9 Day - Springtime Splendours in the Hunter

Departure Date: Wed, 1st September 2010
Tour Cost: from $2533 per person twin share

The Hunter Valley is an ideal location and a perfect destination for a Springtime holiday. While based for six nights in the same motel there’s time to leisurely explore the attractions of the region as revealed through enterprising local identities…colonial buildings, historic sites, champion horses, fine wines, glorious gardens and the Hunter Valley’s natural beauty. You’ll find the charm and splendour in the Hunter will set the seal on this perfect springtime holiday. Read the itinerary, there is no doubt this will be a very special holiday.

Print Itinerary

DAY 1 HERVEY BAY–TENTERFIELD (LD)

Wednesday 1st September 2010: It’s Springtime and we’re off to enjoy the Splendours in the Hunter…welcome aboard. An early start for passengers joining between Hervey Bay and Caloundra. Brisbane and Gold Coast passengers join at Brisbane Roma Street Transit Centre at 10.00am. The Cunningham Highway leads us into the Darling Downs and to Warwick, the “Rose and Rodeo City” for a lunch stop at the Abbey of the Roses. This former Sister’s of Mercy Convent is now classified by the National Trust and we are given an interesting tour and the opportunity to relax in their gardens. The afternoon tour continues south through Stanthorpe and over the New South Wales border to Tenterfield to our comfortable overnight accommodation.

Stay Tally Ho Motor Inn.

DAY 2 TENTERFIELD–MAITLAND (BLD)

Thursday 2nd September 2010: Our tour today will take us through some interesting country. The New England Tablelands are noted for cool country wines and for prime beef cattle and there is much evidence of this as we travel south through the Celtic town of Glenn Innes to the attractive university city of Armidale for a morning break. Further south we reach Tamworth, the Country Music Capital of Australia for lunch at the Tamworth Services Club. The afternoon tour brings us through racehorse stud country from Murrurundi to Scone, where we take a break at the Visitor Information Centre. Complete our day’s tour through Muswellbrook and Singleton to Maitland and our comfortable accommodation and base for the next six nights.

6 Night Stay Bradford Hotel.

DAY 3 MAITLAND GAOL & HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS (BLD)

Friday 3rd September 2010: Start the day with a tour of Maitland. Settled just 16 years after Sydney, Maitland has a rich history as a major riverboat port. Most colonial centres boasted their own gaol so we now visit the Maitland Gaol, which only ceased operating in 1998. Be regaled with grim and grisly tales by our guide who was once incarcerated within these sandstone walls. After a cuppa we depart and travel via Kurri Kurri to Cessnock to visit Simply D’Vine Garden & Gift Gallery. Wander around the 100 or more working fountains and water features on display and the stunning artefacts from around the world. You may even find something for that special spot in your home or garden.

It is now time to move on to the wine growing area of Pokolbin and our luncheon venue at the Golden Grape Estate. One of the oldest wineries in the region, it has an interesting wine museum to explore before we enjoy a tasting and sit down for lunch. Try their Golden Tango Cream; popularly known as “love in a bottle”! We take our leave and visit the nearby Hunter Valley Gardens, spanning over 25 hectares and with 12 international display gardens modelled on traditional gardens from around the world. The gardens also feature “Dancing Waters”, a magical show with coloured lights and water choreographed to music. Having soaked up the wonderful fragrances we return to Maitland to relax before dinner.

DAY 4 HUNTER VALLEY HISTORY & WINE TRAIL (BLD)

Saturday 4th September 2010: This morning we visit the historic riverfront town of Morpeth where we meet our guide. The town is rich in heritage with some buildings dating from the early 1800’s. After the tour we have the chance to look around the historic Campbell’s Store and perhaps enjoy the fudge or ginger beer tasting and make our own private explorations in town.

Our wine trail now leads us to Wyndham Estate at Dalwood, near Branxton. The old “Dalwood” home on the banks of the Hunter River was built in 1829 and became home to the first Hereford cattle in Australia. Now part of the Wyndham Estate, we are given a talk about the historic winery followed by a Cellar Door tasting session. The lunch which follows is an event in itself. Suitably fortified we now travel to Singleton for a guided tour of the Sacred Spaces Singleton Mercy Convent and we hear the unique story of these pioneer religious women dating from their arrival from Ireland in 1875. Relax over afternoon tea before we return to Maitland.

DAY 5 NEWCASTLE HIGHLIGHTS (BLD)

Sunday 5th September 2010: No tour of the Hunter region is complete without a visit to Newcastle so we head to the only city in Australia bounded by beaches and an active working harbour. We discover a port city in transition, a mixture of the raw and refined-working wharves area becoming places of play. See Christ Church Cathedral which graces one of the finest

sites in Australia before we visit historic Fort Scratchley. It was constructed during the Crimean War to protect the city form invasion. In 1942 it returned fire at a Japanese submarine shelling B.H.P, a little know historical fact. After our tour of the top areas of the fort we travel to the mining town of Kurri Kurri to meet our guide for a town tour, which showcases the area’s history heritage and uniqueness. See the many murals adorning the town walls before we call into the Kurri Kurri Bowling Club for lunch.

This afternoon we enjoy the special arrangements made with the Richmond Vale Railway. The rail and Museum is a volunteer non-profit organisation formed in 1979 with the aim of preserving the railway and mining heritage of J and A Brown and the Hunter Valley. All aboard our chartered train for a great ride in an old fashioned carriage, which will rekindle memories of past times. They have an interesting and well maintained museum and we can linger a while with time for tea before reboarding our coach for the short trip back to Maitland.

DAY 6 UPPER HUNTER STUD FARM TOUR (BLD)

Monday 6th September 2010: This morning explore the Upper Hunter Valley. Our guide, Craig Benjamin has exclusive rights to conduct tours of some of the most prestigious racing studs in the area. Craig has arranged an interesting day for us as we visit Woodlands, the former Ingham’s breeding and racing operation, which has become the most successful ever seen in Australia. Enjoy an insider’s tour of the thoroughbred racing industry. Next, at Denman a BBQ lunch in the historic Royal Hotel awaits. The town’s streetscape has the look and feel of a 1930s Australian country town and has been used a number of times in television shows and films.

This afternoon we call into the Two Rivers Winery for a tasting set against the striking landscape of rich plains and steep mountain ranges. Last but not least we learn about olive oil production first-hand at the Pukara Estate and enjoy a tasting. Back aboard our coach we travel via Muswellbrook back to our motel in Maitland with some free time to rest up before another enjoyable dinner together at the end of a full and varied day.

DAY 7 PORT STEPHENS & DOLPHIN CRUISE (BLD)

Tuesday 7th September 2010: Prepare yourself for a full day’s activities by the sea in beautiful Port Stephens. Travel out along the Tomaree Peninsula reaching Nelson Bay and the Nelson Head Heritage Lighthouse. The views of Port Stephens and indeed the whole peninsula are breathtaking and we gain a spectacular overview of the sparkling waters of the Port. At the Marina we board the MV Moonshadow for a dolphin watch cruise on the beautiful crystal clear waters. A pod of wild bottlenose dolphins live inside the Port and love to interact with travellers on the Bay.

Back on shore we enjoy our picnic lunch in town before touring to Williamtown and Fighter World, showcasing Australian fighter history. Experience first hand the day-to-day operations of an active fighter base and the thrill of the roar of jet aircraft taking off and landing before our very eyes. We enjoy an afternoon cuppa in the Fighter World Café before returning to Maitland.

DAY 8 MAITLAND–BALLINA (BLD)

Wednesday 8th September 2010: Farewell to our Maitland hosts as we join the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace for our tour up to Ballina. We pass through the river town of Bulahdelah before a break in Taree on the banks of the Manning River. Our morning tour continues, by passing Port Macquarie and Kempsey before we arrive at Nambucca Heads and a welcome lunch at the RSL. Enjoy the water views before we continue north through Grafton to the Scottish town of Maclean for our afternoon break at the very good Visitors Centre. The final leg of our afternoon tour brings us to the popular resort town of Ballina and a good dinner before a well-earned sleep.

Stay Ballina Island Motor Inn.

DAY 9 BALLINA–HOME (B)

Thursday 9th September 2010: Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before we leave Ballina and cross the border at Tweed Heads for morning tea at Point Danger. Our next stop is the Superbee at Currumbin for an interesting talk and time to browse the gift shop before dropping in at Pacific Fair for lunch (own expense). On to Brisbane where our Brisbane friends leave us. Thank you for sharing this most enjoyable Springtime holiday.