Local Living Tours & Trips in East Australia

Over three days in Brisbane, you'll try bush tucker with Aboriginal guides at Nyanda Waterhole Reserve and meet koalas at Lone Pine, the world's oldest sanctuary. In Cairns, check out the aquarium and eat at local spots, then head to Melbourne's Koorie Heritage Trust to learn about indigenous heritage.

Get a taste of authentic Australian farm life at Gold Creek Station with a Be My Guest BBQ lunch hosted by sheep farmer Craig Starr, who shares stories about life on the land in the Southern Highlands. Wander through atmospheric English Cotswolds-inspired villages set among rolling vineyard hills near the Great Dividing Range. Visit Beechworth's well-preserved gold rush heritage with stops at honey shops, galleries, and afternoon tea at the town's oldest hotel while chatting with the local publican.

Spend the afternoon at the Creed family's Langmorn Station, a historic cattle property established in 1873, learning about life on the land in Rockhampton and having tea with the family. Tour the Sarina Sugar Shed to see regional sugarcane production and taste locally made treats. Stay in an eco-resort surrounded by ancient rainforest on K'gari (Fraser Island) and have a special farewell dinner in tropical Cairns sharing memories with fellow travelers.

Take a 4WD through World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest to Cape Tribulation where rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef. Cross the Daintree River by cable ferry and check out Black Mountain, dubbed Australia's Bermuda Triangle. See Somerset's abandoned settlement with Frank Jardine's tombstone and have lunch on palm-fringed Anchorage Beach overlooking Albany Passage.

Stay 3 nights in centrally located Melbourne hotels along the Yarra River, dining at South Wharf's waterfront restaurants serving modern Australian cuisine. Check out Melbourne's hidden laneways and cafe culture on a private walking tour with your Travel Director, finding street art and boutique coffee roasters. Join an Anangu artist for a hands-on Aboriginal dot painting workshop, learning traditional Western Desert art techniques and creating your own artwork using symbols significant to Central Australian culture.