15 Day - Phillip Island & East Coast Delights
Departure Date: Tuesday, 16th November 2010
Tour Cost: from $3860 per person twin share
You'll not be disappointed in choosing this Phillip Island & East Coast Explorer tour as your next holiday! This piece of Victoria covers a section of Australia which has not been explored by Down Under Coach Tours in depth for many years. Stay two nights in marvellous Melbourne exploring the city highlights, then two nights on Phillip Island so you can experience all this glorious ‘Emerald Isle’ has to offer, from the thoroughly adorable Little Penguins at the Penguin Parade and natural beauty of the island to the many amazing activities.
Visit Victoria’s southernmost point, located within the spectacular Wilson’s Promontory National Park. Spend two nights at Lakes Entrance discovering the majestic natural beauty of the area along with many scenic East Coast delights. This tour hugs the Eastern Seaboard and the scenery certainly comes alive! The journey to and from Victoria is also packed with highlights which will unfold as you read the full itinerary; ask for a brochure or download from our website.
DAY 1 HERVEY BAY—ARMIDALE (D)
Tuesday, 16th November 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)
Wednesday, 17th November 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 enjoy a visit to the Henry Lawson Centre before continuing the final leg of our afternoon tour through Canowindra which brings us into Cowra with time to relax before we freshen up for dinner. Stay Cowra Motor Inn.
DAY 3 COWRA—WANGARATTA (BLD)
Thursday, 18th November 2010: Our day’s tour commences with a visit to Cherryhaven Orchard for a Packing House tour and the chance to ‘pick your own’ cherries before a delicious morning tea. Then it’s on to Wagga Wagga to the Angora 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 lunch and a tour south through Albury to Wangaratta to our comfortable accommodation. Stay Wangaratta Motor Inn.
DAY 4 WANGARATTA– MELBOURNE (BD)
Friday, 19th November 2010: Travel to Healesville Sanctuary, one of Australia’s most recognised attractions, showcasing more than 200 species of Australian wildlife. Time to purchase morning tea before a 1.5hr guided tour. After lunch (own expense) board our coach and travel to the beautiful Dandenong Ranges to ride the famous ‘Puffing Billy’ train. Disembark at Belgrave to reboard the coach and drive through stylish Toorak and see cosmopolitan St Kilda for our 2 night stay. 2 Night Stay Crest on Barkly.
DAY 5 MELBOURNE MARKETS & FREE AFTERNOON (BD)
Saturday, 20th November 2010: This morning enjoy some time at the Queen Victoria Markets, Victoria's premier open-air market. The Market is probably best known for its huge variety of fresh produce. Almost 50% of the Market area is dedicated to the sale of fresh produce, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, chicken, seafood and delicatessen products. The remainder of the Market is used for variety and speciality goods. This afternoon is free for you to visit friends or explore Melbourne at your own pace.
DAY 6 MELBOURNE—PHILLIP ISLAND (BLD)
Sunday, 21st November 2010: A full day today as we depart for Phillip Island. Our first stop is the beautiful Australian Botanical Gardens at Cranbourne. The garden is a unique new garden that reveals the astonishing beauty of Australian plants. After morning tea (own expense) travel on to historic Churchill Island for lunch and a guided tour of the Heritage Farm, before moving on to Panny’s Amazing World of Chocolate. See the chocolatiers at work, as they hand make delicious chocolate varieties.
Learn about cocoa harvesting, how chocolate is made and their vital ingredients. See the Statue of David (made from chocolate), mural of Dame Edna consisting of 12,000 chocolate pieces, chocolate Fall made from 400 litres of chocolate and the chocolate village where even the buildings are made of chocolate. Time now to settle in to our accommodation to rest and prepare for our visit to Penguin Parade. Enjoy a ranger talk before dinner at the Penguin Parade Boardwalk Cafe then wait for the penguins to arrive.
2 Night Stay The Waves, Phillip Island.
DAY 7 PHILLIP SIGHTSEEING & SEAL WATCHING CRUISE (BD)
Monday, 22nd November 2010: This morning enjoy a scenic drive to Pyramid Rock and walk to the lookout for the amazing view. After morning tea drive past the Grand Prix Circuit on our way to the Koala Conservation Park for a guided tour. Next, test your senses of logic and fun with the stimulating puzzles, illusions and memory tests at Amaz’n’Things. Mid afternoon experience a spectacular two hour cruise witnessing one of Australia's largest wild Fur Seal colonies at Seal Rocks, Phillip Island. The boat drifts within metres of thousands of seals enabling you to witness their natural environment first hand. It is impossible not to be captivated by these naturally playful and inquisitive animals who regularly approach the boat for a closer look at you! An early return to our accommodation to freshen up before visiting The Nobbies with dinner at the Nobbies Cafe.
DAY 8 PHILLIP ISLAND—LAKES ENTRANCE (BLD)
Tuesday, 23rd November 2010: Today visit Wilson’s Promontory affectionately know as ‘The Prom’. Pass through the former gold mining town of Forster. On to the most southerly point on the mainland, Wilson’s Promontory, shaped like a giant hook jutting into Bass Strait, it forms a natural breakwater, with pounding surf on the western side and sheltered beaches on the east. At the Tidal Creek National Park camping area enjoy a morning tea and admire the natural beauty of the area with mountainous granite formations and pristine beaches. Continue north along the Gippsland Highway to Lakes Entrance our home for the next two nights. Stay 2 Nights George Bass Resort.
DAY 9 LAKES ENTRANCE SIGHTSEEING (BLD)
Wednesday, 24th November 2010: After a hearty breakfast visit Lake Tyers and the unique Trestle Bridge, observe Lakes Entrance from the town lookout. Enjoy a Wyanga Park Winery cruise with lunch at the winery. On our return enjoy some retail therapy as you stroll through the scenic fishing village of Metung where cottage industries flourish. Return to our accommodation for dinner and a well earned rest.
DAY 10 LAKES ENTRANCE—MERIMBULA (BLD)
Thursday, 25th November 2010: From Lakes Entrance follow the Princes Highway passing through Orbost and Cann River with the scenery outside your coach window revealing a wild and beautiful countryside with broad expanses of native bushland. Cross over the border and continue along to the Sapphire Coast region, beginning at the coastal town of Eden. Of interest near Eden is the ghost town of Boydtown in the Ben Boyd National Park. On to Eden for a picnic lunch then a visit to the Killer Whale Museum to see the skeleton of ‘Old Tom’, a veteran killer whale. The Museum has expanded to include a variety of galleries featuring both maritime and timber artefacts. At the Eden Lookout and Seaman’s Memorial, enjoy a panoramic view over South Bay before settling in to our motel. Stay Merimbula Gardens Motel.
DAY 11 MERIMBULA—NOWRA (BLD)
Friday, 26th November 2010: Travel the scenic coast road to Tathra Memorial Gardens and Tathra Point Lookout before heading to Bega Cheese and Heritage Centre to sample the many varieties of cheeses and purchase morning tea. Continuing our journey visit Central Tilba, a National Trust listed town which has retained its old and traditional charm. Free time to purchase lunch and explore. All aboard for Batemans Bay at the head of the Clyde River for a scenic tour before continuing on through Ulladulla, Milton to Nowra. Stay Nowra Motor Inn.
DAY 12 NOWRA—GOSFORD (BD)
Saturday, 27th November 2010: 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 morning tea and time to stroll the cool shady boardwalk to see the cascading waterfall. Travel to Robertson and continue via the Jamberoo Road to the Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk. A short stroll will bring us to the 500 metre long elevated tree top walk (sensible shoes are required). The walk takes you along the picturesque Illawarra Escarpment with stunning views from Shellharbour to Bass Point. Retrace our steps to Robertson for lunch at the Robertson Pie Shop (own expense) then continue to Gosford via Mittagong, Parramatta and Hornsby. Stay Galaxy Motel.
DAY 13 GOSFORD—SOUTH WEST ROCKS (BLD)
Sunday, 28th November 2010: Travel to Newcastle via the coastal towns of The Entrance, Swansea and Belmont for morning tea at King Edward Park then travel through the scenic great Lakes district of Forster Tuncurry. See Myall Lake and Wallis Lake and experience the peaceful atmosphere as you enjoy a picnic lunch. Visit Port Macquarie then continue on through Kempsey along the scenic road to South West Rocks. Stay Rockpool Motor Inn.
DAY 14 SOUTH WEST ROCKS—BALLINA (BD)
Monday, 29th November 2010: A leisurely breakfast this morning before visiting Trial Bay Goal. After morning tea continue northwards through Nambucca Heads and Bellingen to Woolooga with time to explore the shops and purchase lunch before making our way to Ballina for our overnight stop. Stay Ballina Island Motor Inn.
DAY 15 BALLINA—HOME (B)
Tuesday, 30th November 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 Roma Street Transit Centre where our Brisbane friends leave us. Thank you for sharing this most enjoyable Summer holiday.