Bronzewing Tours

11 Days - KANGAROO ISLAND

Day 1.
What a great day to be off to an exciting tour to South Aust-ralia and time of fun and fellowship with friends & family
After picking up all the passengers from various locations, we head off along the Hume Highway and south towards Goulburn for morning tea. We then travel through the sheep country of Yass, and then to Gundagai for lunch at the Dog on the Tucker Box. Wagga Wagga is the next town we pass through, an inland regional town and growing at a rapid pace and centre of the agricultural and industry of the area. Naranderra is a great place to stay overnight situated on the southern edge of the MIA.

Day 2.
Today is a long day firstly heading to Hay and then onto the Hay Plain once a vast open grass plain but now part of the food bowl of Australia due to irrigation. If you have not travelled this road for some time you will get quite a shock to the amount agriculture that exists along this roadway. Balranald is our lunch stop and then Mildura for a tour of this interesting town. Visit the hotel with the longest bar in the world (298 feet long) with 27 sets of beer taps and 16 cash registers. Mildura was established by George Chaffey an American from California who was asked by the Victorian Government to establish an irrigation system in the region to convert the Mallee scrub into fertile agriculture, and so Mildura was born. As the afternoon wears on we continue to Renmark the centre of the “Riverland district” and then Berri to the overnight stop.

Day 3.
Before departing Berri and a short town tour including the Berri juice factory where more than 150 fruit and juice products are manufactured. Nuriootpa (aboriginal for meeting place), is the next stop, established in 1854 by the Coultard family and the start of the wine districts of the BarossaValley. Tununda a very typical German town established in 1834 by German settlers who found wine grapes grew very well, so the Barossa become established. Yes, we will stop at a number of wineries so you can sample some of the vintage. Also found nearby is the Whispering Wall which forms part of the Barossa Reservoir and a strange phenomenon caused by the length and curvature of the wall. As the day wears on we will make an overnight stop in Adelaide because the next 3 days and 2 nights will be spent here making various day trips including City sights - Adelaide Hills, Glenelg Beach and more.

Day 4.
Adelaide (the city of churches) established by Colonel William Light and from day one a very specific plan was laid out with a smooth mix of parkland and buildings and broad straight streets. It is situated on a narrow strip of flat country between the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Gulf of St. Vincent with a population of more than 1 million people. North Terrace is the main street with many churches (Holy Trinity Church), government buildings, state library, University of SA. and Art Galleries. You have free time today to visit the interesting places that suit the individual. This afternoon the tram trip to Glenelg beach, a very special experience at this boutique area of coffee shops, restaurants, clothing and speciality shops.

Day 5.
First stop today Mount Lofty lookout, this point was named by Mathew Flinders in 1802 while sailing around Kangaroo Island. This area was the scene of the ASH Wednesday fires on 16/2/83 when the whole region was wiped out by disastrous fires, which burnt throughout the Adelaide Hills.
Harndorf, yes I know the ladies have been looking forward to this day because here are found some of the most beautiful antique & craft shops with all the nick knack's that the heart could desire. This is a German town named after the captain of the ship that bought 52 families to settle in the area 1839, Captain Hahns. Now we will return to the accommodation via the small towns of Lobenthal and Gumeracha, which is the site of a large toy factory, the main feature the largest Rocking Horse in the world.

Day 6.
An early start today as we need to catch the 11.00 AM ferry to Kangaroo Island. We will be spending 2 days and 2 nights on this Island and using our coach to travel around. We catch the ferry at Victor Harbour and take the 45 minute journey to Pennishaw. You will be amazed at the variation in Flora and Fauna on this very isolated island, and it is because of this isolation that makes Kangaroo Island so unique. The island is the 3rd. largest of all the islands that surround Australia, and with a population of only around 4500 of which 1750 of these live in Kingscote the largest town on the island. The island is 145 Kilometres long and 50 wide, and was discovered by Mathew Flinders in 1802 and on closer inspection saw many Kangaroo’s staring at him from the shore, so hence the name.

Day 7.
Today we continue our tour of the island and visit the many landmarks, animal habitats and points of interest, as there is
So much to see including Seals - Rock formations - Forests – National Parks, Flora and Fauna. The scenery from the many high points is spectacular with views back towards the mainland, and out to sea where the next piece of land is Antartica. As we travel around we pass a small number of villages and farms many which date back over a hundred years or more.
Day 8.
Today we visit the town of Kingscote and coffee and antique shops of this very unique town, the morning can be spent doing your own thing for some free time lunch in a local shop
or bakery. Our final farewell to this beautiful place is as we depart by ferry from Pennishaw at 3.00 PM. to the mainland in the afternoon and continue the journey to Murray Bridge for an overnight stay before we continue our homeward journey the following day.

Day 9.
As we now have to look towards the East, and make our way to the border on the Mallee Highway through the towns of Pinnaroo, Murrayville, Underboole and Ouyen for a late lunch before we join the Murray Valley Highway towards Swan Hill & Lake Boga where paddle steamers first reached this region in 1853, and for 80 years the port was the only crossing for 100 kilometres. Swan Hill was named by Thomas Mitchell after the call of the swans that kept him awake at night at the camp that they had set up on a nearby hill. Echuca is the next stop and a very special evening is in store for us tonight but that we will keep as a surprise. The overnight stop is at Echuca.

Day 10.
A very easy drive today as we explore Echuca/Moama twin towns on the Murray River once very important inland port towns where tonnes of produce was loaded onto paddle steamers for transport to the cities. Late morning we will follow the Goulburn Valley Highway towards Shepparton with a short stop at the fruit cannery where we will have the opportunity to buy many seconds of canned fruit and vegetables at well below super-market prices. An early finish for today as our final night will be spent on a sunset cruise on Lake Mulwalla as a most fitting finish to the tour, through some of Australia’s most beautiful countryside.

Day 11.
Well, all good things must come to an end, so we pack up today for the last time and wave goodbye to Victoria as we cross the bridge over the Murray that joins the twin towns of Muwalla and Yarrawonga and on to Urana, Lochart & Wagga and then we join the Hume Highway for our final leg to Home via Gundagai, Yass & Goulburn.

Costings:- $1785 per person on a twin share basis.
Inclusions:- Dinner, Bed and Breakfast on all days.
Entry fees to all exhibits mentioned in itinerary.

Non Inclusions:- Lunches, items of personnel nature, phone or mini bar items.