Outback/Broken Hill Tours
Aus-Air takes you to the Outback & the River
Aus-Air presents an exhilarating and intriguing two-day flight to the Great Australian Outback and the famous port of Echuca-Moama on the Mighty Murray River.
- Fly from Melbourne to Broken Hill – once Australia’s premier mining city. Experience spectacular Aboriginal Art, sculpture, abundant wildlife and incredible sunsets in the arid Australian Outback
- Next day, fly to Echuca/Moama and re-visit the Golden Era of the Paddle steamers on the Mighty Murray. Savour the colourful history and environs including the magnificent Red Gum Forests – at Australia’s famous inland port.
Day One
Head for the Outback
Sit back and relax as a limousine picks you up from your hotel, and takes you for a scenic drive along Port Phillip Bay. You’ll fly out of Moorabbin Airport and arrive at Broken Hill Airport in south eastern NSW at the estimated time of 9.30 am.
Let the history of Broken Hill unfold before your eyes. The Broken Hill name lives on in international business – but it was here that the minerals were originally dug from the harsh rocky ground to establish BHP, the name synonymous with Australian mining success.
Broken Hill is a graphic testimony to the struggles of the early pioneers. Tower mullocks and head frames tell the story of the tough search for a treasure that filled the coffers of a young nation. And, after lying dormant for years, the mines are rumbling back into action, creating a new chapter in the city’s industrial history.
Add to this the spiritual element - dark red soil contrasting with the clear blue sky - and a horizon that glows red and orange at sunset. Long recognised by the Aborigines, the magical light and vibrant colours have similarly attracted film-makers and artists to capture the area’s special quality.
Highlights
The Flying Doctor
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) is probably the most famous Australian Outback initiative. Urgent medical support and evacuation is imperative in an area larger than Western Europe. Founded by Rev. Dr John Flynn in 1928 to provide a "mantle of safety," the RFDS now operates 23 bases and 46 aircraft on 24 hour stand-by. Tour the museum, visit the communications centre and observe the planes on which many Australians depend for their medical needs or, quite often, their life.
Day Dream Mine
Put on a miner’s light and get a sense of how tough life was for the workers of the late 19th century at the Day Dream Mine site. Established around 1882 before Broken Hill was established, it was worked hard for 15 years before being abandoned in 1897.
Train attack
As you journey away from the mine, view the old train carriage on the site of the first recorded incident of terrorism on Australian soil, directly attributed to World War 1. On New Year’s Day in 1915, only a few months after war had begun in Europe, two Turkish men opened fire on a picnic train, killing three people and badly injuring six others.
The ghost town
Situated approximately 28 kilometres from Broken Hill is the old mining town of Silverton, home to one of the best collections of memorabilia and yesteryear in Australia. Once an important “silver town”, now it’s a virtual ghost town, but a must visit with historic buildings including unique art galleries and the old Silverton Gaol.
Lunch with Mad Max
Enjoy a traditional Australian barbeque lunch at the famous Silverton Hotel, which has hosted many famous actors, including Mel Gibson, Bryan Brown and Helen Morse. They and many others were drawn here by the remarkable barren landscape to make acclaimed films including Mad Max 2, A Town Like Alice and Dirty Deeds.
See forever, hear nothing!
Before returning to Broken Hill, you’ll drive via the Mundi Mundi Plains for breathtaking views of the surrounding country. As you gaze from the top of the Mundi Mundi lookout, you’ll experience the uncanny silence of the Outback and the vastness of the flat lands which stretch out forever.
Bush Artist
Broken Hill’s visual opportunities have encouraged unique art movements including “Brushmen of the Bush” and “Artback Artists”. Born in 1947 in Broken Hill, Artback Artist Howard Steer began painting in 1970 and exhibiting in 1985. His much prized works vividly capture the intense colours of the landscape and are appreciated for their light-hearted interpretation of the Outback lifestyle.
A place to rest
At The Imperial Hotel, modern facilities sit happily alongside the spirit of an Australia long past. Each room contains a queen-size bed with ensuite, plus individual heating and cooling. Relax, shower and change for one more remarkable Broken Hill “must see” opportunity and then dinner at the Miners Memorial Deck Broken Earth Restaurant.
Desert and sculpture
The internationally recognised Sculpture Symposium sits atop a majestic hill in the centre of the Living Desert. It features 12 pieces of amazing sandstone artwork, each with its own story, created by renowned sculptors from around the world. These unique works, some up to three metres tall, combine with the magnificent 360 degree view and vivid sunset colours to create a breathtaking experience. As the sun slips below the horizon, spearing its rays through the sculptures, it’s a moment you’ll treasure forever.
Day Two
Off to the river
It’s an early call for another action packed day. Enjoy a traditional Australian breakfast cooked by your friendly pilot and depart Broken Hill for an ETA of 10.15-10.30 am at Echuca Airport.
Experience first-hand the unique atmosphere and living history of Victoria’s Port of Echuca and its NSW sister town, Moama, on the banks of the mighty Murray River.
Founded in 1850 by the enterprising Henry Hopwood, a former convict, the Port of Echuca flourished as the hub of Australia’s river transport system. During the golden age of the river boats from 1865 to 1910, it was the largest inland port in the country. Now it is the paddle steamer capital of the world. Appropriately, Echuca is an Aboriginal word meaning “meeting of the waters” as nearby is the junction of the Campaspe, Goulburn and Murray Rivers.
Travel in the footsteps of the legendary coach company Cobb & Co. Soak up the history of the river and enjoy the stunning Red Gum Forest before taking in the atmosphere of Echuca’s famous underground sly-grog pub, the Star Bar.
Highlights
Days of the drovers
Upon arrival at Echuca, land transport takes us across the border into NSW and along the Cobb Highway, named after the famous coach company and part of the original Long Paddock Touring Route. A droving track established in the early 1840s from Moama to Wilcannia in south-west NSW, the highway is still used to drive cattle and so we may even see a herd grazing by the roadside.
Cruise through the forest
Enjoy a 90 minute cruise through an area of significant international importance - the world's largest Red Gum Forest. The cruise boat ‘Kingfisher’ takes us to a special place - the Barmah Choke, surrounded by ancient bushland immersed in Aboriginal legend, where the Murray narrows and quickens. The high banks disappear and water laps right up to the towering red gums. As well as the startling trees, the 65,000 hectare Millewa/Barmah Forest is home to more than 900 species of birds, fish, animals, insects and plants.
Wine and dine
Enjoy lunch at the award-winning Morrisons Riverview Winery & Restaurant on the banks of the Murray, offering Australian cuisine at its best. It’s so good, the kookaburras might even join you!
Paddle steamer cruise
Travel back to the Port Precinct on the paddle steamer ‘Canberra’. Built in 1912 and powered by a superb 1923 wood-fired Marshall steam engine, it was fully restored in 2003. Experience travel as it was in the 1850s while taking in a completely different aspect of the river.
Walk the walk
Take in the historic sites on a walk around the Port of Echuca, including the famous Star Bar with its underground saloon, used after hours in the days of six o'clock closing. The pub sold “sly grog” and when “raided” by the authorities, staff used the tunnel as an escape route.
Before you go …
Take it all in once more with a final afternoon drink and cheese platter at the award-winning Oscar W's restaurant overlooking the Murray.
You’ll then be transported back to Echuca Airport to depart for Melbourne’s Moorabbin Airport for a scheduled 4.30-5.30 pm arrival.
Land at Moorabbin where your limousine is waiting to drive you back to your hotel in comfort as your spectacular two day tour to see two very different parts of Australia comes to a wonderful end.
Corporate
Charter Flights/Day Tours
- Echuca Day Tour
- Fishing Trips
- Mystery Dinner Flights
- Outback/Broken Hill Tours
- Scenic Flights
- Shopping Sprees
- Special Occasions
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