Processing timeline
21
days
Filed
1 July 2026
Decision Due
12 Aug 2026
Est decision date: 2 Aug 2026. Based on 46 decided Professional & Business Services notifications.
Acquirer(s)
EXPERIENCE AUSTRALIA GROUP PTY LTD ABN - 56 614 713 003
Target(s) or Vendor(s)
KELSIAN GROUP LIMITED ABN - 49 109 078 257
Other parties
None listed
Experience Australia Group (Journey Beyond) proposes to acquire Kelsian Group's Australian tourism portfolio through share and asset purchases. This includes various tour, ferry, and cruise services across multiple states, expanding Journey Beyond's existing tourism operations.
Experience Australia Group Pty Ltd (EAG) proposes to acquire, by way of share and asset purchases, a portfolio of tourism assets ( Tourism Portfolio ) from Kelsian Group Limited or its subsidiaries or controlled entities (together, Kelsian ) (the Acquisition ). EAG operates a range of tourism businesses across Australia under the brand name “Journey Beyond”. EAG’s tourism businesses include tours, accommodation, rail journeys, scenic flights, and marine sightseeing. EAG’s subsidiary, Outback Spirit Tours Pty Ltd ( Outback Spirit ), supplies touring packages to remote destinations across Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia. Kelsian is an ASX-listed global operator of bus, motorcoach, tourism and marine services. In Australia, it supplies public transport services across six states and territories through Transit Systems, and marine transport services (including commuter and leisure ferries) through SeaLink Marine & Tourism. In April 2025, Kelsian announced an intention to divest its Australian tourism assets, known as the Tourism Portfolio. In February 2026, Kelsian announced it had entered into binding agreements for the sale of the companies and businesses forming its Tourism Portfolio to EAG. Kelsian’s Tourism Portfolio comprises: Adelaide Sightseeing Tours: tour services in the Adelaide region Murray Princess Cruise: cruise experiences along the Murray River Tasmania Ferries: ferry services between Bruny Island and Tasmania mainland Sydney Harbour Cruises and Ferries: harbour cruise and ferry services in Sydney K'gari Resorts, Tours and Ferries: resort accommodation, tour and ferry services on K'gari (Fraser Island) Northern Territory Ferries: ferry and boat services in the Northern Territory Swan River Cruises: cruise and charter services operating from the Barrack Street Jetty in Perth Swan Valley Tours: river cruise and coach tour services from Perth to the Swan Valley Bells Functions: waterfront function and event space at the Barrack Street Jetty in Perth In addition, the Tourism Portfolio includes SeaLink Rottnest, the passenger ferry service from Perth and Fremantle to Rottnest Island. In relation to this Acquisition, Journey Beyond and Kelsian overlap in the supply of tourism experiences in Sydney, the Whitsundays, K'gari and South Australia. Outback Spirit currently purchases accommodation and ferry services from Kelsian in K'gari and Bruny Island. ACCC is also assessing EAG’s proposed acquisition of SeaLink Rottnest.
The period for providing submissions or information in response to the ACCC's Phase 1 questionnaire has concluded.