East Coast and Central Australia 16 Days

Full-Day Blue Mountains Tour

A guided day tour west of Sydney into the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains – over one million acres of rainforest, pristine bushland, and dramatic cliff faces. The day takes in multiple vantage points of the Three Sisters rock formation at Echo Point, sweeping views across the Jamison Valley, and a visit to Scenic World where clients can experience the Scenic Railway, Cableway, Skyway, and a 2.4-kilometre walkway through Jurassic-era rainforest.

The route passes through Katoomba and follows the Cliff Drive for views across Megalong Valley. There’s free time in the village of Leura to browse antique shops and galleries during a lunch break. The day finishes with a visit to Sydney Zoo, where native Australian animals – kangaroos, wallabies, emus, koalas, wombats, dingoes – roam in an open-range, cage-free environment. Aboriginal guides lead clients through the Bungarribee Dreaming Experience, covering traditional tools, artefacts, and bush tucker.

Trade tip: The Blue Mountains is one of the most requested day trips from Sydney for good reason. Scenic World rides are included in the tour, which is a genuine value add – clients would otherwise pay separately. The Aboriginal guide experience at Sydney Zoo tends to be a real standout for international visitors. It adds cultural depth that clients don’t always expect from a nature day trip.

Full-Day Sydney City Sights Tour with Lunch Cruise

An icon-packed day starting at 8:30am. Clients travel past historic landmarks including St. Mary’s Cathedral and Parliament House, then stop at Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair for the classic photo opportunity – Opera House and Harbour Bridge framed together in one shot. A mid-morning break at Bondi Beach gives time to walk along the sand and soak up the atmosphere.

The highlight for many is the Sydney Opera House behind-the-scenes tour, visiting areas off-limits to the general public. Lunch is a 2-course dining experience aboard a Top Deck harbour cruise, taking in the harbour from the water. Alternatively, clients who prefer to explore independently can spend free time at the waterfront cafes around Circular Quay.

The afternoon covers the Rocks District – a guided walking tour through cobbled laneways that trace the area’s transformation from a British colony of convicts and sailors into one of Sydney’s most vibrant entertainment precincts. The day continues to La Perouse, a heritage-listed headland suburb, and Botany Bay where Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet arrived on Australian shores.

Trade tip: The Opera House behind-the-scenes tour is a real selling point for this day. It’s the kind of access that makes clients feel they’ve experienced something beyond the standard tourist circuit. The harbour lunch cruise is included, which saves agents the trouble of sourcing it separately. For clients with a deeper interest in Australian history, the Rocks and La Perouse sections are genuinely informative.

Transfer to Gold Coast & Surfers Paradise

A morning coach transfer takes clients to Sydney Airport for their flight to the Gold Coast. On arrival, a transfer delivers them to the Novotel Surfers Paradise (or similar) for four nights. The hotel sits in the heart of Surfers Paradise with views across the Pacific Ocean, Cavill Mall, and the Gold Coast canals and hinterland. Beaches, restaurants, and nightlife are all on the doorstep.

The rest of the day is at leisure. For clients wanting activity straight away, we can arrange theme park visits, jet boat rides, hinterland tours, or a trip to the Tamborine Mountain rainforest.

Trade tip: The Gold Coast is where this itinerary shifts gear. After three days of structured touring in Sydney, clients get breathing room. The four-night stay gives agents plenty of flexibility to add experiences – theme parks for families, surf lessons for younger travellers, or a wine tasting in the hinterland for couples. We can quote any of these as add-ons.

Tangalooma Island Resort Day Trip

A coach transfer takes clients to Holt Street Wharf for a return ferry across Moreton Bay Marine Park to Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. This day can be scheduled on any of the free days during the Gold Coast stay.

The day includes return boat transfers from Brisbane, a lunch food voucher, full use of resort facilities including swimming pools, restaurants, and bar, an Eco Ranger pelican feeding show, and a complimentary tea, coffee, or soft drink on the morning ferry. It’s a relaxed tropical island experience – clients can swim, explore the island, or simply enjoy being somewhere that feels a world away from the city despite being so close.

Trade tip: Tangalooma is a useful point of difference for agents. Most clients know the Gold Coast for its beaches and theme parks, but a day trip to a sand island in Moreton Bay adds something unexpected to the itinerary. The ferry crossing itself is pleasant and the island has a genuinely laid-back feel. This day trip is flexible within the Gold Coast stay – schedule it around weather or client preference.

Free Days on the Gold Coast

Two days at leisure for clients to explore the Gold Coast at their own pace. There’s no shortage of options. Theme park day passes (Dreamworld, Movie World, Sea World, WhiteWater World), a day trip to Byron Bay, jet boat rides, whale watching (seasonal), or hinterland rainforest tours can all be arranged.

For clients happy to keep things simple, the beach is right there. Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach have excellent dining, and the Cavill Avenue precinct keeps things lively in the evenings.

Trade tip: These free days are where agents can really customise the Gold Coast experience. Families will want at least one theme park day. Couples might prefer a Springbrook National Park glow-worm tour or a hot air balloon flight over the hinterland. We can quote and book any of these as optional add-ons. Having two unstructured days also helps with overall itinerary pacing before the flight north to Cairns.

Transfer to Cairns

After check-out, a transfer takes clients to Gold Coast Airport for their flight to Cairns. On arrival, they’re transferred to the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort (or similar) for four nights. The resort is centrally located within easy reach of the Esplanade, Reef Casino, and a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and shops. Lush tropical gardens and a pool provide a relaxed base between tours.

Trade tip: The shift from the Gold Coast to Cairns is dramatic – clients go from surf beach culture to tropical rainforest and reef country. The Novotel’s central location means clients can walk to the Esplanade Lagoon and waterfront dining on their first evening. It’s a good idea to suggest they explore the Cairns Night Markets or grab dinner along the boardwalk.

Sunlover Cruises – Moore Reef Full-Day Experience

The day most clients are waiting for. A full-day cruise to Moore Reef on the outer Great Barrier Reef with Sunlover Cruises. The experience is based around a custom-designed floating pontoon with exclusive access for guests.

Included activities cover snorkelling in a natural lagoon, semi-submersible and glass-bottom boat tours, an underwater observatory, touch tank marine life presentations, and an enclosed ocean pool for younger children. There’s even a 30-metre spiralling waterslide into the tropical ocean. A trained lifeguard is on duty throughout, with easy water entry via two snorkel platforms accessible by stairs – making it suitable for all swimming abilities.

For clients wanting more, optional add-ons include guided snorkel tours, Seawalker helmet dives, introductory and certified SCUBA dives, and scenic helicopter flights over the reef.

Trade tip: Moore Reef is an outer reef location, which means better water clarity and more vibrant coral than inner reef options. The pontoon setup is well thought out – it genuinely caters to non-swimmers and confident snorkellers alike. For clients who are nervous about the ocean, the underwater observatory and glass-bottom boat mean they can still experience the reef without getting wet. The optional helicopter scenic flight is worth flagging to clients who have the budget for it – seeing the reef from the air is extraordinary.

Free Days in Tropical North Queensland

Two days at leisure in Cairns. The obvious options are a full-day Daintree Rainforest tour (the world’s oldest tropical rainforest, reaching right to the coast at Cape Tribulation) or a trip to Kuranda village via the Scenic Railway or Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Both are standout experiences.

Other possibilities include an Atherton Tablelands food trail, white-water rafting on the Barron or Tully rivers, a crocodile cruise on the Daintree River, or simply relaxing by the resort pool.

Trade tip: We’d strongly recommend agents discuss these days with clients in advance. The Daintree is one of Australia’s most remarkable natural environments and pairs brilliantly with the reef day – clients get both reef and rainforest, which is the classic Tropical North Queensland combination. The Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail can be done as a round trip (train one way, cable car the other), which is a satisfying half-day experience. We can quote all of these as add-ons.

Arrive Uluru & Sounds of Silence Dinner

A transfer takes clients to Cairns Airport for their flight to Uluru (Ayers Rock). On arrival, they’re transferred to the Desert Gardens Hotel (or similar) for three nights. This is the only hotel at Ayers Rock Resort with direct views of Uluru from its rooms – guests can watch the rock change colour from their window. The hotel sits within native gardens dotted with towering gum trees, and all of the resort’s facilities including restaurants, shops, the Red Ochre Spa, and the Town Square are within walking distance or accessible via free shuttle bus.

The evening is the Sounds of Silence dinner – entered into the Australian Tourism Hall of Fame. Approximately four hours, beginning one hour before sunset. Clients start with canapes and sparkling wine on a dune top overlooking Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. As the sun sets, a didgeridoo performance marks the transition to dinner. An interactive chef’s station serves a bush tucker-inspired menu with native Australian ingredients, accompanied by Australian wines and beer. After dinner, a resident star talker guides clients through the southern night sky – the Southern Cross, the Milky Way, the signs of the zodiac, and planets visible in the exceptional outback atmosphere.

Trade tip: Sounds of Silence is genuinely one of Australia’s most memorable dining experiences. It sells out well in advance, particularly during peak season, so early booking is essential. Note that children 9 years and under cannot attend. The experience is wheelchair friendly. For clients arriving during daylight, the resort’s free guided garden walks are a gentle way to ease into the Red Centre before the evening’s main event.

Uluru Sunrise Tour with Kata Tjuta & Walpa Gorge

An early start, and worth every minute of it. The morning begins at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku, the Uluru sunrise viewing area, with tea and coffee as the first rays of sun set the Red Centre alight. The colours that move across Uluru’s surface in those first minutes are unlike anything else.

From there, it’s a 45-kilometre drive to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), with the driver guide providing an historical overview of the national park along the way. Clients enjoy panoramic views of the southern side of Kata Tjuta before arriving at the base of Walpa Gorge. The walking trail follows the natural creek between two of the tallest domes, passing through rare plant species and lush evergreen scrubs. The scale of these rock formations is hard to convey in photographs – being at the base of them is something else entirely.

Trade tip: The sunrise at Uluru is one of those experiences that sounds like a tourist cliche until you actually see it. It really is that good. The Kata Tjuta and Walpa Gorge portion adds welcome depth – clients who’ve only seen photos of Uluru are often more impressed by Kata Tjuta in person. The walk is gentle and suitable for most fitness levels. Advise clients to bring layers as desert mornings can be surprisingly cold, even in warmer months.

Free Day at Uluru

A day at leisure at Ayers Rock Resort. Clients can explore the resort’s native gardens, visit the cultural centre within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, take a camel ride at sunrise or sunset, or book a helicopter scenic flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta. The Red Ochre Spa is another option for clients wanting a quieter day.

Trade tip: After two big Uluru experiences (Sounds of Silence and the sunrise tour), a free day is welcome. For clients who want one more structured activity, a guided base walk around Uluru is excellent – it takes about 3.5 hours and provides context about the rock’s significance to Anangu traditional owners. We can arrange any add-ons for this day.

Transfer to Sydney for Final Night

Clients are transferred to Uluru Airport for their flight to Sydney. On arrival, a transfer takes them to the Mercure Sydney (or similar) for one final night. Depending on arrival time, there may be opportunity for last-minute shopping at the QVB or Pitt Street Mall, a final walk around the harbour, or dinner in one of the city’s many restaurant precincts.

Trade tip: This final Sydney night is a practical inclusion for clients flying out internationally the next day. It avoids the stress of connecting from Uluru to an international departure on the same day. For clients with an evening to fill, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo both offer excellent waterfront dining.

Private Transfer to Sydney Airport

A transfer collects clients from their hotel and delivers them to Sydney Airport for their departure flight. That’s the itinerary wrapped up – 16 days covering four of Australia’s most iconic regions.

Trade tip: For agents looking to extend, this package connects naturally to additional Australian destinations. A few nights in Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road, a Tasmanian add-on, or even a New Zealand extension through our subsidiary New Zealand and Beyond Holidays are all straightforward to build on. This itinerary and other Australian touring products can also be quoted and booked via our FIT/HELiO booking platform.