Sunshine Coast Service & Adventure

Sunshine Coast Service & Adventure

Day 1 (Tuesday): Australia here we come!
You will depart Los Angeles for Brisbane in the evening on our escorted group flight. The flight will take about 14 hours – plenty of time to get to know the rest of your group before arriving DownUnder.

Day 2 (Wednesday): In Transit
Today is ‘lost’ as you cross the international dateline, but don’t worry too much… you will get it back on your way home!

Day 3 (Thursday): Welcome to Australia
Our Rustic Pathways Australian staff will be on hand to welcome you into Brisbane when you arrive. You will then transfer to our beautiful Glasshouse Mountains Base, which is nestled in the ‘bush’ and rainforest about an hour north of Brisbane and 40 minutes from the coast. Your staff will help you settle into the Aussie way of life, and after you get to know everyone, you’ll head out to explore the area in the afternoon.

Day 4 (Friday): Home of the Crocodile Hunter
You’ll spend the day exploring Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, which is just twenty minutes from our Base in the mountains. Australia Zoo offers the chance to see many of Australia’s native animals first hand, and you will spend the day petting kangaroos, watching the awesome croc show, checking out dingoes, making friends with koalas and more. Afterwards, head to the top of a nearby mountain for spectacular sunset views before returning home to The Base for dinner and stories with new friends around the campfire.

Day 5 (Saturday): Time to Check Out Local Beaches and Markets
This morning you will head off to Eumundi Market, one of Australia's leading tourist attractions. Held every Saturday morning of the year come rain, hail or shine, the market turns this otherwise sleepy hinterland town into a vibrant mecca for shoppers on the hunt for something different.
After a morning of bargain hunting, it will be time to grab your beach towel and bathing suit and head for one of Australia’s most famous stretches of sand, Noosa. Noosa National Park features spectacular coastal scenery and provides an important refuge for native wildlife, including the koala, glossy black cockatoo, and ground parrot. You’ll want to get your fill of sun and sand here because tomorrow you will be off to our farm camp for a taste of the Outback life!

Day 6 (Sunday): Life On The Farm
You will wake up this morning to laughing kookaburras and kangaroos grazing in the paddock, and then get ready for a day on the farm! You’ll be involved with a range of farm activities, including working with horses and helping rural farmers with their daily duties. In the afternoon, learn how to crack a stock whip, throw a boomerang, and feed the possum before a night of good food, an Outback cinema and a cozy night’s sleep in a ‘swag.’

Day 7 (Monday): Lend a Hand
After bidding a fond farewell to the farmers, you will join a local environmental organization for the day. Your service today will be determined by the community’s needs, but it is likely to involve tree planting or waterway restoration work. The dedicated work of local environmental organizations helps ensure that Australia’s incredible natural environment is treated with respect and care, and your efforts today will help keep Australia beautiful for generations to come. Tonight you will return to our Glasshouse Mountains Base in preparation for an action-packed day tomorrow.

Day 8 (Tuesday): Brisbane, Bridge Climb, and Help at the Hospital
Travel south this morning for a day in the city of Brisbane. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can climb up the Storey Bridge, one of only three bridge climbs in the world! After taking in magnificent views from the top and arriving safely back on the ground, you’ll catch the ferry on the river, stroll along the esplanade for lunch, and head across to the Children’s Hospital to volunteer in their childcare center. Throughout the week you will have spent time planning for this visit, and today you’ll run the activities you designed for the children here.

Day 9 (Wednesday): Service and Optional Activities
Today you’ll work with a local volunteer organization called Night Eyes. Dedicated to the environmental monitoring of an island and waterway, these volunteers work year round and truly appreciate Rustic’s ongoing support. Meet a couple of classic Aussie ‘blokes’ who will take you over to Bribie Island on their boat to help clean up the beach. After a ‘barbie’ for lunch, head off for some time to swim, tan, partake in an optional activity, or shop for souvenirs. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant and will be followed by your final night in the hinterland.

Day 10 (Thursday): Returning Home or Continuing Onto Your Next Adventure
Today will be full of fond farewells as you say goodbye to new friends and prepare for your next adventure. If you are returning home to the USA or traveling on to Fiji or New Zealand, your flight will depart Brisbane this morning. If you are continuing on to another Rustic Pathways adventure in Australia, you will connect with your new leaders this morning.  If you are traveling on to another Rustic Pathways destination, your staff will help you with your flight arrangements. Wherever you are headed, we wish you happy travels and hope you return to the Land DownUnder soon!

An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur.

Packing List – Sunshine Coast Service & Adventure

Please use the list below as a guideline of what to bring. If you are doing a combination of trips over two or three weeks, be sure to check the packing lists for all sections of your trip.

To Help You Come Prepared…
Trip Length: 8 days in Australia, 2 days in-flight
Weather: Generally blue sunny skies, some days overcast with chance of rain
Temperature: Approximately 65-75 degrees during day then cool at night (30-40 degrees)
Sleeping: Bunk beds at our Glasshouse Mountains Base + 2 nights in a swag at the bush camp
Washing: Self-serve laundry once during program

Carry-On
A small backpack is the best carry-on bag and will be useful throughout your program for day trips.

• Passport and wallet
• Photocopy of passport (2 additional photocopies should be carried in checked luggage)
• Sunglasses
• Journal and pens
• Book / magazine
• Reusable water bottle (eg: Nalgene bottle)
• Personal medications (Be sure to bring medications in your carry on in the event that your luggage gets delayed in transit!)
• Camera

Checked Luggage
A medium sized duffel bag, wheeled bag, or a large backpack will be suitable. Students must be able to carry and load their own luggage.

• Jeans (2)
• Sweat pants (2)
• Shorts (2)
• T-shirts (4)
• Hooded sweatshirt (1)
• Fleece jacket or warm jacket (2) (gets cold at night at bush camp)
• Underwear (7)
• Socks (4)
• Change of clothes + runners for bush camp & service (these will get wet/dirty!)
• Swim Suits (1)
• Lightweight rain coat (1)
• Sneakers (1)
• Flip-Flops (1)
• Cap or Sun Hat
• Flashlight/Head-lamp 
• Towels (1 bath, 1 beach)
• Sleeping bag
• Bed sheet (single size)
• Pillow case
• Basic toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner etc, small bottles only)
• Personal first aid kit
• Sun-screen/ lip balm (SPF 30+)
• Photocopies of passport (2)
• Travel adapter for Australia (see www.korjo.com)
• Books, music, iPod speakers, games, guitar, cards (optional)

Additional Notes
Please remember to bring some old clothes for the bush camp and environmental service work. These clothes will get wet and/or dirty. Please also bring a warm jacket as the bush camp gets cold at night.

FAQ’s - Sunshine Coast Service & Adventure

1 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
Students will stay at our Base House in the Glass House Mountains for 5 nights, and at a small farm house in the Outback for 2 nights. The Base House is situated on more than 50 acres of eucalyptus trees and overlooks stunning mountain peaks. Students will sleep 4-6 in a room on bunk beds, with males and females in separate rooms. Each room has an en-suite bathroom. There is a large kitchen here where most meals will be prepared. On their two-night excursion to the farm, students will sleep in ‘swags’ (traditional Australian camp beds) in huts. There are hot showers and flushing toilets at the farm.

2 - Will the students be drinking bottled water?  
Water is safe to drink from the tap throughout the regions where students will be travelling. Bottled water is not provided, although it is widely available throughout the country should students wish to purchase it on their own.

3 - What kind of food will we be eating?
Food in Australia is similar to American cuisine, including cereal, sandwiches, pasta and pizza.  There are lots of foods in Australia that you don’t get in America, so you’ll be able to try these as well! Students will eat primarily at the Base House where they will assist in preparing meals, but some meals will be at local restaurants and cafes. Vegetarians and other dietary restrictions can easily be accommodated.

4 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
Participants are generally 60% female and 40% male.

5 – Isn’t it winter in Australia? Won’t it be cold and raining?
It is Australia’s winter time, but the weather is generally warm in this part of the country. June/July/August in Queensland is the drier time of year, and normally the days have clear blue skies and sunshine. Temperatures will range from 65 – 75 degrees through the day, but it does get quite cool at night.

6 - How does this program connect to other programs?
This program connects easily with other programs in Australia, Fiji and New Zealand, as well as those in Asia. Connections to all Australia programs are made in Brisbane and all flights to the USA, Fiji and New Zealand depart from Brisbane Airport.

Students connecting to programs in Asia must do their Australia program first. Students will then typically fly from Brisbane to Sydney for connecting flights to Asia.

7 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
Yes, US citizens are required to apply for a tourist visa to Australia. Students are responsible for arranging their own visas. Visas can be obtained through a simple online application at http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/. Residents of other countries may need to take additional steps and can find more information at http://www.immi.gov.au/.

8 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
All Rustic Pathways students are required to have an up-to-date tetanus shot. We suggest Hepatitis A and B and Typhoid vaccinations and recommend that you consult a doctor regarding immunizations for travel to the region. You can find additional information on immunizations for travel from the US Center for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov.

9 - What costs are not included on this trip?
Optional activities, snacks and souvenirs are not included in the program cost. Optional activities available on this program may include: sky diving (approx. $300-500), go-karting ($25-$50), rockclimbing/abseiling ($90).