- • Centrally located hotels • National Park entrance fees • Arrival and departure private airport transfers
Tastes of Southern Australia
Trip Type: Guided Holiday
Australia
|
11 Days
NZD 6,520.00 /Person
This trip fully deserves its name. Expect to sample some of Southern Australia’s most drool-worthy produce – think craft beers, wines and cheeses -...
Tastes of Southern Australia
This trip fully deserves its name. Expect to sample some of Southern Australia’s most drool-worthy produce – think craft beers, wines and cheeses - and also savour some of its most dreamy landscapes, from the Great Ocean Road’s Twelve Apostles to the sparkling coves of South Australia on a Kangaroo Island tour. In between there are Phillip Island little penguins, Melbourne laneways, the Barossa and Canberra, Australia’s culture-filled capital.
Sydney - Canberra
As hard as it is to say goodbye to Sydney, it’s just as easy to say hello to the Southern Highlands. South of the ‘Harbour City’, the rustic countryside of Berrima awaits – fun fact: this is the oldest Georgian village in Australia. Further on, you’re welcomed to Gold Creek Station by sheep farmer Craig Starr for a Be My Guest BBQ lunch and tales about life on the land. Onward to the country’s cool little capital, home to Parliament House, where you’ll go behind the political scenes. Tonight, join your Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner.
Accommodation:
Crowne Plaza Canberra
Locations Visited:
- Sydney
Canberra - Wangaratta
Get some Canberra perspective from the summit of Mt. Ainslie. You won’t be able to see the Murray River, but you’ll soon cross it en route to Beechworth, Victoria’s best-preserved gold rush town. Get the lowdown on Beechworth over a chat with the publican of the historic local pub and enjoy afternoon tea in the oldest hotel in town. Then you'll be set and on your way to explore honey and gold shops, galleries and museums at your leisure.
Accommodation:
Quality Hotel Wangaratta
Locations Visited:
- Canberra
Wangaratta - Melbourne
Meandering south toward historic Glenrowan, you’re well and truly in Ned Kelly country – this is where the infamous bushranger and his gang were finally captured in 1880. We’ll tell you all the tales, then a few more about Melbourne, the home of Aussie rules football, some of the country’s best arts institutions, and a swag of stellar restaurants, cafés and bars. Once you have your bearings, immerse yourself in a guided galleries tour of our First Peoples arts and cultural centre, Koorie Heritage Trust Gallery, then head off to explore before an evening at leisure.
Accommodation:
Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne
Locations Visited:
- Wangaratta
Melbourne Free Time
You’re on your own today. Well, not really, because your Travel Director is at your service to help arrange optional experiences. Perhaps enjoy a strong coffee in one of Melbourne's atmospheric laneways. Adrenaline junkie? Linger in the city, gaining bird’s-eye views from the Melbourne Skydeck at the Eureka Tower. Animal lover? Venture to Phillip Island to see hundreds of little penguins pad along the sand (both own expense).
Accommodation:
Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne
Locations Visited:
- Melbourne
Melbourne - Warrnambool
The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most epic journeys, a dramatic 240-kilometre union of limestone stacks (Twelve Apostles, we’re looking at you), World Heritage listed rainforest, untouched coastal coves and sleepy towns, like Lorne and Apollo Bay. It’s hard to know where to point your camera. We recommend having it poised to snap shots of the Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge rock formations. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Accommodation:
Lady Bay Resort
Locations Visited:
- Melbourne
Warrnambool - Naracoorte
Emus and koalas… These are just a couple of the animals you’ll likely spot as you drive through Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve – housed in a dormant volcanic crater. Remarkably, this pocket of paradise was once wasteland, transformed by volunteers. More volcanic history awaits across the South Australian border in Mt. Gambier, home to the crater-filling Blue Lake. By now you’ll be pretty thirsty, so it’s a good thing the Coonawarra wine region is around the corner. After a few sips, you may find yourself getting deep – literally. Naracoorte’s Alexandra Cave is a maze of delicate needle-like stalactites and massive twisting columns.
Accommodation:
William MacIntosh Motor Lodge, Naracoorte
Locations Visited:
- Warrnambool
Naracoorte - Kangaroo Island
The Fleurieu Peninsula is a natural adventure playground, all rolling hills, rugged clifftops and sandy beaches. Seaside Victor Harbor turns on the charms – take a horse drawn tram ride out to Granite Island (own expense) or take a wander along the pier – before your ferry blasts its horn. All aboard for Kangaroo Island, home to native wildlife like sea lions, koalas and diverse bird species. Your destination is Kingscote.
Accommodation:
Aurora Ozone Hotel, Executive Rooms
Locations Visited:
- Naracoorte
Kangaroo Island
It’s time for an island adventure: first stops are Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, home to an immense colony of raucous fur seals. Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was badly damaged by the 2019 bushfires. Through your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, you’ll assist with their bushfire recovery plan and wildlife rehabilitation program. Learn from one of their experienced guides about the delicate ecosystem and Australian native animals. More wildlife greets you at Seal Bay Conservation Park, where enormous sea lions barrel down the sand to the water. This is one of the most significant breeding colonies in the country. A well-deserved tasting of craft beer awaits at a boutique brewery, the only one on the island. How does a Golden Ale sound?
Accommodation:
Aurora Ozone Hotel, Executive Rooms
Locations Visited:
- Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island - Adelaide
You’ve arrived in the South Australian capital, known for its well-preserved churches and well-admired cuisine. Did you know that Adelaide boasts more restaurants per capita than any other city in Australia? After a city orientation tour, the afternoon is yours to see just how many you can sample – we have a few recommendations, including a visit to the epic Central Market, where you can try green ant gin with cheese, among so many other delicacies (own expense).
Accommodation:
Crowne Plaza Adelaide
Locations Visited:
- Kangaroo Island
Adelaide Hills and the Barossa
Pull on your elastic-waisted pants – today is one of indulgences through the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa, dotted with atmospheric towns like Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. A Barossa and Hahndorf tour reveals the bountiful food and wine this pocket of the state is known for. Discover local flavours over lunch at Lambert Estate, nestled in the rolling hills of the Barossa, followed by a tasting at Wolf Blass.
Accommodation:
Crowne Plaza Adelaide
Locations Visited:
- Adelaide
Farewell from Adelaide
By day 11, you will have a suitcase full of gin, wine and cheese; a camera full of dreamy images; and more memories than you can count.
Accommodation:
Crowne Plaza Adelaide
Locations Visited:
- Adelaide
- Meet Craig Starr on his 400-hectare sheep farm Gold Creek Station for a tale or two, and a BBQ. The stories continue at Australian Parliament House.
- Gold rush towns always come with stories about infamous bush rangers and love scandals. Hear them when you arrive in historic Beechworth.
- By visiting Kangaroo Island’s Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, you not only gain insights into Australian animals, but also have the chance to support them.
- Along the Great Ocean Road’s 240 kilometres you’ll discover all manner of natural drama, from limestone stacks to World Heritage listed rainforest and untouched coastal coves.
- Centrally located hotels National Park entrance fees Arrival and departure private airport transfers
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat Water bottle Warm layers in cooler months Camera Comfortable walking shoes
- Flights to and from the start/end of your trip are not included in the trip price. Day prior – flights to arrive anytime into Sydney AirportDay 11 – flights to depart anytime from Adelaide Airport Return airport to hotel transfers are included in the holiday price
- A low to medium level of fitness is required. Most walks are on boardwalks however there is the opportunity to walk on the beach at Seal Bay and the track is quite steep in places. Guests will also walk along bush tracks and gravel roads at Hanson Bay. Guests will also have the opportunity to walk over the Remarkable Rocks so surfaces can be slippery and uneven. For guests wanting to walk down to Admirals Arch, there are quite a few steps. Other less active options are available however.
Departure
Arrival
Availability
Room Type:
Adult Price:
Adult Price:
Child Price:
Child Price:
No Availability Dates Currently
Booking Enquiry
Destination Details
Australia
|
11 Days
Trip Location
Trip Starts:
Sydney, Australia
Sydney, Australia
Trip Finishes:
Adelaide, Australia
Adelaide, Australia
Countries Visited:
Australia
Australia
More Experiences From Australia
Featured Continents
Experience Categories
