Hands up for holidays to Australia

Hands Up Holidays (handsupholidays.com), the operator that specialises in blending travel with meaningful volunteering experiences, is highlighting three of its Australia itineraries.

• Turtle conservation in Queensland – 15-day FAR NORTH ADVENTURE
• Luxury Queensland – 16-day QUINTESSENTIAL QUEENSLAND IN STYLE
• 17-day HOMELESS WORLD CUP, Melbourne

The 15-day FAR NORTH ADVENTURE includes four days volunteering at the Cape York Turtle Rescue camp in the Aboriginal community of Mapoon in far north Queensland. Here visitors work alongside Aboriginal rangers helping to clear beaches of drift nets, protect turtle nesting sites, monitor and record turtle sizes and hatching success.

The rest of the time is spent enjoying the Great Barrier Reef, taking a four wheel drive trip from Cairns up through the Daintree rainforest, visiting the ancient Aboriginal rock art sites in Jowalbinna and seeing Lakefield National Park.

Hands Up Holidays would like to draw particular attention their animated online “save the turtles” game. Players can leave their final score and their details for the chance to be entered into a prize draw to win a camcorder. By registering for Hands Up Holidays’ e-newsletter at www.handsupholidays.com subscribers will automatically be entered into the prize draw.

The 15-day Far North Queensland trip costs £3,300 per person and includes four-star boutique accommodation in Cairns for three nights with simple cabins and tents for the remain ten, an escort for the volunteering experience and most meals. International flights are not included.

Next departures dates are 19 July, 2 August, 6 September and 4 October.

Alternatively, if travellers want something similar but with added luxury they should choose the 16-day QUINTESSENTIAL QUEENSLAND IN STYLE where accommodation includes an award winning eco-tree house in the Atherton Tablelands, a luxury hotel in Port Douglas and four nights on exclusive Haggerstone Island on the Great Barrier Reef. Other highlights include an Aboriginal owned and operated three-night wetland boat charter and exploring the Daintree rainforest with an expert botanist.

This trip costs £6,500 per person and includes luxury accommodation for 12-nights, simple cabins for the three-nights volunteering, an escort for the three-day volunteering experience and most meals. International flights are NOT included. Next departure dates are 19 July, 2 August, 6 September and 4 October.

Hands Up Holidays is also still taking bookings for the HOMELESS WORLD CUP to Melbourne, Australia. This 17-day trip departs on 27 November and costs £1,590, excluding flights. Volunteers are needed for a number of roles at the tournament including online match reporters, match photographers, photographic assistants, media assistants and catering people. The trip also takes guests to Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef using three-star accommodation throughout.

For more information, visit Handsupholidays.com.