Top End Explorer - Torres Strait to Arnhem Land

Begin with a Welcome to Country and spend time with Traditional Owners, discovering Arnhem Land through their stories and knowledge. Walk with locals to learn about bush foods, medicinal plants, art and weaving. There is much to discover simply by slowing down and listening. Later, explore the coastline or take to the skies for your first view of the country beyond the shore. Gather for sunset drinks as the light softens across the water.

Head into mangrove creeks, where kingfishers flash between the branches and sea eagles watch from above. Explore with the crew, keeping an eye on the banks for crocodiles, or cast a line into the deeper channels. A cultural walk with local hosts reveals more, from shell middens to traditional hunting practices and bush medicine. The helicopter offers another way to explore, revealing the sweep of Arnhem Land’s coastline before we continue towards Groote Eylandt.

Then turn your attention to the island’s waterways. Explore with the ship’s naturalist, head out fishing or lift off for a scenic flight over the coast. Watch for turtles and, with luck, dugongs in the shallows. Head into a landscape of winding channels and wetlands. Brolgas and spoonbills draw the eye along the banks, while the crew helps you spot the wildlife that is easier to miss. There is time to fish, photograph or simply enjoy exploring somewhere unfamiliar. Take to the skies to trace the river through the surrounding country. A locally hosted cultural visit adds another dimension to the day before we continue towards the Sir Edward Pellew Islands.

Spend the day exploring the Sir Edward Pellew Islands, moving between sheltered shores and quiet beaches. Cast for Spanish mackerel or coral trout, walk the shoreline with the crew, or follow the naturalist in search of wildlife. From the helicopter, the islands and channels unfold beneath you. Back at sea level, look for ospreys and sea eagles overhead, with the possibility of turtles and dolphins along the way. Tonight, we begin our passage towards Mornington Island.

Go ashore on Mornington Island and spend time with local hosts, learning about the island through their experiences and connection to Country. These conversations offer an insight into life here that the landscape alone cannot reveal. Explore the shoreline, beachcomb or take your camera out with the crew. A scenic helicopter flight reveals the island’s shape against the broad waters of the Gulf. Return aboard as the afternoon light gives way to another northern sunset.

Explore the Norman River, where mangroves line the channels and wetland birds gather along the banks. Join the crew for a wildlife outing or try your luck fishing in waters that have long drawn anglers to the Gulf. Ashore, discover Karumba’s fishing history, with a possible visit to the Les Wilson Barramundi Discovery Centre. A helicopter flight offers a wider view of the river mouth and surrounding plains before we continue towards the Mitchell River.

The Mitchell River delta is made for exploring. Follow branching waterways through mangroves and coastal wetlands, watching for saltwater crocodiles and birdlife with the ship’s naturalist. Pause for photographs, investigate another channel or spend the morning fishing with the crew. Then take to the air. From the helicopter, the delta’s intricate network of rivers and tidal channels stretches out beneath you, revealing a scale impossible to appreciate from the water. Later, we turn north towards Cape York.

Discover Cape York’s western coast around Weipa and Albatross Bay. A locally hosted visit offers an opportunity to learn about the people and history of the Western Cape before exploring further along the shore. The Mission and Embley rivers invite an afternoon of wildlife watching and fishing, with queenfish and fingermark among the possible catches. For a different perspective, board the helicopter and follow the coastline from above before our passage north to Mapoon.

Spend time with local hosts in Mapoon, learning about the community’s history, its return to Country and the connections that continue to shape life here. Explore the coast and estuaries, beachcomb or head out for a final fishing session. A scenic flight reveals the meeting of rivers, coast and gulf waters. Later, gather for a beach barbecue, sharing stories from the journey as the sun goes down. Tonight, we make our way towards the Torres Strait.

Arrive at Waiben, also known as Thursday Island, where art, pearling history and island life offer plenty to discover. Walk the waterfront and explore the town, with visits that may include Green Hill Fort, a gallery or cultural centre. There may also be an opportunity to visit neighbouring Horn Island. Leave with new friendships, stories shared by Traditional Owners and a deeper appreciation of the country we have explored.

This itinerary is provided as example only. Prevailing conditions, local arrangements and indeed, what we discover on the day, may cause variation. Please refer to the sailing schedule to determine if this itinerary is available on the True North or True North II.