ON THE RIVER · AUSTRALIA RIVER CRUISES
The Yarra at Melbourne, the Swan at Perth and the crocodile runs on the Daintree. These 15 are compared on what you are likely to see, how long it takes and what it costs.
Spend 90 minutes aboard Lady Douglas on the calm Dickson Inlet, with skipper commentary, Port Douglas history, wildlife spotting, one drink, and snacks. Look for saltwater crocodiles, birds, mudskippers, crabs, and shipwrecks. Richard, Jay, Jake, and other crew members help make this a relaxed, family-friendly river outing.
“Great time, awesome captain, would definitely do it again. Great crew, and view was amazing. Very informative.”
Cruise Melbourne’s Yarra River upstream and downstream for two hours, passing Docklands, Southbank, the MCG, Olympic Park, Herring Island, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. GPS-triggered English commentary explains the sights. You can sit inside, use the open back deck for photos, and enjoy tea or coffee onboard.
“lovely views Would prefer a 1 hr option as well..as the boat is slow and it gets monotonous towards the end...we hoped off early after 1 hr”
Spend about an hour on the Daintree River aboard Solar Whisper, a quiet solar-electric boat carrying no more than 24 people. Your guide points out crocodiles, birds, frogs, snakes, fish, and mangrove life while sharing local insight. Tea and coffee are included, but bring insect repellent and rain gear.
“Solar whisper is amazing! They are experts in their field. Highly recommend. Mark was our guide and he was fantastic :)”
Spend about 10 hours visiting Sydney Zoo, Kings Tableland, Wentworth Falls or Leura Cascades, Leura, Katoomba, Scenic World, and the Three Sisters. Your guide handles the driving and local stories, with Bruce and Les earning especially strong praise. Optional attraction fees are extra, and the day ends with a ferry ride to Circular Quay.
“it was a great trip and our driver/guide Bruce made it all worth our while! very knowledgeable and refreshingly professional with years and years of experience in tourism. would recommend especially if he’s your guide!”
Cruise from Strahan through Macquarie Harbour and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area aboard Spirit of the Wild. See Hells Gates, hear Sarah Island stories from a guide such as Dave, enjoy a chef-prepared buffet lunch, and choose between main-deck and premier upper-deck seating.
“Absolutely fantastic tour. The entire trip from start to finish was excellent. Couldn’t recommend more highly.”
Cruise from Southbank to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary with informative river commentary, then spend three hours among koalas, kangaroos, platypus, birds, and reptiles. The return boat ride is relaxed, with snacks and drinks available onboard. The tour runs about five and a half hours and costs $82.48 per person.
“Easy to find the boat, boarding was swift, easy, and on time. Commentary interesting, refreshments available / crew were all very nice - even had sun block in case you forget to bring. Sanctuary is great - very well maintained - lots to see other than the wonderful koalas - kangaroos, birds, and lots of lizards just wandering around, plus many other Australian specialities. We had 3 hours there - I went back to boat after about 2.5 and had a glass of wine - then we headed back - excellent trip.”
Board at Southbank Promenade for a three-hour evening cruise past Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, Rod Laver Arena, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. You’ll receive a four-course meal with Australian-style choices, plus beer, wine, sparkling wine, spirits, coffee, tea, port, and liqueurs. The vessel may be the Yarra Countess or Yarra Empress.
“Excellent food, the service was exceptional, and overall worth the money paid for this dinner……do try it!”
Cruise from Southbank to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary aboard Mirimar II, with live commentary from the captain and crew. You get three hours to see more than 130 koalas, feed kangaroos and wallabies, visit Platypus House, and catch wildlife shows. Food, drinks, and optional koala encounters cost extra.
“The staff was very friendly and the ride itself was beautiful. I would definitely recommend bringing a sweater, because it was chilly”
Spend six hours aboard a comfortable catamaran from Strahan, passing through Hell’s Gates, visiting Sarah Island with a guide, and walking through the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Live commentary, history videos, morning tea, lunch, and rainforest stops are included. Upper deck seating adds lunch and morning tea.
“Awesome experience on the River and out through Hells Gate. Skipper and crew were amazing. A must do if staying at Strahan”
Spend six hours cruising from Strahan through Macquarie Harbor and Hells Gates, then visit Sarah Island, walk the Gordon River rainforest at Heritage Landing, and see a Huon pine sawmill. You get lunch made with Tasmanian produce, live commentary, and time to move around the catamaran. Upper-deck seats include morning tea and a drink.
“The driver ARI was very friendly and had great local knowledge to share. The guide and photographer during the quad bike adventure were fabulous and the toilet/ shower amenities were excellent and VERY clean. The lunch was amazing and ARI was very informative on the drive back to the Hotel. We highly recommend this to everyone”
Cruise the Adelaide River for about an hour as guides such as Jack, Jake, Dillon, John, or Sean explain the river and its saltwater crocodiles. Food draws the reptiles close and into the air beside the shaded boat. The meeting point is about an hour from Darwin, and the cruise suits families, wheelchair users, and strollers.
“Fun adventure on the spectacular Adelaide River A natural ecosystem that shows off our beautiful landscape!”
Set out from the Cultural Centre Public Pontoon at 10:30am for a 90-minute Brisbane River cruise. You’ll pass Customs House, Story Bridge, the city centre, South Bank and Kangaroo Point Cliffs while hearing onboard commentary. Morning tea includes tea or coffee, scones, jam and cream, with a bar and café available for extras.
“Great tour on the river with knowledgeable guide providing commentary. We only had short time in Brisbane and this tour helped us see the sights quickly. Lovely views of the city from the river.”
Spend one hour on the Daintree River with Bruce Belcher’s crew, watching for crocodiles, tree snakes, kingfishers, and other native wildlife. Guides such as Bruce, Ray, Brad, Griffin, and Griff combine local stories with practical nature facts. Morning, lunch, and afternoon departures offer different refreshments, including tea, coffee, slushies, meat pies, or drinks and snacks.
“Had a nice river cruise and saw a number of crocodiles, of which about 7 small ones. Good and educational information from the experienced skipper. He knew how to tell us a lot in a humorous way about the Daintree River and the animals that live there. In this season there are less to spot, but what we find important is that the animals live in the wild. You can't just conjure them up.”
Join Yarra River Cruises at Federation Wharf for a one-hour city cruise with an English-speaking guide, tea and coffee included, and drinks available to buy. You’ll pass Eureka Tower, Southbank, the Royal Botanic Gardens, bridges, and Docklands while hearing local stories. Boats offer indoor and outdoor seating, restrooms, and room for photos.
“I went on the Yarra River cruise for the first time during my visit to Melbourne. It was an amazing experience with excellent service. A perfect way to enjoy the city’s beautiful views.”
Spend 10 hours with a local guide exploring Mossman Gorge, Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation and the Daintree River. The day includes a crocodile cruise, rainforest walks, cooked-to-order lunch, morning tea, a Cooper Creek swim and Port Douglas pickup. Groups are capped at 10, with guides such as Andrea, Cam, Daniel and Matt leading the way.
“Very interactive , open to questions and Cam our guide was very knowledgeable and a great guide for the day. Timing was amazing and we enjoyed all aspects of the trip despite the rain at the end but it is the season !”
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