Phillip Island, Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tour - Penguins, Seals & Goldfields
Phillip Island, Seal Cruise, Penguin Parade tour, Sorrento, Queenscliffe, Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay, Otway Forests, Port Campbell National Park,12 Apostles, Warrnambool, Port Fairy, Nigretta Falls, Brambuk National Park, Halls Gap, Stawell, Bendigo, Maldon, Daylesford, Lavendula Swiss Italian Farm, The Convent, Creswick Woollen Mills, Ballarat, Sovereign Hill, Melton |
| Price |
$2,710pp Twin Share | $3,210 Sole Use
Price includes airfares & taxes Ex BNE, SYD & ADEL at time of printing
* Flights are included and correct at time of printing but may increase subject to airline pricing and scheduling changes |
Departure
dates 2011 |
20th September
|
Tour overview
& inclusions |
· Koala Conservation Centre Phillip Island
· 2 nights at Continental Hotel Cowes
· Churchill Island Heritage Farm, San Remo, Pannys World of Chocolate
· Wild fur seal colony cruise, Penguin Parade tour
· Sorrento, Queenscliff, Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay
· Overnight stay at Skenes Creek Motel
· Otway Forests, Port Campbell National Park, 12 Apostles
· Loch Ard Gorge, former London Bridge, Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum
· Overnight stay at Country Comfort, Warrnambool
· Tower Hill Nature Reserve, Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre, Port Fairy
· Cape Nelson Lighthouse, Nigretta Falls, Brambuk National Park & Cultural Centre
· Overnight stay at Pinnacle Holiday Lodge Halls Gap
· Stawell, Great Western Winery, J Ward Ararat
· 2 nights All Seasons Hotel Bendigo
· Central Deborah gold mine, Chinese Joss House, Bendigo Pottery
· Maldon, Daylesford, Lavendula Swiss Italian Farm, The Convent, Creswick Woollen Mills
· 2 nights Mercure Hotel Ballarat
· Ballarat Gardens, Sovereign Hill, Willows Homestead at Melton |
Wild Fur Seal Colony Cruise
12 Apostles
Grampians
Cape Nelson Lighthouse
Creswick Woollen Mills
Sovereign Hill
Ballarat
Arrive into Melbourne airport early afternoon, meet our Coach Captain, then we are on our way travelling towards the open waters of Phillip Island’s southern coastline. We visit the Koala Conservation Centre to experience wild koalas in their natural habitat before we check in to the Continental Hotel, Cowes for a 2 night stay.
Day 2 - Wed 21st Sep 2011 ((B,L,D)
This morning we visit Churchill Island Heritage Farm, a historic working farm. We then head to San Remo for the pelican feeding and lunch. Next we visit Pannys Amazing World of Chocolate, see a chocolate village complete with working trains, taste delectable Belgian premium handmade chocolate, see a thunderous chocolate waterfall, and the chocolate “Art Gallery” of famous paintings. Enjoy some rest time back at our hotel before heading out with Wildlife Coast Cruises to witness one of Australia’s largest wild fur seal colonies. Drift within metres of these playful and inquisitive animals in their natural habitat. Following dinner we witness “the ducks in a tux” Penguin Parade Tour as these cute creatures make their way out of the water and home to their burrows in the sand dunes. Overnight at The Continental Hotel.
Day 3 - Thu 22nd Sep 2011 (B,D)
We bid Phillip Island good-bye and enjoy the passing scenery as we head towards Sorrento, the site of Victoria’s first official settlement in 1803, for lunch then a stroll down the attractive boulevard. We board the ferry to Queenscliff and hopefully spot the odd dolphin or whale. We continue on through Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads before starting our first leg of the Great Ocean Road. Arrive and check-in to Skenes Creek Motel, Apollo Bay for an overnight stay.
Day 4 - Fri 23rd Sep 2011 (B,L,D)
Depart for Port Campbell National Park via the Otway Forests then back to the coast and the stunning natural attractions of the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and the former London Bridge. We continue on to Warrnambool visiting Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum, then check in to the Country Comfort, Warrnambool for an overnight stay.
Day 5 - Sat 24th Sep 2011 (B,L,D)
Departing for Tower Hill Nature Reserve nestled inside a dormant volcano and a haven for wildlife, we visit the Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre before travelling to Port Fairy for a local guided tour of this quaint fishing village. We continue on through to Portland for lunch, then visit Cape Nelson Lighthouse. We then head into Grampian country via Nigretta Falls in to Halls Gap stopping at the Brambuk National Park & Cultural Centre. Arrive and check in to the Pinnacle Holiday Lodge, Halls Gap for an overnight stay.
Day 6 - Sun 25th Sep 2011(B,L,D)
This morning we depart for Bendigo visiting Stawell before stopping at the Great Western Winery. Prepare to be amazed as we take an eerie and enthralling journey through the underground “drives”, a heritage listed labyrinth. Afterwards enjoy a wine tasting and lunch before continuing on to Ararat to visit J Ward, dedicated to preserving the history of criminals imprisoned and hanged here at the maximum security housing for Victoria’s criminally insane. We continue on to Bendigo and check in at the All Seasons Hotel for 2 nights.
Day 7 - Mon 26th Sep 2011 (B,L,D)
A day in Bendigo today and first on our agenda is a visit to the Central Deborah Gold Mine. Don your hard hat and lamp, and walk in the footsteps of miners who discovered almost one tonne of the world’s most precious metal. From here we board the famous vintage “talking tram” where we will be delighted by the grand architecture of Bendigo as the tram tells you more about the city’s golden past. It is a hop-on, hop-off tour which means that you can travel through the heart of the city and hop-on or hop-off the tram at any designated stop and wander around at your leisure. We meet for lunch at the Shamrock Hotel, re-board the tram and make our way to the Chinese Joss House. Our last stop for today is at Bendigo Pottery, Australia’s oldest working pottery. Return to All Seasons Hotel, Bendigo.
Day 8 - Tue 27th Sep 2011 (B,L,AT,D)
Heading south this morning we visit the historic village of Maldon, and continue on to Daylesford where we lunch at Lavendula Swiss Italian Farm, growers of lavender, olives & grapes, and home to some heritage stone buildings, farm animals and beautiful garden. Afterwards we take in The Convent, Daylesford’s award-winning art gallery, visiting the chapel & gardens. We travel home via some scenic spots such as Hepburn Springs and Sailor’s Falls, and stopping at the Creswick Woollen Mills the only coloured wool spinning mill of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. Here we enjoy a “cuppa”, see the alpacas and working mill and browse the outlet centre at your leisure. We travel to Ballarat and check in at the Mercure Hotel for a 2 night stay.
Day 9 - Wed 28th Sep 2011(B,L,D)
We visit Ballarat Gardens this morning – see the Prime Ministers’ Avenue, and come face to face with John Howard, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke in this celebrated avenue which features a collection of bronze busts of every Australian Prime Minister. See the unique monument honouring more than 35,000 Australians held prisoner during the Boer War, the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War. Next we step back in time and experience Australia’s exciting gold rush days at Sovereign Hill. This award winning outdoor museum recreates the hustle and bustle of life in the 1850s in fascinating detail. Visit the Gold Museum which houses an extensive and valuable collection of gold nuggets, alluvial deposits, gold ornaments & coins. Lunch at your own expense today.
Day 10 - Thu 29th Sep 2011(B,MT)
After breakfast we leave Ballarat and make our way along the Western Highway to the outer Melbourne township of Melton where we take a cuppa break at the Historic Willows Homestead. We then board the coach for the last time and head to Tullamarine Airport for our return flights.
Deposit required to secure this booking $600pp.
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