2025 GREAT AUSTRALIA BIGHT AIR SAFARI, 22 FEB TO 1 MAR

Fly the coast of South Australia

The surging Southern Ocean shapes the coastline of South Australia. It starts with long white sandy beaches in the southeast, Kangaroo Island and the rugged Eyre Peninsular in its center, and finishes with 100 kilometers of the world's longest continuous sea cliffs by the border of Western Australia.

There is no better way to see this than from the comfort of your light aircraft, with your journey finishing up with a couple of days in the beautiful Clare Valley, enjoying fine food and wine.

Your Tour Includes:

Seven nights of quality accommodation from Port Fairy to Clare
Transfers between airfields and accommodation at each destination
Many meals - three breakfasts, two lunches and five dinners
Day tour of Kangaroo Island
Access to a vehicle to explore the Clare Valley.
The services of an experienced tour lead

Tour Price Guide:

$2,750 per person double or twin share
$3,350 per person single occupancy

Book with confidence: If you cannot travel, Sydney Social Flying will assist you with a date change, provide you with a credit, or process a refund for your booking less any non-recoverable costs.

DAY ONE, Saturday, February 22

The Safari starts at Port Fairy, with its nineteenth-century Whaling and Sealing heritage. Located on the southwest coast of Victoria, many of Port Fairy's early buildings remain. This includes Victoria's oldest continuously licensed hotel, The Caledonian Inn, "aka The Stump", which dates back to 1844.

If you get there early, find time for a stroll on one of the walking trails. The museum on the Moyne River is worth visiting, along with plenty of choices of cafés and bars, plus several art galleries and studios.

Moyne River, Port Fairy

DAY THREE, Monday, February 24

Today's tour goes to the far southwest of Kangaroo Island to the Flinders Chase National Park. Here, you can see the Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, the surreal shapes of the Remarkable Rocks, and the Admirals Arch an impressive rock arch weathered over thousands of years, but also home to a colony of long-nosed fur seals.

On the way, we go to Vivonne Bay, a six-kilometer-long U-shaped beach with crystal-clear shallow water and was once voted Australia's best beach.

At the nearby Seal Bay, you can observe a colony from an 800-meter boardwalk of Sea Lions. Seal Bay has been their home for thousands of years.

Remarkable Rocks, Flinders Chase National Park

DAY FOUR, Tuesday, February 25

The route today could first go via Vivonne Bay and Flinders Chase National Park for an aerial view of yesterday's tour. Following the Spencer Gulf islands, Wedge and Thistle will get you to the Eyre Peninsular, and off its west coast, part of the Investigator Group, is Flinders Island, where we will stop for lunch.

At 3,652 hectares, owned by the Woolford family since 1978, the island was named by Matthew Flinders in his round-Australia voyage in 1802. During the early nineteenth century, Sealing was predominant, although the Island was also a remote Whaling Station.

The Island eventually supported a large Merino flock, and limited wheat growing. The Woolford family commenced destocking in the mid-2000s, allowing native vegetation to regenerate, with the island now an eco-tourism destination.

Flinders Island, Eyre Peninsular

DAY FIVE, Wednesday, February 26

The world's longest continuous sea cliffs, the Bunda Cliffs, is today's flying highlight. These limestone cliffs, some 60–120 meters (200–390 ft) in height, are over 100 kilometers long, stretching from the Head of the Bight to the West Australian Border.

Overnight is Eucla, which once housed 26 telegraphists and their families. This was the main station on the East-West Telegraph line, built-in 1875–77, and was the final link in Australia's telegraph

infrastructure and connected all five colonies. At its peak Eucla was handling 600 telegraphs per day.

The stone telegraph station was built in 1898, replacing the weatherboard station which began

operations on 9 December 1877. The Eucla Telegraph Station ceased operation in 1927, and its ruins are slowly disappearing under the encroaching dunes.

Bunda Cliffs

DAY SIX, Thursday, February 27

Reversing the direction from yesterday will provide another opportunity to view the Bunda Cliffs. With the aim to make Clare Valley by around 4 pm, Elliston on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsular is a good halfway stop for some lunch.

Elliston, With a hinterland of rolling hills, is a significant center for cereal-growing, mixed-

farming as well as fishing. Also, with its rugged, scenic coastline considered some of the most spectacular on the Eyre Peninsula, Elliston has a reputation for its fishing, swimming, surfing, and bushwalking.

A 4 pm arrival into Clare Valley, should provide plenty of time to settle in, perhaps accompanied by a glass of one of Clare Valley's renowned Reislings.

Rugged Eyre Peninsular, near Elliston

DAY SEVEN, Friday, February 28

Exploring the Clare Valley, with its cluster of wineries, villages, and pristine farmlands, is the activity for the last day of the Safari. A good start is the 35-kilometer Riesling Trail, with its many cellar doors.

Martindale Hall at Mintaro may also be worthwhile visiting. This is a significant heritage building, and

an outstanding example of the grand country mansions constructed by wealthy pastoralists.

Built by Edmund Bowman Jnr in 1879 – 1880 for £30,000, the building has 32 rooms of which 7 of these are for a cellar. It also comes with extensive outdoor facilities, such as a polo ground, racecourse, a boating lake, and a cricket pitch where the English 11 played at least once.

Dinner that night will be at one of the fine restaurants found in Clare, perhaps proceeded by Friday night drinks at the Clare Valley Wine, Food and Tourism Centre.

DAY EIGHT, Saturday, March 1

After a hearty breakfast, it is time to say good- bye to your fellow travelers and set off for home.

Sevenhill Winery, Clare Valley