Terms & Conditions
By booking any of our tours or products, it will be assumed you have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set out below, including our conditions and waivers regarding your participation in outdoor activities undertaken in conjunction with Joel’s Journeys.
1.0 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
1.1 Exclusion and Limitation of Liability
Joel’s Journeys makes every effort to provide customers with an enjoyable and safe journey. Occasionally unforeseen circumstances, including (but not limited to) adverse weather conditions, pandemics, industrial actions, civil unrest, mechanic faults, or insufficient passenger numbers, require us to alter routes, itineraries, vehicle types, fares, days of operation or even cancel journeys. We retain the right to do any of these things without notice (however, where practical we will endeavour to provide you with notice of alterations or cancellations). Joel’s Journeys shall not be liable for any illness, injury, damages, loss, delay or failure to join the journey that may occur due to factors beyond our control. We highly recommend all passengers have travel insurance coverage.
At the time that you book a journey on behalf of yourself, your personal representatives and your heirs, you voluntarily agree to release, waive, discharge, hold harmless, defend, and indemnify Joel’s Journeys and all its officers, employees and contractors from any and all claims, actions or losses for bodily injury, property damage, wrongful death, loss of services or otherwise which may arise out of your participation on a journey with Joel’s Journeys, except where caused by Joel’s Journeys’ negligence.
1.2 Your Liability
- You are liable for any damage to vehicle caused by You or a passenger; and
- a minimum fee of $150 for cleaning of the vehicle if the vehicle returns in a state of unserviceability for the next tour, transfer or charter.
2.0 BOOKINGS
2.1 Bookings Policy
Joel’s Journeys requires a 10% deposit for all bookings made more than 7 days prior to the commencement of any journeys booked. Full payment is required for any booking made 7 days or less prior to the commencement of any journey booked. Full payment is required for all bookings still outstanding no later than 7 days prior to the commencement of any journey. Joel’s Journeys reserves the right to release the seats of any bookings that are not paid in full 7 days or less prior to the commencement of any journey booked, and will be treated as a cancellation whereby our cancellation policy will apply.
All optional extras offered on Joel’s Journeys trips require full payment before Joel’s Journeys will book and confirm these optional extras with our Suppliers on our customer’s behalf. All optional extras are subject to availability at the time of booking. It is deemed that by purchasing our optional extras, our customers have accepted the terms and conditions associated with the optional extras purchased.
2.2 Cancellation Policy
From the time that you make your booking with us, we commit to your booking and hold the seat/s booked for you. This means that should someone else want to go on the journey you are booked on, we might not be able to take that person or people on the journey.
Cancellation within 3 to 7 days of departure will result in a 50% refund of money paid for Joel’s Journeys services. Failure to board or cancellation within 72 hours of departure will result in full fare forfeiture. Joel’s Journeys will not be held responsible for passengers failing to familiarise themselves with the booking terms and conditions.
Please note also that a “cancellation” includes a change to the date of a journey booking that requires the original booking to be cancelled.
2.3 Luggage Limits
There is limited luggage storage available on our journeys, please do not bring excessive luggage with you. Each person is permitted to bring one small backpack or handbag and one medium-sized bag. Excessive luggage may be stored with your accommodation provider. Any inappropriate luggage presented on the departure day may result in refusal to board.
2.4 Pick-Ups
You must be waiting at the designated pick-up location at least 10 minutes before the designated pick-up time each and every day of the journey. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are visible to the Joel’s Journeys trip leader or driver. If a Joel’s Journeys trip leader or driver is not easily able to locate you at the designated pick-up location at the designated pick-up time, we reserve the right to depart without you and you will be deemed to have cancelled your booking within 72 hours of departure (resulting in a full fare forfeiture).
2.5 Minimum Age and Children
There is no minimum age requirement. All travelling persons must book and have their own seat allocated for use. Joel’s Journeys can hire child seats for children from 0 to 8 years old. Please email Joel’s Journeys at info@joelsjourneys.com.au to add a child seat/s to your booking.
All children that are 17 years of age or younger, must be accompanied by an adult.
2.6 Physical Ability and Fitness
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are physically able and fit enough to participate in our journeys. If you have any questions about fitness levels and physical abilities required, please ask us before you book a journey. By booking a journey with us you represent to us that you are physically fit and able to participate in the journey with us and there are no health-related reasons or problems that will preclude your participation in the journey. We highly recommend all passengers have travel insurance coverage.
2.7 Public Health Policy
We may need to implement a range of measures and actions to respond to public health risks, follow public health risk related requirements, directions and guidelines from the government and chief health officers (CHOs), and to otherwise maintain health and safety on our trips.
It is a condition of your booking and/or use of any Product and/or Service from the Suppliers that you follow all directions and requirements in place to adhere to government public health directions and to maintain health and safety on our journeys.
You acknowledge and agree that it is your responsibility to follow and observe all directions and requirements in place to maintain health and safety on our journeys, and that we have no liability for any failure to do so.
You acknowledge and agree that, despite measures and actions taken to maintain health and safety on our journeys, we are unable to prevent or avoid all risks relating to public health risks on our journeys and you accept personal responsibility and liability for any and all risks relating to public health risks while on our journeys.
We retain the right, acting reasonably, to vary these Terms and Conditions from time to time to further respond to public health risks and their impact on the operations of our journeys and the health and safety of customers on our journeys. Any variations become effective on posting of the changes on the Websites and we encourage users to access and review this document regularly to keep informed of such changes.
3.0 RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
3.1 Tour Guide and Drivers Rights
You acknowledge and agree that Our tour guides and drivers must comply with the relevant bus driver fatigue management requirements applicable to the State or Territory where the services are delivered.
Our drivers have the right to:
- refuse passengers who:
- are under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
- are likely to become objectionable to other passengers;
- are observed smoking or attempting to smoke on board a bus, including any onboard toilet facility; or
- fail to comply with any applicable laws, rules and regulations;
- terminate the Tour, Transfer or Charter immediately without any liability in the event of unsociable or unruly behaviour which affects Our drivers’ ability to provide the Bus Charter Services.
- refuse passengers who:
3.2 Your Obligations
You:
- must maintain the condition of Your premises, facilities and systems so as to ensure that the Tour, Transfer or Charter can be properly and safely provided by Us;
- at all times, remain responsible for the acts and omissions of all passengers during the delivery of the Tour, Transfer or Charter services;
- must nominate a representative who will travel with the passengers (unless otherwise agreed in writing); and
- provide a safe and secure workplace for Our tour guides and drivers that are providing Tour, Transfer or Charter services;
- allocate a safe and legal pickup point for the Tour, Transfer or Charter services; and
- must not load the vehicle beyond the capacity.
3.3 Conduct during Tours, Transfers and Charter services
- You acknowledge that:
- Smoking is not permitted by law; and
- Consumption of hot food, alcohol and illegal drugs is not allowed, on Our buses.
- You are responsible for all luggage, carry on bags and personal items. We do not accept any responsibility for any damage to, theft or loss of any luggage.
- Registered service animals are permitted to travel with their owner.
- We have the right to refuse carriage of any luggage if We reasonably believe that the luggage is unsafe or hazardous.
- You acknowledge that:
4.0 RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURE
4.1 Participants Responsibility
All participant(s) agree to stay on the tracks, routes, roads and areas instructed by Joel’s Journeys. The participant(s) understand, accept and approve that Joel’s Journeys can reclaim any costs of fines or loss of licenses incurred by the participant(s) disregard of these instructions.
All health/medical conditions must be informed to the Joel’s Journeys trip leader prior to departure & detailed on completing participant declaration form(s). Participants must not participate in any activity if they have any injury, disability, medical or health condition that may increase the likelihood of them becoming injured unless Joel’s Journeys has been made aware of it and given written consent for customer to participate.
Participants active in journeys & lessons must be able to swim, cycle, walk and kayak competently with a basic skill level and experience for the relative activities. If anyone is unable to meet the basic skill level or experience in these activities they must notify Joel’s Journeys prior to any participation and adhere to instructions given by Joel’s Journeys. Joel’s Journeys reserves the right to stop participant(s) from partaking in activities if they do not show sufficient skill and experience or for any reason that safety of themselves or other participants could be put at greater risk.
RISK WARNING: Recreational Activities including but not limited to bushwalking, hiking, mountain biking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, rock-climbing, abseiling and camping involve significant risk of physical harm, including personal injury, permanent disability and/or even death. Such harm may result from your own actions, or the actions and/or omissions of others.
4.2 Activity Safety and Liability Waiver
We will do our utmost to provide you with accurate information at all times to ensure your safety during your participation in activities on our journeys. However, because there are events that may occur that are beyond our control, it is also necessary for you to be clear that your safety is primarily your responsibility and that you undertake these activities with full awareness of this fact. For adults/parents/guardians accompanying an under-18 participant, their safety is primarily your responsibility. We claim the right to gain your agreement to a waiver in respect of our responsibilities in facilitating your participation in tour activities, and associated activities such as are necessary to undertake journeys with Joel’s Journeys.
Please note that prior to departure of a journey with Joel’s Journeys that requires participation in an activity, Joel’s Journeys will require that you sign a written waiver and release of liability. Failure to do so will result in refusal to board and you will be deemed to have cancelled your journey within 72 hours of departure (resulting in a full fare forfeiture).
It is assumed that by making an activity booking with us you have read, understood and agreed to be bound by the following conditions regarding your participation in the activity and you have passed on this information to all members of the group that you are booking for whilst making them aware of their own responsibilities:
- Participants understand the physical nature of the activity, and acknowledge that their participation in this activity may involve risk or risks due to the outdoor nature of the activity.
- Participants acknowledge that it is a condition of participation in this activity that they do so at their own risk.
- Participants recognise any difficulties associated with the activity and attest that they are physically fit to participate safely in an activity and that a qualified medical practitioner has not advised them otherwise.
- Participants are not aware of any medical condition, injury or impairment that will be detrimental to their health if they participate in this activity. In the event that participants become aware of any medical condition, injury or impairment that may be detrimental to their health if they participate in this activity, guides or staff will be immediately informed. By continuing to participate in this activity, participants accept the risks despite these conditions and are still, and will always, be under the terms of this agreement.
- Participants recognise that where activities involve waterways (rivers, creeks, streams, ocean and estuary) that they enter the water, or board watercraft provided as part of the activity, at their own risk. When Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) or cycle helmets are provided for the safety of participants, wearing of these will always be instructed by Joel’s Journeys as a legal requirement. However, the decision to wear these (or otherwise) is to be made by the participants, and responsibility for this decision, and any consequences that flow from this decision, is the responsibility of participants.
- Participants accept all risks associated with undertaking the activity and hereby indemnify and release hosts, guides, staff, their agents, affiliates, employees, members, sponsors, promoters and any person or body directly or indirectly associated with the guide or staff, against all liability (including liability for their negligence and the negligence of others) claims, demands, and proceedings arising out of or connected with their participation in this activity.
- Participants understand and accept personal responsibility for any and all risks associated with outdoor activities, with a person or persons engaged by Joel’s Journeys.
- This release and indemnity continues forever and binds participants’ heirs, successors, executors, personal representatives and assigns.
- Participants certify that they are 18 years or older and that they have read these conditions of agreement and fully understand them, OR (if appropriate), parents or guardians of the participant, (i) agree to the above for themselves and on behalf of the participant(s) and (ii) indemnify and will keep indemnified any person or body directly or indirectly associated with the conduct of the activity on the terms referred to above.
- It is the responsibility of the individual making the group booking to ensure each member of their group is aware of all Terms and Conditions of participating in a Joel’s Journey activity and/or journey.
“Activity” refers to any and all activities you undertake during your participation in a journey with Joel’s Journeys. The “Activity” refers to any and all activities (undertaken in response to directions or advice provided by a Guide or Staff before or during journeys, or undertaken by you independently of the directives of advice of Guides or Staff before or during journeys.
“Journey” refers to any and all journeys, tours, adventures, experiences you undertake with Joel’s Journeys.
“Guide” (where applicable) refers to a person or persons employed by Joel’s Journeys, with responsibility for leading journeys.
“Staff” refers to a person or persons employed Joel’s Journeys, including guides, drivers, catering staff or others connected with journeys.
5.0 PRODUCT SALES AND SHIPPING
5.1 General Conditions
We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time.
Credit card payments are accepted through secure third party networks including but not limited to Stripe, Paypal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
You agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell or exploit any portion of the Product or Service, use of the Product or Service, or access to the Product or Service or any contact on the website through which the Product or Service is provided, without express written permission by us.
5.2 Modification to the Product, Service and Prices
Prices for our products are subject to change without notice.
We reserve the right at any time to modify or discontinue the Product or Service (or any part or content thereof) without notice at any time.
We shall not be liable to you or to any third-party for any modification, price change, suspension or discontinuance of the Product or Service.
5.3 Accuracy of Billing Information
We reserve the right to refuse any order you place with us. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household or per order. These restrictions may include orders placed by or under the same customer, and/or orders that use the same billing and/or shipping address. In the event that we make a change to or cancel an order, we may attempt to notify you by contacting the e‑mail and/or billing address/phone number provided at the time the order was made. We reserve the right to limit or prohibit orders that, in our sole judgment, appear to be placed by dealers, resellers or distributors.
You agree to provide current, complete, and accurate information for all purchases made through Joel’s Journeys.
5.4 Accuracy of Shipping Information
You agree to provide current, complete, and accurate shipping information for all purchases made through Joel’s Journeys. Orders returned to Joel’s Journeys due to incorrect address, failure to collect from Australia Post Outlet, or failure to contact courier after delivery attempt, will incur a re-shipping and re-delivery fee.
5.5 Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Joel’s Journeys and our parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, officers, directors, agents, contractors, licensors, service providers, subcontractors, suppliers, interns and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third-party due to or arising out of your breach of these Terms of Service or the documents they incorporate by reference, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third-party.
5.6 Gift Cards
Joel’s Journeys gift cards can only be used to contribute to the payment of any booked Joel’s Journeys tour or transfer. Joel’s Journeys Gift Cards are non-refundable and cannot be redeemed for cash. Any unused value remaining on a Joel’s Journeys Gift Card after a booking is made, can be used towards further bookings of Joel’s Journeys tours or transfers, using the same Gift Card voucher code, until all the value is used on the Gift Card. Joel’s Journeys Gift Cards must be used before the 2 year expiry date. Please contact us if your voucher expires.
5.7 Product Refund Policy
Products sold through Joel’s Journeys’ online shop, including Joel’s Journeys Gift Cards, Noosa MONOPOLY and Noosa Top Trumps are non-refundable and are not for resale.