Melbourne to Cairns Adventure

There are some long travelling days on this trip, but it’s all part of the adventure and a great way to get to know your fellow travellers., This trip includes an overnight train, which is super comfortable and features RailBeds, charging stations and USB ports. The overnight train is in RailBed class and is not accompanied by a tour leader. Should the train not operate due to track works or other factors outside of our control, it will be replaced with alternative transport and an additional overnight stay. Please see the daily itinerary for more details., Multiple activities on this trip are subject to weather and water conditions and on occasion, may be cancelled for safety or operational reasons. In the case of cancellation, we will endeavour to find a suitable replacement activity.

START POINT LOCATION & TIME
The trip starts in Melbourne with a pick up at 9am on Day 1 from our joining point. Please read the joining point instructions in your trip notes for more details. The trip finishes in Cairns on the last day at our finish point hotel around 5 pm. Accommodation is not included on this day but can be booked on request.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A Single Supplement can be booked if you'd prefer not to share a room on this trip, subject to availability.

OVERNIGHT TRAIN
The overnight train is in RailBed class and is not accompanied by a trip leader. Luggage weight (max 20kg for main luggage, 7kg for hand luggage) and size (23cm x 34cm x 48cm) limits apply for our overnight train journey. Throughout the year, scheduled railway track works may take place on the route from Hervey Bay to Airlie Beach, sometimes at short notice. Should the train not operate due to track works or other factors outside our control, you will be driving with your leader instead, with an overnight in Tannum Sands, taking approximately 15 hours split across two days.

Below are some essential items for this trip. Please review the ‘Climate and Seasonal Information’ to ensure you pack appropriately for the weather at the time of year you are travelling.

- Lightweight clothing. You will need to bring a mixture of lightweight clothing and layers. Long shirts and pants are useful to protect against the harsh Australian sun. Clothes should be easy to wash and dry. Maybe bring a change of smart clothes for dinner in larger cities. Australia is pretty casual, shorts or a skirt and a top, with sandals, is our usual warm weather wardrobe.
- Comfortable, closed-in shoes. These will help to protect your feet from cuts and scratches when walking through bush/grasslands and will act as a protective barrier in the rare case of a bite or sting. A pair of sandals or thongs/flip flops are great for the beach.
- Sun protection. Wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, sunglasses.

VALUABLES
Try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables and use your hotel safe. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden. We strongly recommend that you photocopy all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a photocopy makes it much easier to obtain replacements if necessary.

MORE!
If you need some further tips for packing, you can always check out our ultimate packing list., https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. Some travellers like to bring a bottle with its own filtration system or water purification tablets. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip, you will need to carry at least 2 litres of water with you.

National Gallery of Victoria (NGV International), 180 St Kilda Road, In front of the main entrance to the NGV facing St Kilda Road, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

Alternate Joining Point

Please meet your leader and the vehicle on the footpath outside the main entrance to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). There is a bus parking zone which is where the bus will be stopping to pick you up.

The National Gallery of Victoria is located about 500 metres south of Flinders Street Station and Federation Square (approx 10 minutes on foot). Alternatively multiple tram lines travel from the city along St Kilda Road. Please get off at tram stop 14 'Arts Precinct/St Kilda Road'. Please note that this stop is outside of the free tram zone.

From Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (airport code MEL), your best option is to take the Skybus to Southern Cross railway station. The bus journey takes about 25 minutes and departs frequently. Southern Cross railway station is located at the south-western corner of Melbourne's CBD, from where you can catch free trams within the CBD. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or Uber from the airport.

Bay Village Tropical Retreat, 227 Lake St, Cairns, AUSTRALIA

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 4

Lunches included: 4

Dinners included: 1

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time., For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us, ALL general enquiry must be directed to our reservations team. In case of a GENUINE CRISIS OR EMERGENCY, or concerns about a missed pick-up on the day of departure ONLY (if applicable), you can reach our local office on the numbers listed below. When calling, select option 4 then option 2 from the phone menu to speak to our local Operations Team:, GENUINE EMERGENCY ONLY: 1300 544 882 or +61 8 6219 5164

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.