Outback, Reef & Rainforest

• Crack a Whip and Milk the Cows on an Outback Cattle Station
• Plunge Down a Natural Rainforest Waterslide and Swim Under Waterfalls
• Learn About The Rainforest from an Indigenous Guide
• Find Nemo at The Great Barrier Reef
• Meet Massive Crocodiles, Feed Kangaroos and Cuddle a Koala
• Learn How to Make Damper – Aussie “Bush Bread”
• Visit a Turtle Rehabilitation Centre
• Enjoy a Classic Aussie BBQ, Bonfire and Stargazing Under Outback Skies

• Risk assessment
• Cairns airport transfers
• Small World Journeys guide Days 1-3 and 5-6
• Small World Journeys marine naturalist Day 4
• Specialty guides and educators
• All activities and entrance fees as described in the itinerary
• Transportation to activities
• 4 nights at Cairns budget accommodation (4 or 6 share dorm rooms)*
• 1 night outback cattle station (basic single gender dorm style cabins)
• 1 night Daintree Rainforest beach cabins (4 share dorm-style rooms)
• All breakfasts
• All lunches
• All dinners
• 101 Animals of the Great Barrier Reef field guide for each student
• Mask, fins, snorkel, wetsuit hire on the reef trip
• Marine Park taxes and levies
• 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 from 1 April 2025 until 31 March, 2026.

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

• Photo with koala ($28 AUD)
• Intro SCUBA diving ($75 AUD per dive)

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SCUBA DIVING: In order to participate in SCUBA diving, you will be required to fill out a medical form which can be forwarded to you in advance. Some of the medical conditions that may disqualify you from diving are, but not limited to, the following: Diabetes, Asthma, Ear/Nose/Throat Conditions, Migraine Headaches, Previous Head Injuries, Epilepsy/Seizures/Convulsions, Pregnancy and/or Poor Physical Conditioning. We can forward you this medical form before the start of your trip.

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.

PREFERRED HOTEL (DAINTREE): Wheelchair users will be pleasantly surprised by how accessible the property is. The two Escape Cabins are especially convenient. There are no lifts to these two cabins, no stairs, the room is large and the light switches are low. The bathrooms is suitable for wheelchair access. There are spots on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli or retreat to his/her 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:

Mossman Gorge Walk

The Visitors’ Centre and toilets are accessible for wheelchair or mobility devices. People using a wheelchair or mobility device can access the the river track & first 500m to the look-out on board walk. Groups can be kept to under 10 people for guests with mild to moderate hearing impairments so guide can project their voice loud enough for guest to hear; guides like to have one on one conversations & questions if guests needed.  There are many quiet spots in the park where people who are neurodivergent can rest.

Great Barrier Reef Trip

• The boat cannot accommodate persons using wheelchairs and mobility devices.
• Safety instructions are given verbally (no written instructions available).
• The captain is the first point of call for any questions or queries in regards to accessibility and/or special requirements that guests may have on the day.
• Assistance dogs are permitted, but must be confirmed with the reservations team prior to the trip.
• The boat uses pictogram signs (for example a pictogram showing feet standing on coral with a red line through it) to assist people with low literacy levels or who speak English as a second language. The company also has risk snorkel assessment forms in Japanese & Chinese for those nationalities.
• The distance from the Reef Fleet terminal to the vessel is approximately 150 metres; unfortunately no assistance is available for guests with mobility impairments.
• Lunch catering is sourced from a third party contractor who supply very detailed ingredient lists on request. Most dietary restrictions (gluten or lactose free, vegan, nut-free) can be accommodated.
• Although the boat itself does not have a specific low-stimulus quiet area, there are places on the island that could serve in this capacity.
• The island has dirt tracks and uneven terrain to get to the turtle rehab centre, and the beach front is mostly coral rubble

Outback Cattle Station

The property has an accessible toilet and shower. Bunk houses are suitable for people using a wheelchair or a mobility device. Eating area is located on a rock & slate surface, which is relatively smooth but slightly uneven in some places. The pioneer homestead and the hay truck (for wildlife viewing on the property) is not accessible for people using a wheelchair or a mobility device. There are many places on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli. People with hearing impairments can receive safety instructions for cow milking, boomerang throwing and other activities in a visual format. People with vision impairments can receive verbal safety instructions for cow milking and other activities in a visual format, however boomerang throwing is not recommended.

Millaa Millaa Falls

Millaa Millaa Falls in the lower carpark at the base of the falls which has an accessible viewing platform nearby. There is no access to the swimming area at the falls, with no provisions for peopel who use a wheelchair or mobility device. There are accessible toilets adjacent to the car park.  There is a spot on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli. People with hearing impairments can read the interpretive panels at the falls.

Curtain Fig Tree National Park

There is an elevated 180m wheelchair accessible boardwalk that begins right by the carpark and encircles the fig tree. There are no toilets on site. There is a spot on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli. People with hearing impairments can read the interpretive panels at the falls.

Wooroonooran National Park: Josephine Falls

The toilets, picnic shelter and picnic tables in the car park area are wheelchair and mobility device-accessible. Wheelchair and mobility device access is available to the viewing platform at the top area. Stairs lead to the bottom pool where swimming takes place. People with hearing impairments can read the interpretive panels at the falls. There is a spot on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli.

Crocodile and Wildlife Park

The park is about 98% fully accessible for wheelchair and mobility device users. Wheelchairs are available free of charge from Admissions (need to be pre-booked). The pathways to Gondwana Gateway and Cassowary Walk are moderately steep and assistance may be required. The only area not suitable for a person in a wheelchair is the Crocodile Farm Tour as they cannot see into the pens; however they can still listen to the information given on croc farming.  Ambulant access toilets are located at Lilies Restaurant and at our Gallery of Living Art. People with hearing impairments can read the interpretive panels at the different areas of the park.  Support dogs for people with vision impairments have limited access to certain area’s i.e.: restaurant, shop and limited croc area, but some areas with wallabies, kangaroos, koalas and birds the dogs are forbidden access; clients CAN leave the dog with us in the air-conditioned office.

Rainforest Walk/Swim & Damper Making

The park and toilets are not accessible for wheelchair or mobility devices. There are no toilets on site. There is a spot on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli. People with hearing impairments can read the interpretive panels along the walk.

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.

Arrival: On arrival you are met by a Small World Journeys staff member and you receive an orientation and safety talk.

Indigenous Cultural Experience: Your trip to Far North Queensland begins with an exclusive experience on country, you head south from Cairns to an Indigenous community; traditional country of the Gunggandji and Yidinji people. After a welcome to country smoking ceremony Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Rangers share stories about the history of the community and life in community. Students are led into discussion of the importance of the Ranger Program and managing country and how land and sea rangers play an important role in their local communities. Rangers work closely with their Elders to plan caring for country as well as their community contribution through modelling leadership, cultural connection, and assisting with inter-generational knowledge sharing. Other topics include the types of activities Rangers are undertaking, in particular how drones are used by Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Rangers to monitor crocodiles. A spear making and throwing demonstration will educate students of the different types of spears, how they are traditionally made, and how to throw a spear.

Later you are transferred to you accommodation in the heart of Cairns.

Accommodation: Cairns 3-star hotel
Meals Included: Dinner

Curtain Fig Tree: This morning you head up the mountain range into the Cairns Highlands. Here the rich volcanic soils of the Cairns Highlands created a suitable environment for lush tropical rainforests, which in turn have attracted a host of mammal, reptile and bird life.   In the Highlands you pay tribute to a local high-profile resident – the massive curtain fig tree – and learn how these giants straight out of Lord of the Rings eerily “strangle” their hosts.

Millaa Millaa Falls: Millaa Millaa is the icon of tropical north Queensland and one of the most photographed natural sites in the region.  The waterfall flows over pure basalt rock thousands of years old in a dramatic burst.  There is a fantastic swimming hole at the base of the falls, and you can climb on the peculiar columnar basalt for a unique perspective of the falls from behind.

Outback Cattle Station: Next you cross into classic outback country, where dingoes and kangaroos roam freely. Here you are welcome guests at a traditional working cattle station and homestead, opened only to your group. You have a tour of the station and a classic Aussie BBQ, followed by a bonfire and stargazing.

Accommodation: Your simple dorm-style bunk houses are single-gender and have bunk beds, sleeping bags, and toilets & showers in an outside block.

Accommodation: Outback Cattle Station
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Cattle Station Life: Cow Milking, Animal Feeding and Whip Cracking: This morning you get a sample of true outback life on a cattle station. you can feed the goats and chickens, learn how to milk the cows and crack a whip properly in true cowboy style. You visit the cattle yards to learn about musters and branding, and efforts made for humane animal treatment. You also take a walk back through time on the homestead to the age of the early Australian pioneers, and you can touch the old furniture, trinkets and memorabilia all well-preserved by the family.

Boomerang Throwing: Yes, they actually come back to you! Your guide teaches you the significance of the boomerang and how they were cleverly used for hunting. You learn proper throwing technique and what makes them return.

National Park: Later you enter Wooroonooran National Park—a diverse part of the UNESCO Wet Tropics World Heritage Area which hosts some of the oldest continually surviving rainforest in the world.

Josephine Falls: 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 ten tips on how you yourselves can help save the reef and continue campaigning when you return home.

Accommodation: Cairns 3-star hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Ferry Ride: This morning you are ferried to the pristine Fitzroy Island – a green gem in a turquoise sea.  A fringing coral reef surrounds the island, part of the inner Great Barrier Reef, providing a sheltered home for a variety of fish and coral species.

Snorkelling: With full use of snorkel gear for 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. Our marine naturalist points out some of the reef’s most interesting features.

Turtle Rehabilitation Centre: During your visit you also go to the island’s Turtle Rehab Centre where volunteers help save sick and injured sea turtles by looking after them until they are ready to be released into the ocean.

Field Guide: 101 Animals of The Great Barrier Reef, written by Dr. Martin Cohen, helps you to better understand the underwater world and is yours to keep.

Accommodation: Cairns 3-star hotel
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Rainforest Discovery with Indigenous Guide:  Today you discover the Daintree Rainforest at Mossman Gorge, an area important to the Kuku Yalanji. Beginning with a traditional smoking ceremony, you wander rainforest paths, discovering with your guide how these Aboriginal people found their way through dense rainforest, made shelter and learned which native plants were tasty to eat and those that served as weapons and medicine.   As your guide shares his stories, you learn how the seasons dictated life, what falls under men’s and women’s “business”, how to make fire in the rainforest and how to make fish very easy to catch.   You then sample billy tea and wattle seed damper (bread) made on the fire topped with jam from rainforest berries.

Daintree Rainforest & Beach Eco-Lodge: Later you enter the main section of the magical Daintree Rainforest – the oldest continuously growing rainforest on earth.  Your Daintree lodge boasts an attractive swimming pool, guest laundry, BBQ area, and a superb location in the rainforest but directly on the beach.  As a recipient of a 2016 QLD Excellence in Tourism Award, and Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2015, the lodge also uses grey water for irrigation, locally-sourced food for its restaurant, and recycles 80% of its waste. Students sleep in dorm-style cabins with ensuite, and the sounds of the jungle surround you.

Accommodation: Daintree Rainforest Cabins
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Cape Tribulation and Swimming Hole: After a night of immersion in the rainforest, you wake to birdcalls and the chatter of the jungle.  Nearby is a crystal-clear rainforest swimming hole used by locals and a perfect place to cool off.

Crocodile Farm & Wildlife Park: Meet crocodiles in their natural habitat as well as a crocodile farm today.  This multi-award winning eco adventure attraction is the best place to see crocodiles in Australia.  You learn why saltwater crocodiles were almost hunted to extinction, and their importance in ecosystems today.  Lagoon boat rides enable safe, guaranteed viewing of giant saltwater crocodiles in a natural setting.  Hartley’s is famous for its crocodile feeding, snake and wildlife presentations. In the Gondwana Gateway you also meet animals of far north Queensland, like monitors, snakes and the giant endangered cassowary.

Optional Photo – You and a Koala! If you have always wanted to get a photo with a koala- here’s your chance (extra cost).

Beach BBQ Party: In the afternoon, you head to the beach for music, games and a BBQ cookout.  This is a great way to end your week in the tropics!

Accommodation: Cairns 3-star hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast this morning you have free time for last-minute shopping or souvenir purchases. If you leave later in the day, you can choose one of the following options:

Optional Community Service Project: Alternatively, you can 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.  In addition, a representative from Rosies will speak to you about 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. (on request, no extra cost)

Then you are transferred to the Cairns airport for your flight home.

Meals Included: Breakfast