Sydney: Southern Capitals - City Meets Bush Premier Escorted Vacation
- Duration
- 5 Days
- Prices From:
- US$ 2,199
First-Class | ESCORTED COACH TOUR:: Enjoy a first class escorted tour of Southern Australia. Begin in Sydney, travelling to Canberra, the beautiful Snowy Mountains and the mighty Murray River before concluding in Melbourne.
See the best of Australia’s southern states in style, with stops in up to 4 capital cities on a fully escorted 5, 7 or 11 day itinerary.
Consider arriving a few days early to explore Sydney, Australia’s most diverse and iconic city, before departing for Canberra. A purpose-built national capital, Canberra is packed with sights including Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial. You’ll visit both on an afternoon tour, after a delicious BBQ lunch at a working sheep farm. At the nearby Snowy Mountains, ride the chairlift up Mt Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak.
Cross the border into Victoria for an overnight stay and tour of historic Beechworth, the state’s best preserved gold rush town. Walk in the footsteps of notorious bushranger Ned Kelly on your way to Melbourne, Australia’s cultural, shopping and sporting capital. We bid farewell to our guests on the 5 day itinerary here.
A full day in Melbourne gives you time to experience this world class city your way. Culture vultures might enjoy a visit to Melbourne Museum (the Southern Hemisphere’s largest), or the National Gallery of Victoria. Consider a twilight excursion to Phillip Island in time for the famous ‘little penguin parade’. Immerse yourself in history, panning for gold at Sovereign Hill. Or spend the day shopping in the central business district, enjoying the intimate laneways and chic cafes of Australia’s most European city.
Guests on the 7 day itinerary join in time for one of Australia’s most spectacular drives, the Great Ocean Road. See famous landmarks including the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge, all formed by centuries of erosion from the wild Southern Ocean. Learn more about the local Aboriginal culture at Worn Gundidi, including insights into medicine in the bush.
Enter South Australia, with a stop in picturesque Mt Gambier before you reach Adelaide. This mid sized capital is a major cultural centre and hosts numerous festivals throughout the year including the renowned Adelaide Cabaret Festival. It’s also the ideal jump-off point for an excursion to Kangaroo Island, a living gallery of natural wonders sometimes referred to as Australia’s Galapagos. Visit the famous sea lions of Seal Bay and see fascinating geological sights such as Admiral’s Arch.
- Duration
- 5 Days
- Prices From:
- US$ 2,199
Itinerary View Trip Map
Sydney to Canberra
It’s hard to believe that just 1.5 hours from Sydney lies a patch of countryside that could have been transplanted straight from the English Cotswolds. This is Berrima, the oldest Georgian village in Australia. Think atmospheric villages amid rolling hills of grape vines – the Southern Highlands is the closest wine region to Australia’s largest city, after all. And then there are the grand gardens and emerald farms, one of which you’ll visit to meet Craig Starr and his family. Their 400-hectare Gold Creek Station farm is your backdrop for a Be My Guest BBQ lunch and tales about life on the land. This is your start of your Sydney to Melbourne trip, and the entrée to the country’s cool little capital of Canberra, home to Parliament House, where you’ll go behind the political scenes, as well as the Australian War Memorial. Hearing the Last Post is a moving experience, and this Canberra guided tour will linger long after you leave the capital.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Canberra
| Meal Plan | Lunch and Dinner |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 Night |
Canberra to Wangaratta
Thanks to architect Walter Burley Griffin, Canberra is an urban planner’s delight – the city is that well laid out, as you’ll discover when you head to the summit of Mt. Ainslie for panoramic views on a Canberra guided tour. You won’t yet be able to see the mighty Murray River, but you’ll soon cross it en route to Beechworth. From Australia’s longest river to Victoria’s best-preserved gold rush town, Beechworth saw an influx of fortune-seekers from all over the world during the 1850s. Your Travel Director will give you the Beechworth lowdown, then set you on your way to further explore character-filled antiques stores, galleries, leafy parks and gardens, and museums at your leisure. There are plenty of charming cafés and restaurants to refuel in as well, before Wangaratta’s cathedrals beckon.
Accommodation: Quality Hotel Wangaratta
| Meal Plan | Breakfast |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 Night |
Wangaratta to Melbourne
Meandering south toward historic Glenrowan, you’re well and truly in Ned Kelly country – this is where the infamous bushranger and his gang were finally captured in 1880. The story is remembered on pretty much every city corner, whether in enormous statues or at the town’s well-curated museum. We’ll tell you all the tales – some of them true, many of them hearsay. All of them entertaining. Then we’ll tell you a bit more about Melbourne, like how it’s the home of Aussie rules football, covets some of the country’s best arts institutions, and has a swag of stellar restaurants, cafés and bars. Small wonder it’s known as Australia’s cultural, culinary and sporting capital. Once you have your bearings after a city and Melbourne laneway tour, head off to explore. Forget your map – one of the joys of being in Melbourne is getting lost. Discovering a hidden jazz bar. Stumbling upon a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Finding a gallery that catches your eye. Spending too much in that independent boutique. Enjoy.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne,
| Meal Plan | Breakfast |
|---|
Melbourne
You could spend weeks exploring Melbourne and its surrounds and not tire of the attractions. But you just have today, so make the most of it. We wouldn’t hold it against you if all you want to do is jump on a tram and ride the rails to the city’s character-filled neighbourhoods. Perhaps bohemian Brunswick, or seaside St. Kilda for Polish cakes along Acland Street. But if you want to explore further afield, we’ve got you covered on an optional experience. For a bird’s-eye view of the bay, sign up to scale the Eureka Skydeck, offering dizzying vistas in every direction from almost 300 metres above the street. If you’re an animal lover, then you’ll want to venture to Phillip Island to see hundreds of little penguins pad from the sea along the sand en route to their burrows. It’s a nightly attraction. Want to get back to nature? Chug through the lush Dandenong Ranges on the Puffing Billy Steam Train, followed by a sip or two of wine in the Yarra Valley. The flight of cool-climate drops enjoyed here is all you need to ease into the evening. The choice is yours.
| Meal Plan | Breakfast |
|---|
Depart Melbourne
Wait, how did you just pack so much action into a working week? Cities, countryside, farms, wineries, islands… this Sydney to Melbourne trip has been quite the adventure.
| Meal Plan | Breakfast |
|---|
Other Information
DEPARTURES:
2023: Aug 29; Sep 19; Oct 17, 31; Nov 21
2024: Jan 9, 23; Feb 6, 20; Mar 5, 19; Apr 11; May 2; Aug 28; Sep 19; Oct 17, 31; Nov 21
PRICE INCLUDES:
- Tour by luxury air conditioned coach with 2 door access, restroom, seatbelts, reclining seats, panoramic windows
- Tour with an experienced, professional Tour Director & Tour Driver
- Meals as outlined in itinerary
- Twin share rooms with private facilities in centrally located hotels
- Welcome drink
- Hotel porterage
PRICE EXCLUDES:
- Optional excursions & touring that are available for purchase on tour
- Travel insurance
- Items of a personal nature
- Meals and beverages not mentioned
- International and domestic airfare & airfare taxes
- Visa fees if applicable
- Gratuities
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Prices are "from", per person, based on twin share in low season. Seasonal surcharges will apply. Limited seats and subject to availability. Single supplements are available on request. Single guests who are willing to share a room with a fellow traveller (same gender and non smoking) are eligible for twin share rates, ask your Goway Agent for details on the ‘Twin Share Guarantee’ option.
29 Aug 2024
