State: New South Wales
Operator: Australian Eco Adventures
Minimum Price: AUD $ 2,227

Home of “THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER” - Spectacular mountain scenery in alpine parks, Coastal lakes and beaches, caves, rainforests, Historic settlements and bush ranger stories, Rich farmland and Gold mining history, Australia’s unique wildlife and birdlife & The pioneering of the harsh land.

DAY 1
Leaving Sydney we follow the Hume Highway to Berrima for morning tea and a tour of Australia’s best preserved Georgian settlement. We then pick up the Federal Highway to Canberra for lunch on the bank of Lake Burley Griffin. Canberra is the capital of Australia, the seat of Federal Government. It was planned for spaciousness and style, with unique concentric circular streets set on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin and surrounded by rolling hills. We make a brief visit to the National Capital Exhibition to learn of the history and development of the city, and to look out across the lake to the parliamentary precinct. Leaving Canberra, we head into the alpine park, Namadgi National Park . Namadgi is one of the unknown gems normally bypassed for main highway. Climbing higher we enter snow gum mountain country and visit a high country cattleman’s hut (Brayshaws) for an afternoon tea break. We travel through historic Cooma; centre for the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme. One hundred thousand migrants of more than 30 nationalities worked in the region when the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme was being built. The scheme was commenced in 1949 to provide irrigation waters to those areas west of the mountains. The melting snows were to be harnessed, dammed and diverted to farmers many miles away. The scheme generates clean, cheap electricity which helps supply south east Australia. It took 25 years to complete and is regarded as the most complex, multi-purpose, multi reservoir hydro scheme in the world. We continue on to the township of Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountain foothills for our overnight stay at Horizons Resort on the shores of Lake Jindabyne.

DAY 2
Let the adventure begin ….Leaving Jindabyne we travel into the high country and south through the Snowy River Valley and pause to gain magnificent valley and mountain views. Crossing the Victorian border at the old Wilson Customs Station, Suggan Buggan, we wind through spectacular mountain scenery and rugged grazing country; this dry “rainshadow” area is in stark contrast to the rich farmland of the Gippsland we see later in the day. We stop for lunch and an optional visit to the impressive limestone caves or 1 hour hike at Buchan . The calcium carbonate which forms the basis of these limestone formations in the area's 350 or more caves derives from the skeletons of shellfish and coral which were deposited when the sea still covered southern Gippsland. After lunch our route takes us through farming and forest country to Lakes Entrance , the gateway for ocean-going vessels to access to the Gippsland Lakes, the largest navigable inland waterway in Australia. The great lakes of Gippsland cover 400 square kilometres and extend 90 km down the coast. These coastal lagoons were formed when the ocean's sand deposits created lengthy sandspits, low-lying sand islands and dunes which eventually formed a barrier (Ninety Mile Beach) separating Bass Strait from the calmer waters they enclosed. The rivers which flow into the area deposited silt and clay which divided the inland water into a series of lakes and swamps. The region, known as the Victorian Riviera, is relatively warm in winter and cool in summer. Tonight we enjoy waterside accommodation at The Moorings.

DAY 3
Leaving Lakes Entrance we follow the Princes Highway through rich farming country around Bairnsdale to Sale for at late Aussie Breakfast then an inspection of wetlands park. Grazing, dairying, agriculture and fruit growing are important industries in this area. After oil was discovered offshore in 1965 Sale experienced a boom period when it became the service and residential base of the Esso-BHP oil and gas exploration and development program. We continue via Yarram for the highlight of today – a visit to Wilsons Promontory National Park, the most southern point of mainland Australia. In fine weather we get jaw dropping views across Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea. We enjoy a short walk at Mt Oberon and during our visit to this area there’s a good chance to see koala, kangaroo and emu along with an extraordinary variety of birdlife.. After a light lunch we return north to visit the Murray-Goulburn Dairy in Leongatha, the largest co-operative in the southern hemisphere. From South Gippsland we continue into the outer suburbs of Melbourne, described as the world’s most liveable city. We arrive in Melbourne at approximately 3.00 - 4.00pm.

Notes:

Tour Code: A203
Special Departure Dates: Tour departs on demand
Trip Duration: 3 days
Departs from: Client's Sydney accommdodation
Tour Ends: Client's Melbourne accommodation
Departure Time: 7.30 a.m
Return Time: 5.30 p.m
All Prices: $2227.00 per person twin share