Why use us
10 reasons to use Across Australia Travel for your school excursions
Experience and dedication
Ian Wheeler, the owner and Managing Director of Across Australia Travel has now achieved the remarkable time of 60 year’s experience in the Australian Travel Industry. This includes organising group tours to all parts of Australia and regularly travels extensively throughout Australia to inspect attractions, accommodation and camping facilities.
Efficient and expert service
We specialise in arranging group tours for you. We understand the time and hassle it can take to piece it all together. Therefore we provide a quick, efficient and expert service throughout from the very start to the finish.
Enriching experiences
We make sure that your school tour is both enjoyable and educational and the students are enriched with a wonderful experience and happy memories.
Personalised service
We provide a personalised service – with Across Australia Travel Ian Wheeler personally is the liaison with the school.
Professional advice
Across Australia Travel is a fully licensed Travel Agent: a member of AFTA (Australian Federation of Travel Agents) and Ian Wheeler is a fully Certified Travel Manager (CTM). You will get expert and professional travel advice at all times.
Individualised and inclusive
We prepare detailed and fully inclusive itineraries, which will be designed to suit the individual needs of your school. All sightseeing, admissions and meals are clearly shown on itineraries. There are no hidden extras.
Safety is paramount
We have a strong safety first attitude and will only use approved coaches fitted with seat belts where possible.
Competitive pricing
Across Australia Travel have operated many group tours and with our excellent buying power we offer very competitive rates without sacrificing quality or most importantly, safety. When you are comparing quotes for tours make sure you are comparing “apples with apples” and check inclusions, not just prices.
Quality control
We have very strong and extensive quality control procedures and monitor suppliers of accommodation, camping grounds and attractions. Coach crews are given a comprehensive briefing before your tour departs and we ask our customers to complete a customer satisfaction questionnaire at the end of their tour. Most of our customers have travelled with us before, some for over 10 years.
Good reputation
Our groups are always treated preferentially by our suppliers because of our quality controls and because we operate on a pre-payment system.
Testimonials
Highlights
A message from Mary Fitz – Gerald Principal of Mater Christi College, Melbourne
We focus on the best interests of the teachers and their students needs
Catherine Murphy, Year 9 Team Leader
Genazzano FCJ College
"We worked with Ian to set up our first school trip to Central Australia and have not looked back since. Ian was a wealth of knowledge and did an amazing job working with us to create a wonderful experience that is tailored to suit our students."
Genazzano FCJ College
We worked with Ian to set up our first school trip to Central Australia and have not looked back since. Ian was a wealth of knowledge and did an amazing job working with us to create a wonderful experience that is tailored to suit our students.
Ian is always available either on the phone, via email or in person and has been a great support before, during and after our trips. He is highly organised and has a good attention to detail. We have travelled with Bayside coaches, organised by Ian, and couldn’t talk more highly about the staff that have supported us each year.
Elizabeth Nevins, Head of Year Ten & Head of Middle School
Lilydale High School
"We had such a wonderful time with Joe, Josie, Rod and Peter. They were all such lovely people, they took a real interest in the kids and really made a huge huge effort to help make this the trip of a lifetime for the students. I honestly cannot speak more highly of this team and neither can my staff or students who were on Bus 1 and 2. Thank you so much to all of them, although thank you doesn't seem enough!! I hope they are available for our camp next year!"
Lilydale High School
We had such a wonderful time with Joe, Josie, Rod and Peter. They were all such lovely people, they took a real interest in the kids and really made a huge huge effort to help make this the trip of a lifetime for the students.
Joe and Rod had so much knowledge about the culture and they were so passionate when passing this information onto the students. It was really fabulous.
Joe is possibly the kindest person I have ever met – he went above and beyond for the kids and especially the staff and no task was too much for him. He really did make the camp for Bus 1. I cannot thank him enough!!
This was my second trip with Rod, and he is always great to chat with, he has so much knowledge about the area and he manages the kids so well and with ease – must be the ex-school teacher in him hehe!
Josie and Peter were fabulous cooks! The food was delicious and they always did everything they could (and more) to make sure everyone had something they liked or that they could eat. They were so kind and caring always and the kids absolutely adored them!
It is so important on a trip like this to have a good team, who are excited and passionate about what they do. This team worked so well together, Joe and Rod gave us endless laughs, and the dynamic between Joe and Josie is second to none – they had us laughing every day! Peter said he was on his first trip – I would never have guessed that, because he was so well organised and professional and seemed to just fit right in!
I honestly cannot speak more highly of this team and neither can my staff or students who were on Bus 1 and 2. Thank you so much to all of them, although thank you doesn’t seem enough!! I hope they are available for our camp next year 🙂
As the two camps didn’t meet up this year, I did not get the chance to meet the drivers or cooks on the second camp, however, in speaking with my staff, they have also been very positive about the drivers and cooks and expressed their thanks towards them as well. They got along well with the kids and staff on bus 3 and 4 and were always there to assist in any way. Please let them know we are very thankful and grateful to them for everything they did for the students and staff on the camp 🙂
I really am very thankful and it’s not only a real credit to those staff, but also to your company and look forward to the 2020 tour 🙂
Mary Fitz-Gerald, Principal
Mater Christi College
"Ian has had a long standing connection with Mater Christi College in arranging travel details for Year 11 in Central Australia, and now plans our tours of Borneo and France. Ian works closely with staff in planning itineraries, educational and cultural experiences, accommodation and meeting a range of health and dietary requirements. He is flexible with last minute changes and thorough in his attention to detail which goes a long way towards ensuring positive experiences for all."
Mater Christi College
Ian has had a long standing connection with Mater Christi College in arranging travel details for our Year 11 students undertaking educational and cultural tours in Central Australia.
Over the last four years, he has extended his services to planning our student tours of Borneo. Through 2012 and 2013, Ian worked with staff to design and organise a tour of France. This was a complex exercise in that it involved travel, touring and accommodation arrangements for two groups of 24 students, eight teachers and two other accompanying adults. Based on the success of this event, we will commence planning the 2015 France tour with Ian in the next couple of months.
Ian works closely with staff in planning suitable itineraries, educational and cultural experiences, appropriate accommodation and in meeting a range of health and dietary requirements. He is also flexible with any last minute changes that may occur with student groups. Ian is thorough in his attention to detail which goes a long way towards ensuring positive experiences for all.
COVID Testimonials
Dr Vivianne Nikou, Principal
Alphington Grammar School
"We have been fortunate enough to have been able to partner with Ian Wheeler from Across Australia Travel for the last 7 years."
Alphington Grammar School
We have been fortunate enough to have been able to partner with Ian Wheeler from Across Australia Travel for the last 7 years. During that time Ian has worked closely with our school and staff to ensure the experiential programs for our Years 9 and 10 students align with the learning outcomes we seek in the middle years of schooling.
Ian’s personal hands-on management and coordination of all aspects of our trips to Central Australia and Darwin over the years has taken enormous pressure of our accompanying staff. This attention to detail has ensured successful experiences for our students that have created lasting memories.
The most recent changing COVID border restrictions has required Ian to reschedule our trips three times, each time with compassion and understanding. Nothing has been too much for Ian to manage, customer service to a level many only aspire to. I cannot thank you enough for your professionalism and personal attention, and availability well beyond the working hours in a day.
I look forward to many more years of partnering with you and your team.
Kim Watson, Middle School Leader
Ringwood Secondary College
"When COVID-19 hit, Ian immediately immersed himself in the rescheduling process without complaint and obligingly re-booked our tour not once, but three times!
Ringwood Secondary College
Ian has been organising our Central Australia tours for almost 20 years and has always been so accommodating and enthusiastic. His extensive knowledge and attention to detail are evident throughout each stage of planning, as Ian prioritises the needs of our students and College community to provide a smooth and enjoyable experience for all.
When COVID-19 hit, Ian immediately immersed himself in the rescheduling process without complaint and obligingly re-booked our tour not once, but three times! With the unwavering support and problem-solving attitude of Ian, we are now launching our fourth attempt at our Year 10 (now Year 11!) Central Tour.
Ian has been patient and persistent, despite the changes and cancellations, which has encouraged us as staff to feel similarly positive – it certainly seems that we share the mutual goal of getting the kids to experience this trip. Our appreciation of Ian’s work extends far beyond us in the Middle School Team, emanating from every student and family who remain excited and hopeful about this upcoming opportunity.