Australia: Service & Adventure Down Under

Arrive at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) where you’ll meet your Rustic Pathways Flight Leader, who will help get you checked in and through security before traveling with your group to Australia. Get acquainted with fellow Rustic travelers before boarding your flight.

Today is lost as you cross the international dateline, but don’t worry. You’ll get it back on your way home!

Arrive in Brisbane and meet your Program Leaders, who will be with you for the duration of the program.
Head to our beach base house on the Sunshine Coast and settle in, relaxing after your long flight, and join the group for an orientation that includes a discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture. This afternoon, support a basketball coaching clinic for athletes with disabilities and shoot some hoops with the locals.

The Base House accommodates 3-4 students per room, divided by gender, with shared bathrooms.

Today you’ll learn to surf on one of Australia’s gorgeous beaches. Take a lesson from expert Aussie surf coaches and you’ll be catching waves before you know it.
Spend the afternoon volunteering with one or more of our community partners to support an ongoing project, which might include contributing to an environmental project, assisting with wildlife conservation, or contributing to food access projects for community members.
In the evening, dine at a Surf Club and learn more about surf culture in Australia. Join your group for a post-service debrief in the evening, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community.

Head to the famous Eumundi Market, one of Australia’s largest outdoor markets and a vibrant cultural center for shoppers on the hunt for unique Aussie souvenirs. Spend the afternoon shopping and enjoying the relaxed vibe of Queensland.
Then it will be time to grab your beach towel and bathing suit and head for one of Australia’s most famous stretches of sand, Noosa. Noosa National Park features spectacular coastal scenery, provides an important refuge for native wildlife, including the koala, and is home to one of the country’s best point breaks. Take a walk in the national park to check out the surf.
This afternoon jump on the Oceanrider jet-boat for the thrill of a lifetime as you cruise around the headlands and over the waves!

After breakfast put on your boardies – it’s time for your second surf lesson. Today, you’ll catch lots of waves and begin to see your skills really develop. Your coaches will also teach you more about ocean safety and surf rescue.
Australia has the world’s oldest living culture, dating back at least 60,000 years. Spend the afternoon with an indigenous family to hear dreamtime stories, learn about ancient and modern Aboriginal Australia, throw boomerangs, eat some bush tucker and play a didgeridoo.

Spend today at Bindi, Robert and Terry Irwin’s Australia Zoo! Enjoy a guided tour of this world-renowned facility where you can have close encounters with kangaroos, wombats, cockatoos, and many other exotic animals. Watch the famous Croc show at the Crocoseum, join the afternoon tiger show to learn about big cat conservation, and visit the Wildlife Hospital.
In the afternoon, hike to the top of a nearby hill for spectacular sunset views and hear local Aboriginal legends before returning home to our Base House in the evening.

Farewell the Sunshine Coast, make your way to the Port of Brisbane and venture out to Moreton Island!
Keep your eyes out for dolphins as you cruise across the bay to the world’s third-largest sand island. Spend the day at the resort, swim in the turquoise waters, and snorkel on the famous shipwrecks to see a variety of fish and coral.
Return to Brisbane in the afternoon check into your hostel accommodation. Celebrate your final night in Australia along a river promenade under the bright city lights.
At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their family and friends back home.
Tonight, you’ll be in shared dorms at a youth hostel in the city with 4-6 students separated by gender.

Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your flight home or to your next Rustic program as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.
If you’re returning home to the United States or traveling on to Fiji or Thailand, your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you reflect on your adventure in Australia.