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Greetings!
Welcome to another edition of our Newsletter!
Our 2018 departure dates have now been set and are listed at the foot of this newsletter.
The Wilson's Promontory trip has guaranteed departure on 9th March. I have a lady from the UK booked on this trip and for a contrast in scenery, we will also do a 5 day Flinders Ranges/Arkaroola trip guaranteed to depart Tuesday 20th March.
Seats are available on each of these trips - let me know if you would like further information!
Thank you for your continued interest in Desert Sky Tours - Jenny and I take this opportunity to wish you and your respective families a very Merry Christmas, and a peaceful, prosperous and happy New Year!
Cheers........
Howard  |
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Tattersall's Hotel - Barringun NSW
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On several occasions we had the thrill of calling into the Tattersall's Hotel in Barringun.
The detour down the Mitchell Highway was due to rain around Innamincka, and roads we would normally take from Birdsville were closed. I remember stopping the bus at the Hotel - mainly wanting a toilet stop for passengers, and not sure what to expect!
Then we met Mary!
Mary Crawley, now aged 93 has decided it is time to sell the Hotel and retire to Bourke.
The pub was built around 1887 and since then, there have been just five owners. One family had it for 60 years, and the Crawleys 40.
At one stage there were three pubs, until the other two burnt down.
It was very much a family hotel, with a strict no-bad-language rule.
"I never had anyone horrible, maybe because I was friendly toward them - people from all walks of life," Mrs Crawley said.
"We used to have shearers, but there aren't that many these days."
While conceding to enjoying the odd sherry, the staple of any Australian pub - beer- has never passed her lips.
Her main vice is horse racing and her lounge room, just off from the bar, it is stacked with books, many of which are about the sport of kings.
It is not also unusual to find her watching the races on television with a form guide in her hand.
Mrs Crawley was not disappointed that her children did not want to take over.
While it was "sad" to sell the hotel, Mrs Collins believed it was time.
"It is time that the next people to own it to come in and love it, nurture it and be the custodians for all the little bits and quirks that we have been," she said.
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Terowie News
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Well done Terowie!!
Refurbished signs on the Highway now have updated information to catch the tourist eye. They are fresh and vibrant, showing people care about the town.
In addition to the signs, extensive renovation work has been undertaken on the Simpson Museum building, and the Information Centre in the CWA building is open 1pm to 4pm Monday to Friday.
An interesting article "Ghost Towns in Australia" by Weekend Notes has further photos and history of Terowie.
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| White Cliffs Underground Motel | | |
Refurbishment work is set to commence on the 15th December 2017 the motel will close for 3 months and reopen on Friday, 16 March 2018.
Update to the existing guest rooms, will involve creating new ensuites for 12 of the 32 rooms. Oh!, no more getting lost on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night (haha).
New additions to the general facilities include a family entertainment and games room, outdoor lounge bar with wood fire heater and flatscreen TV for use in winter and
eco-misting to cool our guests down during summer.
Sounds great! - Our Back O Bourke trip (18th April) visits the motel just on a month after it re-opens!
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Apollo Bay Luxury Resort loses support
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A proposed multi-million-dollar hotel near one of Victoria's most popular tourist attractions, the Great Ocean Road, has lost support from the local business group as hundreds of residents rally against the development.
The Apollo Bay Chamber of Commerce had initially supported the proposal, by the Oceans United Investment Group, to turn more than 100 hectares of land into a luxury hotel.
Chamber president John Gorman said members held a special meeting after concerns were raised about the size of the development.
He said while business owners want more money injected into the town, the hotel plan seemed too large.
The group wanted to develop more than 100 rooms, 82 villas and a spa and wellness centre, including a 25-metre indoor pool on a property 3.6km west of Apollo Bay.
The Colac Otway Shire has yet to set a date to vote on the proposal.
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| | Artist impression of the Resort |
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Personalised 4WD trips 2018
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These trips are in a Toyota Landcruiser vehicle with a maximum of 4 passengers:
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW Itineraries 2018 !
Yorke Peninsula
& Southern Flinders
(5 days)
$1650pp
Ardrossan, Port Julia, Port Vincent, Edithburgh, and Wool Bay. Scenic drive to Troubridge Point and Marion Bay. Innes National Park includes Cable Bay, Cape Spencer and Pondalowie Bay. Corny Point, Warooka and Yorketown.
Moonta and Wallaroo. Banking museum Kadina.
Southern Flinders Ranges, Alligator Gorge, Melrose.
Bridle Track to Port Germein.
Dares Hill Circuit On Demand
(2 days) $700pp
Gilbert Valley, Terowie, Peterborough (overnight and we visit Steamtown's Laser Light Show), Franklyn, Ketchowla, Dares Hill, Mt Bryan, Clare Valley.
Kangaroo Island
Monday 26th February Wednesday 7th November
(Includes Sealink ferry)
Penneshaw, Antechamber Bay, Cape Willoughby,
American River, Kingscote, Flinders Chase National Park,
Cape Borda, Admirals Arch, Cape De Coudic, Seal Bay, Emu Bay, Stokes Bay, Snelling Beach, Western River Cove.
Wilson's Promontory
Friday 9th March
(9 days)
$3850pp
Grampians NP, Halls Gap, Penshurst, Mortlake, Colac, Queensciffe Ferry, Sorrento, Foster, Tidal River, Waratah Bay, Walkerville, Agnes Falls, Strzelecki Ranges, Tara Bulga NP, Grand Ridge Road, Skenes Creek,
The Great Ocean Road, Mt Gambier, The Coorong.
The Sapphire Coast
On Demand
(8 days)
$3600pp
Portland, Great Ocean Road, Otway Tree Top Walk, Apollo Bay, Metung, Lakes Entrance, Eden, Twofold Bay, Pambula, Merimbula, Bega, Victorian coastal towns, Meeniyan, Camperdown, Dunkeld, The Coorong.
The Gawler Ranges
Saturday 8th September
(5 days)
$1995pp
Port Wakefield, Port Germein, Port Augusta, Iron Knob, Corunna, Siam, Nonning, Mt Ive, Lake Gairdner, Yardea, Hiltaba, Paney Station, The Organ Pipes, Pildappa Rock, Tcharkuldu Hill, Minnipa, Wudinna, Kimba, Wilmington, Melrose, Gladstone, The Clare Valley.
Lake Eyre on demand
(3 days)
$1625pp Includes Plane Flight!
Clare Valley, Leigh Creek, Marree, One and a half hour plane flight over Lake Eyre, Farina Ruins, Ochre Cliffs, Hawker, Orroroo, Terowie, Burra.  Back O'Bourke
Wednesday 18th April
Broken Hill, Mutawintji NP, White Cliffs, Wilcannia, Tilpa, Louth, Bourke (accommodation Bourke Riverside Motel), Lightning Ridge, Gilgandra, Cobar, Balranald, Murrayville, Pinnaroo.
The Painted Desert
Saturday 5th May
(9 days) $3850pp
Clare Valley, Leigh Creek, Marree, William Creek, Coober Pedy,
The Breakaways, Painted Desert, Woomera, Roxby Downs, Andamooka,
Port Augusta, Arid Lands Botanical Gardens, Horrock's Pass to the Flinders Ranges, Orroroo and Burra.
Mungo and Hattah
Kulkyne
National Parks
Wednesday 4th April
(5 days)
$1950pp
Pinnaroo, Kow Plains Homestead and Cowangie, Murrayville, Pink Lakes, Underbool, Mildura, Wentworth, Old Zanci Station, Mungo Woolshed, Walls of China, Grand Canyon, Vigar's Well, Perry Sandhills, Paddle Steamer through Lock 11 Mildura, Red Cliffs, Lake Hattah, Lake Victoria, Rufus River, The Riverland.
 Coongie Lakes Saturday 19th May Saturday 2nd June
(7 days) $2995pp
Old Strzelecki Track, Innamincka, Coongie Lakes, Cmp LXV, Cameron Corner, Sturt NP, Tibooburra, Broken Hill, Loch Lilly and Quandong Stations, Burra.
Legendary Longreach
& Winton Monday 9th July (12 days)
$4595pp
Strzelecki Track, Innamincka, Windorah, Lark Quarry Dinousaur Trackway, Winton, Waltzing Matilda Centre, Longreach. Visit The Stockman's Hall of Fame, Qantas Founders Museum, Sunset Cruise on the Thomson River. Barcaldine, The Tree Of Knowledge, Blackall Woolscour, Tambo, Charleville. Cunumulla, Currawinya National Park, Hungerford, The Darling Track to Yantabulla, Fords Bridge and Bourke. A day exploring Bourke visiting Mt Oxley and local attractions and a cruise aboard the Jandra paddle-steamer on the Darling River. Wilcannia via The Darling River Run through Louth, Tilpa and on to Broken Hill. Old Pastoral route to Burra, Adelaide
Birdsville & Innamincka
Saturday 16th June
(9 days) $3850pp
Clare Valley, Leigh Creek, Marree, Mungerannie, Birdsville,Innamincka, Cameron Corner, Sturt National Park, Tibooburra,Broken Hill, Old Pastoral route to Burra, Adelaide.
Birdsville & Windorah
Saturday 4th August
Clare Valley, Leigh Creek, Marree, Mungerannie, Birdsville, Betoota, Windorah, Quilpie, Toompine, Thargomindah, Cunnamulla, Bourke, Cobar, Broken Hill.
Flinders Ranges
& Skytrek
Saturday 1st September
Rawnsley Park, Wilpena Pound, Willow Springs Station, Skytrek, Bunyeroo Valley, Brachina Gorge, Blinman, Parachilna Gorge, Moralana Scenic Drive, Melrose, The Bridle Track. Port Germein, Laura, Orroroo, Burra, Eudunda, Kapunda.
Flinders Ranges
&
Arkaroola
Tuesday 20th March Monday 17th September
Rawnsley Park, Wilpena Pound, Bunyeroo Valley, Brachina Gorge, Blinman, Arkaroola, Ridgetop Tour, Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole, Gammon Ranges, Moralana Scenic Drive.
Flinders Ranges & Outback on demand (8 days) $3995pp
Rawnsley Park, Wilpena Pound, Bunyeroo Valley, Brachina Gorge, Blinman, Arkaroola, Ridgetop Tour, Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole, Gammon Ranges, Moralana Scenic Drive.
Marree, The Oodnadatta Track, William Creek, Coober Pedy,
The Painted Desert, Woomera, Roxby Downs.
 Tumby Bay &
The Eyre Peninsula
Monday 8th October Port Germein, Arno Bay, Port Neill,Trinity Haven Scenic Drive, Poonindie, Port Lincoln, Sleaford Bay, Whaler's Way, Tod Reservoir, Cummins, Mt Hope, Point Drummond, Greenly Beach, Dutton Bay, Coffin Bay, Koppio Museum.
Enjoy a Clydesdale Horse and trolley ride!
Return is via Horrock's Pass to Flinders Ranges, Orroroo and Burra.
Head of Bight
&
The Eyre Peninsula Monday 20th August
(9 days)
$3700pp
Port Germein, Arno Bay, Port Neill,Trinity Haven Scenic Drive, Poonindie , Port Lincoln, Sleaford Bay, Whaler's Way, Coffin Bay, Lock's Well, Elliston, Talia Caves, Venue Bay, Murphy's Haystacks, Point Labatt, Streaky Bay, Smoky Bay, Ceduna,
Penong, Cactus Beach, Fowlers Bay,Nullarbor Roadhouse,
Head of Bight Whale Centre, Minnipa, Wudinna, The Gawler Ranges National Park, Kimba, Iron Knob, Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens, Wilmington, Melrose, The Bridle Track to Port Germein, Clare Valley.
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Thanks for your continued interest in Desert Sky Tours
Sincerely,
Howard Humby
Desert Sky Tours
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