Located at the mouth of the Yarra River, Melbourne was founded by free settlers in 1835, 47 years after the first European settlement in Australia. Transformed rapidly into a major metropolis by the Victorian gold rush in the 1850s, Melbourne became Australia's largest and most important city, and by 1865 was the second largest city in the British Empire. Today, Melbourne is a major center of commerce, industry and cultural activity, and is consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world.

Experience the coastal village of Grassy. In Currie town, the scenic harbor and history if shipwrecks makes for an interesting exploration.  This once mining town is now known for offshore dives, fishing and penguin rookery. 

Flinders is the largest island in the 52-island Furneaux Group in the Bass Strait northeast of Tasmania. The islands were occupied by Tasmanian Aborigines for millennia, but were unoccupied when Tobias Furneaux stumbled on them toward the end of the 18th century. Australians began a lucrative trade in sealskins and oil from the large colonies of seals on the islands. Today, Flinders is a favored getaway for holiday-makers seeking a low-key, natural escape. The island has beautiful beaches, peaks such as Mt. Strzelecki offering breathtaking views, and a friendly and resourceful population. The Furneaux Museum in Emita provides a wealth of information and artefacts tracing the checkered history of the island, including objects from numerous shipwrecks. At the venerable E. M. Bowman’s dry goods store in Whitemark, a History Room provides insight into island life through a retail lens. An ill-fated Aboriginal relocation community at Wyballena is recalled at the reconstructed Wyballena Chapel, which boasts the oldest long-drop toilet still in use in Australia, dating from the 1830s. Large sections of the island are set aside in the Strzelecki National Park and various nature reserves including the Darling Range.

Enjoy the amenities and facilities onboard. 

Sydney is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city surrounded by golden sand beaches, World Heritage areas, lush national parks and acclaimed wine regions. Sydney owes much of its splendor to its magnificent harbor. Arriving by ship provides an unequaled impression, showing off the city's famous landmarks: the dramatic white sails of the iconic Opera House and the celebrated Harbor Bridge, looming over the skyline.

Enjoy the amenities and facilities onboard. 

At 23 miles long and 72 square miles in area, Moreton is the third-largest sand island in the world. It is part of a sand barrier system that includes the larger Fraser Island, and separates Moreton Bay from the Coral Sea about 27 miles north of Brisbane. Moreton Island National Park encompasses 98 percent of the island, where visitors flock to experience activities such as “sand-tobogganing” down the slopes of 920-foot Mount Tempest, the highest stable coastal sandhill on earth. They also enjoy fishing, kayaking, surfing and snorkeling over the Tangalooma Wrecks offshore. Tangalooma is the largest of four small towns on the island’s west coast. It was an active whaling station from 1952 until 1962. There are no roads on Moreton Island, so visitors get around by 4WD vehicles or ATVs. A popular site to visit is the picturesque red-and-white Cape Moreton lighthouse, built in 1857 and Australia’s oldest. 

Long, sinuous Fraser Island stretches off the Queensland coast north of Brisbane. It is a unique ecosystem, inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992. The island was originally named Great Sandy, for the simple reason that its surface consists almost entirely of sand dunes. The sands reflect some 72 colors, mostly shades of red and yellow. It is the only place in the world where mature rainforest grows on sand dunes. The island’s interior has extensive forests of majestic kauri pine and fossil fern forests. In the 19th century, the island was extensively logged. Satinay trees were especially valued, being resistant to marine borers. Satinay timbers were used in construction of the Suez Canal and as far away as London. Another unique feature of the island is its lakes. There are some 40 perched lakes suspended in the dunes, as well as so-called window lakes and barrage lakes. Boomerang Lake is the world’s highest perched lake, 130m above sea level. At 190 hectares, Boomanjin Lake is the world’s largest perched lake. McKenzie Lake is particularly renowned for its clear waters and white sand beaches. Speaking of beaches, Fraser Island has a very special 75 Mile Beach of packed sand that is used as a highway, with all road regulations enforced: the speed limit is 80 kph and autos must give way to airplanes taking off or landing! Wildlife on the island totals 47 mammals including dingoes and brumbies, the feral horses surviving from imported Arabian and Clydesdales imported for the logging trade. In the seas off the shining white beaches, dolphins, dugongs, turtles, and seasonally. whales are seen. There are also 79 reptiles and 354 species of birds here. The dunes move constantly, propelled by wind, and in some places have enveloped whole forests or communities.

Experience the Great Barrier reef for multiple days. This UNESCO Heritage Site is the largest reef system in the world and can be seen from space. 

Experience the Great Barrier reef for multiple days. This UNESCO Heritage Site is the largest reef system in the world and can be seen from space. 

Experience the Great Barrier reef for multiple days. This UNESCO Heritage Site is the largest reef system in the world and can be seen from space. 

Experience the Great Barrier reef for multiple days. This UNESCO Heritage Site is the largest reef system in the world and can be seen from space. 

Experience the Great Barrier reef for multiple days. This UNESCO Heritage Site is the largest reef system in the world and can be seen from space. 

The unofficial capital of North Queensland, Townsville is tucked inside the Great Barrier Reef in the northern tropics. Its municipal beach, The Strand, is consistently rated among Australia’s cleanest. Take a ferry to Magnetic Island, an unspoiled UNESCO World Heritage Site just offshore, or visit the Billabong Sanctuary wildlife reserve.

A cosmopolitan city flanked by pristine rainforests and golden beaches, Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda, and the Daintree rainforest, a World Heritage protected area. The city was recently renovated to enhance its image and provide a relaxing place for visitors and locals to congregate and have fun. Cairns Esplanade, once a huge grassy park, now features an excellent facility incorporating an outdoor amphitheatre, a sandy swimming lagoon, walking tracks, shops and restaurants, and an environmental interpretation center.