(Travel Down Under - Sum's style....ideal Aussie Itinerary ...customized by Sum')
15 Day Itinerary of Australia
Day 1 – Cairns
Explore Cairns. It is an ideal setting off point for two of nature’s most magnificent ecosystems – The Great Barrier Reef and the Rainforests. Check in Hotel Country Comfort Sunlodge (4 Star) or Hotel Fig Tree Lodge. (4 Star). Fig Tree Lodge is also famous for its steak and seafood and Irish Bar.
Post Lunch go for “Tjapukai by Night” which gives an opportunity to interact with and sense the true spirit of indigenous Australia at the Tjapukai Aborignal Cultural Park. Enjoy a superb buffet dinner and dance show held in the Boomerang Restaurant allowing for photo opportunities with the Tjapukai dancers.
Day 2 – Cairns / Kuranda
Take the century old Cairns – Kuranda scenic train to the picturesque village of Kuranda located North West of Cairns, set in a lush rainforest on the edge of the Atherton Tablelands. A must see is the Bird World and Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in this day trip and check out the Kuranda Cillage and Markets – a great place to buy original souvenirs. On way back from Kuranda have your dinner at any of the good restaurants on the Shields Sreets (Verdi’s or Red Ochre Grill are good picks)
Day 3 – Fitzroy Island
Head to Fitzroy Island which is one of the 600 continental high island on the Great Barrier Reef. It is a rare un-spoilt gem just 4 kms from the mainland of Cairns. Stay in Chalet style accommodation in the Hunt Island Resort and enjoy activities like scuba diving, island round sea kayaking, snorkeling. This continental island offers beautiful coral within snorkeling distance of the shore.
Catch up on a beach party at the Raging Thunder Beach Bar (on Fridays and Saturdays only)
Day 4 – Moreton Island (Tangolooma Wild Dolphin Park)
Catch a flight from Cairns to Brisbane by Virgin Blue flight and take a 75 minutes catamaran from Brisbane to the Tangolooma Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Island, where you can whale watch, hand feed dolphins, feed wild pelicans, scuba dive at a sunken wreck site or enjoy the thrills of tobogganing.
Day 5 – Gold Coast ( Lamington National Park)
Drive from Brisbane to Gold Coast, a region well known for its climate, beaches, shopping and nightlife. Travel to Lamington National Park, the Gold Coast Hinterland and join a guided walk focusing on the unique Australian birds in the area.
Catch this exciting dinner show, featuring Aussie horsemanship and life on a cattle station, complete with daring stunts, wild horses and stampeding cattle. Set in a 1000-seat arena, it includes a 3-course dinner and drinks.
Day 6 – Sydney (Darling Harbour and Opera House)
Fly from Gold Coast airport to Sydney. Stay in a hotel near Darling Harbour (Crown Plaza Darling Harbour or Novotel Harbour Plaza). Visit the Opera House behind the scenes area and see for your self how the Opera Theatre scenery dock and the Orchestra Pit. It also takes you on stage in either the Concert Hall or the Opera Theatre, and pass the rehearsal rooms and dressing rooms. Watch a show at the opera house (Play your part, Pearl fishers and House in Focus are some on the shows currently going on)
Day 7 – Sydney / Hunter Valley (Hunter Valley Resort)
Drive to Hunter Valley Wine Country which is about 2 hour drive north west of Sydney. Cessnock is the gateway to the Hunter Valley. It is the oldest winemaking region in Australia. There are more than 110 wineries in the valley. It is a place that is well known for world class cuisine & hospitality as well as for its world famous Shiraz and Semillion wines.
Visit Hunter Resort Home the Wine Country's First Micro Brewery
The Bluetongue Brewery at the Hunter Resort is the first micro brewery in the Hunter Valley wine country.
At the bar, you can see the brewery which is separated by a glass wall. Many styles of beer are available including the unique Alcoholic Ginger Beer, the sensational premium Lager and the full flavored ales.
Wine Tasting
· With over 110 wineries in the area, there’re so many choices of vineyards to visit and taste the locally produced wines. Majority of the wineries are open daily between the hours of 9am/10am to 5pm.
· The Mill (Tuscany Wine Estate): This restaurant received rave reviews for its good food and wines. Serving tapas style food, wood fired pizzas and other casual dining options. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner at Tuscany Wine Estate.
Stay at Hunter Resort (4-star)
A small family owned & run 35 room resort with great food, wine and accommodation. Has its own 30 year old vineyard.
Day 8 : Sydney to Southern Highlands (120km / 1 hour 15 minutes)
Wollongong (64km / 40 minutes)
Start your drive south from Sydney using the Princess Highway. Stop by at Bald Hill and take in the breathtaking view here. Also, watch out for hang-gliders or para-gliders. Visit the magnificent Nan Tien Buddhist Temple, a key religious cultural centre and the largest Buddhist Temple in the Southern Hemisphere. For happy hours, Five Islands Brewery is the place for a quick drink. The only beach micro-brewery in Australia, this restaurant is also a great lunch or dinner stop. Then, the Princess Highway to the township of Kiama.
Kiama (37km / 20 minutes)
A pretty seaside town. Drive past this harbour town (good for a toilet / lunch break) but do not miss the famous geographical feature: the Kiama Blowhole with its towering shoots of water cutting through the foreshore's rock! For gift or souvenir ideas, check out the quaint shops at Kiama Terrace.
Robertson (38km / 40 minutes)
From Kiama, head towards west inland towards the town of Berry / Robertson. Robertson is a tiny little town that lines the main highway (more like a two lane road). Look out for the shop that says "Famous Robertson Meat Pies" - yummy hot black pepper pies on sale here!
Statford Park Lavendar Gardens (15 minutes)
Tour the extensive gardens, watch distillation and aromatherapy demonstrations and pick up some lavender products at the Farm gate store. Don’t miss the favorite Sparkling Honey Nectar non-alcoholic wine.
Fitzroy Falls (18km / 15 minutes)
Fitzroy Falls is a national park with little river inlets and cascading waterfalls, a refreshing break from the road. Stop over at the Fitzroy Falls National Park Visitors Centre where you can go for a short walk to view the waterfalls or else sign up for a short guided tour.From Fitzroy, it is a short easy drive towards the main country townships of Berrima or Bowral for your overnight.
Berrima (32km / 30 minutes)
Bowral (12km / 10 minutes from Berrima)
Driving into Berrima is a bit like stepping back into a time-portal and hurling yourself back to the country life in the 1930s. You can find great antique shops here, pretty stores that sell handmade crafts / produce or even cafe shops for Devonshire Tea. At Bowral, you can find range of goodies from exotic homewares to fashion stores to crafts.
Overnight at Bowral or Berrima.
Day 9: Bowral to Canberra (204km / 2 hours)
Moss Vale (20 km / 15 minutes) - Optional overnight
With extra time to spare, we would recommend that you extend a night's stay at the Tugalong Outback Station for a taste of real farm life; horse-riding, clay pigeon shooting and abseiling.
The Station is located near the township of Moss Vale.
Use the Hume Highway to Goulburn.
Goulburn (86km / 50 minutes) - one of the finest wool growing areas of Australia.Take a break at Goulburn, the main attraction here is the Big Merino, a 15.2m high replica of the merino ram, which provides, literally a "sheep's eye view" of the city.Handicraft woolen goods, souvenirs and sheepskin products are also available here. Take the Federal Highway to Canberra.
Overnight Canberra (98km / 55 minutes)
Discover Canberra's unique planned city layout, visit the miniature village - Cockington Green and check out stately monuments such as the War Memorial and the stunning and internationally acclaimed architectural building; the Parliament House.
Day 10: Canberra to Albury (369km / 3 hours 30 minutes)
Start the day early, it is going to be quite a long way with numerous attractions to stop for. Take the Bourton Highway to the township of Yass.
Yass (85km / 45 minutes) - Centre of a flourishing wool districtThe town boasts fine historic buildings, offers water sports and hiking activities and also arts and crafts shops.From Yass, head towards Binalong, then Wombat, and use the Olympic Highway to get to Young
Young (105km / 1 hour 5 minutes) - The Cherry Capital of AustraliaThere are some 130 orchards here producing a large portion of Australia's cherry crops. Prune factory or orchard tours are available. The vibrant Cherry Festival is held every November, but there are other ongoing festivals between the months of September - November. Take the Olympic Way.
Wagga Wagga ( 139km / 1hour 20 minutes) - Relaxed country town In Wagga Wagga, you can head for the various art galleries, parks/gardens, theatres or clubs. From Wagga Wagga, take the Olympic Way to Albury.
Overnight: Hanericka Farm
By the time you reach Hanericka Farm, it will be in the late afternoon. To be able to enjoy the authentic farm stay experience, you will need to set aside 2 nights at this fully operational wheat/sheep/cattle farm stay with varied farm activities.
Day 11: Hanericka Farm (40km / 20 minutes)
Activities include: pony riding, sheep shearing, cow milking, crop harvesting or even country style cooking - a real taste of life on an Australian Farm!
Alternative Route: Snowy Mountains
From Wagga Wagga, you may wish to take the Snowy Mountains Highway towards Cooma in the snowy/ski region, with an overnight at Thredbo Alpine Village. The snow & ski season is from June to early October. In the summer months from November to March, available activities include fly-fishing, mountain biking, guided walks, canoeing and golfing! From Snowy, take the Snowy Mountains Highway and head towards Wagga Wagga.
Day 12 - Hanericka Farm to Albury (40km / 20 minutes)
Major stopover town between Sydney & Melbourne. On the way to Albury, stop over at unique pub / hotel Ettamogah Pub & Winery, a pub built as a replica of popular Australian cartoonist, Ken Maynard's creation. From Hanericka Farm, you may wish to continue your drive towards Echuca and then onto Melbourne, which is some 2 hours drive away.
Day 13 – Melbourne (Yarra Valley)
Just an hour’s drive east of Melbourne lies the Yarra Valley, home to numerous wineries with many nationally and internationally award-winning wines. Immerse yourself in experience in wine estates and get to know the intricacies of wine tasting and wine making. Enjoy a traditional lunch with the unique wine at any of the wine yards. Stay in Ainsworth Estate which is a Boutique vineyard and accommodation comprising three modern executive style apartments.
Day 14 – Perth ( Stay in Mundurah)
Take a flight from Melbourne to Perth. The first stop is Marapana Wildlife World. Continue on into Mundurah for a unique experience. Try your hands at catching blue manna crabs. Hire a boat and all the gear locally and put your skills to test. In the evening relax on the foreshore or beach with some local fish and chips and enjoy a Guinness. Stay in Yalgroup Eco Park on the Beach which is in Mundurah area nested amidst dunes on Melros Beach. Mundurah is about 1 hour drive from Perth.
Day 15 – Perth (Swan River Cruise)
Discover the delights of the Swan River cruising between Perth and the port of Fremantle. Tea and Coffee is served as your Captain points out all the sights including the beautifully restored Swan Brewery at the foot of the Kings Park, Royal Perth Yatch Club. Stay in a Hotel in Perth (Preferably Hotel Grand Chancellor or Hotel Ibis)
Enjoy your dinner in the “Shung Fung on the River’ Restaurant which overlooks the Swan River.
Day 16 – Return Flight
Catch your return flight from Perth to head back to your home country.
No comments:
Post a Comment