Australia is a truly vast country; a land of wide open spaces with constantly changing landscapes from the vast expanse of the outback to dense, tropical rainforests and rugged mountains. Interspersed along the island’s seemingly endless coastline lie vibrant, modern cities, blessed with plentiful sunshine and a more often that not an abundance of white sandy beaches and guaranteed surf.
At the epicentre of the Australian experience lies Sydney. With its iconic harbour bridge and opera house it has become one of the world’s must-visit cities. Meanwhile Melbourne, Australia’s second city, has an old world charm that belies its status as host to the nation's premier sporting and cultural events. But perhaps the most widely recognised symbol of Australia is the huge, immense form of Ayers Rock, or Uluru to give it its aboriginal name. Watching the rock subtly change in hue, as the sun dips behind the horizon, is one of the world’s most memorable experiences. All these highlights and more are featured in our tour, spanning over two weeks and finishing in Sydney with the option of extending on at the end. We also, of course, feature an extensive programme of farm visits that demonstrates the diversity and scale of Australian agriculture.
 Please call us on 01242 515 712 for more details, or see the itinerary below
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Day 1 – Friday 16th October
Depart UK.
Overnight: In Flight
Day 2 – Saturday 17th October
In Flight.
Day 3 - Sunday 18th October AYERS ROCK
Early morning arrival in Australia. Upon arrival and after clearing customs in Sydney you will be met by your tour manager who will travel with you throughout your journey. You then connect to your domestic flight to Ayers Rock, where upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel for check in and to relax after your long flight. Regather for an afternoon tour of the Olgas - a collection of 28 conglomerate domes known by the Aboriginals as Katajuta meaning "many heads". Later return to view the spectacular colours of Ayers Rock at sunset. Tonight you are taken into the desert for a barbecue dinner under the stars! Overnight: AYERS ROCK (D)
Day 4 - Monday 19th October AYERS ROCK to KINGS CANYON
Breakfast at your hotel. A very early start this morning- you will have the opportunity to enjoy the rock on an Ayers Rock Sunrise and Base Tour, also a visit to the cultural centre. At the conclusion of your tour you are taken on an interesting coach trip, through the `Red Centre' of Australia The day offers great opportunities for the photographer, travel to Kings Canyon to view sheer rock walls; precipitous cliffs and water holes, all reflecting the vivid colours of Central Australia. Lunch at the lodge. After lunch you will enjoy a walk around Kings Canyon Creek. Check into your hotel for overnight. Overnight: KINGS CANYON (B L -)
Day 5 - Tuesday 20th October KINGS CANYON TO ALICE SPRINGS
Breakfast at your hotel. This morning return to the canyon for a view from the top- you will be taken on a King Canyon Rim walk this morning. Depart Kings Canyon and continue the journey onto Alice Springs. Upon arrival in Alice Springs you will enjoy a visit to a Camel Farm (and have a short ride on one of these ‘ships in the desert’ which played such an important role in the development of Central Australia. Remainder of day at leisure. Overnight: ALICE SPRINGS (B - -)
Day 6 - Wednesday 21st October ALICE SPRINGS
Breakfast at your hotel. After breakfast you will be taken on a sightseeing tour of Alice Springs including visits to the School of the Air and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, to see how people cope with distance and isolation, and other unique features of this famous town. Lunch own costs This afternoon you will pause at a truck stop to see some of Australia’s Road Trains that transport goods and livestock throughout Central Australia. Remainder of afternoon is free at leisure to enjoy the Alice Springs at your own pace. Regather this evening and enjoy a campfire dinner under the stars. Return to your hotel for you last night in Central Australia. Overnight: ALICE SPRINGS (B - D)
Day 7 - Thursday 22nd October ALICE SPRINGS to ADELAIDE
Breakfast at your hotel. Enjoy a relaxed start to the day before transferring mid morning to the airport for your flight south to Adelaide. Upon arrival enjoy a sight seeing tour of Adelaide including the prime historical and cultural boulevard North Terrace, Light’s Vision, North Adelaide and Adelaide Oval, before transferring to your hotel for overnight. Overnight: ADELAIDE (B - -)
Day 8 - Friday 23rd October ADELAIDE- BAROSSA VALLEY- ADELAIDE
Breakfast at your hotel. Today is spent in the Barossa Valley, noted for producing some of Australia's (and the world's) finest table wines. As well as visiting one of the best wineries for lunch and a tour, with the opportunity to sample the vintage, you will also visit the historic village of Bethany, set out in German Hufendorf style by new settlers after their arrival in 1842 from Prussia, now Poland. Overnight: ADELAIDE (B L -)
Day 9 - Saturday 24th October ADELAIDE to MT GAMBIER
You travel south this morning to Murray Bridge, where you cross the Murray River and travel south east through low 'mallee scrub' country to the Tintinara district where you visit a large grain growing farm. Discuss production methods with the farmers over lunch. Later you continue to Keith, where you swing south into an area known as the 'Southeast of South Australia'. This is predominantly limestone country, formally prime grazing country for sheep and cattle, now one of the fastest growing wine regions in Australia. You travel through Padthaway and Keppoch Valley where wine grapes stretch from one horizon to the other!. You travel through Naracoorte to Penola. Where you will make a short stop and your tour manager will explain the importance of this small town in relation to Mary MacKillop who is anticipated to be Australia’s first Saint. Later you continue to Mt Gambier for your overnight accommodation. Mt Gambier is located on the slopes of an extinct volcano surrounded by pine plantations, horticulture, vineyards, dairy farms and rich farming country. Upon arrival you will take a short tour to Blue Lake- which is the only lake in the world that changes from grey to blue each summer. Overnight: MOUNT GAMBIER (B L -)
Day 10 - Sunday 25th October MT GAMBIER to WARRNAMBOOL
Travelling east today you cross the boarder into Victoria’s Western District, where visits will enable you to see first hand the results of ‘Landcare’ projects and learn about the rapid expansion of farm forestry opportunities in the district. You have lunch at a sheep and cattle property near Hamilton, and during the afternoon continue to the seaside town of Warrnambool, for overnight accommodation. Overnight: WARRNAMBOOL (B L -)
Day 11 - Monday 26th October WARRNAMBOOL to MELBOURNE
This morning you travel east as you follow the ‘Shipwreck Coast’ - where scores of vessels came to grief during the last century. This is the Great Ocean Road and you will enjoy some of the world’s most spectacular coastal scenery. Lunch will be at Apollo Bay (a lovely village right on the coast) , from where you will continue through to Geelong and spend time at the National Wool Museum, dedicated to the primary industry that has played such an important role in the prosperity of Australia. Arrive later in Melbourne for two nights in the Victorian Capital. Overnight: MELBOURNE (B L -)
Day 12 - Tuesday 27th October MELBOURNE
Breakfast at hotel. travel to the Puffing Billy Railway Station at Belgrave for the leisurely ride on this historic steam train. After your relaxing journey travel to Healesville Sanctuary which is inhabited exclusively by indigenous Australian animals such as Kangaroos and Koalas. Particularly famous is their Birds of Prey exhibition. Lunch included today at the famous Beechworth Bakery. This afternoon you will pay a visit to a cool climate fruit and berry enterprise. Return to Melbourne for overnight. Overnight: MELBOURNE (B L -)
Day 13 - Wednesday 28th October MELBOURNE TO ECHUCA
Breakfast this morning. Depart Melbourne, in the historic city of Ballarat visit Sovereign Hill which is a recreation of the early gold mining towns- a highlight will be the gold mine tour. Lunch at own cost. After lunch head north through Bendigo into regional North Central Victoria to visit a dairy enterprise- we will try to arrive around milking time. Arrive Echuca- an historic Port on the Murray River – Echuca is the Paddle steamer capital of Australia. This evening enjoy a cruise on the Murray River. We will invite our hosts (who also have a Holstein Stud) to join on our dinner cruise.
Overnight: ECHUCA (B - D)
Day 14 - Thursday 29th October ECHUCA to CANBERRA
After breakfast travel north east into NSW where you will visit an innovative and leading potato enterprise highlighting the centre pivot irrigation systems operating in the dry sandy country in the Berrigan district. Later on visit an Emu enterprise (emu is a member of the flightless ostrich family and has an economic value for oil, meat, eggs and leather) Lunch with the family. Continue during the afternoon through Wagga Wagga and Gundagai , where you will stop at the ‘Dog on the Tuckerbox’ a monument inspired by the story of a drivers dog that loyally guarded his master’s tucker (lunch) box. On arrival in Canberra you travel to the top of Mt Ainslie to view a panorama of the city layout. Check into the hotel Dinner at own costs (many restaurants from the hotel) Overnight: CANBERRA (B L -)
Day 15 - Friday 30th October CANBERRA to SYDNEY
Breakfast at hotel. Morning sightseeing tour of the city of Canberra- the Federal capital of Australia. Guided tour of the new Parliament House constructed at not an inconsiderable amount of money and paid for by the Australian Tax payers. Also visit the Australian War Memorial, which includes a world class display of the battlefields of WW1 and WW2. Lunch included today. After lunch you travel north to Sydney, with a short stop in Bowral at the Bradman Museum. On arrival in Sydney you check into inner city hotel. Dinner at own cost. Overnight: SYDNEY (B L -)
Day 16 - Saturday 31st October SYDNEY
Breakfast at hotel. This morning enjoy a city and beaches tour taking in the historic `Rocks' area at the southern end of the Harbour Bridge, the fashionable Eastern Suburbs, and famous Bondi Beach. Enjoy a Luncheon cruise on Sydney’s magnificent harbour. Remainder of day free. Dinner own cost. Overnight: SYDNEY (B L -)
Day 17 - Sunday 1st November SYDNEY - BLUE MOUNTAINS
Breakfast at hotel. Free day for independent sightseeing or shopping or alternatively there will be an optional tour to the Blue mountains. Optional Tour
Depart for the journey west of Sydney via Sydney Olympic Park- where the 2000 Olympic Games were held. Arrive at Echo Point and the Three Sisters, a set of three closely-spaced, steep-sided rock pillars, on the edge of the Blue Mountains Plateau at Katoomba and part of the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park. Continue on to Scenic World for lunch (own account) to be followed by a mountain railway ride down into the cool rainforest where you take a short easy walk through the forest to gain an understanding and appreciation of this special area, before ascending back to the escarpment by cable car. Also visit the near by Lovett’s Leap, with fantastic bush scenery. This afternoon return to Sydney and enjoy a farewell dinner atop Sydney Tower with panoramic views of the city and the harbour Overnight: SYDNEY (B - D)
Day 18 - Monday 2nd November SYDNEY
Breakfast at your hotel prior to transferring to Sydney International Airport for your homeward flight. (B - -)
Day 19 - Tuesday 3rd November
Arrive London Heathrow. End of Tour
Tour Cost | Price per person | Twin/Double | £3,750.00 | Single Supplement (Land portion only) | £620.00 | |
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Optional Tour | Price per person | Blue Mountains | £55.00 |
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Cost Includes: International and domestic flights and taxes 15 nights hotel accommodation Breakfast daily, 9 lunches, 4 dinners Private a/c coach transportation throughout All farm and technical visits Sightseeing and admissions as indicated in itinerary Services of professional tour manager Porterage of one suitcase per person where available
Optonal Tours:
How to Book To make a booking, please call us on 01242 515 712 or click on our Booking Details. |
Our sister company, Stita Special Destinations also offers tours to exciting and exotic destinations. Current tours include Tanzania March Migration, India, & Andalucia. |
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