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Explore the Far North West in true Luxury

One of Australia’s last true frontiers, the Kimberley’s vast landscape provides spectacular beauty and horizons that appear to go on forever. Covering an area of nearly half a million square kilometres, the Kimberley is twice as large as Victoria and three times the size of England. With a rugged coastline facing the Indian Ocean to the west, the Timor Sea to the north and Great Sandy Desert in the South. A Private Air Tour is the perfect way to explore the region efficiently, allowing you more time to immerse yourself in the wilderness and less time spent travelling.

Taking Australians to Australia

Only from the air can the layered and vast contrasts of this region be truly appreciated. Our small group journeys utilize smaller private aircrafts, which allows for stunning low flightseeing.

Highlights in the Kimberley include the spectacular Cockburn Ranges, with its majestic orange cliffs running the whole way around the range and the Cambridge Gulf, used by ships to access the Port of Wyndham. The region is defined by rugged ranges, dramatic gorges, semi arid savanna and a largely isolated coastline and is a sight to behold.

El Questro – the heart of the Kimberley

If there is one area that encompasses almost everything that the Kimberley has to offer, it’s El Questro. Boasting outstanding natural diversity from deep gorges, majestic mountains to rainforests and cascading waterfalls, El Questro’s untamed natural beauty is spread out across the property’s 700,000 acres.

On a Bill Peach small group journey, our private aircraft lands directly at El Questro Station. You will be whisked away on 4WD’s to our awaiting luxurious riverside accommodation. Relax and enjoy a drink while taking in the changing colours of a West Australian sunset, which paints not just the sky but the entire horizon in hues of the rainbow.

A cruise on Chamberlain Gorge is a must. Only accessible by boat, this 3 km fresh waterhole is bound by diverse flora and fauna and belittled by a towering escarpment. Keep your eyes peeled for the resident rock wallabies, Johnston crocodiles and archer fish, who shoot water at their insect prey to capture them.

There will be plenty of time to relax, unwind and explore this breathtaking property at your own pace.

Berkeley River Lodge – Australia’s most remote mainland luxury lodge experience

When the Kimberley Coast’s sparkling waters come into view, you will instantly see why the Berkeley River region is one of Australia’s true gems. Only accessible by air, a privileged few will ever have the opportunity to see its breathtaking landscapes. Set between the Timor Sea and Berkeley River, this luxury lodge is an ultimate Kimberley experience. A stay at Berkley River Lodge allows you to leave modern life far behind, as you relax into the rhythms of nature in your luxurious villa that floats atop of the coastal sand dunes.

Absorb the peace and tranquillity of this remote wilderness region on a river cruise along the Berkeley River. Discover the rugged cliffs, stunning waterfalls and secluded waterholes as your skipper shows you all the natural treasures this river system has to offer.

No matter your activity level, our guests will experience everything this ancient and remote region has to offer.

Please note our 2023 itineraries vary from the Kimberley Adventure Air Tour. We will have a few different tours visiting the Kimberley Region, please find further details here.

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE GULF TO GULF AIR TOUR

Back in 2011 the first Gulf to Gulf Air Tour took off from Adelaide Airport. Since then the tour has become one of Bill Peach Journeys most popular tours. This Australian Outback Air Tour was designed after reading an article about Jeff Johnson who walked from the Spencer Gulf to the Gulf of Carpentaria to raise money for the Deaf & Blind Society. It was also inspired by reading the stories of our early explorers such as Burke & Wills. The thing that makes this tour so special is the extraordinary places we visit. The tour visits the famous Dig Tree, Innamincka, Birdsville, Mt Isa, Adels Grove, Groote Eylandt, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and finishes at Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges. They are hard to get to places – with incredible communities. Below are some interesting facts from some of the places we visit on the way as we traverse from one end of Australia to the other.

You can find the complete tour itinerary here.

LAKE EYRE – THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

A part of this extraordinary Outback Air Tour is a low flight over the Lake Eyre Basin which has flooded 6 times since 2009, creating a natural wonderland.
Located in the arid interior of South Australia, the lowest part of Lake Eyre forms the continent’s lowest point, 16 metres below sea level. For the most part is a large salt pan covering some 9,300 square kilometres. Lake Eyre has international significance, both for its large expanse of salt pan and its occasional floodings.

“Simply the greatest show on earth… this oceanic enigma, shimmering under the outback sun, presents a vision every bit as incomprehensible and as contradictory as the waters of the moon.” – Charles Woolley, 60 Minutes, 2000.

   

FLYING OVER THREE OF AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST DESERTS

On the Gulf to Gulf Air Tour we are lucky enough to fly over 3 of Australia’s largest deserts, the Simpson, the Great Victoria and the Tanami. Our early explorers were not so lucky. The Simpson Desert lies on the border of Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. In 1845 the explorer Sturt, while in the area of the then un-named Simpson Desert, finally admitted defeat and turned his back on the country where he had hoped to find the Inland Sea. He said in a letter to his wife, “It looked like the entrance into hell”.

OVER THE MASSIVE SIMPSON….AND ON TO AUSTRALIA’S MOST REMOTE PUB…BIRDSVILLE

Birdsville is located 600 kilometres south-east from Alice Springs, in the far south-west corner of Queensland. The town was founded in 1872 by a Sydney man named Robert Frew. It was named for the great flocks of birds which inhabited the permanent water in the Diamantina lagoons. Birdsville was the strategic point for the best possible cattle track to Adelaide. A head drover named Tom Ford pioneered the Birdsville Track in 1882. He brought a mob of 2000 cattle down the Georgina river from Lake Nash in the Northern Territory through Birdsville and down a south-southwest track to Adelaide, a journey of nine months and two and half thousand kilometres!

Birdsville is not the place that it was in the 1890s when there were three pubs, a border Customs House, several shops and dozens of houses. Now there are only 100 people, one pub and apart from the annual race meeting, the biggest thing that happens in Birdsville is our plane!

THE GULF COUNTRY

One of the many highlights on this Outback Air Tour is flying over the Gulf Country and landing in Adels Grove. The Boodjamulla National Park or Lawn Hill National Park as it was formerly known lies on the traditional land of the Waanyi. In the 1870s European settlers moved into the area and started running cattle, with a number of smaller properties amalgamated to create Lawn Hill Station, one of Queensland’s largest cattle stations. An area of station land was given by the owner to the government as Crown land in 1984 (with a further grant in 1992), to be used for public benefit.
The land lies across sandstone ranges, with creeks and rivers crossing it. The outstanding attraction is Lawn Hill Gorge which we are lucky enough to cruise through. Another highlight of this region is the Riversleigh Fossil and Mammal Field. The fossils at Riversleigh are unusual because they are found in soft freshwater limestone which has not been compressed. This means the animal remains retain their three-dimensional structure, rather than being flattened like in most fossil sites. It is an outstanding site and recognised as a World Heritage area.

GROOTE EYLANDT

From the air Groote Eylandt is incredible with some beautiful untouched beaches and bays along its shores, vistas just made for our clients, like the stunning archipelago up on the north coast, around Northwest Bay and inside of Chasm Island. Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the fourth largest island in Australia. It is the homeland of, and is owned by, the Warnindhilyagwa people. Our time on the island is spent understanding its rich history and vibrant Indigenous culture. It is also home to one of the loveliest properties in the region – Dugong Beach Resort. We spend a couple of nights looking over the Gulf of Carpentaria. It’s the perfect spot to have a glass of wine and watch the sunset.

COOBER PEDY – A LIFE UNDERGROUND

Of course a visit to Coober Pedy is a must and an important part of this outback tour. Coober Pedy is renowned for its unusual underground buildings and dwellings – built to provide some protection from the harsh climate as well as for its Opals. For the early Opal Miners Coober Pedy was an endurance test for those men who ventured there to try their luck. Their lives were hard and lonely, the conditions on the fields almost insufferable. Temperatures averaging over 300C made the place hardly bearable. Often – and this was the biggest problem – water was more precious than the finest opals! So they burrows into the scarp, in order to escape the uncomfortable soaring temperatures of the day and the cold winds at night. In fact, the dug-out scheme was so successful, it is still widely used today, for large, modern homes, often containing four or five rooms. We spend a night underground in the very comfortable Desert Cave Hotel. Not all guests like to be underground so there are luckily air conditioned rooms above ground as well.

A TOWN LIKE ALICE

Situated almost geographically in the centre of Australia, there is no other town quite like Alice Springs. To her town folk she is simply ‘Alice’ while the rest of Australia give her the almost regal title of ‘The Alice’. It has always been a unique town, even before Nevil Shute made her sights and sounds famous in his best selling novel A Town Like Alice.
In 1871 the route for an overland telegraph line was sought from Adelaide to Darwin as part of a link between the Australian colonies and Europe. When a surveyor found a bubbling spring in a dry riverbed in Central Australia, it was decided to establish a Repeater Station there. The river was named the Todd, after the Postmaster General, and the spring Alice, after his wife. The town only started to grow rapidly when the railway was built, and then it was christened Alice Springs.
On the Gulf to Gulf Air Tour we visit the incredible Alice Springs Desert Park. Nestled against the backdrop of the spectacular MacDonnell Ranges the park showcases the landscapes, animals and plants of Australia’s deserts, and their traditional use and management by Aboriginal people. We also have dinner at the Northern Territory’s most famous Asian restaurant, Hanuman’s.

DON’T MISS OUT

With only 8 passengers on-board this is set to be a truly remarkable outback air tour into the heart and soul of South Australia, Outback Queensland and the Northern Territory. Click here for a list of upcoming departures.

In November 2020 Bill Peach Journeys embarked on a Luxury Short Break through the heart of ‘Australia’s Food Bowl’. In the exhilarating Riverina region we discovered acclaimed wines, tasted gorgeous fresh produce and explored spectacular natural scenery along the way. The Riverina which is home to the Murrumbidgee River and its waterways, winds its way through an amazing array of food trails, natural wonders and picturesque towns. We explored the charming country towns of Wagga Wagga, Gundagai, Jugiong, Cootamundra, Temora, Narrandera,Griffith & Lockhart the birth place of our founder Bill Peach.

Fascinating Towns

The Riverina sits within Wiradjuri Nation, the largest indigenous area in New South Wales. Known as the “people of three rivers”, the Wiradjuri people have deep connections with the Murrumbidgee River, the Lachlan River and the Macquarie River. Here are some of our favourite places from our recent Springtime in the Riverina Tour.

WAGGA WAGGA

located on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, is the largest inland city in New South Wales and is considered the main commercial and administrative centre in the Riverina region. “Wagga”, as it is known to the locals, is a city of fine buildings, tree-lined streets, excellent museums and galleries, parks and gardens.
Our expert guide & driver Wayne Priest from Priests Coaches explained the history of the town in great detail as we drove around the river and through all parts of town. A stop at the Botanical Gardens and Museum of the Riverina were also part of the tour. Wayne’s knowledge of the region is second to none and he was a delightful inclusion on the tour.

The wonderful thing about being on a Luxury Short Break like this is the locals you meet along the way. We had an extraordinary tour of “Tambea” Private Gardens. This mother-in-law & daughter-in-law team have such a passion for delicious food, and incredible gardens which are all set amongst the heart of their family’s wheat and canola farm.

A visit to Wollundry Olive Grove was an eye opener into one of the few olive groves in Australia that are grown, processed, bottled and packed on the grove. Their olives reflect the unique role that small, committed producers play in setting quality and flavour standards.

Of course there is nothing like the food in Wagga Wagga. For our first evening we visited Food I Am which is located amongst 100 acres of rolling hills. The restaurant is part cooking school and part private dining venue, allowing our clients to either roll up their sleeves or to sit back, relax and have a glass of wine while the expert team cooked them dinner.

GUNDAGAI

Of course a visit to the Riverina would not be complete without seeing the Dog on the Tuckerbox at Gundagai. Originally set up to assist Gundagai Hospital, today the Dog still helps the hospital’s vital work with the monies from its wishing well. Over the decades it has been celebrated in song and story, and faithfully commemorates the efforts of the European pioneers who settled the region. We also explored the main street of Gundagai which is a pretty and historic town. The landscape at Gundagai is dominated by four bridges spanning the Murrumbidgee flats. The timber viaducts are The timber viaducts are wonderful examples of early engineering solutions to crossing a major flood plain.

JUGIONG

We popped into lunch at Jugiong which is located on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River and is a great introduction to the Hilltops Region. Probably one of the most famous places to visit in Jugiong is the Long Track Pantry. The bustling cafe and general store is beloved for its delicious food in the cafe but also for its range of produce made on site, jams, dressing and chutneys made from local seasonal produce. It is always a favourite place for our clients to stock up on gifts and treats.

TEMORA

From gold rush history to pioneer villages and fighter jets, the heritage town of Temora has plenty to offer. This country town is home to one of the finest collections of flying vintage warplanes in the world. No visit is complete without visiting the Aviation Museum. A private behind the scenes tour was a highlight of the trip. We saw the only two flying Spitfires in Australia, plus the world’s only flying Gloster Meteor F8. Also at the museum is a WWII CA-13 Boomerang, the only fully Australian designed and built fighter plane to be produced, and a Hudson Bomber from 1939. Such incredible history and so magnificently restored.

GRIFFITH

Here we explored world-class wineries, ate fresh produce and learnt about the fascinating heritage of Griffith. Designed by noted architect Walter Burley Griffin in the early 20th century as part of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme, European migrants settled in the region after World War I and II and helped build a distinctive food and wine culture.
It was a foodies wonderland. We ate at Limone Dining which took over five years to build using recycled materials. The restaurant showcases what the Riverina has to offer – amazing produce prepared with the rich knowledge of the European migrants that made this area what it is today. We also ate at the famous Zecca restaurant renowned for its fresh homemade pasta dishes and no trip to Griffith is complete without consuming traditional Italian Canoli at Bertoldo’s Bakery.
Of course a visit to Griffith has to include a visit to its famous wineries and orchards. We visited Yarran Wines, one of the few certified organic vineyards in the region and the traditional Italian style, Calabria Family Wines for tasting and lunch in their underground cellar. The passion of these suppliers was evident in their hospitality and engagement with our group.

LOCKHART

Our final stop on this Luxury Short Break was a visit to our founder Bill Peach’s birthplace. The tiny town of Lockhart is known as the Verandah Town. Strolling around the Lockhart Sculpture and Heritage Trail we come across the Walk of Fame, a tribute to the remarkable accomplishments of former residents of Lockhart Shire who have shaped Australia’s rich and varied heritage. Seeing one dedicated to Bill was a very special moment for our clients and staff. We also had the added bonus of being shown where Bill grew up before he moved to boarding school in Bathurst.

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

As with so many of our Luxury Short Break tours the Springtime in the Riverina tour is a No Single Supplement tour meaning that you are guaranteed your own room without paying any extra supplement. Travelling with Bill Peach Journeys enables clients to explore regional areas without the stress of doing it on their own. You have a feeling of being part of a family of people who share common interests and just love to explore their own backyard in luxury and style.

There are more luxurious breaks and tours we offer – see them here!

*Please note the 2023 tour varies from this itinerary. To view the new itinerary please CLICK HERE.

For Bill Peach Journeys 70% of their loyal database return year on year. For some, this is 2-4 tours a year. “This is an unheard-of figure in the tour industry and one that the company is very proud of” says General Manager Amanda Highfield. She attributes this to a very high level of customer service from the moment clients call us to the incredible attention to detail whilst on tour. Many of our staff have been with the company for over 10 years and know our clients so well – they become part of the Bill Peach Journeys family.

CEO Allison Portus recently interviewed some of our loyal travellers. 

Peter & Maurine Stephenson from Sydney have been travelling with Bill Peach Journeys for 27 years and they are a testament to the incredible customer loyalty that we have.

AP: Peter & Maurine how long have you been travelling with Bill Peach Journeys?    

P&MS: Our first journey was the Great Australian Aircruise in 1993.

AP:  Wow I didn’t realise it was that long – even before my time and that’s saying something!! What made you first book a Bill Peach Journey?  

P&MS: For us it was the adventure of seeing so much of iconic Australia in such a short time via the Bill Peach Aircraft.

AP: What do you like about travelling with Bill Peach Journeys?  

P&MS: The all-inclusiveness, personalised service, worry-free and well planned itineraries that take into account the highlights of every place visited … as is the innovation of discovering new gems in places we had visited on previous Journeys.

AP: What has been your most favourite tour in Australia or New Zealand? 

P&MS: There are a number of favourites from our 30 Bill Peach Journeys so far …

(1) The Circumnavigate Australia Air Tour that covered in 19 days what a land traveller would take a year to do .. so much to take in.

(2) Southern Explorer Air Tour

(3) South Tasman & New Zealand cruise

(4) Great Australian Air Tour … a great experience.

(5) Yuletide Wolgan Valley … a unique mecca.

(6) North West Tasmania Luxury Short Break

(7)  Rail Cruising NSW … the historic 3801 steam train … a wonderful experience never to be forgotten

AP:  Peter & Maureen that is quite a list! What was your most memorable experience while on a BPJ tour?

P&MS: Many but two occurred on the same great trip … On our Gulf to Gulf Air Tour our Tour Director got ill. She got a stomach bug and had to remain in Darwin.  She talked our pilot, unused to such a situation, into taking us by coach to our 2-night stop at Bamurru Plains on the Mary River NT, a mind blowing experience of buffalo (through the resort!), air boat journeys, wilderness 4 wheel drives and great meals … in the middle of nowhere. He handled it all excellently.

Our Journey Director was able to re-join us immediately afterwards and later that week at Innamincka, having landed on a dirt air strip … and while visiting the Burke & Wills tree some kms away we were very hastily gathered up and raced to the airport as it began to rain. We would have been marooned there with a saturated air field for probably days … we took off and just made it out of there. A huge rush, mainly of adrenaline!

Barbara Munn from Sydney has been travelling with Bill Peach Journeys for 7 years.  She is one of many Solo Travellers that make up over 60% of the Bill Peach Journeys client base.

AP: Barbara how long have you been travelling with Bill Peach Journeys?

BB: I have been travelling with Bill Peach Journeys since 2013. I remember that it was the year Bill sadly passed away. At the time I was selfishly worried that I had finally found a fantastic travel product which was destined to shut down with Bill’s passing. But you and your other lovely staff have kept his dream alive.

AP: What made you first book a Bill Peach Journey?

BB: I had done a tour of Ireland the previous year and one of the American couples on tour could not believe that I had never seen Uluru. I knew I had to rectify that omission.

I knew of Bill Peach because my mother had been on one of your tours as had Uncle Lloyd. Then one Saturday morning as I was finishing breakfast I spied an ad for the Great Australian Air Tour in the newspaper.

This was my chance. My daughter was leaving for the UK to do a student exchange for six weeks and the first of the  2013 Great Australian Air Tour left the following day.

AP: Glad the stars aligned Barbara! What has been your most favourite tour in Australia or New Zealand?

BB: My favourite Australian Bill Peach journey would have to be my first, the Great Australian Air Tour. What a trip that was! I loved every minute of it! The group was a lot of fun and was led by the oh so capable and unflappable Lesley Neil. I hadn’t laughed so much in a very long time.

We flew to amazing places, we met fascinating people and had some very special Bill Peach experiences. Top of my list would be the dinner floating around Katherine Gorge, sunset drinks at Cable Beach and doing figure eights in our plane over Uluru. And I didn’t have to lift a finger. It was all organised for me.

AP: The Great Australian is also a favourite of mine. What do you like about travelling with Bill Peach Journeys?

BB: There are a few things I particularly like about Bill Peach Journeys that sets them apart from other tour groups. As I travel alone or sometimes with friends I like to know that I won’t be on a tour where everyone else is a married couple. There are always fellow single travellers and I have made some great travel buddies because of it. And as I have now done so many tours (a few each year), I know that there will be guests on each tour that I have travelled with before.  It makes each journey like a family trip with lots of like minded people.

Bill Peach also has fabulous tour directors. They are very professional, very caring and genuinely interested in seeing that you get the most out of the tour. If you are experiencing any problems, they are there for you.

I also like the fact that the tours are pretty much all inclusive. I take a bit of pocket money for the odd drink or souvenir and that is all I need. I don’t have to worry about where I will eat and I always have company at meal times. This is particularly handy on overseas trips where I don’t have to worry about foreign currency conversions and tips. It is all taken care of for me.

Overall, when I go on a Bill Peach trip I know the tour will be of a high standard. I know the accommodation will be the best available, they have carefully thought about the sights we see and the meals we will eat. The modes of transport are safe and reliable. I don’t worry too much about what the itinerary says for the day. I just hop on the bus/plane/train and off I go. I know I am going to have a great day wherever I am. And if I do have a grumble about something, management will listen and take my comments on board. They want to make sure the next tour group will have the best possible experience.

AP: Yes that’s the sort of feedback we get from all of our solo clients. What was your most memorable experience while on a BPJ tour?

BB: Top of list was a New Zealand cruise to the Bay of Islands. What a way to explore that beautiful part of the world! Lots of sun, dolphins and orcas accompanying us on the journey. The crew were so friendly, the food delectable and it all finished way too soon. But I think Captain Patrick was glad to get rid of us in the end. We Aussies drank all the shiraz on-board in preference to the lovely local pinot noir. He thought we were mad.

And finally, my favourite (well and truly) overseas trip was Myanmar. It was a troubling time for the country with the Rohingya crisis all over the news. And then a week before departure Michelle rang to say that the river cruise vessel was damaged and the itinerary had changed. But in true Bill Peach style, everything was rearranged at the last minute to fit in with our travel dates. And my favourite part of the whole trip was not on the original itinerary. Inle Lake was stunning. We toured all over the lake in what I can only describe as a large motorised canoe to visit floating markets, floating gardens and visit a floating silk factory. There were even floating villages. We stopped at one for a delicious lunch. I loved the Burmese people, the food and their life stories. It was a challenging but very rewarding country to visit.

I am looking forward to 2021, to opening state borders and getting my suitcase off the shelf and back on the road.  Bill Peach has a number of adventures planned for next year and I hope to be able to travel with you again to some of those great Aussie destinations.

The growth of tourism in Tasmania

When Bill Peach Journeys started tours to Tasmania back in the late 80’s it really was a quiet unassuming part of Australia. Jump forward to 2020 and Tasmania is all grown up. At Bill Peach we like to call it the MONA effect. In 2011 the contentious Museum of Old & New Art owned by David Walsh was opened in Hobart on the banks of the Derwent River and from that point on we saw an incredible change in tourism offerings within the Apple Isle. It also didn’t just stop in Hobart, suddenly stunning accommodation was being built and improved throughout the state and Tasmanian food and wine became some of the best in the country. Today there are hundreds of suppliers to choose from and we have hand picked the very best ones for our trips to Tasmania.

A little bit about our Tasmanian suppliers

Travelling on our Southern Explorer Air Tour we visit the remote Bruny Island. Bruny Island Safaris is our local tour operator on the island. As with all of our destinations we like to use local guides on the ground who inspire our clients with their knowledge and enthusiasm.

Bruny Island Safaris is owned by Craig Parsey who spent his childhood living at many of Tasmania’s Lightstations including The Cape Bruny Lighthouse and Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse. Craig has lived, worked and holidayed on Bruny Island for the past 40 years developing one of Tasmania’s most authentic tour companies with a great team of local passionate employees. To find out more about our Southern Explorer Air Tour CLICK HERE

On our North West Tasmanian Sojourn we stay at the award-winning Tall Timbers – located at Smithton, the gateway to the attractions of the North West Coast, including the Tarkine Wilderness and the historic township of Stanley. Tall Timbers accommodation has a strong timber influence in keeping with the region in which it sits.

Over 95% of the materials used in the construction were local Tasmanian Timbers from the Circular Head region. Local Saw-Millers produced the Tasmanian Oak, while Britton Brothers and Grey’s Timbers product milled the Blackwood, Sassafras, Myrtle and fine timber veneers.

Bill Peach Journeys understands the importance of selecting the right accommodation to complement each journey. Where suitable, this means the best available accommodation, hand-picked by our Journey Planners. The accommodation is chosen to ensure you receive the highest standard of service and comfort available in any destination. To find out more about our North West Tasmania Sojourn CLICK HERE

Fine food and wine is an essential part of all of our tours. All meals are included as well as local beers and wine with group dinners. On our Southern Explorer Air Tour we have an incredible day out with Wineglass Bay Cruises. As we anchor at the iconic Wine Glass Bay we absorb the true peace of this beautiful place as you taste some of Tasmania’s finest produce. Sample freshly shucked Freycinet Marine Farm oysters, still dripping from the sea and served with a glass of fine Spring Vale sparkling wine and creamy Ashgrove Farm cheeses. Or on our Yuletide in Tasmania we visit the Pipers Brook Vineyard home to world-renowned wine and idyllic vine conditions and is Tasmania’s largest family owned winemaker. Here we taste wines from Pipers Brook, Krelinger & Ninth Island along with a scrumptious tasting platter from local suppliers.

There are so many incredible food and wine experiences on our tours and we hope that this gives you a small taste of what our Tasmania tours have to offer.

Tasmanian Solo Trips

On our Southern Explorer Air Tour, Yuletide in Tasmania, North West Tasmanian Sojourn & Historical Tasmania there is no Single Supplement charged. This means you are guaranteed your own room and don’t have to pay the Single Supplement. Bill Peach Journeys takes the worry out of travelling in Tasmania and lets you have the journey of a lifetime. As with any trip to Tasmania with Bill Peach Journeys things are made simple – there’s no baggage handling to worry about, there’s no tipping and there are no optional extra charges. You will enjoy the comforts of a private room and the camaraderie of travellers with a common outlook and sense of adventure. Bill Peach Journeys is always fully inclusive of all meals, touring, accommodation and a Journey Director to look after you every step of the way.

Discover Tasmania in 2021 with a name you can trust. Bill Peach Journeys will help you discover Tasmania in luxury & style.

See your own backyard in luxury & style

Bill Peach Journeys has been busy creating an extraordinary collection of luxury tours in Australia & New Zealand. These journeys stretch across every state and territory of Australia and both islands of New Zealand. We are so excited to get back to what we love to do and that is showing Australian’s & New Zealander’s their own backyard!

For more than 40 years, Bill Peach Journeys has been committed to delivering uncompromised service and seamless travel experiences throughout Australia & New Zealand. These luxury tours are carefully researched by our planning department to create itineraries that clients find to be stylish and an all encompassing cultural experience.
Bill Peach Journeys is renowned for small group luxury travel and the group size ranges from 8 on our regional Air Tours, 10-18 passengers on our Luxury Short Breaks and a maximum of 26 on our Great Australian Air Tour. “It is important for us that we maintain a level of service and a feeling of belonging that you just cannot get from large group sizes.” says GM Fiona Mietchen Painter.

Commitment to Regional Areas

The resilience of Australia & New Zealand and their incredible people have been sorely tested over the past few years. Our hearts are broken for those who have lost so much through the many natural disasters that have affected us and of course COVID-19. Although there has been devastating loss, Australian’s & New Zealanders shine through with their endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour and sense of mateship.

Long before these devastating events the value of tourism to regional Australia & New Zealand was critical to local economies. The viability and existence of these small communities are at risk and desperately need our support more than ever before. For 40 years we have supported and will continue to support these small communities and we just can’t wait to showcase these amazing regions once again.

What types of tours does Bill Peach Journeys offer?

At Bill Peach Journeys we have two very distinct tour types. On all of our Australian & New Zealand tours you will experience the finest accommodation available, superb dining and touring and all fully inclusive of your journey price.

Luxury Outback Air Tours

An outback Australian Air Tour with Bill Peach Journeys is the perfect way to explore hard to reach destinations in the style, speed and comfort of your own private aircraft. Travelling by private aircraft means that we land directly in each location ensuring time on the ground is spent discovering each region. The style of aircraft is chosen to provide the best possible access into remote locations. Our 2023tours include our flagship Great Australian Air Tour  that explores iconic outback destinations such as Uluru, Kakadu, Broome & Birdsville. Our smaller Air Tours include the stunning Lake Eyre and Flinders Ranges Air Tour and the remarkable Southern Barrier Reef Air Tour. To finish off the collection we have our Southern Explorer Air Tour which is a comprehensive tour of Tasmania including Flinders Island & King Island.

Luxury Short Breaks

Each year, Bill Peach Journeys designs an exclusive range of unique and interesting travel experiences in regional areas of Australia & New Zealand. It is a delightful collection of journeys with exciting themes for those looking for an interesting short break. Whether it is celebrating Christmas with new friends or enjoying the open air romance of Opera on Sydney Harbour, each Sojourn offers the comforts of stylish accommodation and the camaraderie of like-minded travellers. Often based around an event, these tours allow the discerning traveller to experience thrilling sporting tournaments, concert performances or festive celebrations in style and luxury. If there is a tour of interest don’t delay, seats on these special journeys fill very quickly! For more information on our 2023 Luxury Short Break Collection CLICK HERE

Bill Peach Journeys – The Luxury Solo Tours Specialist

Bill Peach Journeys has had stunning success with their initiative focusing on solo travellers who balk at paying a single supplement charge on top of the tour cost. “We have discovered a segment of the travel market that has been largely neglected,” said Allison Portus, CEO of Bill Peach Journeys. “It is a constantly growing segment that shows no signs of slowing. Over twenty years ago we introduced Free Single Supplement on certain luxury outback tours, where solo travellers receive their own private room free of the usual single supplement charge”. For Bill Peach Journeys, it has turned out to be a great incentive and one they say will be around to stay.

As pioneers in small group luxury tours around Australia & New Zealand, Bill Peach Journeys has taken 30,000 travellers on journeys of a lifetime throughout Australia, New Zealand and the world beyond. Widely recognised for their early success in luxurious all-inclusive luxury outback tours, the company has also been ahead of the curve in identifying and catering to a rapidly growing segment of the travel market – Solo Travel Baby Boomers.

Understanding the reluctance of Solo Travellers to pay a sometimes-hefty single supplement charge, Bill Peach Journeys has an entire tour category dedicated to Single Supplement Free travel – Sojourns. These are stylish luxury tours around Australia & New Zealand that are often event-based. Demand has been so intense that this range has grown from 3 tours in 2015 to over 30 tours in 2023. New product is continuously launched throughout the year in response to tours selling out shortly after their release. The expanding Sojourn portfolio is responsible for single bookings increasing from an already impressive 40% of business in 2014 to 65% of business in 2020.

Examples of upcoming Sojourns include event-based journeys include Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour – Madama Butterfly and Spotlight on Canberra which includes the Canberra Balloon Spectacular. Client favourites are the Yuletide and Christmas celebrations. Other Sojourns include the Eyre Peninsula and Norfolk Island. Of course they also have a number of Sojourns in New Zealand including the TranzAlpine Sojourn.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR TRAVELLERS ARE SOLO?

Sixty five percent of our business is Solo Travellers and we have built up a reputation of looking after these travellers.

DO I HAVE TO PAY A SINGLE SUPPLEMENT?

No Single Supplement on selected programmes – meaning a huge cost saving

AM I GUARANTEED MY OWN ROOM?

Your own room is guaranteed – no twin sharing with a stranger! You will enjoy the comforts of a private room and the camaraderie of travellers with a common outlook and sense of adventure

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

All inclusive, all meals, touring and accommodation, wine and beer with group dinners and a journey director to look after you every step of the way.
If you are single or prefer to travel alone, but resent the single supplement then please CLICK HERE to find out more about our luxury solo travel tours.

Discover the true Australian Outback

Australia is a wide, brown land – something most coast-clingers tend to forget – until they try to make their way across it. Exploring the Australian Outback is a truly amazing adventure, leading the intrepid traveller to some of the most phenomenal features and landscapes this planet has to offer. The trouble is the tyranny of distance. Distance is the enemy of the outback traveller. But those who have neither the time nor the stamina to tackle endless stretches of highway can take to the air with luxury outback tours with Bill Peach Journeys.

If you haven’t got the freedom to spend six months travelling through the heart of our continent and you haven’t got the disposition for canvas tents, backpacks and bush bugs, then perhaps you should consider luxury outback tours will Bill Peach Journeys.

Bill Peach Journeys allows you to traverse Australia’s vast distances in the most comfortable and time-efficient way. Formed in 1984, under the direction of former television presenter Bill Peach, Bill Peach Journeys allows travellers to visit a host of remote and otherwise inaccessible places, with maximum time for exploring on the ground.

Travelling in specially designed aircraft (ranging from a 10 seat Beechcraft Super King Air, a 15-seater Jetstream or a 34 seater SAAB) has its infinite merits. These private aircraft are carefully selected to ensure maximum comfort while flying on these luxury outback tours and to provide access into many remote and otherwise inaccessible regions. Not only are you spared the horror and discomfort of a really long bus journey but also the awesome birds-eye views of places like Uluru (Ayers Rock), Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge), or the Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park make ‘flightseeing’ worth it in themselves.

One of the highlights of travelling on these luxury tours around Australia is the opportunity to experience spectacular aerial flightseeing of Australia’s natural treasures at close range.

On terra firma, the luxury outback tours offer five star luxury accommodation and, in those remote outback areas, cosy hotels with a warm country feel. Local tour guides give expert commentary on the places you visit which enhances the quality of your holiday and leaves you with a whole new perspective on Australia’s natural and cultural treasures.

Bill Peach wrote “These luxury outback tours dramatise the richness and the variety of our country and our culture. It says Australia has a unique story to tell and wonderful places to travel. Dipping above the Ord River in the Kimberley, Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory and over Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef proves much easier for our travellers than it would have been for the famous explorer Flinders. The entire journey is one of luxury, comparative not only to the early explorers but also in today’s terms. It’s really about tasting the quality of life in all those places and they are all different but they all make up Australia.”

The flagship 12 day Great Australian Air Tour sees you soaring over the Gibson Desert or hugging the wild coast down to Broome as the setting sun paints the rocks orange and red. Katherine Gorge, which actually towers to 100m, appears only fingernail-deep from the air, its sandstone switchbacks reminiscent, as one observer notes, of the grooves in a chocolate block. The familiar shapes of Uluru and the Olgas are accentuated from the air in their weird isolation, crouched in the desert.

The 11 day Gulf to Gulf Air Tour was designed after reading an article about Jeff Johnson who walked from the Spencer Gulf to the Gulf of Carpentaria to raise money for the Deaf & Blind Society. It was also inspired by reading the stories of our early explorers such as Burke & Wills. Jeff’s story is amazing and we thought what an incredible challenge that it must have been for him and also for the early explorers that perished trying to uncover inland Australia. The tour visits the Dig Tree, Birdsville, Mt Isa, Groote Eylandt, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and finishes at Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges.

The 10 day Flinders Ranges & Beyond Air Tour is the quintessential tour discovering all that the South Australian Outback has to offer. Beginning and ending in Adelaide the journey has you flying into the heart of the Flinders Ranges with stays at Rawnsley Park Station and the famous Prairie Hotel. There is also a spectacular flight over Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre and a night underground in Coober Pedy. The tour finishes in spectacular style at “The Louise” in the Barossa Valley

These luxury outback tours are all fully inclusive of all meals, accommodation, touring and a journey director to look after you every step of the way.