Itinerary
Awesome Aussie Service and Adventure
Summer 2009
Day 1 (Monday): Australia here we come!
Your group will depart Los Angeles for Brisbane in the evening on our group flight. The flight will take about 12 hours, plenty of time to get to know the rest of your group before arriving Down Under.
Day 2 (Tuesday): 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 (Wednesday): Welcome to Australia
Arrive into Brisbane today where you will be welcomed by Rustic Pathways on-ground Australian staff. You will then transfer to our Australian base in the beautiful Glass House Mountains, located about 1 hour north of Brisbane and 40 minutes from the coast. Your staff will help you settle into the Aussie way of life with a typical Aussie Barbie and campfire.
Day 4 (Thursday): Home of the Crocodile Hunter
Spend the day exploring Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, which is just twenty minutes from our Base House in the mountains. Australia Zoo offers the chance to see first-hand many of Australia’s native animals and you will spend the day petting kangaroos, watching the awesome croc show, checking out the dingos, koalas and more. Then it's home to the Base for dinner and to share stories with new friends around the campfire.
Day 5 (Friday): Service and Sun
Today it’s time to role up your sleeves and pitch in on a local service project. The project often varies week to week and could include working with the local Meals on Wheels delivering meals to the homebound and elderly or helping with a local beach clean-up.
Day 6 (Saturday): Time to Check Out Local Beaches and Markets
This morning we head off to Eumundi Market which is one of Australia's leading tourist attractions and is held every Saturday of the year come rain, hail or shine. This otherwise sleepy hinterland town springs to life in the early hours of the morning, transforming into a vibrant mecca for shoppers looking for something different. After a morning of shopping it’s time to hit the beach at one of Australia’s most famous beaches, Noosa. Noosa National Park features spectacular coastal scenery and provides an important refuge for native wildlife including the koala, glossy black cockatoo, ground parrot and wallum froglet.
Day 7-9 (Sunday-Tuesday): The Aussie Outback
Time for a taste of Aussie Outback and to lend a hand to local farmers and ranchers. You will spend the next two nights Outback at a small farm. Get a chance to try your hand at ranching, farming and more while you help to support a way of life that takes great dedication and hard work to survive. You will return to the Glasshouse Mountains Base on Tuesday for your final night in the Hinterland.
Day 10 (Wednesday): Life on the Coast
Some students who are just here for 1 week will depart Australia today, and some new students will arrive. You will have the option of coming to the airport, or depending on staffing, spend the day exploring the coast and mountains!
Day 11 (Thursday): Morning Surf and Afternoon Service
You’ll get up early this morning and head out for a surf. Beginners and experienced surfers alike can take a lesson and take advantage of the guides know-how. This afternoon, work along side the water and land care group Night Eyes. Collecting rubbish from local foreshores and waterways and planting trees will be the prime function of today’s service work. We will also help out with sea grass and estuarine monitoring, an important part of tracking our water conditions.
Day 12 (Friday): Don’t Waste It
Today you head off to the local recycling facility and landfill. We will start off with a great lesson on recycling and then take a tour of the facility and the landfill. After that will start the service work at the Recycle Markets. The group will rescue items from the landfill that can be resold and resued. You will have fun sorting through this stuff and putting it on shelves to get it ready for the big Saturday Recycle Markets.
Day 13 (Saturday): Beautiful Noosa
This morning you’ll drive north to check the waves at one of Australia’s most famous beaches, Noosa. Noosa National Park features spectacular coastal scenery and provides an important refuge for native wildlife including the koala, glossy black cockatoo, ground parrot and wallum froglet. Have a surf, take a hike through this incredible national park and then hit the great shops and bustling streets of the famous town of Noosa.
Day 14 (Sunday): Underwater World
Ready for more surfing? Today is another day. Take a lesson and get some great practice on one of the many great beaches here. This afternoon you will visit the awesome aquariums at Underwater World and learn about the importance of conserving our precious oceans. Then, explore the beach town of Mooloolaba and enjoy some pickup soccer on the beach.
Day 15 (Monday): Surf, Surf, Surf and Service
In addition to time on the breaks today you will volunteer with one of many local organizations today. Join forces with local park ranges or community organizations to clean up beaches and manage erosion.
Day 16 (Tuesday): Optional Day
You will have the day to take advantage of the many other fantastic optional activities that the Sunshine Coast has to offer, which include tandem sky diving, kite surfing, go-karting, shopping……………. the list is almost endless.
Day 17 (Wednesday): Returning home or continuing onto your next adventure
If you are returning home to the USA or travelling 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 in Brisbane this morning. If you are travelling on to one of our other countries your Rustic Pathways staff will help you with your flight arrangements.
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. |
