Life

Travel Australias Coastal Wilderness

with Coral Expeditions

When was the last time you truly immersed yourself in a destination? When you soaked up the beauty of the local landscape, met the locals and experienced their culture, and absorbed the history and heritage, both ancient and contemporary. With this type of adventure comes a true taste of freedom. It allows you to become so completely enthralled by the destination that your everyday life seems like a world away. 

When Coral Expeditions began over 35 years ago, that is exactly the type of adventure they set out to create. Sailing to the Great Barrier Reef, they showed that cruising could be done with sensitivity towards not only the fragile environment, but also towards the needs and desires of their guests. 

One of the ways they have achieved this is by purpose-building small expedition ships. These vessels feature shallow draft, allowing access to remote locations larger vessels cannot reach. They navigate into shallow bays, disembark onto remote islands, and visit small villages without overwhelming the environment or local communities. 

On board, expansive indoor and outdoor spaces, including the much loved Explorer bar with 300-degree views, see you immersed in the spectacular natural surroundings and allow ample personal space and open air.   

Left: Whale spotting; Right: Sunset cruising

Space is also guaranteed by the fact that Coral Expeditions vessels take fewer than 100 passengers. Free from crowds, an Australian and New Zealand crew make you feel at home and prioritise your safety and well-being. This has become more important than ever, and Coral Expeditions use world class cleaning and sanitation and have an approved SailSAFE plan. 

At the heart of your cruising family are the expedition staff and lecturers. They accompany you ashore from dawn to dusk, bringing the destination to life, enthusiastically sharing their knowledge with expert interpretation, and effectively transforming a pleasant cruise into a learning adventure. These passionate explorers have expertise in fields ranging from geology to anthropology to sustainability, and ensure your expedition is a meaningful journey towards understanding your world even more. 

And having started on the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Expeditions have remained dedicated to revealing the rarely explored corners of Australia. In fact, as they continue to add more domestic expeditions, some of their most exciting new voyages are in Tasmania and South Australia.  

Around the apple isle

When you think of exploring the coast of Tasmania, you usually think of the view out to sea from the shore. But imagine what a unique perspective you’d gain by taking in the awe-inspiring beauty of this incredible island from the sea. 

That’s just one of the many distinctive ways you’ll experience the best of the Apple Isle’s coastal parks, islands, and harbours with Coral Expeditions. They’ll take you kayaking and hiking, showing you the best places to spot iconic wildlife such as wombats, fur seals, and dolphins, and they’ll gaze with you in awe at the 300m high sea cliffs at Tasman National Park – the highest in the southern hemisphere.

They’ll introduce you to local farmers on King Island, who are waiting to serve you a gourmet lunch featuring their world-famous produce. Not forgetting a taste of the incredible cheese at King Island Dairy. Speaking of cheese, they’ll take you to Grandvewe Cheeses to see how sheep’s cheese is made and taste the ‘ewenique’ sheep’s whey vodka.

Left: Coral Expeditions’ onboard menu is exquisite; Right: Try the fresh local produce

They’ll guide you on one of Tasmania’s ‘Great Short Walks’ on remote Flinders Island. And they’ll spend more than two days exploring the rarely visited World Heritage wilderness of Port Davey.

These are just some of the Tasmanian highlights Coral Expeditions can’t wait to show you. 

SA’s wild islands and walks

While the South Australian mainland is a food and wine lover’s haven, its wild islands also offer a smorgasbord of treats. Thanks to their relationships with the local producers on Kangaroo, Flinders and Wedge Islands, Coral Expeditions would love to host you on their deliciously unique SA adventure. 

A stop at Coffin Bay affords the opportunity for an unforgettable wild cuisine experience. You’ll hop into waterproof waders and take a seat at the Saltwater Pavilion to shuck and taste your own delicious Coffin Bay Oysters.

On Flinders Island, you’ll meet the Woolford family of Eyrewoolf Abalone, who’ll offer you a tasting of freshly harvested abalone and seafood, as they tell you all about the history of this fascinating island.

Left: Coral Expeditions will introduce you to some of Australia’s finest wines; Right: Fresh oysters on Kangaroo Island.

On Kangaroo Island, an expert guide will teach you all about the flora, fauna, and history of this remote habitat. While on the north coast you’ll explore Western River Cove and at Antechamber Bay, you can choose to kayak in the beautiful turquoise waters.

If you’re a wildlife lover, the Coral Expeditions team will delight in pointing out inquisitive seal lions, shore birds, bettong, rock wallabies, and many more throughout the islands. Join them for some bird spotting as you hike the ruggedly beautiful trails on Troubridge Island.

Sand Pipers, Crested Terns, Silver Gulls and Little Penguins are just some of the winged locals you might meet. 

As the days draw in and you’re ready to relax, onboard the all new purpose built expedition vessel, Coral Geographer, your home for 10 nights, you’ll have plenty of time to unwind between the exhilaration of the onshore excursions. 

The natural beauty abounds at sea too, with sunset cruises taking you past the stunning coastal formations of Cape Jervis, Kangaroo Island, Neptune Island and Whalers Way. You might even spy a pod of dolphins playing as you cruise by.

A Coral Expeditions cruise is like no other. You’ll discover new destinations, learn from passionate experts, make new friends, and most importantly, discover the freedom of absolute escape. 

To find out more about Coral Expeditions and to book your adventure, visit coralexpeditions.com