Wildfires in Australia

Hi,
Are the wildfires that I've heard about impacting or have impacted any portion of the Australia portion of this tour?
Also, what company does Tauck contract with for the trip out to Agincourt Reef?
Thank-you

Comments

  • We are certainly suffering from dreadful weather and bushfires at the moment. Today is going to be at catastrophic risk levels.

    Thank God, at the moment there has been no confirmed loss of human life. However, the animal life ... both native and farmed ... has suffered cruelly and the property loss is also terrible. Thankfully, no major centres of population have been affected ... both Melbourne & Sydney are in the region of 5 million people, each. I can't even begin to contemplate that......... Because of the geography & vast spread of both cities, bush fires can't be discounted.

    I just checked the map for your whiz around the continent and since you're flying everywhere you won't be affected, but you will no doubt see lots of burnt land and smoke, if the fires are still active, as you fly over. There were fires earlier this week at King's Canyon, south west of Alice Springs, but I don't see your itinerary taking your there. And unless you are planning to travel independently to Tasmania and Port Arthur, you shouldn't be troubled. Some of you might have planned to drive the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne. The best advice I can give now is to hang tight on that. Wait till you get here. The nature of the fire beast is that it might be all over by the time you get here. Either way, you should be able to sort out any road bumps fairly easily.

    Cheers,

    Jan
  • Thank-you, Jan. We are arriving 4 days early before our tour begins and one of our trips we have planned is the Great Ocean Road, so your information is appreciated.
  • No worries. (We'll have you speaking Aussie by the time you go home!) When are you arriving?

    Cheers,

    Jan
  • Hi Jan,
    We are arriving in Melbourne on 27.2.13 (date written Aussie way...I hope!!). We are flying Air New Zealand and have been told that they are an excellent airline and are also very customer oriented and friendly. Definitely looking forward to the whole experience and adventure!
  • You did! Well done, you! We usually write it with slashes ... 27/2/13, but you're getting there! ;) Every time I look at a US date format I think ... huh? I guess it's because the date is one of those things you don't actually read, but rather comprehend as a complete block of information, so when it's backwards sometimes it doesn't even register as a "date". But maybe I'm just peculiar! ;))

    You'll enjoy your flights with Air NZ. Not quite Aussies, but Kiwis are ANZACs! You'll be very comfortable once you work out how to "drive" your seats. The trick will be to remember how for the return journey! I never can .... You've picked a lovely time to visit. Hopefully, not too hot. Not too cold. Just like the Three Bears' porridge :)). And with luck, No Bushfires.

    I can see The Langham from the station as I travel in and out of the city. I'll throw you a wave and a silent cooee! [Look it up!]

    Cheers,

    Jan
  • For those interested in relatively timely updates on the Australian fire situation Google Crisis has a great map.

    http://www.google.org/crisismap/2013-nsw-bushfires

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