10 Day Fabulous Floriade & Sapphire Coast
Departs: Saturday 20th September 2008
TOUR COST: from $2219 pp twin share
Each year from mid September to mid October, the national capital bursts into colour with Floriade, the largest spring festival in the Southern Hemisphere. Delight your senses with the incredible display of floral beauty and creativity as we visit such places as Tulip Top Gardens and Commonwealth Park along with New Parliament House, the National Museum and the Australian War Memorial. Learn about the amazing work being done by Australians at Canberra’s Deep Space Communications Complex. Enjoy the sights as we explore the beautiful Sapphire Coast visiting such places as the Eden Killer Whale Museum and Wheelers Oyster Farm.
Relax while taking a Twofold Bay cruise on board the ‘Cat Balou’ and sample the many varieties of cheeses at Bega Cheese and Heritage Centre. Traverse the Grand Pacific Drive with its spectacular Sea Cliff Bridge; this magnificent driving route takes you through beautiful coastal rainforests, quaint coastal villages boasting some of the State’s most beautiful beaches and rock pools and spectacular driving scenery with close proximity to sheer cliffs and the South Pacific Ocean. Don’t miss out, book early to secure your seat and join us as we explore the Nation’s Capital when it is exploding with colour and treasure the memories of some of the most beautiful scenery in Australia.
DAY 1 HERVEY BAY — MOREE (D)
Saturday 20th September: An early start for passengers joining between Bundaberg and Caloundra. Brisbane and Gold Coast passengers join at Brisbane Roma Street Transit Centre at 9.00am. Travel west to Toowoomba and across the border at Goondiwindi. The Newell Highway takes us through vast agricultural areas to Moree. Stay Burke & Wills Motor Inn.
DAY 2 MOREE — DUBBO (BD)
Sunday 21st September: Resume our Newell Highway drive through Coonabarabran and Gilgandra to the ‘Queen City of the West’, Dubbo. Admire the gardens and tree-lined streets, and enjoy free time to purchase your lunch in the city centre. This afternoon visit the awesome world-renowned Western Plains Zoo. The zoo is an open-range design, with walls and fences replaced by concealed moats which divide the animals from us. This creates the impression of actually being with the animals in the wild. Accompanied by an experienced zoo guide, enjoy a drive-through tour of the zoo with photo stops that will allow you to see over 1000 animals from five continents of the World. Stay Country Comfort Ashwood Resort.
DAY 3 DUBBO — CANBERRA (BLD)
Monday 22nd September: Today take the Mitchell Highway south, passing the interesting Wellington Gateway Sculpture. See colourful Orange nestled in the shadow of Mount Canobolas. On to Cowra to enjoy lunch and a wander through the beautiful Japanese Gardens. Next, journey towards our Nation’s Capital Canberra, to begin our sightseeing. Visit the miniature garden villages of Cockington Green. Two night stay Embassy Motel.
DAY 4 CANBERRA FLORIADE (B)
Tuesday 23rd September: This morning a grand tour of Canberra’s Embassies and High Commissions then join a guided tour of New Parliament House. The chief attraction of the day is Canberra Floriade. The massive springtime displays at Commonwealth Park provide an unrivalled spectacle of fragrance and colour. The New National Museum of Australia is our next stop; this museum has displays and information on Australian life and inventions. On to the Australian War Memorial featuring many emotion stirring displays and tributes. Return to our Motel after a wonderful day of sightseeing our Capital.
DAY 5 CANBERRA — BEGA (B)
Wednesday 24th September: It’s time to travel into the future with a tour of the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex which plays a key role in NASA’s exploration of deep space. Enjoy morning tea (own expense) in the Moon Rock Café before checking out the latest images from Mars, learning about the foods that astronauts eat on the space shuttle and discovering how this huge antenna complex actually operates. Moving on for a chance to ’tip toe through the tulips’ while visiting Tulip Top Gardens, a private garden which is only open to the public at Floriade time. On arriving in Cooma we call into the Snowy Mountains Scheme and Education Centre to learn about this mighty post war project before continuing on to our accommodation. Stay Princes Motel.
DAY 6 BEGA AND EDEN SIGHTSEEING (BLD)
Thursday 25th September: After a leisurely start, visit the Eden Killer Whale Museum. Follow the fascinating history of three generations of the Davidson family, the only whalers known in the World to have worked in partnership with killer whales such as “Old Tom” whose giant skeleton is the centrepiece of the museum. Next, travel to Eden Wharf and board “Cat Balou” for our two hour morning cruise and light lunch on the beautiful Twofold Bay. This afternoon travel to Pambula to visit Wheeler’s Oyster Farm. South Coast oysters have become famous throughout Australia. Discover the complete history of oyster farming and the life cycle of oysters. Sample the many varieties of cheeses at the Bega Cheese and Heritage Centre before returning to our accommodation.
DAY 7 BEGA — WOLLONGONG (BLD)
Friday 26th September: We say farewell to the beautiful Sapphire Coast as we continue our journey northward along the Eurobodalla and Shoalhaven coastlines. Crossing the 100 year old Hampden Suspension Bridge and ascending the highlands into the scenic Kangaroo Valley. Stop at Fitzroy Falls for lunch and time to stroll the cool, shady boardwalk to see the cascading waterfall. Onward through Mossvale to arrive at the colourful gardens of Bowral. Corbett Gardens, the centrepiece of Bowral Tulip Time, is awash with over 100,000 tulips & 25,000 annuals on spectacular display along with selected specialist horticulture stalls & fabulous entertainment. Heading east pass through the township of Robertson to our overnight accommodation at Wollongong. Stay Downtown Motel.
DAY 8 WOLLONGONG — FORSTER (BD)
Saturday 27th September: Today enjoy the glorious views as we traverse the Grand Pacific Drive with its spectacular Sea Cliff Bridge; this magnificent driving route takes us through beautiful coastal rainforests, quaint coastal villages boasting some of the states most beautiful beaches and spectacular driving scenery with close proximity to sheer cliffs and the South Pacific. By-passing Sydney travel through the scenic Great Lakes district of Forster Tuncurry. See Myall Lake and Wallis Lake and experience the peaceful atmosphere of the Green Cathedral. Stay Island Palms Resort.
DAY 9 FORSTER — TUNCURRY — GRAFTON (BLD)
Sunday 28th September: A leisurely day of travelling, so sit back and relax. A visit to Port Macquarie provides us with a morning tea stop overlooking the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Continuing on through Kempsey we arrive with time to explore the Trial Bay Gaol at South West Rocks while your talented crew prepare a delicious picnic lunch. Our afternoon journey takes us through the seaside towns of Coffs Harbour and Woolgoolga before arriving in Grafton. Stay Jacaranda Motor Lodge.
DAY 10 GRAFTON — HERVEY BAY (B)
Monday 29th September: After nine days filled with a variety of marvellous highlights and springtime sightseeing, enjoy the last day of our holiday with a leisurely drive through Ballina to the Gold Coast where passengers depart enroute as requested. Arrive into Brisbane at approximately 3.00pm. Passengers north enroute to Hervey Bay stay on board the coach.