6 Day - Coffs Harbour Christmas Capers
Departure Date: 21st December 2009
Tour Cost: from $1630 per person twin share
Don’t stay home this Christmas. Come to the popular holiday spot of Coffs Harbour and relax for four rejuvenating nights where you can breathe in the heady salt-sea air...and all your cares will melt away and be replaced by ‘Joyful Christmas Capers’.
Coffs Harbour is a beautiful area, it is the only place in Australia where the Great Dividing Range meets the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding region is dominated by hills and mountains as well as scenic coastline. Visit the Botanic Gardens, The Big Banana, the Pet Porpoise Pool, Butterfly House, Clog Barn, Raleigh Winery and more! We also venture south to the South West Rocks region to “The Pub with No Beer”, Trial Bay Gaol and Smoky Cape Lighthouse for glorious views. Come and join us for some Coffs Harbour Christmas Capers!
DAY 1 HERVEY BAY—COFFS HARBOUR (D)
Monday 21st December 2009: Celebrate the Christmas season exploring the beautiful Coffs Harbour region, surrounded by sweeping ocean beaches. Spend a rejuvenating four nights at Coffs Harbour, breathe in the heady salt-sea air...and all your cares will melt away and be replaced by ‘Joyful Christmas Capers’. An early start for travelling companions between Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Caloundra. Brisbane and Toowoomba passengers board your luxury coach at 11.00am. Gold Coast passengers join enroute.
Travel south through the Gold Coast for a lunch break at Tweed Heads (own expense – remember watches forward an hour!) The afternoon tour brings us into the fertile Northern Rivers area. Continue south through Ballina to the Information Centre overlooking the Clarence River at the Scottish town of Maclean. Time for a break and a look at a very interesting gift shop before completing our travel via Grafton to Coffs Harbour and our comfortable accommodation for the next four nights, the Coffs Harbour International Motel.
DAY 2 COFFS HARBOUR HIGHLIGHTS (BD)
Tuesday 22nd December 2009: After a leisurely breakfast this morning, time to explore Coffs Harbour. Start with a visit to the Coffs Harbour Botanic Gardens, a magnificent landscape surrounded by Coffs Creek. Enjoy a digestive stroll along the mangroves and boardwalks, through rainforest, exotic plants and even an endangered species sensory garden. Invigorated, our next stop is the Pet Porpoise Pool for an energetic and entertaining Marine Magic Presentation.
A change in pace as we then visit the Bunker Cartoon Gallery, a superb collection of international and national cartoons all housed in a heritage World War II bunker. Back to the town centre for free time to buy your lunch (own cost) and a chance to explore some of the shops. No visit to Coffs Harbour is complete without a visit to the famous Big Banana. We take the “World of Banana Tour” which includes two “Shirley Spectra” screenings followed by an informative plantation walk. Plenty of time to explore this famous tourist landmark before returning to our nearby accommodation with time to freshen up before dinner.
DAY 3 COFFS HARBOUR DOLPHIN CRUISE (BD)
Wednesday 23rd December 2009: Another enjoyable breakfast before we travel to the Marina to experience nature at its best with a Dolphin Watch Cruise aboard the ‘Spirit of Coffs Harbour’. We cruise along the coast where the magnificent Great Divide reaches down to meet the sub tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef encompassed by the beautiful Solitary Islands Marine Park. Morning tea will be served on board. As well as dolphins we may also see many other marine creatures including sharks, sea turtles, flying fish and sting rays.
On our return to the Marina time to regain our land legs before visiting the Clog Barn, a little piece of Holland ‘Down Under’. Take a leisurely stroll through and admire their range of collectable's before Tom Hartsuyker gives us a clog making demonstration. Lunch in town again (own cost) before heading south a short distance to the Coffs Harbour Butterfly House for a special conducted tour. Stroll in tranquil surroundings amongst hundreds of live Australian butterflies and learn about their lifecycle.
A little further south enjoy ‘the fruit of the vine’ at Raleigh Vineyard and Winery. Tour and tasting's of course! With our taste buds enhanced by the wonderful views of the Bellingen River, enjoy samples of their unique red and white wines, ports and the Brandy Crème liqueurs. A purchase or two may be in order to help celebrate the coming festive days, before our return to Coffs Harbour .
DAY 4 SOUTH WEST ROCKS EXPLORING (BLD)
Thursday 24th December 2009: Today our journey will take us south to miles of sun spoilt beaches, heritage river towns and villages, rich farmland and forest. Our first visit is to the Honey Place at Urunga where we can taste test the many different varieties of pure Australian honey. South to Nambucca Heads for a morning tea break (supplied) where we can absorb the magnificent panorama from the point with views south to Smoky Cape and north to Solitary Island.
Travel cross country now to Bowraville the “verandah post town”, with its many heritage listed buildings, arts and crafts shops. Included is a visit to the highly regarded Bowraville Folk Museum. From Bowraville west to Taylors Arm for lunch at the ‘Pub with no Beer’ made famous by the late Slim Dusty. Relax under the wide verandahs and soak up the atmosphere in this quiet backwater.
After lunch on to South West Rocks to visit the infamous Trial Bay Gaol, built in the late nineteenth century. The glorious views of the Bay are in stark contrast to the grim reality of the dank prison cells. Shaking off the gloom, we reboard our coach and travel up to Smoky Cape Lighthouse for more outstanding panoramas before returning to Coffs Harbour and a well earned dinner.
DAY 5 CHRISTMAS DAY IN COFFS (BLD)
Friday 25th December 2009: Happy Christmas! Arrangements can be made for those wishing to attend morning church services. Time to relax before a delicious Christmas lunch with all the trimmings and festive cheer. Most of the day is yours at leisure, you may wish to take a stroll along the waterfront, or just put your feet up and take it easy. Your coach captain will take you for a short sightseeing excursion to discover more of Coffs Harbour’s scenic delights. This evening enjoy a light supper at the motel.
DAY 6 COFFS HARBOUR—HOME (B)
Saturday 26th December 2009: Farewell to our Coffs Harbour hosts as we make an early departure on our scenic tour homeward. Travel north through Grafton and Maclean before reaching the New Italy Museum near Woodburn. The Museum was developed as a tribute to the courage and strength of the early Italian pioneers of the Northern Rivers area. We have time to soak up the rich historic atmosphere and enjoy their delicious coffee (own cost) before continuing on our journey through Ballina and up to the Gold Coast (watches back one hour). Passengers drops off on the Gold Coast as required.
Free time on the Gold Coast for lunch (own cost) and some shopping at the after Christmas Boxing Day sales. The afternoon tour takes us through Brisbane (drop off as requested) with Toowoomba passengers returning home via express coach. Passengers north to Maryborough and Hervey Bay stay on the coach with return arrangements for Bundaberg passengers to be advised.
Thank you for joining us for Christmas 2009!