Well, here we are at Undara Lodge. The drive out was yet another example of why it’s no crime to get lost in the Atherton Tablelands. Today I took a brand new route out of Malanda past the Broomfield Swamp. Doesn’t sound so flash but the birdlife prolific. I had to stop and have a chat to the twitchers, their long telephoto lenses would look just at home at a football pitch sideline. Form there the road turned to a nice gravel strip as it meandered along the ridgeline of some of the greenest hillsides I have seen outside of England. One house was perched right on the tip of a bluff, the views were amazing. So needless to say I’ll be taking that road again.

On arrival to the lodge it was time to get stuck into things, get the AV guys on their way, lay the carpet on the stage and prepare for the Ten Sopranos imminent arrival. Their were driving in from Townsville and just quietly I was worried they would get lost. To get lost in Sydney means a quick u-turn, out here, its about an hour before you realize you are lost, an hour to get back to where things went wrong and then another hour before you are certain you are on the right track. But they made it in good time and got settled in to their rail carriage accommodation as the temperature cooled off, time just for a quick nap before dinner.

The sound guys are ramping it up and getting the lights just right, tomorrow is day one and everyone’s got that buzz going on!

Greetings all, Mark Schmitt here, the new marketing man here at Undara Experience taking over from Marcus Brady. We tried to keep the names as close as possible but its proving to be more confusing than helpful!

But let’s take a moment to say thanks and good luck to my predecessor as he moves onwards and into the world of TTNQ, the official regional tourism office up here in Northern Queensland. No doubt many of us will continue to have dealings with Marcus and we wish him all the best!

It’s exciting times here however as things warm up for this years’ Opera in the Outback. It’s shaping up to be a big one, Penny Pavlakis, a highly acclaimed opera singer in her own right, is to lead the 10 Sopranos, with recent performances at the Brolga Theatre, Coffs Harbour, and an upcoming tour of Southern Queensland on the cards. But it’s the million stars and local wallabies in the audience that makes this show a truly unique experience. If you have been thinking about coming along then ACT NOW as tickets are selling fast.

I look forward to catching up with you all at this years Opera!

The Gulf Savannah is an amazing destination. Fill up the car and within two hours after leaving Cairns, you have arrived. The outback!, complete with great characters, endless horizons, aussie wildlife, living history, great country pubs and that genuine hospitality your finding it harder to get in the city.

The road to Undara Experience is now fully sealed and with only 15kms of single-lane highway the trip is even more comfortable in a conventional vehicle, on a motorbike or if you are toeing a caravan. Undara Experience is a “one tank of fuel away” holiday destination, being just 275kms away from Cairns.

Undara Experience is located right on the border with the Undara Volcanic National Park and we offer everything a destination should. Choice of accommodation to suite taste and budget, access to activities ranging from taking a tour of the Undara lava tubes, to bushwalking, wildlife spotting and simply enjoying the open campfire and night sky. When did your kids last see the Milky Way galaxy.?

Wine and Dine at the Fettlers Iron-pot Bistro under an open stadium-sized canopy, complete with railway carriage saloon bar and dining. Book in for Bush Breakfast, the drovers experience, complete with the latest technology in fencing-wire toasters. Try not to burn your toast.!

It can be busy at this time of the year, so remember to at least book your Stay and Play activities.

Hope to see you out there.!!

Not doing anything on the 28th and 29th June? Haven’t been to Undara Experience before? (or at least not in a long while) then bring the kids out for a great outback adventure and the kids will stay and play for free, enjoying accommodation and tours on the house.

Undara Experience is made for kids. Our tours of the Undara lava tubes take you into amazing, ancient formations which make you feel like you are on the set of an Indiana Jones movie and kids love it. The Wildlife at Sunset tour is a great option for families as our Savannah Guides take you into the national park on dusk when the animals are at their most active.

On the Wildlife tour, there are plenty of sophisticated nibbles and refreshments for the adults, as well as cheese, bikkies and fruit juice for the kids, which you will enjoy on a bluff while watching the sun set over the volcanic landscape.

Then its game as you are taken to the entrance of Barkers Cave to witness the emergence of thousands of tiny micro-bats. [Check out the video on our microbats page]

Other free activities you and your kids can enjoy at Undara Experience include 9 self-guided bushwalks (ranging from 30 minutes to 5 hours) and every night our Savannah Guides entertain anyone who is on site around the campfire, under the billiant outback stars. Our facilities also include plenty of space for riding bikes, a shallow rock pool perfect for toddlers, and a games railway car.

SO PACK THE KIDS AND HIT THE FULLY SEALED ROAD TO UNDARA EXPERIENCE !!

- refers specifically to activities and accommodation taken on the 28th and 29th June 08 and is for direct bookings only. Offer extends to children 4-14 years old. Children must be accompanied by 2 full paying adults. Offer extends to our Archway Explorer 2 hour tour and Wildlife at Sunset tour only (upgrades available) and any type of accomodation.

Are you looking for a new discovery this winter ?

Somewhere natural, somewhere outdoors. A  unique place filled with Australian native wildlife, and an incredible geological history?

Undara Experience now offers you the opportunity to spend a full day discovering the secrets of the Undara Volcanic National Park on The Lost World Adventure.

Your Savannah Guide (accredited, locally trained guides who really know their stuff) meet you at reception and take you into 5 sections of the Undara Lava Tubes, showing you really cool things such as “Drip and Dribble”, the remnant splash on the cave walls from the lava flowing through; a moment in time frozen for 190,000 years.

You will also get an above ground view while walking around the rim of the Kalkani Crater, a cinder cone created by gas exploding through the earth’s crust. Views are boundless and give you an impression of the enormity of the lava flow which covered 1,550 sqare kilometres of the McBride Volcanic Province.

The Lost World Adventure gives you 8 hours in the Undara Volcanic National Park, the most comprehensive tour availalable and also includes full buffet lunch at Undara’s fully licensed restaurant plus morning and afternoon tea.

Curious? Send us an email if you have any questions and are interested in joining the next group. EMAIL: res@undara.com.au

“When this thing erupted, it went off its face – it sent out 23 cubic kilometres of lava”, said Levi, rolling out the cheese and bikkies atop a rocky bluff in the Undara Volcanic National Park.

“It was Mother Nature’s power chuck.”

Levi, whose name is an anagram of evil, has a wicked sense of humour. He also has a way with people, which might be why he collected a Cairns Tourism Assocation award recently.

The many kilometres of dramatic lava tubes for which the volcanic park is famous were formed in an eruption about 190,000 years ago. They were created when the top layer of flowing lava cooled and crusted, leaving the lava flow inside to drain away and leave kilometres of massive, hollow tubes.

The tours visit up to five sections of the lava tube network and offer a comprehensive introduction to the geology, history and ecology of the area, including a rare chance, mainly in summer, to see snakes, suspended from tree branches, catching micro-bats as they leave their cave to feed at sunset.

This is one of Queensland’s tourism spectacles and well worth the trip to Undara alone, but a drive of a few days out of Cairns that takes in the ATHERTON TABLELAND, THE CHILLAGOE LIMESTONE CAVES AND THE HISTORIC MINING DISTRICTS AROUND IRVINEBANK, HERBERTON AND RAVENSHOE OFFERS ONE OF THE BEST SOFT ADVENTURE DRIVE EXPERIENCES IN THE STATE.

John Write – The Courier Mail – May 9th 2008

G’day,
Welcome to Undara’s news-reel. Sent directly to your inbox, these snapshots contain great information about the Undara Experience, but also about the Gulf Savannah region in Far north Queensland to help you plan your journey in 2008.

Firstly, I want to let you know that we are now proud partners with Russell Dennis from Planet Earth Adventures. Russell will be presenting The World’s Best Snake Show.., a one hour presentation involving many different species of snakes which he has hand reared on his property in Mt Surprise.

His show has been described as the most informative, interactive and intimate snake show in Australia. Through his knowledge of these amazing creatures, and ability to present this information in a fun way for all ages and nationalities, Russell often finds that the most terrified visitor at the beginning of the show, is wearing the snakes, carefree, as fashion accessories by the end.

Once again, Undara puts the Wild in Wildlife. If you are coming out to Undara and would like to know when the next show is, contact our friendly reservations team on 1800 990 992 or email res@undara.com.au

This year, put yourself in a Wildlife documentary..!!

Little sleep last night at the Croydon Hotel. The combination of Rock Estedford and a football carnival meant that the one man and his dog, normally the only ones holding up the bar, were joined by the entire town, and one very loud DJ until 1am.

They call this area the Outback by the Sea, and after speaking with Brian the organiser of the 10th annual Croydon Fishing Competition being held at the town lake, I can see why. A Barrumundi was caught while I was there, weighing 2kgs.  The record is 24kgs.

I head onto Normanton where the diesel price is $1.46 and then Karumba where I arrive at the shoreline of the Gulf of Carpentaria. I lunched on the Sunset Tavern’s famous Salt and Pepper Calamari on paw paw salsa (with chilli jam). Order this and go to heaven !!

The entire Savannah Way highway is clear of water and accessible with dams, rivers and waterholds on either side of the hiace full to the brim, and the wildlife is prolific. I saw a pair of Brolgas, many swooping Kites high above the road and a couple of huge Wedged Tail Eagles.. this is the outback..Beautiful!

The adventure continues. Marcus

for more information on the Savannah Way highway, and its towns and attractions go to www.undara.com.au/savannah-way

Come with me and my 97 Toyota Hiace van as I venture further west along the savannah way.

Leaving Undara Experience, I head into Mt Surprise, a town which celebrates its 100th birthday this July and which is still very much alive due to the thousands of tourists which come through during the winter months.

Russell Dennis, self made tour guide and expert on Australian snakes lives just off the main street, where his business sign reads “Tyre Repair and Snake Show”…while you wait I presume. His “scaley” friends live in aquarium sized boxes out the back, and this Easter Russell will actually bring them out to play, as he presents 3 Snakes shows on both the Saturday and Sunday of the Easter long weekend at Undara Experience. (10.30am, 1pm and 3.30pm) – Book Now !!

Next stop, 20 metres up the road I catch up with Trish and Eddie Wallace, operators of the Tourists Van Park. We have a coffee, exchange vital information and then Eddie produces a white head and asks me to guess what it is. My Australian mail ego goes into overdrive when I correctly guess that its a camel’s head. But with tusks??.. Eddie tells me that the male, once mature develops these “big pointy teeth”. You live and learn. !

Eddie and Trish are excited to hear about our spotting of a Black Striped Snake on the nocturnal walk at Undara Experience.. Its all about wildlife out here. All creatures great and small. Next stop Georgetown, and possibly Croydon for the night, if the Hiace behaves?..

For an amazing collection of minerals, see Ted Elliot’s collection at the Georgetown Terrestrial VIC. AMAZING.For more information on the attractions and characters of the Savannah Way, go to www.undara.com.au/savannah-way

Marcus