Melbourne, Sydney & the East Coast
All the highlights of Australia’s east coast in an unforgettable three-week tour.
This comprehensive tour of eastern Australia is beautifully paced to take in all the major highlights while building in time for independent exploration.
From the sights of Melbourne and the wildlife wonders of Phillip Island, you’ll head east through Walhalla, Lakes Entrance, Canberra and Kiama to Sydney, where tours of the Blue Mountains and Opera House await.
From Sydney you’ll fly up to Queensland, stopping first at Maroochydore to tour Fraser Island before continuing north to Cairns, Port Douglas, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.
3 nights Melbourne • 1 night Walhalla • 1 night Metung • 1 night Croajingolong National Park • 2 nights Canberra • 1 night Kiama • 3 nights Sydney • 2 nights Maroochydore • 3 nights Port Douglas • 2 nights Aboriginal tour • 1 night Cairns
Days 1-2: Melbourne
Arrive in Melbourne and transfer to The Langham, a 5-star hotel just a short walk from Federation Square, the Arts Centre and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Day two sees you slip into the weaving laneways that make Melbourne what it is on a Hidden Secrets Tour. These guided walking tours head off the beaten track into the heart and soul of the city, finding cafes and coffee shops, fashionable boutiques and old arcades like the Royal, which was opened in 1869.
Stay: The Langham (RO)
Day 3: Phillip Island
Join Australian Wild Escapes on a wildlife adventure on nearby Phillip Island. Though koalas and kangaroos are always endearing, the real highlight of the day is at dusk, when fairly penguins emerge from the waves and strut across the sand towards their nightly resting place - an occurrence now known as the ‘penguin parade’.
Stay: The Langham (RO)
Day 4: Walhalla
Collect your hire car and drive to the historic town of Walhlla. Now home to just 20 residents, the former gold-rush town is still popular with tourists, who come to walk through the carefully restored village lined with heritage buildings and to have a go themselves at panning for gold.
Stay: Walhalla’s Star Hotel (B)
Day 5: Lakes Entrance & Gippsland Lakes Costal Park
Travel on to Lakes Entrance and the small town of Metung in the Gippsland Lakes region, where enormous lakes, unspoilt beaches, wetlands and mountains are all waiting to be explored.
Stay:The Moorings at Metung (RO)
Day 6: Croajingolong National Park
Croajingolong stretches along 100km of coast and features a staggering diversity of landscapes, from bright white beaches and rocky headlands to sprawling heathland, fecund rainforest and lanky eucalyptus. Birds and wildlife flourish here and UNESCO has named the park as a World Biosphere Reserve.
Gipsy Point Lakeside sits restfully on the banks of the Mallacoota Inlet in the heart of the park and makes a wonderful base from which to take in the views or head into the park on foot.
Stay: Gipsy Point Lakeside (B)
Days 7-8: Canberra
Next stop in the Australian capital of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, or ACT as it’s usually known. Among the stylish restaurants, boutique shops, monuments, galleries and museums you’ll also find the Australian Institute of Sport, tours of which are often led by Australia’s elite athletes and offer the chance to try a variety of interactive sporting challenges.
Stay: Crowne Plaza (RO)
Day 9: Kiama
Cross into New South Wales and enjoy the scenic coastal drive to Kiama, famed for its pretty harbour, nearby blowhole and excellent seafood.
Stay: The Sebel Harbourside Kiama (RO)
Days 10-11: Sydney & the Blue Mountains
Drive up the coast to Sydney and check in to the Four Seasons for three nights. Join the local guides of Australian Wild Escapes for a full-day tour of the Blue Mountains, which take their name from the colour of a fine mist produced by the oil of the area’s abundant eucalyptus trees. The breathtaking panorama of the Three Sisters rock towers from Echo Point is certain to be a highlight.
Stay: Four Seasons Sydney (RO)
Day 12: Sydney
Take a morning backstage tour of the iconic Opera House before cruising Sydney Harbour aboard the luxury motor yacht Calypso, seeing all the major landmarks, enjoying lunch on board and the chance to swim and kayak.
Stay: Four Seasons Sydney (RO)
Day 13: Maroochydore
Transfer to the airport and fly north into Queensland and the Sunshine Coast. Collect another hire car from Brisbane airport and head to Maroochydore, a popular town with Australian holidaymakers who come to fish, surf and sunbathe along the beaches, eat and drink at the waterside restaurants and browse for goods in the boutique shops.
Stay: The Sebel Maroochydore (RO)
Day 14: Fraser Island
Take a 4x4 tour of the world’s largest sand dune, Fraser Island, a fragile ecosystem that combines beaches, ancient rainforest and crystal-clear lakes perched high in the sand dunes. Enjoy swimming in Lake McKenzie, driving on remote beaches (Seventy-Five Mile Beach is the island’s main ‘highway’), dingo spotting and a barbecue lunch.
Stay: The Sebel Maroochydore (RO)
Day 15: Port Douglas
Transfer to the airport and fly north to Cairns in tropical North Queensland, then transfer to Thala Beach Lodge, not far from Port Douglas. The tropical warmth of Port Douglas, coupled with its proximity to both the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, make it a perennial favourite.
Stay: Thala Beach Lodge (RO)
Day 16: Great Barrier Reef cruise
Thirty years of experience makes Barrier Reef cruise company Poseidon well placed to select the best parts of the reef to visit, and by joining them today you’ll get to see at least three different reef sites. Sunbathing and snorkelling are what today is all about, as you fly across the reef on a 24-metre high-speed catamaran.
Stay: Thala Beach Lodge (RO)
Day 17: Port Douglas
Enjoy a day at leisure at popular Port Douglas, taking a stroll along Four Mile Beach or dining alfresco in the warmth of the tropics.
Stay: Thala Beach Lodge (RO)
Days 18-20: Amazing Bama Way Discovery Tour
This three-day adventure brings together three acclaimed Aboriginal-owned-and-operated tours. Day one will see you join the Kubirri Warra brothers, part of the local Kuku Yalanji tribe, for a coastal walk past rainforest, beach and mangroves, visiting sacred sites and learning skills such as spear fishing. Afternoon highlights include an hour-long cruise on the Daintree River, a picnic lunch, a visit to the spectacular Niau Falls and the chance to take a swim in the heart of the rainforest.
The second day sees you travel by 4x4 through the World Heritage-listed Daintree to Wujal Wujal, where you’ll visit Bloomfield Falls in the company of women from the Walker family, the traditional custodians of the land. They’ll take you on a walk with a difference, giving you an insight into the many different uses of plants and bush tucker.
The third Aboriginal tour is with the traditional storyteller of the Nugal-warra clan, Willie Gordon. Willie will lead you to six Nugal rock art sites, many normally inaccessible to the public, and will explain how the paintings speak of the essence of his people. It’s an amazing insight into Aboriginal society and spirituality.
The third day ends with a transfer back to Cairns, where you’ll check in to The Hotel Cairns.
Stay: 2 nights motel accommodation on tour & 1 night Hotel Cairns
Day 21: Cairns
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Prices from
21-day tailor-made itinerary
Prices from: £5,365 to £5,690 per person
Valid for travel: 01 April to 23 December 2012
Package includes: International & domestic flights, car hire, tours as stated & 20 nights accommodation with meals as indicated.
RO = room only B = breakfast BV = board basis varies
Terms & Conditions: Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
To book, call 0845 643 6548
To book this travel offer, call one of our tailor-made travel experts now, quoting reference WEX102567.
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