Blue Bus Tours

14/08/2024

We are back home from our fabulous 3 day August Mystery Tour to… Ballina! 🐋
We were fortunate at our first stop at Point Danger to see migrating whales and dolphins along with wonderful views of the coast before we boarded the Captain Bills Explorer at Tweed Eco Cruises for a lovely cruise of the Tweed River. We had a delicious lunch including local prawns, cheeses and home-baked quiche. We saw the rainforest, dolphins and birds.

☕Day 2 we visited Zentveld's Coffee Farm & Roastery for an informative farm tour and great coffee followed by a visit to Duck Creek Macadamias to see macadamias on their journey from the tree to their coating in delicious chocolate. We were all able to sample the products and confirm that they are excellent! Next stop was the magical Crystal Castle and Shambhala Gardens at Crystal Castle where we enjoyed lunch on the terrace and a stroll through the beautiful gardens with incredible crystals and sacred statues. 🪷
Our final stop for the day was at Lord Byron Distillery where we had a tour of the distillery and a taste of their premium spirits.

🧀Our last day was a gourmet delight – we visited Tweed Valley Whey Farmhouse Cheeses for morning tea, with cheese platters featuring their delectable products. We drove through the beautiful Tweed Valley Way for our final stop at the Tweed River House, a chef hatted restaurant on the banks of the Tweed River in Murwillumbah. We had a delightful lunch in their elegant dining room before heading home after a great tour.

Our accommodation was at the very comfortable Ballina Beach Resort with tasty meals and a short walk to the beach. We had wonderful weather and a fantastic group of travellers.

29/07/2024

Our trip to K’gari was truly a trip to paradise! 🌴

We travelled from Brisbane on our Blue Bus coach before boarding the barge to Kingfisher Bay Resort. After settling in, we made our way to the Sunset Bar and with a drink in hand, we relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful sunset 🥂

The next day we enjoyed an exciting 4WD tour experience with our driver, Blair, from K'gari Explorer Tours.

Highlights included:
- Enjoying the turquoise water at Lake McKenzie;
- Learning about the history of logging at Central Station and how K’gari came to be a world heritage listed place;
- Seeing the crystal-clear waters of Wanggoolba Creek (a creek so clear that some of us mistook the sand for murky water);
- Seeing a pregnant dingo;
- Inspecting the Maheno Shipwreck (a shipwreck that was used as a bomb site during WWII);
- Seeing the Pinnacles; and,
- Walking down Eli Creek

That evening, we enjoyed a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, including a game of Bingo🎄.

On our last day on K’gari, we went on a whale watching adventure in beautiful Platypus Bay. We were fortunate to see a calf with its mum. Our captain estimated the calf to be two weeks old 🐋.
Back at the resort, we had a bush tucker talk and taste before enjoying some free time.

Our journey back home saw us visit Maryborough where we were thoroughly entertained by the town crier and the weekly cannon firing.

What a wonderful tour it was!

19/07/2024

Birdsville Track Tour

Part 2: Winton – Brisbane

We made the difficult decision to detour around Birdsville due to the Track being closed. Instead, we travelled through Charleville (where we stopped in to visit some very cute bilbies at Save the Bilby Fund), Cobar and Broken Hill. We resumed our original itinerary in Peterborough SA then travelled through Burra where we learnt the history of copper mining in the area and sampled a Cornish pasty. We crossed the border into Victoria and made our way to Mildura where we visited Orange World for an entertaining glimpse into the world of citrus farming before boarding the PV Rothbury for a cruise with Mildura Paddle Steamers on the Murray River.
Our journey home took us through Hay (where we saw some amazing silo art commemorating some of the many people who went to war from Hay), Barellan (where we saw the Big Tennis Racquet), Weethalle (more amazing silo art), Ungarie home of the Big Football (in honour of the Daniher brothers) and Condobolin, where we spent time at the unique Utes in the Paddock exhibition. We continued through Dubbo, Narrabri and Goondwindi before our final lunch at scenic Picnic Point in Toowoomba.

We saw a lot of Australia in this tour over four states although the weather was not kind to us. Fortunately, we had a wonderful group of passengers who made the trip a great experience!

Hopefully we will get back to the Birdsville Track one day!

19/07/2024

Well, we are back from our Birdsville Track Tour! Unfortunately, we didn’t make it down the track due to the unseasonal heavy rain that fell right before we were due to arrive. When we found out the track was closed, we had to make the difficult decision to bypass Birdsville and detour through Cobar and Broken Hill. We still had a great tour and saw some amazing places in Outback Qld, NSW and SA. We also visited Victoria so covered a lot of ground!

Part 1: Brisbane – Winton
Our first night dinner was such a lot of fun – we highly recommend the Cambridge Motel in Mitchell! Tambo Teddies was our next stop where we learnt the history of this wonderful business. We travelled through Blackall and Barcaldine, stopping at the iconic Tree of Knowledge before making our way to Longreach. Highlights of our time here included a tour with Smithy from Outback Aussie Tours - OAT of his lovely home, Rosebank Station, enjoying a laugh at the Harry Redford Old Time Tent Show and enjoying sunset on the Thomson River and a delicious dinner at Smithy’s Outback Dinner & Show, featuring singer Drew Blundell. We also had a lovely breakfast buffet at Outback Pioneers Kinnon & Co Station Store. A visit to Longreach would not be complete without going to the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre. We really enjoyed the Outback Stockman’s show with Stewart and Kelly Bryant.
Our next stop was Winton where we had dinner at the famous North Gregory Hotel and had a great day exploring the Australian Age of Dinosaurs – including tours of the fossil preparation lab, the March of the Titanosaurs exhibition and the spectacular Dinosaur Canyon. A visit to the Waltzing Matilda Centre was another highlight.

Part 2 coming soon!

17/07/2024

🌷BOOKINGS CLOSE SOON🌷

Bookings for our three day Blue Bus Tour to Toowoomba’s 75th Carnival of Flowers close at the end of the month.

One of this tour’s highlights is the whole day private tour we will get with one of Toowoomba’s most experienced and passionate guides, Barbara McGovern 😄 Barbara will share stories about the history of the festival and its passionate gardeners. We’ll also get to explore award-winning Private Gardens with her.

Don’t just do a day trip to Toowoomba this year. Come with us and immerse yourself in this famous floral festival 💛

04/07/2024

** BOOKINGS CLOSE TODAY **

Bookings for our five day Blue Bus Tour to Hervey Bay, Agnes Water & 1770 close today!

So, if you don't want to miss out on the opportunity to:
- see humpback whales 🐋
- explore the serene seaside communities of Agnes Water and 1770
- go on a 'voyage of discovery' and visit the Shire Museum, the anchor from the MV Countess Russell and the Captain Cook Monument
- traverse the edge of Eurimbula National Park, over vast sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters of four tidal creeks 🌊
- see Queensland's first coastal lighthouse and have 360-degree views of the pristine coastline

then don't wait as there are only a handful of places left ⏱

*call us* today to book: 07 3820 7815.

23/06/2024

Last part of our tour to Cooktown and North Queensland! 🌺
Part 3:
We left Cooktown and travelled to the Atherton Tablelands where we had lunch at Lake Barrine Teahouse followed by a relaxing cruise on Lake Barrine – beautiful reflections on the lake! Next stop was to view the 500 year old heritage-listed Curtain Fig Tree and the lovely Millaa Millaa Falls. We also called in to view the Afghanistan Avenue of Honour in Yungaburra dedicated to the memory of all who served in Afghanistan.

Our tour continued towards Townsville, stopping to visit the Golden Gumboot at Tully on the way. Next stop was a lovely day out on Magnetic Island.
Onward south we travelled to Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays for a picture perfect day visiting iconic Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island with Cruise Whitsundays. 😎
We did a steep drive up to Eungella for a lovely picnic beside the river then on to Mackay and Rockhampton. We visited Capricorn Caves and the inspiring Cathedral Cave before our final night in Gladstone before travelling back to Brisbane.
What an amazing tour!


🌴

22/06/2024

We had a fantastic time on our tour to Cooktown and North Queensland! 🌺
Part 2:
We headed out to beautiful Mossman Gorge for a lovely walk along the river and tasty lunch. The brave ones tried the crocodile! Next stop was Bruce Belcher's Daintree River Cruises to see the crocodiles in the wild! 🐊
We also saw the striking blue Ulysses butterflies.
Next we headed up the Mulligan Highway to Cooktown, stopping for lunch at the Lion's Den Historic Hotel and also checking out the mysterious Black Mountain along the way. We spent a few days in Cooktown, spending time at the wonderful Cooktown Museum and the historic Botanical Gardens.


🌴

22/06/2024

We had a fantastic time on our tour to Cooktown and North Queensland! 🌺
Part 1:
We flew to Cairns where Geoff met us with the Blue Bus. We had time to explore the lovely Cairns Esplanade. Next day we boarded the Kuranda Scenic Railway travelling along the amazing historic track past spectacular Barron Falls. We had some time to explore Kuranda Village.
Next stop was Port Douglas. We were up early for Breakfast with the Birds at Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas. 🦜We also had close encounters with lots of other animals as well! 🐨🦘


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11/06/2024

Great to see StyleRide, the company behind our new luxury tour coach seats, featured in this article in the ABC magazine!
Note, the seats in the photo in the article are not our seats.

While the Sovereign seat may not be StyleRide’s most popular model, it’s quickly finding its niche in Australia’s luxury tour and charter market

09/06/2024

🌼🌷 TOOWOOMBA CARNIVAL OF FLOWERS CELEBRATES 75 YEARS 🌷🌼

Come with us and celebrate the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers' 75th year! Why?

- Visit Queens Park - with its bright flower beds, large canopies, stately trees and expansive lawns spread across 25 acres, this park is sure to impress ✅
- Wander through Ju Raku En - Australia's largest and most traditionally designed Japanese Stroll Garden ✅
- Enjoy a private guided tour of some of Toowoomba's award-winning Private Gardens ✅
- Explore Highfields and its inspiring Exhibition Gardens ✅

If you would like to enjoy this fun flower festival, then click the link below for more information:
https://bluebustours.com.au/blue-bus-tours-toowoomba-carnival-of-flowers-2024/

or

*call us* today to book! 07 3820 7815




Photo Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland

30/05/2024

Vivid Sydney Festival Tour Part 2
The highlight of the tour was our dinner cruise on the Clearview Sydney Harbour Glass Boat. What an experience! A delicious meal with spectacular views of the city's vibrant lights.
We also visited the Sydney Tower Eye for fantastic views across this beautiful city in daylight.

After our fabulous time in Sydney, we headed for home via the Central Coast where we visited Ken Duncan's inspiring Gallery, followed by a lovely chocolate and botanical wine tasting at Fires Creek Winery. We stayed at The Quarters, Forresters Beach - highly recommended!

Next day we boarded the Free Spirit Cruises boat for a lovely lunch cruise around Lake Wallis at Forster. Our last night was at the always impressive Opal Cove Resort - Coffs Coast. We had a short stop at New Italy for great coffee and to watch Ian working with flame to create glass artworks and our final stop was at the very interesting Evans Head Heritage Aviation Museum.

This was a great tour with lovely people to a truly spectacular Australian city - Sydney.

30/05/2024

Sydney Vivid Festival was a feast for the senses! We had perfect weather, a fantastic group of travellers and the scenery was de-light-ful!
Our base in Sydney was the Parkroyal at Darling Harbour. We visited Lightscape at the Sydney Botanic Gardens which was beautiful and explored around Sydney area the next day.
Part 2 to follow...

28/05/2024

Discover Hervey Bay with its seemingly endless shorefront and majestic humpback whales before exploring the serene seaside communities of Agnes Water and 1770.

Some tour highlights include:
- A whale watching cruise at Hervey Bay National Marine Park 🐋
- An exploration of Agnes Water ⚓
- A LARC adventure along the edge of Eurimbula National Park, over vast sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters of four tidal creeks
- A visit to Bustard Head Light station - Queensland's first coastal lighthouse
- A stop through the beautiful mural city of Maryborough 🎨

If that sounds like an idyllic getaway to you, then click the link below for more information:
https://bluebustours.com.au/blue-bus-tours-hervey-bay-agnes-water-1770-2024/
or *call us* today to book!
07 3820 7815

23/05/2024

The destination for our May Mystery Tour was... Chinchilla!
We had a wonderful time visiting The Woolshed at Jondaryan on our first day and enjoying demonstrations of blacksmithing, corn husking and shearing plus the opportunity to feed one of the beautiful Clydesdale horses.
We stayed at The Club Motor Inn in Chinchilla - very nice rooms and fantastic meals. On day 2, we enjoyed a guided tour of the area and a visit to the very well-presented Chinchilla Historical Museum and spent the afternoon checking out the artworks of Hugh Sawrey who spent a lot of time in the area. Our very scenic drive home took us through the beautiful Bunya Mountains where we had a lovely lunch at the Bunya Mountains Tavern.

17/05/2024

We had a wonderful time on our tour to Lightning Ridge last week. We had fantastic weather and a great group of travellers, all keen to explore this unique outback town. From silos and sculptures to underground caverns of art, there is creativity everywhere you look! One of the highlights was watching artist John Murray painting one of his signature emus on a wall in Lightning Ridge. Geoff even gave him a hand!

11/05/2024

Happy Mother’s Day!

We wish all the mums out there a wonderful day with their loved ones 🩷

24/04/2024

18/04/2024

Would you like to celebrate Christmas in July on the pristine sands of K’gari (Fraser Island)? Well, with our Christmas in July on K’gari Tour, you certainly can! 😄

‘K’gari’ means ‘paradise’ for the traditional owners, the Butchella people, and the island’s diverse landscapes and unique wildlife entice tourists to its shores every year.🏝

On this four-day tour (Mon 22nd – Thur. 25th of July), some of the highlights you’ll enjoy are:

- Whale watching! 🐋
- A 4WD over K’gari’s ancient sand dunes, white sandy beaches, freshwater lakes, and lush rainforests
- A visit to the Maheno Shipwreck, the most famous wreck on the island
- A Christmas themed dinner in the ballroom at Kingfisher Bay Resort
- Bush tucker talk with tastings given by one of the resident rangers
- Bush tucker inspired dinner

For more information on the itinerary, click the link below:
https://bluebustours.com.au/blue-bus-tours-kgari-2024/

If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, contact us today!
https://bluebustours.com.au/contact/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07 3820 7815!

16/04/2024

We are back from our 5 day tour to Yamba and the stunning Northern Rivers region of NSW!
We left Brisbane and travelled down the scenic Mt Lindsay Highway through Beaudesert then on the Summerland Way through Kyogle and Casino. Our second day was spent exploring Yamba with a friendly local guide and enjoying morning tea at the Yamba Museum before catching the ferry across the mighty Clarence River to the fishing village of Iluka.
Next day we visited Grafton and, following a fantastic town tour with local guide, Marie Howlett, we had morning tea and time to look around historic Schaeffer House. A lovely lunch at Vines at 139 was next followed by a visit to the Grafton Regional Gallery where curator Dr Pedram Khosronejad showed us around this impressive space.
On day 4 we spent some time in the Scottish town, Maclean, before taking a lovely scenic drive along the Gwydir Highway up the Gibraltar Range for a delightful bush picnic near the Washpool World Heritage Area.
Our final day saw us travelling via the coast to Evans Head and a stop at Summerland Farm for a sumptuous High Tea before heading back to Brisbane.

Yamba is such a lovely spot for a short break!

11/04/2024

The Whitsundays - how beautiful! 🩵

If you'd like to experience a full day cruise through the beautiful Whitsundays, look no further than our Blue Bus Tour to Tropical North Queensland, June 2024!

On day ten of the tour, we'll visit Whitehaven Beach on the uninhabited Whitsunday Island. With 7 kilometres of glistening pure silica sand, Whitehaven Beach is nature as its most unspoilt and spectacular best. Take a stroll or maybe a swim in the crystal clear water. 🌞🏝

For more information about this tour click the link below:
https://bluebustours.com.au/blue-bus-tours-north-qld-2024/

or email / call to secure your seat:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07 3820 7815.

Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia

02/04/2024

Are you interested in attending one of Australia's most spectacular light shows? If so, don't miss out on our Blue Bus Tour to Vivid Sydney (May 2024).

Departing Brisbane on the 24th of May, you'll travel to Sydney in comfort and style on our wheelchair friendly luxury coach. As part of this tour, you'll also get to experience Lightscape - a captivating lightshow that highlights the beauty of Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden.

Bookings close soon, so get in quick!
Call us today on 3820 7815

https://bluebustours.com.au/blue-bus-tours-sydney-vivid-festival-2024/?fbclid=IwAR28Bvb_DDJ6vEfvFKifCBj8iPpCq6K-G8ZjjZdMPhelJV_C82S9VJSRf28_aem_Ae1l8vorqExxurwDdKZn85qj0BGaB0LSmcvtNsU9YQUNFtuthOjZJeg1ZviLDeHfKEPR9ZH0crvjrGkTUDTyVc32

Vivid Sydney

Re-imagined for 2024, this globally renowned multisensory sensation of light, colour and sound changes every year. Expect to experience the Royal Botanic Garden in a new light, with breath-taking lightworks created by acclaimed local and international artists.

Take a journey beneath towering tree canopies illuminated in colour, stroll beneath larger-than-life flowers and through dynamic, glowing tunnels. Direct from New York, Chicago and London, Lightscape sells out across the world and is brought to Sydney by award-winning, International trail producers Sony Music Australia as part of Vivid Sydney 2024.

31/03/2024

Happy Easter from Blue Bus Tours!
Hope you are enjoying your chocolate bilbies this morning!

🧡 From our family to yours,

26/03/2024

How stunning is Sydney Harbour! 😄

If you're interested in attending this spectacular lightshow, hurry and book our Blue Bus Tour to Sydney Vivid! As part of this trip, we'll also see Lightscape at the Sydney Botanic Gardens - "a multi sensory light and sound experience."

Places are limited so get in quick!
Call us today on 07 3820 7815
https://bluebustours.com.au/blue-bus-tours-sydney-vivid-festival-2024/

21/03/2024

Tasmania Blue Bus Tour Part 3.

Days 10-16: Hobart to Brisbane

We left Hobart and headed West via the Mt Field National Park where we walked through misty rainforest to see the beautiful Russell Falls. We then visited Derwent Bridge to be amazed at the wood carving skills of Greg Duncan who created the remarkable The Wall In The Wilderness. Following a lovely lunch at the Wilderness Hotel, we travelled the spectacular Lyell Highway to Queenstown to stay at the Silver Hills Motel. Next day we embarked on an unforgettable cruise of Macquarie Harbour and the iconic Gordon River with World Heritage Cruises, Strahan, Tasmania. This included a visit to Sarah Island and a guided tour of the dark history of this beautiful place.
The natural highlights continued with our visit to Cradle Mountain National Park and our opportunity to view the lovely Dove Lake and Waldheim Chalet. On our last day in Tasmania, we visited Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden and the Don River Railway in Devonport. Then it was time to board the Spirit of Tasmania, bid farewell to this beautiful island state and head back to Brisbane via Yass and Old Bar.

20/03/2024

Tasmania Blue Bus Tour Part 2.

Days 6- 9: Launceston to Hobart

We travelled through Scottsdale to visit Bridestowe Lavender where we had a guided tour and delightful morning tea. We then visited Legerwood to look at the incredible tree carvings portraying WW1 soldiers of the village. Next was lunch at the Pub in the Paddock Pyengana where Geoff had the opportunity to give Priscilla the Pig a beer! We stayed in beautiful Bicheno over night before heading south to Coles Bay to take a scenic walk to see the spectacular Freycinet Peninsula. We then visited historic Richmond to take photos of the oldest bridge in Australia before tasting cheese at Wicked Cheese and wines at Coal Valley Vineyard. Our next three days were spent exploring Hobart including a guided tour of the beautiful harbour city, a visit to bustling Salamanca Markets and a sobering history lesson at Cascades Female Factory Historic Site. Tasmania’s convict history was further illustrated at our visit to Port Arthur Historic Site, Tasmania. We also visited the spectacular natural formations at Tasman Arch and the Blowhole. We had a memorable dinner at the quirky maritime themed restaurant, Drunken Admiral Seafarers Restaurant before heading back to our harbourside accommodation at Wrest Point Hobart.

20/03/2024

What an amazing time we had on our tour to Tasmania!
So much to see and do – I will split this post over a few days!

Days 1- 5: Brisbane to Launceston
We spent the first 3 days travelling from Brisbane down the coast to Forster then across to Wagga Wagga before arriving in Geelong to board the Spirit of Tasmania for our overnight crossing of Bass Strait. Thankfully, we had calm waters, so arrived ready to explore northern Tasmania.
Our first stop was to taste delectable chocolates at the House of Anvers Chocolate Factory, followed by a visit to Ashgrove Cheese Factory. Our next stop was historic Entally House, set in beautiful grounds and gardens. From there we made our way to Launceston to spend the afternoon exploring Cataract Gorge.
Next day we set out for Tamar Valley and a visit to the alpine style village of Grindelwald. We then visited Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre and learnt about the history of this lucrative gold mine including the incredible rescue in 2006 of the trapped miners. We visited Platypus House and Seahorse World and learnt more about these incredible creatures. We also got up close to some very cute echidnas.

12/03/2024

Are you chasing beautiful places to relax and unwind? If so, then look no further than this Blue Bus Tour to Tropical North Queensland! 🌴🌊

On this 13 day tour, you'll get to:
- Visit Port Douglas & Daintree
- Cruise along the Daintree River
- Explore Cooktown Tropical North Queensland
- Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia
- Cruise through the beautiful Whitsundays and relax at Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island

If that sounds like an idyllic getaway to you, then click the link below for more information:
https://bluebustours.com.au/blue-bus-tours-north-qld-2024/

or *call us* today to book!
07 3820 7815






Photo Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland

05/03/2024

The unspoiled beauty of Four Mile Beach! Where? Yep, that's right, Port Douglas! 🌊

Visit Port Douglas & Daintree with Blue Bus Tours! 🌤
If you've got a tropical getaway on your mind, look no further than our Blue Bus Tour to Cooktown and tropical North Queensland in June 2024. On this trip, you'll discover astounding diversity from geological wonders to stunning coastal scenery and untouched national parks. Flick through the photos to see some of the tour's highlights 💙

Eager to find out more about this wonderful trip? https://bluebustours.com.au/blue-bus-tours-north-qld-2024/

Photo Credits: Tourism and Events Queensland

27/02/2024

We highly recommend 55 Million Years Ago! It was fascinating, informative and extremely well presented. It is a credit to the volunteers!
We will be back!