Bandicoot Tours and Charters

05/12/2021

09/04/2021

One of our three Bandicoot touring mini-coaches is offered for sale.

It's a 2010 Deluxe Rosa, refitted with luxury Australian-made reclining coach seats. Originally a cramped 24 seater (like all Rosa buses from the factory), it now takes 21 passengers with much more comfort. Has averaged only 20,000kms p.a. Asking 46K including GST.

Please message if interested.

23/11/2020

Hyundai's new e-minicoach does 250km on a charge.
We'll be keen when they can do 500km.

https://thedriven.io/2020/07/01/hyundai-launches-electric-minibus/

Hyundai launches its first electric minibus, the County Electric, as an economical and eco-friendly alternative to diesel-powered buses, complete with artificial engine noise.

08/10/2020

Travelling is more fun (and more sustainable) riding on a bus!
From 2024 we’re just open for arranging multi-day excursions.

20/09/2020

18/08/2020

Cycle the South Burnett Rail Trail 12-13 Sept with our transfers...

17/08/2020

BVRT TRANSFERS $60 EACH WAY RIDER+BIKE

Fri 21 Aug 0900 Caboolture* to Yarraman
Mon 24 Aug 1400 Toogoolawah to Caboolture*
Fri 28 Aug 0900 Caboolture* to Toogoolawah
Mon 31 Aug 1500 Wulkaraka to Sunshine Coast & Noosa
* Also from/to Noosa & Sunshine Coast, same fare.
Places limited to 5 riders+bikes (carried on our trailer with purpose built 5-bike-rack).
Services are confirmed to run and are taking hikers as well.

Arranged by OUTBIKE and Arcadia Travel at Noosa
Travel is on a snazzy 21 seater mini-coach from Bandicoot Tours and Charters

Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Users Association Inc Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Cycling Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Bikepacking Australia

19/07/2020

Our Bandicoot was in Monto a few days ago assigned to an Outbike event...

Moo-ral in Monto. It's one of a number of fresh murals mushrooming around this quirky town in the North Burnett, under the influence of the movement.

A spectacular road, Route 69, starts in Monto and runs past the , over the ranges and up the Boyne Valley to Gladstone.

And of course, Monto is on the line of the

17/07/2020

This fella took an interest in our Bandicoot...

At

29/06/2020

Our Bandicoot coaches are out and about again - on Arcadia Travel's 8 day trek up the .

04/06/2020

Anyone for a 6 day back roads bike ride, support by our Bandicoot bus?

30/05/2020

Bear with us - while we hibernate.

13/05/2020

Bandicoot has a new stablemate, the Wayward Bus is back! We'll be pleased to lend them our mini-coaches for a fab set of new post-pandemic tours...

"LET THE OTHERS RUSH!"
Australia's 'long lost' Wayward Bus is back in 2020 - with more time, more walks, more quirky stuff and more quintessential Aussie towns along the way! We're sort of the fun, all-ages, affordable, fascinating and respectful 1990's-styled small-groups road-trip that gets us all there at the end.

This is the 2020 post-pandemic tour line up:
* Noosa-Sydney in 6 days via Coast
* Sydney-Melbourne in 6 days via Inland
* Melbourne-Adelaide in 6 days via Coast
* Adelaide-Noosa in 9 days via Outback
We've tuned the trips to Aussies and Kiwis and we're rearing to go as restrictions ease.

Accom is your choice - choose from budget (hostel/cabin/pub) to private rooms with ensuites (hotel/motel/lodge). We'll have some terrific places to stay like Newcastle Beach YHA and the Hydro at Leeton.

Our 21-passenger mini-coaches feature social distancing (extra legroom), wide opening windows for fresh air (aircon too), recliner coach seats (some buses even have recycled seats) and music systems (yes often controversial).

Cost:
* 6 day trips $480 per person
* 9 day trips $800 per person

At extra cost:
* accommodation options
* all meals
* attractions, optional activities

Australia's original Wayward Bus ran from 1990 to the late 2000s and was a favourite with independent travellers of all ages and nations - and always enjoyed a great rap in Lonely Planet guides.

Wayward Bus 2020 is back with founder Ralph Jackson, his agency, Arcadia Travel and running with their Bandicoot Bus fleet - and a number of the old crew.

Further information, schedules, conditions etc will be posted here and on our web pages wayward(dot)tours and arcadiatravel(dot)com(dot)au

Scroll down for our draft itineraries:

NOOSA TO SYDNEY 6 DAYS 1300km
FEATURES: COASTWALKS (SOLITARY ISLANDS & OTHERS), RESORT TOWNS
Overnights: Byron Bay, Yamba, Coffs (2 nts), Newcastle
1. Noosa to Byron Bay 300km:
via pick up points in Brisbane, Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta and Brunswick Heads, option to beach walk 15km to Byron Bay or shorter Cape Byron walk
2. Byron Bay to Yamba 130km:
Lennox Head, Ballina, free afternoon time
3. Yamba to Coffs Harbour 150km:
Maclean, Clarence River, Ulmarra, Grafton, Red Rock free time – option to start Solitary Islands Coast Walk (up to 20km Red Rock to Woolgoolga)
4. Coffs Harbour day:
stages of Solitary Islands Coast Walk (up to 30km for Woolgoolga to Coffs) or free time
5. Coffs Harbour to Newcastle 410km:
complete Solitary Islands Walk (10km) to Sawtell, Pt Macquarie
6. Newcastle to Sydney 235km:
Newcastle coast walk, Pokolbin & Hunter Valley vineyards, Wollombi Pub, Hawkesbury River

SYDNEY TO MELBOURNE 6 DAYS 1500kms
FEATURES: CANBERRA, RIVERINA, AVIATION, RAIL & QUIRKY PLACES
Overnights: Canberra, Gundagai, Leeton, Deniliquin, Maldon
1. Sydney to Canberra 330km:
Royal National Park, Stanwell Tops, Grand Pacific Drive, Wollongong Aviation Museum, Macquarie Pass, Moss Vale, Goulburn
2. Canberra to Gundagai 200km:
Canberra Parliament Precinct (walk Old & New Parliaments, High Court, National Gallery), War Memorial (or Australia Museum), Yass town walk, Dog on Tuckerbox
3. Gundagai to Leeton 250km:
Junee Rail Precinct (options Rail Roundhouse, Chocolate Factory, Broadway Museum), Temora (options Air Museum, Rural Museum – excellent with many displays)
4. Leeton to Deniliquin 300km:
Hay sights (Shear Outback, Bishops Lodge, Hay Gaol, museum, rail station, Murrumbidgee River etc)
5. Deniliquin to Maldon 210km:
Port of Echuca precinct (Murray River, riverboats, museum), Bendigo city centre (options Central Deborah Gold Mine, Art Gallery, Golden Dragon Museum, Sacred Heart Cathedral)
6. Maldon to Melbourne 160km:
Castlemaine Diggings, Kyneton, Hanging Rock (climb), Mt Macedon (walk), Organ Pipes (walk)

MELBOURNE TO ADELAIDE 6 DAYS 1400km
FEATURES: GREAT OCEAN ROAD & COAST ROUTE
Overnights: Apollo Bay, Port Fairy, Nelson, Robe, Port Elliot
1. Melbourne to Apollo Bay 200km:
Geelong city centre, Torquay, Great Ocean Road, Lorne, Kennett River & Carisbrook Falls (walk)
2. Apollo Bay to Port Fairy 200km:
Great Ocean Road, Otway Ranges (possibly Cape Otway Lighthouse, Melba Gully rainforest walk or Otway Fly), 12 Apostles and Gibsons Steps, Loch Ard Gorge, Port Campbell, London Bridge, Bay of Islands, Warrnambool and Tower Hill
3. Port Fairy to Nelson 240km:
Budj Bim World Heritage Area (optional guided Gunditjmara walk or self-guided walks), Portland Harbour, Bridgewater Bay (Seals by Sea adventure or Cape Bridgewater 7km walk)
4. Nelson to Robe 210km:
Glenelg River, Port MacDonnell (options Cape Northumberland scenery, Fleets Chrysler Museum), Mount Schank volcanic crater climb, Little Blue Lake, Mt Gambier, Blue Lake, Umpherston Cave sinkhole, Tantanoola Cave & Beachport (jetty, scenic lookouts), Robe Obelisk walk
5. Robe to Port Elliot 330km:
Kingston (Giant Lobster, Granites, Coorong Wilderness, Lakes Albert and Alexandrina, Murray River (ferry crossing), Port of Milang, Currency Creek vineyards, Port of Goolwa
6. Port Elliot to Adelaide 120km:
Victor Harbor, Fleurieu Peninsula, Nan Hai Pu Tuo Buddhist Temple, McLarenvale Vineyards, Port Noarlunga, Brighton Beach, Glenelg

ADELAIDE TO NOOSA 9 DAYS 2900km
FEATURES: OUTBACK, OPALS, DARLING BARKA BASIN, ARTESIAN POOLS
Overnights: Melrose, Broken Hill (2 nts), White Cliffs, Bourke, Lightning Ridge, Moree, Tenterfield
1. Adelaide to Melrose 300km:
Barossa and Clare Valleys, Mintaro village walk, Gladstone, Laura and Wirrabara, free time in Melrose (option for Mt Remarkable walks)
2. Melrose to Broken Hill 400km:
Peterborough (Steamtown Museum), Terowie (ghost town, rail station – Gen Macarthur “I shall return” WW2 quote) Mannahill
3. Broken Hill day 80km: Silverton excursion, art galleries, museums
4. Broken Hill to White Cliffs 270km:
Wilcannia, Darling Barka, opal mines
5. White Cliffs to Bourke 500km: Cobar Museum
6. Bourke to Lightning Ridge 300km:
historic town walk, Walgett, Brewarrina Aboriginal Culture (famous for Barwon River fish traps), opals
7. Lightning Ridge to Moree 260km:
opals, free time to soak in artesian waters
8. Moree to Tenterfield 300km:
Inverell, Glen Innes, Tenterfield Saddler, Railway Museum, Henry Parkes Museum,
9. Tenterfield to Byron Bay 220km / Noosa 500km:
Casino, Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay, then drop offs in Coolangatta, Surfers, Brisbane or Noosa.

For now, let us know if you're interested - which trips and when.

Stay tuned!

Ralph Jackson / Arcadia Travel's Wayward Bus 2020

08/05/2020

Rosa bus seat cushions, seat backs and metal bases for sale. Approx 30 sets dismantled. Most are brown pattern and in good presentable cond. No tears in material. Cushion foams are pretty good. Can sell bases and backs separately. Prices negotiable.
Surplus from conversions to luxury seats.
Also:
* used seat belts $50 ea (all ok)
* air vents $10 ea set (new non-gen)
Noosaville Qld. Freight extra.

Bus Australia Queensland Bus Industry Council BusNSW

02/05/2020

May last year we were running OUTBIKE'S Gulf to Gulf MTB Ride (also known as the BIKE 'n WHEELS EXPEDITION), 30 days and 2200km from Pt Augusta to Karumba via Flinders Ranges, Birdsville Track, Channel Country and Carpentaria. It first ran in 2005 and nowadays we schedule it every 3 years. Next will be 2022!