Welcome to our special event tour to Geelong featuring the Avalon Airshow. We spend the day travelling to our destination making stops throughout the day to stretch our legs and purchase food. Arriving at our hotel early evening we have time to freshen up before our lovely dinner in the restaurant. Our accommodation in Torquay is at the luxurious Peppers The Sands Resort. It is also only a 5 minute walk to the beach.
Breakfast is how we start the day and make sure it is a good one as we have a long but rewarding day ahead of us. There is time for a stroll to look around the area before we head off for the day to the air show. Having secured Gold Pass tickets to todays' events we are entitled to early entry to the expo pavilion avoiding the large crowds. We will experience the airshow in style and comfort with reserved grandstand seats. Today we see the most potent assets in our air defence arsenal strut their awesome stuff at Australia's world famous aviation spectacular. Marvel as jet fighters, strike bombers and heavy lift leviathans are joined by swarms of attack helicopters, from home and abroad, for a series of breathtaking routines and simulated combat manoeuvres. The event also features the best collection of aerobatic daredevils ever to be gathered together for an Australian air show. There will also be historic aircraft from the classic years of aviation and the most impressive collection of World War II aircraft ever to soar skyward at Avalon. AIRSHOW 2019 will be the most dynamic pageant of its kind ever staged in Australia. We stay for its unique "Night Alight" show as it is always one of the highlights.
We are going to spend the entire day at the Avalon International Air Show and Aerospace & Defence Exposition again. The Avalon Show, which is held every two years, has become recognized as one of the most significant aerospace and defense industry events of its kind in the world. It is the most comprehensive and multi faceted air show and aerospace exhibition in the Asia Pacific Region. The 2019 Australian International Airshow will celebrate with an unrivalled gathering of vintage, commercial and military aircraft. Airshow 2019 offers fun and excitement with thrilling flying displays and the most amazing ground display of aircraft ever seen in Australia. We can even meet the pilots and crews and get up close to the amazing aircraft on display throughout the Airshow grounds. It will be another amazing day!
We have to be happy about the last couple of days with the diversity and scope of aircraft we have had access to. The entire day will be spent travelling home but we will have plenty to chat about with our fellow passengers, comparing experiences and photos. What a shame it is only a bi-annual event.
Further information and a full list of tour inclusions can be found on the itinerary.
From the Riverland we make our way across to the Yorke Peninsula, with a stop for lunch in Port Wakefield. (Passengers own expense) From here we head straight for the Kernewek Lowender Cornish Festival in Moonta. The first festival was held in 1973 and today still proudly retains its original constitutional aim to revive the traditions of the Cornish heritage of the Northern Yorke Peninsula. We can spend some time in Moonta and take in the festivities, before we make our way down to Edithburgh for the next two nights' accommodation.
Today we spend the day exploring the southern section of the Yorke Peninsula. It's just a short walk from our motel to the Edithburgh Museum to see a vast collection of items relating to the early settlement of the area and its nautical history. From Edithburgh we drive via Yorketown to the Bublacowie Military Museum. Here we will find medals, uniforms and memorabilia, as well as the very personal photographs and memorabilia of local servicemen and women who served their country in all major conflicts. On arrival we can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, and then take a guided tour of the museum and its grounds, followed by lunch. This afternoon we call into the National Trust listed; Minlaton Museum followed by the Harry Butler Red Devil Memorial. From Minlaton we take a sightseeing drive along the western side of the Peninsula through Hardwicke Bay to Warooka and complete our day by returning to Edithburgh and enjoy dinner in the Edithburgh Hotel.
This morning we head to Kadina for more of the festival. In Ardrossan we can have our morning break and take some time to purchase morning tea from the local bakery. (Passengers own expense) Today the main event of the festival will be the Cavalcade of cars and motor cycles that begins in Wallaroo and will journey through the region. The event attracts more than 500 entries from around Australia comprising veteran, vintage and classic vehicles as well as motorcycles. Ending at the Kadina Oval's Fun Fair we take a sneak peek up close to see the vehicles whilst enjoying the fair-style atmosphere. Not far away is the Farm Shed Museum and Tourism Centre. Here we can discover how the discovery of minerals put the Yorke Peninsula on the world map. "Kadina's Story" is a photographic display depicting the history of the Peninsula's largest and most important town and the agricultural display tells of the evolution of farming machinery which forms the basis of the National Dryland Farming Interpretive Centre. On conclusion of our visit we check in to our Motel in Kadina for the next 2 nights of the tour.
The 3 townships of Kadina, Moonta and Wallaroo are collectively referred to as the "Copper Triangle" and today we will be exploring Wallaroo and Moonta. We have a short drive across to Wallaroo and welcome a local guide on board the coach for a brief sightseeing tour of the area and the Copper Cove Wallaroo Marina. Our morning visit is to the Wallaroo Heritage and Nautical Museum, originally a Post Office, this historic building houses extensive displays of the copper smelting era which lasted from 1861 – 1923, postal and telephone history, religious and civic affairs, industry, sport, entertainment, extensive nautical, and general local history displays. After lunch in Wallaroo, we drive to Moonta and visit the Moonta Tourist Office. Located in the former Moonta Railway Station and built in 1909, this beautiful old building is one of several built throughout the state of the same design, including the Wallaroo Railway Station. Our final visit for the day is at the Moonta Mines Museum, discovering the detailed history of the mining industry and the people engaged in mining in the local area. There are hands-on exhibits which demonstrate the cycle of mining and there are very substantial rooms full of memorabilia which is well displayed. There are also interesting displays relating to the lodges and friendly societies which operated in the town and an entire classroom has been left intact (dating back to 1900) as though the teacher only departed a few minutes ago. Back on the coach we return to Kadina and enjoy our final dinner together of the tour.
This morning we farewell our hosts and start our return journey to the Riverland. Our morning stop is in Clare with some free time to look through the local shops. From here we head south to Auburn for our lunch stop at the Rising Sun Hotel. This afternoon's journey takes us through Kapunda and Truro, then arriving home later in the afternoon.
Far North Queensland and the tropical paradise of Atherton Tablelands is the perfect winter destination. Join us as we embark on our adventure to the Queensland tropics. Our tour includes the 'must see' major attractions including Skyrail Forest Cableway, the Great Barrier Reef and the Undara Lava Tubes. We'll coach one direction and fly home, giving us the opportunity to witness the ever-changing stunning scenery as we drive north. It will be a tour to remember!
Welcome to our 3 day Escape to the Barossa Valley. Following our morning pickups we farewell the Riverland and we are off to the Barossa Valley. Late morning will see us arriving in Lyndoch and here we visit the Barossa Chateau, a stunning building that sits in one of Australia's most important rose gardens of international significance. It is also home to one of the largest collections of porcelain in Australia. Whilst here we spend time looking through the Chateau collection and its lovely gardens, then enjoy lunch. This afternoon we visit the Whispering Wall and our last stop for the day is at Menglers Hill. Here we have an excellent vantage point to appreciate the seemingly endless vineyards and the richness of the Barossa Valley. We conclude our day by checking into the hotel and enjoy our first dinner of the tour together.
Following breakfast we travel via Angaston to visit Collingrove Homestead, a national trust property. Conceived as a little piece of England, Collingrove was the Angas family home and was the headquarters for their considerable pastoral interests. Today, the homestead provides a fine example of how our pioneers created a new Australian architecture which still retains the "Old Country" atmosphere of their origin. From Angaston we head into Nurioopta and have some free time to purchase lunch and look through the local shops. This afternoon we head to one of the Barossa Valleys most iconic wineries – Seppeltsfield. The winery was established in 1851 and despite a severe economic depression for the wine industry generally in the 1870s, Seppelts continued to expand and a new winery was built in 1888. Today it is one of the most famous wineries in Australia. We will embark on a Heritage Tour of the gardens, grounds and heritage buildings, including a tasting!
Following breakfast we complete our check out formalities and farewell the Barossa. This morning we head north to Anlaby Homestead and Gardens, located to the north of Kapunda, between the Barossa and Clare Valley. Experience the grandeur and glamour of times gone by in the extensive gardens and historic buildings that make Anlaby one of the finest homesteads in country South Australia. Anlaby Homestead is more like a village than a farm – a collection of cottages and houses built for the dozens of gardeners, coachmen, kennel masters and farm workers. The property thrived in its heyday with as many as 70 people working and living here with their families. We take a tour of the homestead, outbuildings and gardens, as well as enjoy morning tea and lunch.
Progressive Dinners, Peaceful Pine Trees and Perfect Sun Sets.
You will wish you were a local.
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