Building Leaders

• Build rafts & play a “survivor” game on a tropical island
• Help each other over and through obstacles on a fun challenge course
• Build courage while abseiling and optional “canyoning”
• Snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef
• Learn about the cultural, historic and natural history of Cairns on an urban challenge
• Swim under waterfalls and discover the rainforest with an Indigenous guide
• Participate in an interactive leadership workshop with Small World Journeys’ owner
• OPTIONAL – Navigate Grade III rapids as a team on the Barron River

• Risk assessment
• All activities as described in the itinerary
• Cairns airport transfers
• Transportation to activities
• Small World Journeys guide(s) Days 1-4
• 2 nights at Cairns 3-star hotel (2, 3 or 4-share rooms)
• 1 night Cairns Highlands cabins (single gender dorm-style rooms)*
• All breakfasts
• All lunches
• All dinners
• Snacks
• Mask, fins, and snorkel hire for Great Barrier Reef day
• Lycra suit hire during summer season
• 101 Animals of the Great Barrier Reef field guide for each student
• National Park and Marine Park taxes and levies
• Materials for community service project
• Prize for winning team of Urban Challenge
• Donation made to Rainforest Rescue on behalf of your group (we give you a certificate on your trip)
• Reusable water bottle and cloth shopping bag
• Donation made to Reef Restoration Foundation to the “Care for Coral” program on behalf of your group (we give you a certificate on your trip)
• NEW: we offset the carbon emissions from your trip activities AND your flight to Cairns!

*Two teacher rooms (private twin or triple share rooms) are included in the trip price for groups of 15 students or more. For trips with low numbers (10-14), one teacher room is included. A single supplement  is charged if an additional private room is required for the trip. If teachers are happy to share a room, no additional costs are incurred.

Small World Journeys reserves the right to change the order of activities for logistical reasons. Prices are valid for travel until 31 March, 2026.

• Airfare to Cairns
• Travel insurance (highly recommended)
• Personal expenses (souvenirs, laundry, etc.)

• Whitewater rafting the Barron River (minimum age is 13): $158 AUD per person
• Canyoning (minimum age is 8): $224 AUD per person

Planning Your Trip

ACCESSIBILITY MENU: Small World Journeys’ website provides an accessibility menu. Visitors to our website can click on the “person” icon on the right side of the screen to bring up this menu. Options include increasing/decreasing font size, increasing/decreasing contrast, dyslexia-friendly fonts, and the ability to hide images, among other things.

BOOKING FORM: On our online booking form, we ask all participants to list any special needs they have, be them medical, dietary, or accessibility needs. We also offer free sensory packs to our guests who are neurodivergent, which include headphones, a timer for transitions, a squeezy fidget toy, and other treats to appeal to the senses like flavoured lip balm.

WAIVER FORMS: We understand that not all of our participants’ parents have a strong command of written English and therefore understanding and signing our on-line waiver may prove challenging. We therefore have our wavier form available in the following languages on request: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.

Arrival at Cairns Airport

ACCESSIBLE TOILETS: Public toilets are located throughout the terminals. Each toilet facility includes an accessible toilet suitable for wheelchair access.

TGSI and HEARING LOOPS: The Cairns Airport makes use of Tactile Ground Service Indicators (TGSI) and Hearing Loops to assist people with vision impairments and hearing difficulties, respectively.  For example, Braille is included on toilet doors/signs to assist a person with vision impairment locate the correct facility.

ASSISTANCE FOR HIDDEN DISABILITIES: If you or someone you are travelling with has a hidden disability, you can request a hidden disability lanyard through a form here.  Wearing a sunflower lanyard when you are at Cairns Airport is a discreet way for you to indicate to the airport team that you may need a little extra help, guidance or time with the airport processes. The airport team has been trained to recognise the lanyard and provide the assistance and support you may need. Some of the airport staff will also be wearing a Sunflower badge on their shirts or lanyards to help you feel a little more at ease.

VISUAL AND WRITTEN STORY GUIDES: Visual Story Guides are available for Domestic Arrivals and have been designed to help you to understand how an airport works and what to expect. Written Story Guides are also available for Domestic Arrivals.

Our Safety Talks

Our arrival safety talk is done verbally but is supported by cards that illustrate the main talking points. Similarly, our snorkelling safety talk is done in the same manner, supported by cards with pictures and illustrations.

We can provide a transcript of our safety talk to any hearing-impaired guest.

Transport

Our buses have two steps up of approximately 40 cms to get inside. There is no lift for a wheelchair or mobility device. Similarly, on occasion we hire large coaches for bigger groups and those buses also have two steps up of about 40 cms to get inside. All buses are equipped with seatbelts.

Presentations & Workshops

OUR OFFICE & PRESENTATION SPACE: We use the Small World Journeys office space for presentations, workshops and some community service projects. There is a rise of approximately 2 cm to enter the presentation room. We have one accessible, gender-neutral toilet block with shower.

In the outside area of our office, planes fly overhead frequently and the noise can be startling and confronting. However, as part of the terms of construction, the entire building has sound mitigation devices (double glazed windows, etc.) which creates the opportunity for multiple breakout spaces for neuro-divergent people who desire a quiet space with reduced stimuli.

Our presentations are designed to appeal to both visual and auditory learners.   We can provide a transcript of our presentations to any hearing-impaired guest.

NOVOTEL PRESENTATION SPACE: We also use Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort for presentations at dinnertime.

Overall accessible resort information:

• All entries to the hotel are wheelchair-accessible
• 2 accessible spaces in the on-site car park, near lifts
• 1 accessible toilet in hotel lobby (hand rail | grab bar)
• Most walkways within the hotel are wheelchair-accessible
• Well-lit main areas
• All meeting rooms are accessible
• Braille call buttons for lifts on each floor (external)
• On-site restaurant & breakfast buffet is mostly accessible – Please ask for assistance at hot food station.

Hotels

FLEXIBILITY WITH ACCOMMODATION: We have flexibility with the accommodation we choose; therefore if we know in advance that we have a guest with a wheelchair, mobility scooter or is short statured, we can choose hotels that cater accordingly.

PREFERRED HOTEL 1:  One of our preferred Cairns hotels is centrally located and one block from the waterfront.  The reception and breakfast room are widely accessible through a double automatic door as there are no steps or thresholds. Accessible guest rooms are all on the ground level.  The staff are happy to move the furniture around if required, and the rooms are fitted with a zipped-together queen bed or two single beds depending on preference. The under-bed clearance is 40mm, and there’s around 1000mm of space between the side of the bed and the wall. Unfortunately, the balconies have sliding door tracks and may not be completely accessible. Light switches are all large dish-style type and located 1000mm from the floor in accessible locations. The air conditioning can be remotely controlled. Moving into the bathroom: the hotel boasts accessible showers and toilets that are hobless and fitted with a fold-down seat. Both horizontal and vertical grab rails are fitted and the shower is home to a hot and cold flick mixer tap. The lifts which provide access to the third accessible room provide ample space for wheelchairs, and also boast buttons fitted with Braille.

PREFERRED HOTEL 2:  A second preferred hotel is also centrally located.  With accessible rooms that boast a double bed and a single bed, the staff at Coral Tree Inn are also happy to move the room furniture around to suit guests who use a wheelchair or mobility device. With a coffee and tea making space and a small bar fridge at hand, the TV can also be controlled by the remote. It’s worth noting that at this hotel the air conditioning unit cannot be operated by a remote. There is an accessible combined toilet and shower facility fitted with grab rails and a fold-down set. The shower is also hobless for added accessibility. Unfortunately, the balconies have sliding door tracks and may not be accessible to all guests, and there are also no designated accessible parking bays. However, there is ample room for drop offs immediately in front of reception.

Entering the reception may also be a little difficult as the door is manual, but staff are always happy to assist (and man the desk 24 hours). There are wide paths that lead from the reception to every area of the resort, including the BBQ area, the pool and the adjoining dining room.

Meals & Restaurants

FLEXIBILITY WITH RESTAURANTS & CATERING: We have quite a bit of flexibility with the restaurants we choose; therefore if we know in advance that we have a guest with a wheelchair, mobility scooter or is short statured, we can choose restaurants that cater accordingly.

We offer flexible menu options for people who have food allergies or intolerances, and in many cases religious requirements relating to food.

Guests are given space on our online booking form to specify their allergy, intolerance or religious requirement. On arrival we then give them a bag containing, for example, lactose-free milk, nut-free cereal and snacks, and/or other food items that cater to this allergy or intolerance. Unfortunately, we are not able to guarantee catering for preferences like low carb meals or FODMAP.

Similarly, we inform all caterers and restaurants of our guests’ food allergies or intolerances.  Breakfast is typically served at the hotel, whilst lunches are often boxed lunches as we move around quite a bit on our tours.

Activities

If we are informed in the planning phase of your trip about  any participants or (potential participants) who have disabilities or special needs, we can suggest certain activities over others or suggest certain boats to the reef.  For example, one boat that travels to the reef has a lift for a guest in a wheelchair to get in and out of the water which is a great choice for guests with wheelchairs or mobility devices. Conversely, we know that the facilities on the boat that travels to the Fitzroy Island reef is not well set up for those with wheelchairs or mobility devices.  We also can include activities such as the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, which recognises and supports the Sunflower program for people with hidden disabilities.

On this particular trip, there are quite a few activities. The Highlands cabins, abseiling, raft-building activity, rainforest walk and reef boat do not cater to people using wheelchairs or mobility devices.  In all locations except for the reef boat, there are spot on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli. As the presentations and information about leadership, team-building activities, raft-building and obstacle course are given verbally, there is limited support for people with hearing impairments. Our guides will be able to assist those with vision impairments.

Departure at Airport

VISUAL AND WRITTEN STORY GUIDES: Visual Story Guides are available for Domestic Departures and have been designed to help you to understand how an airport works and what to expect. Written Story Guides are also available for Domestic Departures.

Arrive Cairns: Welcome to the tropics! On arrival you are met by a Small World Journeys staff member and given an orientation.

Group Initiatives & Games:   our first participate in a host of group initiatives and games designed to focus you not only on your leadership skills but being a supportive team player as well.  Through problem solving games facilitated by your guide, you learn that being adaptable is an asset, that communication is key, and that the most outspoken person is not necessarily the best leader.  You have a chance to debrief each activity and review what you have learned each time.

Fundamentals of Leadership Workshop: Your first activity is a workshop that explores concepts of leadership through a fun series of interactive games and self-discovery tools. You learn ten qualities of good leaders, recognise leadership skills you already possess, and identify how to find your “superpowers”. This workshop is facilitated by Small World Journeys’ owner and creator, Laurie Pritchard, who was the 2017 Cairns CBWC Small Businesswoman of the Year and the Institute of Managers & Leaders’ (IML) Owner/Entrepreneur Regional Winner. Having interviewed and hired hundreds of people over the past 18 years, Laurie can also teach older students what employers look for in job seekers, and the five common mistakes young people make in job interviews.  This is a fast paced, fun workshop in which you gain valuable insight about yourselves.

Highlands Cabins: Later you settle into your dorm-style accommodation next to a gorgeous waterfall.  Cabins with shared bathrooms are split by gender, and teachers have their own cabins nearby with ensuites, small refrigerator, and tea & coffee making facilities.

Platypus Spotting and Glowworms: Near sunset with your guide you can look for the elusive platypus that swims in the property’s stream, and after dark you can also creep down a path through the rainforest to view some of Australia’s most unusual creatures – glow worms – that attract mates through bioluminescence and make tiny twinkles in the night.

Campfire & Leadership Discussion:  Later tonight after dinner you come together around the fire to discuss conquering fears, building confidence and taking on new challenges, and what obstacles you have met on your leadership path.  Your guide will ask a few key questions for reflection so you can get the most out of this exercise.

Accommodation: Highlands Cabins
Included: Lunch, Dinner

Team-Building Obstacle Course: This morning you have more activities designed to strengthen your sense of teamwork.  A highlight is banding together in teams to make your way through an army-style obstacle course designed to test your skill, speed and ability to work together effectively.

Abseiling: Under the care of a professional instructor you are introduced to the exhilarating and empowering sport of abseiling. Abseiling — a slow controlled descent down our rope with a friction device – is for some students more demanding than rock climbing. First-time climbers will be particularly well-cared for and this is a great activity for confidence building. Students learn it can often take the support from others in the group to give someone the strength to do it.

Josephine Falls: Later you enter Wooroonooran National Park—a diverse part of the UNESCO Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and one of the most picturesque places in the entire Wet Tropics! You take an easy walk through the jungle, listening for the call of the king parrot and the bowerbird and emerge at Josephine Falls, where Josephine Creek plunges down a gorgeous set of cascades. Below the falls, boulders surround a fun swimming hole and a natural water slide down a smooth sloping rock face.

Future of The Reef Talk: In the evening back in Cairns you attend a unique presentation on the future of the Great Barrier Reef.  Your marine naturalist teaches you the facts about the state of the reef, dispelling myths about bleaching and climate change, and relays the good, the bad and the ugly about reef tourism. During this talk, you learn the four key threats to the reef and how scientists are trying “assisted evolution” by breeding corals that are resistant to bleaching under higher temperatures.  Perhaps most importantly, you gain tips on how you yourselves can help save the reef and be an advocate for change when you return home.

Accommodation: Cairns budget accommodation
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel to the Great Barrier Reef: This morning you board your ferry and depart for the pristine Fitzroy Island.   With a prime spot on the inner Great Barrier Reef, Fitzroy Island and the surrounding reefs support some of the planet’s greatest biodiversity and the island is now protected as a national park.

Raft Building:  After an orientation to the island, you split into groups for an active teambuilding game.  Using only a few pieces of allocated equipment, you must design a raft together using your creativity and ingenuity.  Rafts are judged on structural inventiveness, involvement of the whole team in its construction, and if it safely floats three team members!  With full supervisor support in the water, you then try to successfully make your way back to shore.

Team Strategy Activity:  Using your rafts as your base, next you work together on a “lost at sea” activity.  This game requires strategic thinking, intellect and sharing of ideas to have the best chance of “surviving” as a group.  Your decisions as a team are compared to National Coast Guard standards.

Snorkelling: With full use of snorkel gear for the rest of the day, you can walk right into the water to explore the magnificent reef system that surrounds the island.  Just offshore a kaleidoscope of marine life beckons to be discovered:  colourful corals, parrot and lionfish, turtles, cuttlefish, rays and giant clams.

Optional Evening Activity – Documentary Film: Documentary films can inspire discussion and action, in addition to complementing the content of your trip. Tonight you have a choice to view one of several optional documentary films that relate to the environment (no extra cost).

Accommodation: Cairns budget accommodation
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Community Service Project: This morning you participate in a service project for the homeless by making special bags for a local charity using upcycled materials (which helps them save money!) You then put it the bags food and hygiene items most needed by those living on the street. Rosies Friends on The Street is a not-for-profit organisation that will then distribute the packs you make. You find out how members of the Cairns community become homeless, and how your gift will help. No worries if you aren’t the best at arts and crafts – the bags are easy to make, and you’ll feel good doing it too.

Optional Urban Challenge: If you have an afternoon flight, you can choose to spend the morning souvenir shopping, swimming at the lagoon or participating in Small World Journeys’ Urban Challenge! The Urban Challenge is a fun team-building exercise that allows students to learn more about the history, nature, art and culture of Cairns.  Small group teams compete against time in this treasure hunt-type activity in Cairns central business district.  This is a popular activity for students and the winning team gets a prize!  (on request, no extra cost)

Later you are transferred to Cairns airport for your flight home.

Included: Breakfast

Rafting the Barron River: In the afternoon you travel from Cairns to your put-in at Barron Gorge National Park. The Barron River ranks high with rafting enthusiasts around the globe for its stunning course through national parklands, Class III rapids, and its reliable year-round flows. First timers and experienced rafters alike are spoiled by the Barron’s fun paddling and gorgeous pristine wilderness. At the river you are fitted with a life jacket and helmet and after a safety briefing you are on the water. In 6-person rafts, you paddle through UNESCO World Heritage rainforest and below waterfalls that tumble from the walls of the gorge. Rousing rapids with evocative names like Cheese Churn, Rooster Tail and Hells Gate punctuate your route as you paddle the spectacular canyon.

Extra Cost of $158 per person

-OR-

Canyoning: Get ready to get wet! This adventure activity is called “canyoning”, which has you following a waterway through a gorgeous tropical canyon.  You learn to abseil beside waterfalls, slide and jump into clear pools, and hook in to a fantastic zip line over the gorge.  Suitable for ages 8 and above, this is the perfect activity to face your fears and join together in adventure!

Extra Cost of $249 per person