1

The$EPIC$5800$km$
Tour$of$Australia!$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$Easter$2017$

The$EPIC$5800km$Tour$of$
Australia!$

Geography$Tour$2017$
Information$and$FAQs$
Who$is$the$tour$intended$for?$

This%tour%is%open%to%any%students%currently%in%Year%6%or%
above.%
When$will$the$tour$take$place?$

What$is$included$in$the$itinerary?$
Full%details%of%the%itinerary%will%follow%as%we%are%currently%working%
to%develop%a%bespoke%package%to%suit%the%likely%ages%and%interests.%%
Will$the$itinerary$change?$
We%can%refine%the%itinerary%according%to%the%interests%of%the%group%
once%we%know%who%is%going.%%We%are%very%flexible%and%have%a%good%
working%relationship%with%the%team%in%Australia.%%Clearly%some%
changes%may%be%necessary%depending%on%the%weather%at%the%time.%%
Have$trips$like$this$been$run$before?$

The%tour%is%designed%for%a%maximum%of%20%students%

Miss%McCardle%and%Mr%Letley%have%already%taken%tours%to%Iceland,%
Jordan,%New%Zealand,%Nepal,%Costa%Rica%and%this%summer%they%will%
run%a%volcano%hiking%trip%to%Italy.%%They%both%have%many%years%
experience%running%residential%fieldtrips%both%in%the%UK%and%
overseas.%%

How$many$staff$will$be$going?$

What$is$the$idea$of$the$tour?$

Miss%McCardle%and%Mr%Letley%will%lead%the%tour%with%a%
ground%team%based%in%Australia.%

Our%latest%tour%is%the%most%ambitious%yet%and%seeks%to%explore%the%
widest%variety%of%ecosystems%we%have%been%able%to%pack%in%with%
some%of%the%most%exciting%activities.%%We%will%be%visiting%Australias%
iconic%cities,%taking%in%many%of%the%sights%there.%The%highlights%for%
many%will%be%the%variety%of%ecosystems%that%we%will%be%visiting%
including%rainforests,%coral%reefs,%deserts%and%mangrove%swamps,%
with%exciting%activities%planned%in%each%one.%The%tour%will%include%
working%with%marine%biologists%on%the%Great%Barrier%Reef%helping%
them%with%their%conservation%and%protection%work.%%

The%tour%will%leave%during%the%Easter%holidays%of%2017.%
How$many$students$will$be$going?$

Does$it$matter$if$any$of$my$friends$are$not$going?$
No,%not%at%all.%By%keeping%the%group%small%everyone%mixes%
very%well%regardless%of%friends%/%year%group.%
How$can$the$trip$be$paid$for?$
Very%flexible%options%in%terms%of%payment%are%available,%
these%are%detailed%in%the%information%pack.%

Do$I$need$to$be$really$athletic$and$sporty?$
No.%We%expect%to%have%a%variety%of%levels%of%experience%and%fitness%
etc,%in%the%party%and%this%will%be%catered%for.%

Throughout%the%tour%we%will%be%experiencing%true%Australian%
culture%in%a%variety%of%ways%including:%
Aboriginal%tour%
Outback%tour%
Ayers%Rock%
The%Great%Barrier%Reef%
Daintree%Rainforest%
%
And%much%more!%
%
Travel%throughout%the%tour%will%be%in%luxury%air%
conditioned%coaches%/%internal%flights%with%reputable%
airlines.%
%
%

All$activities$are$subject$to$favorable$weather$
conditions$$

Draft$Itinerary$$
Day$1$:$Travel$to$Sydney$and$walking$tour$$
$
We%travel%to%Sydney%from%London,%meeting%our%tour%
guide%at%the%airport.%%After%checking%into%the%hotel,%we%
will%then%have%a%guided%walking%tour,%viewing%of%opera%
house%and%botanic%gardens%
%
Darling%Harbour%
%
%

Sydney%

Day$2:$Sydney$Bay$Boat$Tour%
%
City%highlights%from%the%water,%Darling%Harbour%&%fish%
markets,%Sydney%Harbour%National%Park
%
Fish%Market%

Sydney%Harbour%National%Park%

Day$3:$Fly$to$Ayers$Rock%
%
Aboriginal%culture%in%the%rocks,%including%local%food,%
music%and%medicines,%then%travel%to%Uluru%for%the%sunset%
&%camel%ride%in%this%desert%environment.
%
%

Valley%of%the%Wind%

Ayers%Rock%

$
Day$4:$Desert$landscapes:$Ayers$Rock,$Valley$of$the$
Winds$ $
$
Uluru%sunrise,%cultural%centre,%Kata%Tjuta%(Olgas)%
Valley%of%the%Winds,%sunset%over%Kata%Tjuta,%
exploration%of%the%desert%environment%walking%and%
being%taught%about%the%formation%of%this%unique%%%
%%%scenery%and%the%people%who%live%there.%

Day$5:$Fly$to$Brisbane,$ferry$travel$to$Moreton$
Island$
Transfer%to%Moreton%Island,%free%time%in%the%
stunning%turquoise%waters%of%Moreton%Island%and%
beaches

Day$6:$Moreton$Island$$
$
Desert%safari,%sand%tobogganing,%dolphin%
feeding%(optional%kayak%or%snorkel%tour%to%ship%
wreck)
%

Moreton%Island%

Desert%tobogganing%and%dolphin%
feeding%on%Moreton%Island%

Day$7:$Fly$to$Cairns$and$the$Great$Barrier$Reef$
$
Flight%transfer%to%Cairns%and%an%Introduction%to%the%greatest%coral%
reef%ecosystem%on%earth,%initial%snorkeling%and%work%with%the%
marine%biologists%
%
Great%Barrier%Reef%
%

Day$9:$Cairns$

Day$8:$The$outer$reef$
$
Great%Barrier%Reef%
Boat%trip%out%to%the%protected%
marine%reserve%where%we%will%
work%with%the%marine%
biologists%as%part%of%their%
conservation%and%research%
into%the%plants%and%animals%
found%in%this%extraordinary%
ecosystem.%
Australian%Outback%

$
Waterfalls,%outback%cattle%station,%Aussie%bbq,%campfire,%
star%gazing,%milking,%boomerang%throwing,%Skyrail,%
Cairns%night%markets
Aboringinal%display%

%
Daintree%Rainforest%

Day$10:$Cairns$
$
%Wildlife%park,%Aboriginal%guided%rainforest%walk,%
Daintree%
rainforest
%
Day$11:$Fly$home$
$

Draft$Itinerary$$location$map$$
Due$to$the$large$distances$travelled$throughout$the$tour$(Australia$is$$
about$32$times$bigger$than$the$UK!)$we$will$be$flying$between$locations$
to$ensure$that$we$maximize$the$time$we$have$in$this$amazing$country$
where$there$is$so$much$to$see!$$
$
We$are$aiming$to$include$as$many$of$the$Australian$highlights$that$we$

Epic$5800$km$Australian$Adventure!$

can$in$our$

The$EPIC$5800km$Tour$of$Australia!$

Booking$a$place$and$payment$plan$
Dear%Parent(s)%/%Guardian(s)%
%
We%are%currently%working%to%establish%a%varied%and%exciting%itinerary%for%the%seventh%international%tour%run%by%the%
Geography%Department.%%We%are%pleased%to%be%able%to%launch%our%Australian%Adventure%tour%for%2017.%%
%
Our%international%tours%are%traditionally%packed%full%of%varied%and%exciting%activities%and%are%fully%enjoyed%by%everyone%
who%attends.%We%are%very%flexible%and%can%tailor%the%itinerary%around%the%group%that%signs%up%for%the%tour.%%
%
Any$visa$requirements$for$your$childs$travel$to$Italy$must$be$organised$and$obtained$by$yourself$prior$to$the$tour$
(travel$dates$to$be$confirmed).$$
%
Planning%a%trip%more%than%a%year%in%advance%does%pose%particular%challenges%in%terms%of%giving%an%accurate%price%for%the%
trip.%We%are%very%conscious%that%the%cost%of%the%trip%needs%to%be%spread%the%most%flexible%way%to%assist%with%the%payment.%%
We%have%been%working%with%the%Bursary%department%and%have%agreed%a%number%of%different%options%for%payment:%
%
Option$1$:$$Monthly$standing$order$payments$of$approximately$214$a$month$(assuming$that$payments$commence$in$
December$of$2015$with$the$final$payment$in$February$2017).$$Bank$details$for$this$option$will$follow.$
$
Option$2$:$Equal$amounts$of$the$cost$added$to$the$end$of$each$terms$bill$between$now$and$the$trip$d$four$payments$
of$800$(Spring$term$2016,$Summer$Term$2016,$Autumn$Term$2016$and$Spring$Term$2017).$$
$
Option$3$:$Complete$payment$of$3200$
$
Following%discussions%with%the%travel%company%that%we%are%using,%the%total%price%should%be%in%the%region%of%3200.%%%
The%final%price%and%itinerary%will%be%confirmed%when%we%have%more%information.%%
%%
We$have$been$advised$that$an$increase$of$10d15%$should$be$budgeted$for$on$this$cost$to$cover$potential$changes$in$
fuel$prices$and$accommodation.$$Clearly%this%may%not%be%needed.%%
%
All$payments$must$be$completed$by$February$2017$(8$weeks$before$departure).$$
%
We%are%happy%to%discuss%the%details%of%the%trip%and%planned%activities%to%assist%in%decision%making%prior%to%the%booking%of%
a%place.%%Please%contact%either%of%us%using%the%email%addresses%at%the%bottom%of%this%page%and%we%will%both%happily%phone%
or%meet%with%you.%%
%
To%secure%a%place%on%this%trip%we%are%asking%for%a%nondrefundable$deposit$of$300%to%be%returned%to%either%Miss%
McCardle%or%Mr%Letley%with%the%form%on%the%next%page.%%An%email%to%secure%a%place%in%the%first%instance%is%advised,%as%the%
Geography%Departments%international%tours%are%very%popular.%We%will%keep%a%list%of%reserve%places%from%the%point%we%
reach%our%maximum%number%of%students%for%the%trip.%%%
Places%are%booked%on%a%first%come%first%served%basis,%and%we%anticipate%interest%in%this%tour%to%be%very%high!%
%
Should%a%pupil%be%withdrawn%from%the%trip%after%paying%the%deposit%a%commitment%to%pay%for%the%whole%trip%will%remain%
with%the%parents%unless%a%replacement%can%be%found.%%This%includes%if%a%pupil%were%to%leave%the%school%prior%to%the%tour.%%
%
Thank%you%for%taking%the%time%to%read%the%details%here.%%
%
%
%
%
%
Yours%Faithfully%
Miss%A%McCardle%
%
%
%
%
%
Mr%G%Letley%
Head%of%Geography%
%
%
%
%
%
Director%of%Studies%
amccardle@kentcollege.co.uk%% %
%
%
%
gletley@kentcollege.co.uk%%

The$EPIC$5800km$Tour$of$Australia$
$Easter$2017.$Booking$Form$
Please$print$and$complete$this$form$returning$it$with$the$deposit$to$either$$
Miss$McCardle$or$Mr$Letley$at$Kent$College.$
$

%
I%wish%to%secure%a%place%on%the%Epic%5800km%Tour%of%Australia,%taking%place%during%the%Easter%holidays%of%2017.%
%
I%have%read%the%details%concerning%the%trip%and%understand%that%the%final%cost%and%exact%dates%of%the%trip%will%be%
confirmed%at%a%later%date.%
%
I$enclose$the$deposit$payment$of$300$which$is$non$refundable.$
%
I%would%like%to%pay%for%the%trip%using%the%following%payment%option%(as%listed%in%the%information%pack%above)%
%
Please$tick$the$preferred$method.$
%
%
%
Option%1%
%
%
Option%2%
%
%
Option%3%
%
%
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Name%of%Student%:%_____________________________________________%Form%:%___________________%
%
Name%of%Parent%/%Guardian%:%____________________________________________%
%
Signature%:%_________________________________%
%
Date%:%_______________________________%

%
%%