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15 Day - Melbourne Cup & Victorian Fruit Bowl
Departure Date: Thursday, 28th October 2010
Tour Cost: from $3840 per person twin share
Have your bags packed and get ready you're off to see the "Race that stops a Nation", the 2010 Melbourne Cup! Be based for four nights in marvellous Melbourne with sightseeing galore and you'll have free time to shop and explore. But there's so much more to this holiday package. Our touring route to and from Melbourne is almost as exciting as the race as we travel through glorious Victoria's Fruitbowl region. See countryside abundant with nature's bounty of the harvest, a wonderland of sightseeing; crisp fresh fruits, orchard tours and spectacular scenery to be enjoyed with your Down Under crew. Gain a special insight into the springtime harvest and the towns you travel through. The detailed itinerary gives you the complete PICTURE, all the ingredients are there for a fabulous holiday. Ask or download a brochure from our website today!
DAY 1 HERVEY BAY—ARMIDALE (D)
Thursday, 28th October 2010: An early start for travelling companions joining between Hervey Bay and Caloundra. Brisbane passengers join at Roma Street Transit Centre at 9.30am. Travel west to Warwick for an early lunch (own cost). Continue south along the New England Highway and across the border to Tenterfield for an afternoon break. (Advance watches by 1 hour). Enjoy the changing scenery as we pass through the Celtic town of Glenn Innes to reach the university city of Armidale.
Stay Country Comfort Armidale.
DAY 2 ARMIDALE—COWRA (BLD)
Friday, 29th October 2010: Enjoy a hearty New England breakfast before continuing through the Country Music Capital of Tamworth. Stop at the small rural town of Merriwa for a morning break. Continue via Cassilis to the Ten Dollar Town of Gulgong for lunch at Tiffany’s Café. This afternoon travel through Wellington and down the Mitchell Highway to Molong with time to visit the Molong Yarn Market and view the large tapestry woven for the Molong bicentenary. The final leg of our afternoon tour through Canowindra brings us into Cowra with time to relax before we freshen up for dinner. Stay Country Haven Civic Motor Inn.
DAY 3 COWRA—ALBURY (BLD)
Saturday, 30th October 2010: An easy day touring today visiting some interesting Riverina area attractions before we reach Albury. Call into the Green Grove Licorice Factory at Junee. This business is one of only three certified organic licorice makers in the world. Enjoy the licorice throwing challenge and stock up with some goodies before continuing on to Wagga Wagga to the Aurora Clydesdale Stud. The Judd family will parade their gentle giants, once the mainstay of Australian agriculture and put them through their paces for us. Enjoy the bush lunch and a tour before travelling south through The Rock and Culcairn to Albury for our comfortable overnight accommodation. Stay Quality Siesta Resort.
DAY 4 ALBURY—MELBOURNE (BLD)
Sunday, 31st October 2010: Cross the border into Victoria this morning with . a morning break in Mansfield which lies in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. Our morning tour now takes us to the Hume and Hovell Cricket Ground. Don and Anne built a cricket oval and pavilion on their property in 1994 and delight in entertaining groups for lunch in the pavilion and entertaining them with the history of the place and details of the Hume and Hovell expeditions. If you like Banjo Patterson poems, Don will oblige! We must now depart this tranquil setting and rejoin the freeway into Melbourne our base for the next four nights. 4 Night Stay Alexander Motor Inn.
DAY 5 DANDENONGS AND PUFFING BILLY (BLD)
Monday, 1st November 2010: Enjoy a wonderful day’s scenic touring through the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. Travel to Belgrave in time to board Australia’s oldest steam train, Puffing Billy. An unforgettable ride as it crosses timber trestle bridges and trundles down gullies and toils up hills through the mountain scenery to Emerald Lake. After lunch at the Olinda Golf House visit the William Ricketts Sanctuary, lying beneath towering Mountain Ash trees with mystical sculptures half hidden along the pathways. Next enjoy a visit to the Karwarra Australian Plant Garden with its delightful vistas and delicate combinations of flower, foliage, rocks and pools. Return to Melbourne.
DAY 6 MELBOURNE CUP DAY (BD)
Tuesday, 2nd November 2010: Today’s the day ‘the nation stops’ for the running of the Melbourne Cup. Don your finery, then head for the track to arrive early before the crowds. See the fashions on parade, the horses, silk-clad jockeys and be a part of the extravaganza! It is recommended to bring a hat, umbrella and binoculars, and if the weather is inclement please bring a raincoat. Return to our motel to relax and enjoy dinner.
DAY 7 MELBOURNE FREE DAY (BD)
Wednesday, 3rd November 2010: We have the whole day to ourselves to engage in our own pursuits. Melbourne is noted for its shopping and its fine restaurants so a day in town could be fun. The Rialto Tower provides commanding views of the city and beyond and the Old Melbourne Gaol is well worth a visit. The choice is yours before we meet again for dinner.
DAY 8 MELBOURNE—SHEPPARTON (BLD)
Thursday, 4th November 2010: Our tour this morning takes us to the rich dairying, fruit growing and agricultural Goulburn Valley. Visit Belstack Strawberry Farm for a tea break before checking their wonderful range of homemade jams and sauces. The organically grown strawberries should be in season and we have the chance to pick some (own cost) to take with us. Lunch today is at the Shepparton RSL Club before visiting the Furphy Museum, which is part of the foundry still owned by the Furphy family. Our visit will reveal how the word ‘furphy’ originated. Next is the SPC Ardmona – Factory Sales before settling in to our accommodation. Stay Big Valley Motor Inn.
DAY 9 SHEPPARTON—ECHUCA (BLD)
Friday, 5th November 2010: Today travel to the old river port of Echuca. Visit the National Holden Museum. Next, a guided tour of the Port of Echuca which will reveal some of the history of Australia’s one time largest inland port. Following our tour enjoy a relaxing lunch cruise on board a paddlesteamer. After lunch visit Sharps Magic Movie House to be entertained by some old time comedy classics, the old Penny Arcade, and the sweet toothed can indulge in some gourmet fudge! For something a little different visit The Great Aussie Beer Shed, the only museum of its kind in Australia for a guided tour. Stay Philadelphia Motor Inn.
DAY 10 ECHUCA—GRIFFITH (BLD)
Saturday, 6th November 2010: This morning travel to Jerilderie for a morning break and visit The Willows Museum. Our well informed guide will provide us with details of the history of the place during our town tour. Stop at Narrandera for lunch at the Ex-Serviceman’s Club. This afternoon travel into the heart of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation area. See the irrigation canals on our tour to Hanwood and the Catania Fruit Salad Farm. Catania is one of the oldest farms in the area with a mud brick home built in the 1920’s. See how sugar plums are dried and taste the sweet Riverina sun ripened fruit and share in a wine made by Joe, in the traditional Italian way. Stay Bagtown Motor Inn.
DAY 11 GRIFFITH—YOUNG (BLD)
Sunday, 7th November 2010: Our day’s tour commences with a visit to the Griffith Visitors Centre where the staff will give us an introduction to this friendly town. A morning tea break in town before we visit Pioneer Park Museum, home to more than 36 buildings of historic significance including the new Italian Museum which commemorates the life and times of the pioneers of the Griffith area. After lunch continue on to Young and our accommodation for the next two nights. 2 Night Stay Cherry Blossom Motel.
DAY 12 SOME YOUNG DISCOVERIES (BLD)
Monday, 8th November 2010: This morning visit a local success story- the Yandilla Mustard Seed Oil Enterprise. The health benefits of Mustard Seed Oil will be explained as we take an educational tour of the mill. Back in Young pause for some tea before entry to the Lambing Flat Folk Museum. Then its time to visit JD’S Jam Factory for a tour of the factory before lunch is served, with cherry pie of course! No visit to Young is complete at this time of the year without an orchard visit, so we call in at Cherryhaven Orchard for a Packing House tour and the chance to acquire a case or two for our return trip home. Our last attraction for today is Lindsay’s Woodonga Hill Winery for a tour and tasting session with nibbles.
DAY 13 YOUNG—DUBBO (BLD)
Tuesday, 9th November 2010: Our journey this morning takes us to Cowra for a town tour. No visit to Cowra is complete without a visit to the famous Japanese Gardens. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the surrounds and wander around the Cultural Centre before lunch. The afternoon tour passes through Canowindra to Molong for a short break before we reach Dubbo in the heart of the Golden West. Stay Golden West Motor Inn.
DAY 14 DUBBO—MOREE (BLD)
Wednesday, 10th November 2010: This morning visit the Western Plains Zoo for our Keeper guide tour. After our tour freshen up with a tea break in the Café (own cost) before travelling to Gilgandra for lunch at the Gilgandra Services Club. Continue our travels through the cotton centre of Narrabri to Moree. Stay Burke & Wills Motor Inn.
DAY 15 MOREE—HERVEY BAY (B)
Thursday, 11th November 2010: An early start on our tour back into sunny Queensland. Cross the border at Goondiwindi and follow the Cunningham Highway to Warwick for lunch (retard watches by 1 hour). Arrive in Brisbane mid afternoon. North bound passengers stay onboard the coach for arrival in Maryborough and Hervey Bay early evening.