Circumnavigation of Australia - Coral Expeditions

Cruise Itinerary

Date	Port	Arrive	Depart
17 Oct 2025	Cairns, Qld, Australia	Embark
18 Oct 2025	Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia
19 Oct 2025	Stanley Island, Queensland, Australia	And Davie Reef
20 Oct 2025	Restoration Island, QLD Australia
21 Oct 2025	Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia
22 Oct 2025	Badu Island,QLD Australia	And tip of Cape York
23 Oct 2025	At Sea
24 Oct 2025	Yirrkala, Australia	Gove Peninsula & Bremer Island
25 Oct 2025	At Sea
26 Oct 2025	Darwin, NT, Australia		Overnight
27 Oct 2025	Darwin, NT, Australia
28 Oct 2025	Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory, Australia
29 Oct 2025	King George River, Western Australia
30 Oct 2025	Jar Island WA	or Swift Bay/Wollaston Bay/Bigge Island
31 Oct 2025	Prince Frederick Harbour, Western Australia	And Hunter River
1 Nov 2025	Ashmore Reef, Australia
2 Nov 2025	Swift Bay	or Winyalkan Bay/Wollaston Bay
3 Nov 2025	Montgomery Reef, W A
4 Nov 2025	Talbot Bay, Western Australia	Horizontal Falls
5 Nov 2025	Lacepede Islands, Western Australia
6 Nov 2025	Rowley Shoals, Western Australia
7 Nov 2025	Dampier Archipelago, Australia
8 Nov 2025	Exmouth, Western Australia	And Ningaloo Reef
9 Nov 2025	Bateman Bay, Western Australia, Australia
10 Nov 2025	Shark Bay, Western Australia
11 Nov 2025	Abrolhos Islands, Australia
12 Nov 2025	Perth (Fremantle), WA Australia		Overnight
13 Nov 2025	Perth (Fremantle), WA Australia
14 Nov 2025	Busselton, WA
15 Nov 2025	Augusta, WA Australia
16 Nov 2025	Albany, WA
17 Nov 2025	Woody Island, WA, Australia
18 Nov 2025	Lucky Bay, WA, Australia
19 Nov 2025	At Sea Cruising	Bunda Cliffs West
20 Nov 2025	At Sea Cruising	Bunda Cliffs East
21 Nov 2025	Flinders Island, SA, Australia
22 Nov 2025	Coffin Bay, SA Australia
23 Nov 2025	Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island, South Australia
24 Nov 2025	Adelaide, S A.
25 Nov 2025	At Sea
26 Nov 2025	Port Fairy, VIC, Australia
27 Nov 2025	Apollo Bay, Victoria, Australia	And 12 Apostles
28 Nov 2025	Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia
29 Nov 2025	Launceston, Tasmania, Australia	And Tamar River	Overnight
30 Nov 2025	Launceston, Tasmania, Australia	And Tamar River
1 Dec 2025	At Sea
2 Dec 2025	At Sea
3 Dec 2025	Sydney, NSW, Australia
4 Dec 2025	At Sea
5 Dec 2025	Trial Bay, NSW, Australia
6 Dec 2025	At Sea
7 Dec 2025	Tangalooma Island, Qld Australia
8 Dec 2025	At Sea
9 Dec 2025	At Sea
10 Dec 2025	Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia
11 Dec 2025	At Sea
12 Dec 2025	Scawfell Island, Queensland, Australia
13 Dec 2025	Funnel Bay, Queensland, Australia	Whitsundays
14 Dec 2025	Townsville, Queensland, Australia	Including return flights to Longreach
15 Dec 2025	At Sea
16 Dec 2025	Cairns, Qld, Australia	Disembark

60 Night cruise departing roundtrip from Cairns onboard Coral Adventurer.

Join us onboard Coral Adventurer in October 2025 on a legendary adventure as we circumnavigate the Australian coastline over 60 days and discover our homeland “girt by sea”.

Be one of only 112 guests to undertake the expedition of a lifetime connecting with the legendary people and places along the way. Discover pristine and powerful shores, life changing natural encounters, significant heritage sites and the stories of the people who have shaped Australia.

Our expert crew and guides will lead the way as we traverse the country with 48 days filled with excursion activities, a rich onboard program guided by our expert crew and the highlights of 3 signature “special events” including an Island Cultural Festival in the Torres Straits, a Winemakers Lunch at Leeuwin Estate in the Margaret River and a charter flight to an Outback Homestead in Longreach.

Three Signature Events:
A Festival and Feast in the Torres Straits
Enjoy a unique cultural festival and feast with the remote Torres Strait community of Thursday Island. Feel the welcome embrace of locals as they share traditional dance performances, art and craft and invite you to join in cultural traditions.

Experience the rich heritage on a guided coach tour, exploring its historic and culturally diverse sites of the Japanese Pearl Divers Memorial and the monument honouring Bernard Namok Senior, designer of the Torres Strait Islands Flag. Local elders will share their stories and involve guests in a vibrant cultural festival.

An Exquisite Winemakers Dinner at Leeuwin Estate
Indulge in a four-course dinner with the Winemaker at renowned Leeuwin Estate in the Margaret River. Your Host, winemaker Paul Atwood and the culinary team will present a locally inspired menu designed to pair with the tastes of the legendary “Art Series” wine range.

Leeuwin Estate combines fine wine and food in a picturesque setting in Western Australia’s Margaret River region. With sweeping views overlooking the majestic Karri Forest. Celebrating the combination of fine wine, food and art, Leeuwin features an award-winning restaurant, cellar door and art gallery.

A Day in the Queensland Outback at Longreach
Board your private charter flight from Townsville for a day in the outback. Arriving in Longreach, explore Machinery Mile and the local town before a traditional and lively pub lunch at the historic Wellshot Hotel.

As the sun sets, outback legend Alan “Smithy” Smith welcomes you to his homestead at Rosebank Station, for a station tour, entertainment and a fireside cook up and sundowners as the sun sets over the classic Queensland countryside. We will all fly back to Coral Adventurer in the evening with a late supper onboard and a leisurely sleep-in the next day.

Across the Top
Cairns to the Rowley Shoals: Days 1–19 - 17 Excursion Days, 2 Sea Days
Guest Lecturers: Ian Morris, Goyma Gondarra
Let us immerse you in the ancient traditional cultures and unique saltwater landscapes of Australia’s top end. Step ashore with ease at some of our most remote shores as we head westward from Cairns all the way to the north-western Continental Shelf – Rowley Shoals. Explore the offshore islands of the Great Barrier Reef, remote Cape York and Arnhem Land, the vibrant cultural communities of the Torres Straits and Tiwi islands, and the vast and magnificent landscapes of the Kimberley. Savor wild barramundi, mud crab, and Davidson bush plum as you encounter rare birdlife, marine species like whales, crocodiles, and turtles, and witness powerful tides carving the landscapes. Share drinks and stories at day’s end with spectacular sunsets and newfound friends.

Island Outposts of Western Australia
Rowley Shoals to Albany: Days 20–29 - 10 Excursion Days, 0 Sea Days
Guest Lecturer: Howard Gray
Explore the extraordinary beauty of Western Australia’s marine environment, accessible only by sea. Visit remote reefs and islands teeming with rare seabirds and fascinating marine life. Witness the annual whale migration, offering daily chances to see these majestic creatures with their young. Learn about the pioneering life of local fishermen, blending ancient and modern practices. Our onboard experts will provide insights into early explorers and shipwrecks in these untamed waters. Along the way, savor the flavors of Western Australia with fresh crayfish, scallops, and exceptional regional wines and craft spirits.

Crossing the Great Southern Ocean
Albany to Launceston: Days 30-41 - 9 Excursion Days, 3 Sea Days
Guest Lecturers: Quentin Chester, Dale Arnott
Journey east across the Great Australian Bight, where powerful oceans meet the rugged, remote shores of southern Australia. Explore untouched regions and the small islands of the Recherche Archipelago, with opportunities to see orca at Bremer Bay. Experience close encounters with dolphins riding the swells, and colonies of seals and sea lions on rocky beaches. Discover native Australian wildlife, including kangaroos and wallabies, at Kangaroo Island and Lucky Bay. Cruise past the spectacular Bunda Cliffs and the iconic 12 Apostles. Visit small coastal communities, immerse in their way of life, and savor wild abalone and Coffin Bay oysters, paired with the finest South Australian and Tasmanian wines.

Homeward bound up the Pacific East Coast
Launceston to Cairns: Days 42 – 60 - 10 Excursion Days, 7 Sea Days
Guest Lecturer: Sandra Reimer
The final leg of our grand circumnavigation showcases the beauty of Australia’s Pacific shores. Begin with a sunrise sail into Sydney Harbour, explore historic Trial Bay, and snorkel the wrecks at Tangalooma. Spend a day on the World Heritage-listed K’Gari (Fraser Island), known for its white sandy beaches, freshwater lakes, towering rainforests, and rich traditional culture. Taste fresh Coral Trout and Barramundi as you dive and snorkel along the Great Barrier Reef, visiting remote Scawfell Island and the stunning Whitsundays. Conclude with a fly-in/out visit to Longreach in Queensland’s outback, then celebrate with sunset drinks on Sudbury Cay followed by a Gala dinner onboard.

This itinerary is an indication of the destinations we visit and activities on offer. Throughout the expedition we may make changes to the itinerary as necessary to maximise your expeditionary experience. Allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions, and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel. Coral Expeditions suggests that you do not arrive on the day of embarkation or depart on the day of disembarkation due to any changes that may occur in scheduling.

Launched in April 2019, Coral Adventurer is a tropical expedition ship purpose-designed to access remote wilderness shores in Australia and internationally, that are often inaccessible to large cruise vessels.

Coral Adventurer features spacious and vibrant living spaces created by Brisbane interior design firm, Arkhefield, inspired by the company’s Australian ethos and the wide-open spaces the ship visits. The ship’s lightweight dual Xplorer expedition tenders, another trademark feature of all Coral Expeditions vessels, extend the capabilities of the ship by allowing deeper exploration on shore excursions. These ‘safari jeeps’ of the sea are fast, sturdy, and comfortable and developed to allow easy boarding from the ship and walk-off disembarkation onto remote shores.

The perfect balance between being large enough for ocean voyaging in comfort yet creating the intimate and relaxed atmosphere for which Coral Expeditions is renowned, Coral Adventurer embodies our Australian philosophy of adventure, relaxation, generosity, storytelling, and appreciation for the great outdoors. Carrying a maximum of 120 passengers – Coral Adventurer is purpose-built to take you closer to unspoiled vistas in comfort, style, and safety.

Started in 1983, our company’s original vessel, Coral Princess, a converted World War II submarine chaser, pioneered and set the standard for small ship expedition cruising in northern Australia with 5-night cruises on the Great Barrier Reef.

Today, the Coral Expeditions’ fleet includes three purpose-built small ships that can be found anywhere from the tropical waters of Australia’s north to the rugged shores of Tasmania, from the coastal villages of Papua New Guinea and the Spice Islands, to sheltered sounds and glacial fiords of New Zealand.

While our range of cruise itineraries has expanded into new regions, we have maintained our home in Cairns and continue to be the only major operator of extended small ship cruises on the Great Barrier Reef.

There are many reasons why our guests return to Coral Expeditions for a truly authentic expedition.

A TRUE EXPEDITION ETHOS
At Coral Expeditions, we pride ourselves on getting our guests up close and personal with stunning landscapes, fascinating history and vibrant cultures. We have deep respect and a strong connection with the places we visit. We maintain flexibility in our planning to make impromptu stops if extraordinary opportunities in nature present. Our expeditions focus on truly experiencing the regions we visit.

OUR HOME TURF
When it comes to expedition cruising, there is no replicating experience. For 40 years, we have steadily accumulated a wealth of local knowledge and contacts in the coastal regions surrounding Australia. Our crew know the charts, the tides and the winds like no other to ensure you are in the right place at the right time. Whether you travel with us in the ancient Kimberley, Tasmania’s wilderness, the frontier lands of Papua New Guinea, or New Zealand’s majestic fiordlands, you will be assured a local perspective, with local guides, authentic interactions, and a true taste of local culture and cuisine.

OUR SMALL SHIPS
At the heart of the Coral Expeditions experience are our purpose-built small expedition ships and unique tenders. In an age of glitzy mega-vessels, our ships are truly intimate, carrying no more than 120 guests. This means that we can navigate into shallow bays, step ashore onto remote beaches and jetties, and visit small villages to make connections without overwhelming a community. We have designed the fleet to explore tropical waters with comfort and ease and to allow you to connect with the landscape we explore.

OUR CREW
Our crew live and breathe our destinations and the opportunity to show you a true expedition experience. We are the modern day seafaring pioneers of Australia, and we are proud to share our knowledge on coastal explorations with guests from around the globe. On our ships, we have no ‘back office’ roles. From our chefs to our engineers, our crew are here because they love to interact with people and show you their world. Join our engine room tours, view our chefs in our galley or chat with our officers on the bridge – they will be delighted to share company with you.

OUR RESPECT FOR COMMUNITIES
We have always made a determined effort to support the communities we visit. Our guests join in enthusiastically. We visit remote villages, participate in art and cultural traditions, and interact in local schools. We initiate and contribute to regional projects to support conservation, provide training and employment, and distribute economic benefit and relief supplies, all with guest support and involvement. It is an enriching and rewarding part of our expedition experience that leaves a lasting joy for us all.

THE FUTURE
As Coral Expeditions enters its fifth decade in existence, we remain true to our pioneering foundations. We have a new fleet of technologically advanced ships that provide many of the comforts of a large vessel, but without the crowds. We have embarked on a series of new adventures exploring the small islands of the world and broadening our footprint around our home shores of Australia. Yet, our purpose remains the same – taking small groups of like-minded explorers to beautiful parts of the world in our uniquely Australian style!