1. About these Terms
These Terms govern use of greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au (Website), enquiries, quotes and bookings made with Paul Graeme Barnes trading as Great Southern Expeditions (GSE, we, us or our).
By using the Website or making a booking, you agree to these Terms. If a separate written proposal, itinerary or booking confirmation applies, it forms part of your agreement with us. If there is an inconsistency, the booking confirmation prevails for that booking, except that nothing excludes rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.
2. Booking formation
Website content and availability are invitations to enquire, not guaranteed offers. A booking becomes binding only when we issue written confirmation and receive the required deposit or payment.
You must check the names, dates, inclusions, room type, accessibility requirements and other details in the confirmation and notify us promptly of any error.
3. Our role and third-party suppliers
GSE may arrange accommodation, transport, activities, meals, guides and other services supplied by independent third parties. We act as principal for services we provide directly and, where stated, as booking intermediary for third-party services.
Supplier terms may also apply and will be provided or linked where reasonably available. We remain responsible for our own obligations and do not exclude any liability that Australian Consumer Law does not permit us to exclude.
4. Eligibility and booking authority
The lead booker must be at least 18 years old and have authority to provide information and accept these Terms for every traveller included in the booking. The lead booker is responsible for passing all material information to those travellers.
You must provide accurate, complete and current information. We may reasonably decline or cancel a booking affected by fraud, material misrepresentation, sanctions, unlawful activity or an inability to safely deliver the service.
5. Quotes, prices and taxes
Unless stated otherwise, prices are in Australian dollars and include GST where applicable. Quotes are valid for the period stated and may change before booking because of availability, supplier pricing, taxes, exchange rates or corrected errors.
After confirmation, we will not impose a price increase unless the booking terms clearly permit it and the increase is lawful. If a material increase is proposed, we will explain the reason and any cancellation or refund option available.
6. Deposits and payment
The deposit, instalment dates and final-payment deadline will be stated before payment. Failure to pay on time may allow us to cancel the booking after reasonable notice.
Card or payment-provider charges will be disclosed before payment where applicable. You authorise us and our payment provider to process the agreed amount. We do not intentionally store complete card numbers on our own systems.
7. Inclusions and exclusions
Only items expressly listed as included in the written itinerary or confirmation are included. Airfares, insurance, visas, passports, vaccinations, personal spending, optional activities, upgrades and gratuities are excluded unless expressly stated otherwise.
Images, maps, travel times and descriptions are indicative. Reasonable variations may occur because of season, weather, supplier availability, safety requirements and local conditions.
8. Changes requested by you
We will try to accommodate requested changes but cannot guarantee them. Any supplier charge, fare difference or reasonable administration cost will be disclosed for approval before the change is made.
A transfer to another traveller is subject to supplier rules, identity and eligibility checks, and payment of reasonable costs.
9. Cancellation by you
The cancellation schedule, if any, will be disclosed before payment and repeated in the booking confirmation. Cancellation must be sent in writing to discover@greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au.
Any amount retained will be limited to amounts disclosed before booking, reasonable unrecoverable supplier charges, and reasonable administration costs permitted by law. We do not treat every deposit as automatically non-refundable.
If no specific cancellation schedule was disclosed, we will refund amounts paid less reasonable, evidenced and unrecoverable third-party costs and any reasonable administration fee disclosed before booking, subject always to Australian Consumer Law. No-show or late arrival may be treated as cancellation where this was disclosed.
10. Changes or cancellation by us
We may make a reasonable change to an itinerary where necessary for safety, weather, supplier availability, minimum numbers or events outside our control. We will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable.
If we make a material change, we will offer a reasonable alternative, credit or refund as required by the circumstances and Australian Consumer Law. If we cancel because we cannot supply the booked service, you will receive the remedy required by law, which may include a refund for the unprovided service.
11. Events outside reasonable control
Events outside reasonable control may include severe weather, natural disaster, fire, flood, epidemic, government restriction, border closure, industrial action, civil unrest, transport disruption, supplier insolvency or infrastructure failure.
We will take reasonable steps to minimise disruption and recover supplier funds. Remedies, credits and refunds will depend on what can lawfully and reasonably be recovered, the service actually provided and your non-excludable rights. This clause does not remove any right or remedy that cannot be excluded.
12. Australian Consumer Law
Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or modifies a consumer guarantee, statutory right or remedy where doing so would be unlawful.
Where a service has a major failure, you may have rights to cancel and receive a refund for the unused portion or compensation for reduced value. For a non-major failure, we are entitled to a reasonable opportunity to remedy the problem.
13. Travel insurance
We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance from the date of booking, including cancellation, medical, evacuation, baggage, weather disruption and activities relevant to your itinerary. Insurance is not a substitute for rights under Australian Consumer Law.
14. Passports, visas, health and accessibility
Travellers are responsible for passports, visas, permits, vaccinations and entry requirements unless we expressly agree otherwise in writing.
Tell us before booking about mobility, disability, allergy, dietary, medical or other needs that may affect safe participation. We will make reasonable efforts to assess and accommodate requirements but cannot guarantee that every supplier or location is accessible. We may request only information reasonably necessary to arrange the service and may require medical clearance for safety-critical activities.
15. Safety and conduct
You must follow lawful and reasonable safety directions and behave in a way that does not endanger, harass or unreasonably disrupt others. We may remove a person from an activity or booking where reasonably necessary for safety or serious misconduct. Any refund will be determined by the circumstances, recoverable costs and applicable law.
16. Website information and availability
We take reasonable care with Website content but do not guarantee uninterrupted availability or that every description, image, price or link is error-free. We may correct an obvious error and will not knowingly rely on an error to deprive a consumer of a lawful remedy.
Third-party websites and services are not controlled by us. Their terms and privacy practices apply when you use them.
17. Intellectual property
Unless otherwise stated, GSE or its licensors own the Website content, branding, copy, images, video, graphics and design. You may view and print content for personal booking purposes. You must not reproduce, commercialise, scrape or adapt it without written permission or another lawful basis.
18. Reviews, photographs and media
You retain ownership of content you submit. If you submit a review or media for publication, you give us a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display and adapt it for the purpose you approved.
We will obtain separate, express consent before using an identifiable traveller’s image, voice or story in marketing, unless another lawful permission clearly applies. Consent may be withdrawn for future use, although prior lawful publications may not be fully retractable.
19. Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss that was not reasonably foreseeable, or for loss caused by your breach, inaccurate information or failure to follow reasonable instructions.
Any limitation applies only to the extent lawful and does not apply to fraud, wilful misconduct, personal injury caused by negligence, or rights and remedies that cannot be excluded. Where liability can lawfully be limited, it is limited to resupplying the services or paying the reasonable cost of resupply, at our option.
20. Your responsibility for loss
You are responsible for direct loss reasonably caused by your unlawful conduct, deliberate damage or material breach of these Terms. This is not an indemnity for loss caused by us, a supplier or circumstances outside your reasonable control.
21. Complaints and disputes
Contact us first at discover@greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au with your booking reference, the issue and the remedy requested. We aim to acknowledge a complaint within 2 business days and provide a substantive response within 10 business days, or explain why more time is required.
If unresolved, either party may propose good-faith negotiation or mediation. This does not prevent you from contacting a regulator, payment provider, tribunal or court, or exercising any statutory right.
22. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia. The parties submit to the courts and tribunals having jurisdiction there, subject to any mandatory consumer forum rights.
23. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Website Terms prospectively. The version accepted at booking continues to govern that booking unless a change is required by law or agreed with you. The current version and effective date will be published on the Website.
24. Contact
Paul Graeme Barnes trading as Great Southern Expeditions
ABN: 66 945 193 550
Address: 5 Amphitheatre Street, Eynesbury VIC 3338
Email: discover@greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au
Phone: 0401 229 988