
Following the success of Simon Reeve’s Indian Ocean series in 2012, last night saw the start of the stunning new series ‘Australia with Simon Reeve’.
The latest series sees adventurer Reeve take a journey across Australia to explore the country’s stunning landscapes, extraordinary people and exotic wildlife. Offering a unique insight into life in Australia, Simon last night explored the Red Centre and next week will travel down through the South of Australia and finish in the final episode in Perth on the West coast. Each explores three unique destinations to which Austravel, the leading Australasia specialist, offers an exquisite range of holidays.
Last night, the programme saw Simon’s journey begin in the Northern Territory at the magnificent Red Centre, the baking heart of the continent. Named after the fiery coloured sands of the arid Outback desert and home to the famous Ayers Rock, the breathtaking landscape holds a wealth of wildlife including dingoes, wallabies and emus. Simon discovered how a million camels are threatening Australia’s fragile desert ecosystem as they eat their way through the outback and he joined an Aussie rancher on a thrilling off road ride to round up some of the unlikely trouble makers.
For those who have been inspired seeing this truly unique part of Australia on last night’s programme, Austravel has a five night holiday to the Red Centre in the Northern Territory from £1,699 per person. The holiday includes return flights from London Heathrow with Qantas, five nights accommodation at the Outback Pioneer Hotel & Lodge, a Sounds of Silence dinner (enjoy a BBQ of Australian delicacies and wines as the sun sets over Kata Tjuta, before a night of stargazing with a resident astronomer) and an Ayers Rock to Kings Canyon tour, based on departures September 2013.
The second episode, which is to be broadcast this coming Sunday, sees Simon head first to the famous wineries of South Australia where he learns the art of wine tasting with a legendary winemaker. He then goes on to learn about the impact of large scale agriculture on the driest inhabited continent on Earth as he visits Australia’s longest river, the Murray. The second part of the series ends with Simon heading to the stunning South coast, the fishing capital of Australia, where he dives with critically endangered Southern blue fin tuna.
South Australia is home to brilliant white beaches and world famous wineries and its elegant city Adelaide is the perfect base from which to explore the area. Austravel has a four day ‘Adelaide and Beyond’ package from £1,149 per person, which includes three nights accommodation at the Mercure Grosvenor, a Barossa Wine Tour, a River Murray Highlights Tour and return flights from London Heathrow with Singapore Airlines, based on departures October 2013.
In the final instalment, Simon heads west on the extraordinary Indian Pacific railway to the city of Perth. Named after the two great oceans it joins, the train takes Steve through the Nullarbor Plain, past Kalgoorlie and through Western Australia’s expansive wheat belt and the scenic Avon Valley before arriving in Perth. En route, he learns about Western Australia’s 21st-century gold rush, part of the country’s huge resource boom which is making it one of the richest places on Earth. A truly unique way of viewing the country, Austravel has a two night journey on the Indian Pacific from Adelaide to Perth which starts from £1,159 per person on Gold Class service, which includes a 25% early booking saving.
In Perth, a modern port city which is home to a large British community, Steve meets a former bin man from Hull who emigrated to Australia from Britain to follow his dream of a better lifestyle. For the opportunity to take in the picturesque city, Austravel has a four day ‘Perth & Beyond’ package from £1,069 per person. The holiday includes three nights accommodation at the 4 star Seashells Mandurah, a one-day Perth, Freemantle and Swan Valley tour and return flights from London Gatwick with Emirates, based on October 2013 departures.
With over 35 years of specialism in Australasia, Austravel is the leading specialist to this stunning country and has a comprehensive collection of holidays which can be individually tailored to combine any aspect of the country’s stunning landscapes and culture. Its expertise in this area is unparalleled and if it is a taste of ‘Australia With Simon Reeve’ you are seeking, then it is worth taking a look at Austravel or call 0800 988 4834.
Episode Two of BBC Two’s ‘Australia With Simon Reeve’ will be broadcast on Sunday 26 May at 21:00.