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12 Day - Snowy Mountains White Christmas In July
Departure Date: Monday, 5th July 2010
Tour Cost: from $3260 per person twin share
Are you dreaming of a White Christmas?
If you have always wanted to experience a ‘White Christmas’, then this is certainly a great way to do it. Come to the Snowy Mountains and explore and relax in this winter wonderland. At this time of year, Tumut and the Kousiosko National Park are spectacular in natural beauty. The mountains beckon the visitor and their importance is highlighted by the imposing presence of various structures that make up the great engineering wonder of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Power Scheme. After three days of High Country delights including a Christmas in July feature dinner there is wonderful coastal sightseeing through Eden and the Southern Highlands. The diversification of sightseeing and scenic delights in this tour is so great, that reading the full itinerary is a must!
DAY 1 HERVEY BAY–GOONDIWINDI (D)
Monday, 5th July 2010: Feel special as you set out on this delightful “Christmas in July” holiday. Welcome aboard passengers joining between Hervey Bay and Caloundra. Brisbane and Gold Coast passengers join at Brisbane Roma Street Transit Centre at 12.00noon. This afternoon we travel inland along the Cunningham Highway to Warwick for an afternoon tea break. The mid afternoon tour brings us to the border town of Goondiwindi and our accommodation for the night. Stay Goondiwindi Motel.
DAY 2 GOONDIWINDI–DUBBO (BLD)
Tuesday, 6th July 2010: We continue south down the Newell Highway to the cotton town of Moree. Pass through Narrabri, another cotton centre before arriving in Coonabarabran for lunch at the Bowls Club and a visit to the Visitors Information Centre to see the excavated remains of a Diprotodon which was found at nearby Tambar Springs. Newcastle Hats is also located close by; time for a quick visit to purchase from their large range of factory seconds hats at prices that won’t break the bank. On to Gilgandra before we arrive in Dubbo for the night. Stay Golden West Motor Inn.
DAY 3 DUBBO–GUNDAGAI (BLD)
Wednesday, 7th July 2010: An interesting day of sightseeing down the Mitchell Highway through Wellington and Molong to Canowindra to visit the Age of Fishes Museum, featuring over 3,700 fossilized fish. On to Cowra for lunch at the Bowls Club and in the afternoon visit Young’s JD’s Jam Factory. There is sure to be something special to take home from their gift shop. Pass through Cootamundra to the Riverina town of Gundagai for an overnight stay.
Stay Poets Recall Motel.
DAY 4 GUNDAGAI–ADAMINABY (BLD)
Thursday, 8th July 2010: Today discover the attractions of Tumut and the snow country of the Kosciuszko National Park. At Tumut a guide joins us for an informative tour including visits to Millet’s Broom Factory, Tumut’s Valley Violet Farm and on the other side of town we meet a popular local Bonnie at her Bonnie B Shaker Shed to see her collection of more than 3,000 novelty salt & pepper shakers! Back into town for lunch at the RSL Club.
This afternoon we head for the hills to travel the Snowy Mountains Highway to Talbingo for a guided tour of the giant Tumut 3 Power Station, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Two turbine generators alone can produce more than the total power requirements of the ACT. All aboard our coach to climb the mountain, past the old gold prospecting area of Kiandra and down to Adaminaby and our warm accommodation base for the next three nights.
3 Nights Stay Snowy Mountains Motel
DAY 5 COOMA SIGHTSEEING (BD)
Friday, 9th July 2010: Cooma is today’s destination. Our first stop is the Snowy Mountain’s Scheme Information Centre for an overview of the Hydro Electric Scheme from the early construction days to the role it plays today. Enjoy morning tea at Past Times Country Crafts, where we share reminiscences on making do in the hard times and perhaps try the Unique Water purported locally to double the lifespan of the livestock!
Next, we stop off at Mt Gladstone look-out before journeying back to Cooma to visit the Cooma Gaol Museum. This is the only gaol in NSW that can viewed in an “as working” state and our guide will certainly entertain us with the realities of prison life. Our lunch today (own expense) is in town and we can explore the shops and get a good feel for the town. On our return to Adaminaby take a tour of the local area including Old Adaminaby, Anglers Reach, Bolaro Valley and the Adaminaby Race Course, where scenes from the movie Pharlap were filmed. We return to our motel to relax before dinner is served.
DAY 6 ALPINE WAY SIGHTSEEING (BLD)
Saturday, 10th July 2010: A hearty high country breakfast before we set off for Jindabyne, which like Talbingo and Adaminaby, is a new town created after the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electricity Authority drowned the original settlement in the late 1960s. We have a look around town including the huge statue, erected by the Australian Polish community, of Count Paul Strzelecki, who explored the wilderness of the Snowy Mountains and named Australia's highest mountain. At the Snowy Region Visitors Centre enjoy morning tea and a viewing of “Kosciusko Reflections”.
Next, tour up the Alpine Way to the Thredbo Alpine Village to see the resort and the holiday skiers at play. Watch your step if conditions are icy. We return through Jindabyne to Berridale and call in at the Snowy River Winery for a tasting of wines from Australia’s coldest cool climate vineyard, followed by a light lunch. Back in Cooma enjoy a nostalgic ride on the Cooma Heritage Railway to Bunyan and return. Return to Adaminaby to dress up for the festivities and our special Christmas in July dinner.
DAY 7 ADAMINABY–EDEN (BLD)
Sunday, 11th July 2010: Farewell to the mountains as we head for the coast. Follow the Monaro Highway down Brown Mountain to Bega to visit the Bega Cheese Factory with tastings of course! Visit Old Tathra Wharf, erected in 1862 to service shipping and the now defunct whaling industry. The coast road leads us through Merimbula to Eden for lunch at the Wharf Side Café. After lunch visit the Eden Killer Whale Museum to follow the fascinating history of whaling in the area.
Continuing the whale theme we now visit the nearby Boydtown, an echo of the thriving town that Benjamin Boyd envisaged when he set about building his whaling empire at Twofold Bay in 1841. Take in the views before returning to Eden to settle into our motel.
Stay Blue Marlin Resort.
DAY 8 EDEN–BATESMANS BAY (BLD)
Monday, 12th July 2010: Today discover the scenic delights of the eastern seaboard. Our first call is to the famous Kameruka Estate near Candelo. The Tooth family from Kent England developed the property in the late 1800’s with Jersey cattle and it became the foundation of the cheese industry in the Bega Valley. Enjoy a guided tour of the homestead, village hall and gardens.
A scenic drive through Bega and Cobargo to seaside Bermagui and then to the National Trust town of Central Tilba, which retains much of its old world charm. For those not already stocked up with cheese, a visit to the ABC Cheese Factory is recommended. On to the Narooma Golf Club for lunch and panoramic sea views over the course. The afternoon tour then meanders via Bodalla and Moruya and the coast road to Batemans Bay for a two night stay. 2 Nights Stay Bay Waters.
DAY 9 BATESMANS BAY SIGHTSEEING (BLD)
Tuesday, 13th July 2010: No visit to Batemans Bay is complete without sampling the Oysters from the Oyster Shed, said to be among the finest to be found on the NSW coast. It’s time now to board the “Merinda” for a cruise up the beautiful Clyde River to Nelligen. Disembark with time to explore this peaceful village. Back on board enjoy a scrumptious fish and chip lunch cruising the sparkling waters downstream to Batemans Bay. This afternoon we head south the short distance to Mogo Zoo to see its many exotic animals some of which have “retired” from Taronga Zoo. Time permitting, we may explore one or two of the arts and crafts shops in the village before we return to our motel in Batemans Bay.
DAY 10 BATESMANS BAY–SYDNEY (BLD)
Wednesday, 14th July 2010: Today we get to visit some of the attractions of the NSW Southern Highlands. Our morning tour follows the highway through Ulladulla and Milton to Nowra where we turn off for the scenic drive up Cambewarra Mountain and then down into the Kangaroo Valley. Of special interest is the Kangaroo Valley Woodcrafts and for the sweet toothed a visit to the adjoining Fudge House is a must. Climbing out of Kangaroo Valley we reach spectacular Fitzroy Falls (scenic walks can be undertaken). Leaving the falls we continue into Bowral to visit the interesting Bradman Museum, with a light lunch served. At Berrima time to visit the historic Court House for a guided tour, followed by some free time in the village. Back aboard our coach we complete the afternoon tour into Sydney.
Stay Hunts Motel.
DAY 11 SYDNEY–YAMBA (BLD)
Thursday, 15th July 2010: Away early travelling north out of Sydney’s suburbs to join the Freeway to Raymond Terrace. On through Bulahdelah to Taree for our lunch at Club Taree on the golf course. This afternoon we bypass Port Macquarie and continue through Kempsey and Macksville to the Nambucca Heads RSL. We can relax here for a while and enjoy the water views before our tour takes us through Coffs Harbour and Grafton, which is celebrating their annual race week and up to Yamba for our overnight accommodation. We have time to freshen up for our last dinner together on tour. Stay Oyster Shores Motel.
DAY 12 YAMBA–HOME (B)
Friday, 16th July 2010: Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before we leave Yamba and rejoin the Pacific Highway to travel to Ballina. Cross over the border back into Queensland at Tweed Heads (Gold Coast depart enroute as required) and on to Brisbane where our Brisbane friends leave us. Travel northbound on the Bruce Highway, with passenger drop offs as requested, with arrival early evening on the Fraser Coast after a wonderful 12 day scenic holiday.