Southern Australia Explorer: Sydney, Tasmania, Melbourne

G'Day! You will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Depart your hotel for an unforgettable Panoramic Sydney half day city sights tour. On tour you'll visit the historic Rocks area and hear early convict history. Enjoy magnificent views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. See the shopping heart of the city, QVB, Centre point.

Visit Sydney's trendy new district Oxford Street. Travel through elegant Paddington with its terrace houses before arriving at the Pacific Ocean. See the superb coast cliff walk around Tamarama and Bronte.
Travel on to famous Bondi Beach. Visit the beachfront promenade, enjoy a coffee or cool drink (at own cost). See bronzed Aussie lifesavers and Sydney's best panoramic view at Dover Heights.
Return to Sydney via Double Bay, Kings Cross and Mrs Macquarie's Point for a final magical viewpoint over the harbour before returning to the city centre.

Passengers can join our optional harbour lunch cruises, seaplane tours or return directly to their hotels.

Your informative and knowledgeable guide will collect you from your Sydney hotel. Departing from the city, we travel north over the Sydney Harbour Bridge via the Gore Hill Freeway to join the Pacific Highway and then the F3 freeway. We will travel directly to the Hunter Valley, which is nestled in the lee of the Great Dividing Range. Enroute we will stop for a short restroom visit.

180 years young, this is Australia's oldest and best-known wine region and is soaked in history. It's a dynamic and fascinating area that brims with over 150 top-class wineries, 65 indulgent restaurants as well as gourmet produce and boutique breweries. Our first visit is to a 5-star winery nestled in the Mount View region of the Hunter Valley, a well-renowned viticulture area. Sample exquisite wines in your own private area.

From here we continue onto Leogate Estate. This opulent cellar door is the perfect place to enjoy that unique taste which only the Hunter Valley and their award-winning wines can provide. All wines produced from the great vines of one of the most highly regarded vineyards in Australia. Here we will enjoy a selection of wines followed by a tour of the onsite winery to learn of the winemaking process.

On the conclusion of the tour, we enjoy a relaxing 2-course lunch (selection of platters, followed by a dessert of choice) accompanied by a glass of wine. Further beverages can be purchased at own expense.

Our final stop today is at Tulloch Wines. For over 122 years, the Tulloch family has been passionate about producing handcrafted, premium wines made to enjoy. At Tulloch you don't just do a wine tasting, you have a wine experience. Here we will enjoy a delightful Wine & Chocolate Experience, a foray into the world of "degustation" that is easy to reproduce at home or with friends. You will experience the indulgence of Hunter Valley made artisan chocolate as you partner each one with the mouth-watering flavours of Tulloch Wines

From here we commence our return to Sydney to arrive back at your hotels approximately 5 - 5.30 pm.

The Blue Mountains National Park is one of seven national parks that make up the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. This wonderland of sandstone outcrops, deep ravines and hazy blue eucalypt forests boasts luxury retreats and stunning views. Today your guide will take you off the beaten track to visit remote lookout locations and discuss the history, flora and fauna of this magnificent region.

7.00- 7.30AM Depart from the hotel with AEA Luxury Tours. Our first stop of the day is at Calmsley Hill a working farm also home to Kangaroos, Emus, Wombats and Koalas. Enjoy morning tea and time to wander at leisure.

From Calmsley Hill we continue to ascend the Blue Mountains via the highway. We will visit one of a range of stunning outlooks of the Jamison Valley seeing beautiful vistas. Where possible this will be away from the crowds of tours that visit the mountains each day with other operators, thus our guests will enjoy a stress and hurry free environment taking in the views and information imparted by their guide.

Continuing on we arrive at Eaglehawk Lookout, a remote lookout points away from the crowds for views of the famous 3 Sisters. Whilst the Blue Mountains features so much more than this natural attraction you can't help but admire the unquestionable beauty of this amazing rock formation. The character of the Three Sisters changes throughout the day and throughout the seasons as the sunlight brings out the magnificent colours. Here your guide will discuss the legends behind this famous rock formation and time available for you to take some great photos.

We then make our way around the mountain towards the village of Blackheath and our lunch venue the Hydro Majestic. Here in this relaxed venue with stunning views. We enjoy a 2-course lunch with tea/coffee. All diets are catered for (excluding Kosher Meals). Beverages can be purchased at your own expense from the Bar.

The afternoon is spent visiting a selection of lookouts. Once you clap your eyes on the view from Govetts Leap you'll know why it's one of the most famous lookouts in Australia. The magnificent waterfall drops a whopping 180m to the base of the cliff. If you're not mesmerised by the dancing waves of water spray, you'll be transfixed by the sweeping views down the valley to the Grose Wilderness. We then stop briefly to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine or orange juice at the delightful Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens our last stop, where we enjoy the sweeping views across to Sydney before travelling down the Bells Line of Road to arrive back at your hotel approximately 4.30 - 5.00pm.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Hobart (flight not included). On arrival, pick up your rental car.

Along the way enjoy a stop at the historic towns of New Norfolk or Queenstown. Continue on to the fishing village of Strahan.

This morning travel north to Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park. Covering some of Tasmania's highest country, the National Park, with its many lakes and mountain peaks, is famous for its magnificent alpine scenery.

Today is at leisure to explore Cradle Mountain, you may like to relax or do one of the many walks the area has to offer.

Travel east to Launceston, along the way perhaps stop at Deloraine and Westbury. On arrival drop off your rental car and board your flight to Melbourne (flight not included). On arrival, transfer to your accommodation.

Have you ever been to a city and wondered what all the fuss was about? Or wasted time trying to find that cool local café you were told of, and ended up missing everything? Melbourne's arcades and laneways hide many of these answers. Join this indulgent morning walk through Melbourne's beautiful back streets, and get orientated in the life of the city that locals love. Discover artisanal and specialty retailers, that often are only found in the city. Some of the quirkiest cafes, independent designers, street art, architecture, and historical tales are found in these walkways. Soak in the city via all your senses, and engage with passionate creatives. There is something for everyone, locals and visitors alike.

Here's the very best of Victoria's wildlife, nature and farming heritage. The Penguin Parade is an absolute ''must' on every visitor's itinerary, but this tour gives you so much more. First stop is Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, where you can hand-feed cute wallabies on the wallaby walk (you may see little joeys peeking out of their mothers' pouches) and cuddle a koala. There are rare sightings of endangered Australian wildlife in this Eco-accredited sanctuary too.
On tiny Churchill Island there's an 1850's heritage farm with strutting peacocks, shaggy Highland cattle, traditional draft horses, sheep shearing and working dogs in action. Then on to the Nobbies and Australia's largest Fur Seal colony at Seal Rocks. Finally, the ultimate attraction: hundreds of Little Penguins popping out of the sea and waddling across the beach to their sand dune burrows in the Penguin Parade. Situated next to the main path of penguins and limited visitor numbers, offering fantastic close viewing of penguins with rangers on hand to answer questions. Tour conclusion depends on time of year and ranges from 10pm during the winter months to midnight during summer as the penguins arrive at sunset.

The day is at leisure (Melbourne is great for shopping) until you are transferred to your onward travel arrangements. Stay longer if you wish.