each day.

Savannahlander-

Traversing the Tropics, Tablelands and Savannah Country from the coastal city of Cairns to the Outback terminus at Forsayth, this iconic train connects our ‘Queensland Savannah’ tour on a gentle 3- day journey. Winding its way through the lush tropics of the Kuranda range and out across the Savannah, the Savannahlander showcases the great diversity of Far North Queensland’s extraordinary countryside.

Long time train drivers and guides for the journey bring to life the history and culture of this region as the train rolls its way across the varied and dramatic landscape. The journey is peppered with many stops along the way, with opportunities to boil the Billy, grab a bite at a local pub, photograph the train crossing a bridge or river or pause for some wildlife spotting, all the while being entertained by regular stories and observations. The heritage railcar, affectionately known as the ‘Silver Bullet’ is an icon of Queensland country and city branch lines where they were the main-stay of light rail transport in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Usually the journey is undertaken in 2 days but on our Railway Adventures tour this June we will take a leisurely 3 days allowing more time to smell the roses along the way and explore the destinations on our overnight stops.

Our 2017 Queensland Savannah journey will be hosted by former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer AC, Scott McGregor and Chris Harding. For more information and to book on this unique tour call 1300 733 323, or

https://railwayadventures.travel/

Watch our video of our Outback Adventure, which includes Queensland Savannah-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMPlDlk1ZY0&list=PLskm0UICi2OeckYG8O9MlZpn1MOrTr9ku&index=2

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