Family Vacation

This family - parents and two teenage boys - wanted to spend enough time in cities to see urban life, but wanted to concentrate on the outback. In Sydney they stayed in an inexpensive old pub hotel while exploring on their own, then flew to Cairns. They took a nighttime animal spotting tour that was a highlight of their trip because of the professionalism of the guide. Then they spent 4 nights on Dunk Island, where they enjoyed trips to the Reef and the islands' many free activities. After a Daintree rainforest trip, they flew to Alice Springs and stayed in a family room at a backpacker lodge - economizing on accommodation but then enjoying a guided tour via King's Canyon to Ayer's Rock. Then off to Adelaide, which was their favorite city because of its small, accessible size. They had a 2 day tour of Kangaroo Island, then rented a car and drove to the Flinders Ranges for an adventure on their own. Two nights at the nature resort of Wilpena Pound, then off to Arkaroola, a wilderness retreat. They then stayed in swags at the Aboriginal camp, Iga Warta, where they had bush tucker walks, a night around the campfire hearing the Dreamtime stories, and a special tour to see the Aboriginal rock engravings. They ended their trip back in Sydney before going home.