Sample Itinerary
This sample tour itinerary is based on a 12-day trip to four cities (three domestic flights) within Australia and includes six games. NCAA rules allow you to play a minimum of three and a maximum of ten games. Alternate cities can certainly be arranged upon request. Some coaches like to practice most every day, while others seldom practice at all. We will sit down with you to come up with your exact itinerary, but below we have provided a basic sample itinerary as an overview of your potential tour package to Australia.
Your BTA sample package includes:
1. Sydney - 5 nights
2. Canberra (the Nation’s Capital) - 1 night
3. Surfer’s Paradise and the Gold Coast (Great Beaches) - 2 nights
4. Cairns (Tropical Australia, Great Barrier Reef and Rainforests) - 4 nights
Including flight time, allow 14 days for your 12 nights in Australia
Day Sample of Scheduled Activities
* Depart local airport arriving LAX at or prior to 9:30 pm – Meet Craig, your Aussie Tour Guide at local airport of departure
* 9:30 pm: (or earlier) Arrive LAX
* 11:50 pm: Depart QF 108 (full food and beverage service)
* Aircraft: 747-400 Distance: 7509 miles Flight Time: 14 hours
* Note: One day is “lost” crossing the International Date Line as you head Down Under. Don’t worry you’ll get it back on the way home!
Day 1
* 7:25 am: Arrive Sydney International Airport
* 8:30 am: (apprx) Depart Airport for short Guided Coach Tour of downtown Sydney, including The Rocks and a stop at Lady Macquarie’s Chair for the Postcard photo with the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the backdrop
* 10:30 am: Free Time around The Rocks, Sydney Harbour and the Opera House (plenty of places to eat nearby)
* 12:00 pm: Meet back at tour coach
* 12:15 pm: Check into Hotel for that long awaited shower and relax time. Avoid sleeping if possible. (3-nights stay downtown)
* 2:15 pm: Depart on Sydney Harbour Highlights Cruise: Depart Jetty 6 at Circular Quay (pronounced “Key”) on a 75-minute narrated Harbour Highlights Cruise and enjoy some of Sydney's greatest attractions from the water. Includes commentary and complimentary tea, coffee and cookies. You’ll get great photos on this cruise
* 3:30 pm: FREE AFTRERNOON in downtown Sydney
* Note: Could practice to “run the cobwebs out” if you like
* Note: STAY AWAKE until at least 8:00pm to help avoid Jet Lag
Day 2
* 9:00 am: Depart Hotel for Sydney Olympic Park and enjoy a 15-minute guided coach tour of the facility enroute to Telstra Stadium
* 10:00 am: Visit Telstra Stadium and take a 45-minute guided tour of the main arena for the 2000 Olympic Games
* 11:30 am: Depart Olympic site for practice
* 12:30 pm: ON COURT PRACTICE
* 2:30 pm: Pre- Game Meal
* 3:15 pm: RELAX TIME
* 5:15 pm: Depart Hotel for game
* 7:30 pm: GAME 1
* 10:00 pm: Return to Hotel
Day 3
* 9:15 am: Depart Hotel for Sydney Opera House
* 9:30 am: Guided tour of Sydney Opera House
* 11:00 am: ON COURT PRACTICE
* FREE TIME IN SYDNEY
* 2:30 pm: Pre- Game Meal
* 7:30 pm: GAME 2
* 10:00 pm: Return to Hotel
Day 4
* 9:00 am: Depart city hotel for Bondi Beach
* 10:15 am: Arrive Bondi Beach for free time to explore
* 11:30 am: Depart Bondi for Cronulla
* 12:15 pm: Lunch at Cronulla beach
* 1:15 pm: Arrive at Kurnell which is “the birthplace of a Nation”. More formally, this is where Captain Cook first landed when he discovered Australia. Keep your eyes open for whales & enjoy a walk along the magnificent cliff faces along the ocean
* 1:45 pm: Depart Kurnell for Cronulla beach
* 2:05 pm: Arrive and check into Cronulla hotel (2-nights stay)
* Cronulla is a coastal beach town in Sydney’s far southern suburbs. Not often visited by tourists, your Cronulla stop will give you a great perspective on coastal living in Australia for true insight into local culture
* 2:30 pm: Walking orientation of Cronulla. Meet Craig in the hotel lobby and we will take a leisurely walk around Cronulla which will assist you in getting a feel for this quaint beachside town
* 3:00 pm: FREE AFTERNOON in Cronulla
* 7:00 pm: Attend a Pro Aussie Rules Football or Rugby Game
Day 5
* FREE DAY IN CRONULLA/SYDNEY
* This is your final day to explore Sydney or relax in the suburban beachside township of Cronulla
* You may or may not like to practice today
* 7:30 pm: GAME 3
Day 6
* 8:00 am: Depart Cronulla for Australia’s National Capital known as Canberra
* 11:00 am: (apprx) Arrive Canberra and visit the Parliament House (like the White House in the USA) and do a short bus tour of Embassy Row.
* 12:30 pm: Lunch & Free Time in down town Canberra
* 2:00 pm: Check into hotel accommodation OR we can arrange for your team to stay overnight at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) campus in athletes’ dorms (1-night stay)
* What is the AIS? The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) leads the development of elite sport and is widely acknowledged in Australia and internationally as a world best practice model for elite athlete development. The AIS is a pre-eminent elite sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The AIS offers 35 programs in 26 sports. The AIS gives athletes access to expert coaching, world-leading sports science and sports medicine services, state-of-the-art sports facilities, and opportunities for travel, work and study
* 2:30 pm: Guided Tour of the AIS by a scholarship athlete
* 3:30 pm: ON COURT PRACTICE
* 4:30 pm: FREE TIME
* 7:30 pm: GAME 4
Day 7
* 6:00 am: Meet in lobby for transfer to airport
* 8:00 am: Depart Canberra for Brisbane
* Aircraft: 757-200/300 Distance: 468 miles Flight Time: 1.50 hours
* 9:30 am: Arrive Brisbane Airport
* 9:50 am: Depart airport for Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo
* 10:50 am: Arrive Australia Zoo
* Australia Zoo is the home of some of Australia's most unique and amazing wildlife, as well as some remarkable animals from overseas. Your visit to the home of "THE CROCODILE HUNTER" will definitely thrill and amaze you!
* 4:30 pm: Depart Australia Zoo
* 6:30 pm: Arrive and check in to your hotel at Surfer’s Paradise right downtown and by the beach!! (2-nights stay)
* Surfer’s Paradise Beach - With world famous surf beaches, international standard accommodation and exciting attractions, Surfers Paradise has everything for all holiday makers. A sunny sub-tropical climate and a year-round festive atmosphere combine to make Surfer’s Paradise one of Australia’s top tourist holiday destinations.
Day 8
* FREE DAY AT SURFER’S PARADISE
* Options are numerous and include: Visit a theme park; take a rainforest trip; try your luck at Jupiter’s casino; visit the bird sanctuary; shop; or the most popular option is to enjoy some time on one of the world’s truly great beaches
* 7:30 pm: GAME 5
Day 9
* 8:00 am: Meet in hotel lobby for transfer to airport
* 10:00 am: Depart Brisbane for Cairns
* Aircraft: 737 Distance: 865 miles Flight Time: 2.20 hours
* 12:30 pm: Arrive Cairns
* Cairns (pronounced CANS) is a modern tropical city with a relaxed atmosphere and is the primary gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns is an ideal base to explore the wider Tropical North Queensland region with front door access to the World Heritage listed Reef, Rainforest and Outback. Amazing tour options are available each and every day from Cairns. The Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region is Australia's premiere nature based destination
* 1:15 pm: Arrive Hotel (4-nights stay)
* 1:45 pm: Walking orientation to Cairns. Meet Craig in the hotel lobby and we will take a leisurely walk around Cairns which will assist you in getting a feel for the area and its attractions
* Cairns Night Markets open from 7:00 – 10:30pm. GREAT souvenir shopping for boomerangs, didgeridoos, T-Shirts etc. You can afford to leave most of your souvenir shopping until you get to Cairns. For the seafood lovers – Go to Barnacle Bills!!
* 2:15 pm: FREE AFTERNOON in Cairns
* 7:30 pm: GAME 6
Day 10
* 8:00 am: Depart Hotel
* 8:45 am: Arrive Rainforest and travel onboard an Amphibious USA WWII Army Duck through the magnificent tropical rainforest and learn about its ecosystem with an experienced guide who explains the vast array of flora and fauna. Your Army Duck tour gives you a unique experience on both land and water
* Enjoy Australia's indigenous culture with the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience. The Dreamtime Walk along the Rainbow Serpent walkway takes you through Aboriginal traditions, myths and legends. Learn to throw a boomerang/spear, play the didgeridoo, and look at traditional dwellings, artifacts and art at the Pamagirri Cultural Centre. Then, in the rainforest amphitheatre watch the Pamagirri Aboriginal Dancers perform a powerful and exciting 30-minute show of traditional dance, accompanied by didgeridoo and clapstick
* 11:30 am: Free Time to explore the town of Kuranda & have lunch
* 2:30 pm: Ride the 4.7 mile SKYRAIL - the longest gondola ride in the world high above the canopy of the pristine Kuranda Rangers tropical rainforest. Enjoy 2 stops with the opportunity to walk around in the forest
* 4:30 pm: Depart SKYRAIL for hotel
Day 11
* 7:30 am: Meet in hotel lobby for short walk to Reef Terminal
* You will spend 2 days and 1 night actually out on the Great Barrier Reef onboard “Reef Encounter”.
* 8:00 am: Depart Marlin Jetty onboard “Compass Cruises”. Optional Dive & Snorkel briefing
* 9:30 am: Reef Video presentation (optional)
* 10:30 am: Arrive Hastings Reef - transfer to “Reef Encounter”. Diving, snorkelling, sunbathing & relaxation time
* 3:00 pm: Cruise to Norman or Saxon Reef for the night. Diving, snorkelling, sunbathing & relaxation time
* Includes all meals, snorkelling gear and a glass bottom boat ride
* Scuba dives are (apprx) US$40 and can be booked on that day. Uncertified divers can also experience supervised scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef!!!
* The Great Barrier Reef is about 1,200 miles long and is made up of countless reefs, coral cays and islands. The colored coral expanses just below the surface of the warm, crystal clear tropical waters are home to an unbelievable array of sea life
Day 12
* Day 2: Out on the Great Barrier Reef
* 6:30 am: Diving/Snorkelling available & breakfast
* 10:30 am: Cruise to Hastings Reef. Diving, snorkelling, sunbathing, and relaxation time
* 1:00 pm: Lunch & cruise to Breaking Patches.
* 1:45 pm: Arrive at Breaking Patches for diving, snorkelling, sunbathing, and relaxation time
* 3:30 pm: Depart Breaking Patches for Cairns on “Compass Cruises”
* 5:45 pm: Arrive back in Cairns
* Return to Hotel
Day 13
* Depart Cairns for home
* You make up a day departing Australia for the USA so from Sydney you will actually be in LAX before you leave!
* We hope you enjoyed Australia and would like to re-visit us one day!!
