From Uluru to Brisbane City and Coast
Experience the wonders of Uluru and the Northern Territory, then head to Brisbane for a city experience including art galleries, fine dining, and the beautiful Moreton Island.
What to know
- Five-day program
- Combine outback adventures in Uluru with Brisbane city highlights and a day trip to Moreton Island
- Ayers Rock Airport is a 10-minute drive from Ayers Rock Resort, while Brisbane Airport is a 15-minute drive from the city centre
Day 1: Explore the outback by camel and helicopter
Morning
Fly to Ayers Rock Airport in the Northern Territory, then travel 10 minutes by road to Ayers Rock Resort. Located 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Uluru, the resort offers a range of accommodation for groups, from luxury camping at Longitude 131° to the five-star Sails in the Desert hotel. After you’ve checked in to your room, meet for a buffet lunch in Ilkari Restaurant at Sails in the Desert.
Afternoon
Join Uluru Camel Tours for the Camel Express experience. Take in the sights of Uluru and Kata Tjuta during this 45-minute ride through Central Australia’s desert landscape, then visit the Camel Farm Museum. Return to Ayers Rock Resort for a sunset helicopter ride with Ayers Rock Helicopters, where you’ll view majestic Uluru and Kata Tjuta from above.
Evening
As night falls, make your way to the Field of Light, a stunning installation from artist Bruce Munro. As the sun sets behind Uluru, 50,000 coloured globes are illuminated, creating a carpet of light in the middle of the desert. Enjoy canapés and sparkling wine before sitting down to a three-course dinner of native Australian ingredients, served under the stars.
Day 2: Explore Uluru and learn about Aboriginal culture
Morning
It’s an early start for your Uluru Morning Guided Base Walk with AAT Kings. Board a luxury coach an hour before sunrise for the 20-minute drive to Uluru, where you’ll enjoy a light breakfast before taking a guided walk around the base of the iconic monolith. You’ll be shown sacred sites, waterholes and ancient rock art during the 10.5-kilometre (6.5-mile) walk.
Afternoon
Return to the Ayers Rock Resort Town Square for lunch at Gecko’s Cafe, where Indigenous herbs and spices add an Australian accent to the food. Next, learn about Aboriginal arts, crafts and customs with a dot-painting workshop. Local Anangu artists will guide you through the techniques and meanings behind this ancient art form, before inviting you to create your own dot painting, inspired by the vivid colours of the Australian outback. For a thrilling tour of the region, take a 30-minute Harley-Davidson ride with Uluru Motorcycle Tours.
Evening
Once you’ve returned to your hotel, it’s time to get ready for a Sounds of Silence dinner. Savour sparkling wine and canapés on a viewing platform as you watch the sun set over the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, then help yourself at the bush tucker buffet. You’ll relax to the sounds of a didgeridoo and hear from the resident star talker as they decode the southern night sky.
Day 3: Journey from the desert to the city
Morning
After breakfast, meet your guide from SEIT Outback Australia for a bespoke four-wheel drive tour of Central Australia’s desert landscape, or take the Uluru Billy Tea and Tjukurpa Tour on board a double-decker bus. Hear the Tjukurpa (creation stories) of the local Mala people as you walk to Kantju Gorge, then refuel with a bush tucker morning tea.
Afternoon
You’ll spend the afternoon in transit as you fly from Ayers Rock Airport to Brisbane Airport, via Alice Springs or Sydney. After landing, transfer to your hotel in Brisbane.
Evening
Dinner will be at one of Brisbane’s most exclusive restaurants, Agnes where you can enjoy the totally woodfired menu of seafood, wagyu, beef or duck washed down with exceptional wines. Formerly a brick warehouse, you can book the whole restaurant exclusively for up to 60 guests giving you full use of the restaurant, private dining room, terrace and wine bar. Located in Fortitude Valley you can enjoy your evening and wander through the multitude of bars and live music venues for a nightcap before you head back to your accommodation.
Day 4: Gardens, galleries and watersports on Moreton Island
Morning
Make your way to Joey's Cafe located along the cliffs at Kangaroo Point for breakfast to take in the panoramic views spanning Brisbane's historic Botanic Gardens, City skyline and South Bank. Next, take a picturesque stroll along the South Bank Parklands and check out the Epicurious Garden, where locals grow their own fresh produce. Take a ride on The Wheel of Brisbane in the South Bank Parklands for 360-degree panoramic views of the city. Accommodating groups of up to 250 at a time, the wheel takes you 60 metres (197 feet) above the ground in air-conditioned gondolas.
Afternoon
Walk to Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) and take a private tour of the gallery, then visit GOMA Cafe Bistro for a contemporary lunch of native Australian ingredients. This riverfront restaurant can hold 120 people for a banquet or 500 for a cocktail function. Next, transfer to Mt Coot-tha, where you’ll board a helicopter for a sightseeing flight over Moreton Bay, before landing at Tangalooma Island Resort. Spend the afternoon swimming and snorkelling, or explore the waters on a sea scooter safari. If you’d rather stay dry, try quad biking or sand tobogganing.
Evening
As dusk falls, wade into the water to hand feed the local dolphins that swim up to the shore each night. Then, host a relaxed barbecue with live cooking stations overlooking the bay, or kick off your shoes for a barefoot seafood dinner on the beach. Afterwards, cruise back to Brisbane by boat.
Day 5: Wildlife encounters and outdoor adventures in Brisbane
Morning
Begin your day with breakfast and a wildlife encounter at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, a 20-minute drive from the city. Australia’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary, Lone Pine is home to 130 koalas and 150 kangaroos and wallabies. Get up close with a koala or a python, or hand feed the kangaroos. Next, travel 25 minutes by road to Kangaroo Point, where you can scale the Story Bridge with Story Bridge Adventure Climb. This two-hour ascent takes you 80 metres (262 feet) above sea level and offers 360-degree views of Brisbane, the coast and the hinterland.
Afternoon
Lunch today is at Madame Wu. Set above the Eagle Street Pier, this contemporary Asian restaurant can cater for groups of 20 to 250 in a range of event spaces. Choose the Story Bridge Balcony for show-stopping views of the river or book the intimate Red Lantern Room for smaller functions. After lunch, take a five-minute walk to Queens Plaza in the Queen Street Mall for a private shopping experience at luxury boutiques including Paspaley and Louis Vuitton.
Evening
For your final night in Brisbane, begin with pre-dinner drinks at Felons Brewing Co, located on the water’s edge at Howard Smith Wharves. From here, it’s just a 5 min drive to Brisbane City Hall. Host a gala banquet for up to 800 people in the main auditorium – a grand circular space decorated with fluted pillars, a 23-metre-high (75 foot) central lantern and an illuminated domed ceiling. Smaller functions can be held in the elegant Brisbane Room, which seats 180 people, or the intimate Oak Table Room, which can accommodate up to 24 people.