Follow the ‘Priscilla’ trail and discover Australia

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert – The Musical premiered in Melbourne earlier this month (October 2007) telling the story of three extravagant drag Queens as they travel through the Australian Outback in an old bus named Priscilla.

Travellers wanting to re-create this ‘regal’ journey and discover the best of the Outback, including Kings Canyon where some scenes from the original film took place, should consider the following itinerary.

ADELAIDE

Start in Australia’s “Festival City” of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia named after the wife of King William IV, Queen Adelaide, and feast on the city’s colonial architecture and beautiful parks, take delight in its countless vibrant restaurants and outdoor cafes or seek education at the National Wine Centre of Australia and culinary inspiration at Adelaide Central Market. Alternatively, go down to beach at Glenelg, 20 minutes from the city centre and swim with dolphins.

Adelaide has many venues, nightspots and annual events for gays and lesbians including “Feast”, a three-weekend, two-week festival held each November featuring contemporary theatre, drag, comedy and literature.

COOBER PEDY

Continue the journey towards Alice Springs and halfway there stop in the opal mining capital of the world, Coober Pedy. Around 75 per cent of the world’s opals come from this region and the most interesting thing about this town is that most of its 3,500 inhabitants live underground, doing so to escape the searing heat that can get up to 50 degrees. One notable overnight experience is to stay in the town’s renowned underground hotel, the Desert Cave.

ALICE SRINGS AND THE RED CENTRE

The Northern Territory’s Alice Springs is the ideal base from which to explore the Red Centre region which includes Uluru (Ayers Rock) which, as one of Australia’s immediately identifiable national icons, needs no introduction; Kings Canyon which should ideally be savoured on a four hour dawn walk which ascends to the canyon’s rim – fans of the film will already be familiar with the views encountered from this vantage point; and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), which boasts an amazing collection of 36 russet domes covering an area of around 3,500 hectares.

Alice Springs’ main gay and lesbian event is the “Post Mardi Gras” dance party which will next be held on 8th March 2008.

MELBOURNE

Finish the tour in Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, also named after a Queen and try to catch a performance of Priscilla at the Regent Theatre. Melbourne is Australia’s cultural capital and is packed with museums, art galleries, great nightlife and shopping, plus many of the country’s largest sporting events such as the Melbourne Cup and Australian Grand Prix.

New, for style queens, are the two hour Sunday shopping tours at Queen Victoria Market that help visitors make their way around the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere in search of quirky and affordable clothing.

Melbourne also hosts its own gay and lesbian festival, “Midsumma”, which next year will be celebrating its 20th anniversary, 19 January – 3 February, with art and performance, street parties, carnivals and a gay pride march. There are plenty of ‘gay friendly’ areas, such as Commercial Road in the desirable suburb of South Yarra and Brunswick Street in Fitzroy which has a number of gay shops, cafes and clubs.

Qantas Holidays can customise a 13-night itinerary from £2,899.

Price includes:

- Return international flights to Australia with Qantas
- Domestic flights within Australia
- 3 nights at the 3.5* Mercure Grosvenor Hotel, Adelaide
- 4-day Opal 4WD Opal Trail by Banksia Adventures
- 1 night at the 4* Aurora Alice Springs
- 3-day Red Centre Highlights tour by Australian Pacific Touring
- 1 night at the 4* Voyages Outback Pioneer, Ayers Rock Resort
- 3 nights The Swanston Grand Mercure, Melbourne

These and many other bespoke itineraries are available exclusively through Qantas Holidays.

Log on to qantas.co.uk/holidays for more information.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert - The Musical has been booked for a six months run in Melbourne. It will then transfer to London’s West End.