Wildman Wilderness Lodge will offer guests a new wetlands Air Boat touring experience when it re-opens this week for its 2013 season.

Just two hours’ drive from Darwin in the spectacular Mary River Wetlands, the Lodge (www.wildmanwildernesslodge.com.au) will re-open on the Easter long weekend on Friday, 29 March 2013, following the wet season.
 

Guests will be able to enjoy interpretive tours of the wetlands environment on a new Mary River Wetlands Air Boat Tour. The tour allows guests to experience the wetlands’ unique biodiversity and wildlife in all their beauty.  Departing Home Billabong, the 1 ½ hour tour costs $215 per person with a maximum group of nine. 
 

The Mary River Wetlands are teeming with wildlife featuring a vast variety of birdlife. The billabongs, paperbark and monsoon forests support breeding populations of brolgas, egrets, black necked storks, sea eagles, magpie geese and many more bird species.
 

The flood plains rise and recede with the region’s wet and dry seasons with freshwater waterways and billabongs providing a natural habitat for some of the largest salt water crocodiles in Australia and copious barramundi.
 

To launch the opening of its third season, Wildman Wilderness Lodge is offering a bonus night free to people who book early.  Book a two night stay for travel up to 30 June 2013, prior to 31 March and receive the third night free of charge including full breakfast and 3-course dinner daily.

Probably the greatest example of recycling in Australian tourism, Wildman moved to its new location in the Northern Territory in 2011 from its previous location at Wrotham Park Resort in Far North Queensland.   Following the sale of that resort to current owners, Indigenous Business Australia, it was dismantled and transported 2800km across the country on 18 triple semi-trailer road trains.
 

The Lodge offers two accommodation options – the 10 eco style cabins or Habitats which moved from Queensland - and 15 luxury en-suited safari tents.  The Habitats are free-standing, fully air conditioned structures with all the amenities expected in a luxury lodge including premium quality furnishings, king size beds and ensuite bathrooms. The Habitats are $330 per person, per night for double occupancy and that includes dinner, bed and breakfast.
 

Each of the luxury tents is over 50m² in size with fan cooling, private bathrooms and luxurious bedding.  Each tent has now been converted to sleep four guests due to the positive response from families who are interested in bringing older children to come and enjoy this amazing wildlife experience.  The tents are $260 per person, per night – double occupancy with each child (12 years and under) an additional $95 per night.  Pricing includes dinner, bed and breakfast.
 

The new airboat tour for 2013 is in addition to existing tours which provide guests with numerous opportunities to explore this amazing wilderness area including: Home Billabong Cruises; Mary River Rockhole Cruise;  full-day Kakadu Tour; guided quad bike tours and 45-minute Guided Walks hosted by indigenous guides for an insight into the wetland ecosystem.
 

Heading into its third year of operations in 2013, the Lodge recently won the Unique Accommodation category in the 2012 Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards - the official tourism awards program for the Territory.  The Brolga Awards recognise and encourage tourism businesses that strive for excellence in every area of their operation.
 

This latest achievement adds to an expanding list of accolades which includes Best New Tourism Development at the 2011 Brolga Awards and a listing in the UK Tatler Travel Guide as one of the top 101 hotels worldwide.
 

Wildman is the result of years of planning by tourism industry leader, Grant Hunt and Indigenous Business Australia (IBA).  Hunt has long been known for his work in developing iconic tourism experiences in Australia and is currently Chairman of Anthology, the company he started in 2008.

Wildman Wilderness Lodge will be open from 29th March to 30th November this year and close for the wet season.
 

Further details can be found at www.wildmanwildernesslodge.com.au.  Enquiries and bookings can be made online or by calling 08 8978 8955.

For media information and images, please contact:

Jill Collins

Barking Owl Communications

0417 654 474

jill.collins@barkingowlcommunications.com.au