State: New South Wales
Operator: Australian Eco Adventures
Minimum Price: AUD $ 2,830

There should always be some unknown regions preserved as hunting grounds for the poetic imagination (George Eliot). This place is the Coorong, where pelicans rule the sky and Aboriginal presence is palpable.

DAY 1 Saturday 18 March

Following the M5 out of Sydney we take a break for morning tea alongside the Wingecarribee at Berrima. A visit to Hume’s Cooma Cottage and lunch near Yass, then on to Junee for a short stop before reaching our overnight destination of Narrandera – an old river port town on the Murrumbidgee River. (overnight Gateway Motel) 520km.

DAY 2 Sunday 19 March

Continuing south west through Jerilderie and Deniliquin we divert into the Barmah State Forest for an interpretive cruise about the M.V. Kingfisher along an interesting section of the Murray River. We’ll have lunch among the River Red Gums before continuing south to visit the historic river port of Echuca. Time to absorb the atmosphere of this rejuvenated port before continuing south through Bendigo to our overnight stay in the National Trust classified town of Maldon.

(Overnight Eaglehawk Motel Maldon)426km

DAY 3 Monday 20 March

Today we access the south coast of Victoria by travelling through the historic gold mining towns of Castlemaine and Ballarat, accessing some little visited but interesting areas and buildings along the way. After lunch our run takes us through the volcanic plain country around Colac and on to Apollo Bay following the Great Ocean Road from Lorne.

(Overnight Comfort Inn Apollo Bay)322km

Day 4 Tuesday 21 March

We leave the coast briefly this morning travelling into the Otway Ranges and enjoying some short walks among the mountain ash and blue gums before returning to the coast and its spectacular stacks, sea caves and beaches. The Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and Bay of Islands are all icons worth visiting but we will also access lesser known but equally beautiful spots such as Childers Cove. Time also to visit the coast around Warrnambool and the volcanic crater at Tower Hill before reaching Port Fairy. (Overnight Seacombe House Motor Inn for next two nights)

150 km – easy walking

DAY 5 Wednesday 22 March

Time to take in the old world charm of this beautiful seaside port with a free morning and an optional historic town tour and a visit to Victoria’s lava tubes in the afternoon. 100km

DAY 6 Thursday 23 March

Continuing west from Port Fairy we follow the coast road to Portland and the beautiful Bridgewater Bay area visiting areas of interest in both locations. Our journey then takes us through Discovery Bay National Park and lower Glenelg National Park to Mt Gambier where we will lunch alongside Blue Lake, another extinct volcanic crater. Leaving Mt Gambier we travel across South Australia’s limestone coast – renowned for its wines, underground cave systems (call in at Tantaloona Cave) and large wetland areas. There is a lot of history along this coast – we will call in at the old whaling station of Beachport on our way to Robe- a historic port on Guichen Bay where in the 1850’s, 16000 Chinese miners disembarked to avoid the Victorian Governments 10 pound poll tax. (Overnight Robe Haven Motel) 264km

DAY 7 Friday 24 March

Our exploration of the Coorong begins today – we travel via Cape Jaffa, Kingston and Lacepede Bay on our way to the South Coorong. There are pelican breeding islands in this area of the Coorong which we can view – we will also visit Chinaman Wells and Policemans Point as we follow the waters of the Coorong northwest to Meningie. We continue around the wetland areas of Lakes Alexandrina and Albert to Goolwa – an important port town in South Australia and our overnight stay for the next two nights.

(Next two nights at Goolwa Riverport Motel) 360km

DAY 8 Saturday 25 March

A different perspective of the Coorong today. Aboard the “Spirit of the Coorong” we depart Goolwa and cruise alongside Hindmarsh Island as we head deep into the Coorong. Short walks including an Aboriginal interpretive walk and a walk across the Younghusband Peninsula to the Great Southern Ocean. The combination of birdlife, dune systems, waterways, lagoons and the pristine environment should make our visit to “Storm Boy” country a memorable one.

DAY 9 Sunday 26 March

Leaving the coast from Goolwa we head inland to Strathalbyn and then southeast through Coonalpyn, Keith and Padthaway. Much of this area was once the Long Desert (or 90 Mile Desert), transformed by the addition of trace elements. At Naracoorte there is a tour of the World Heritage listed cave system with its extensive deposits of extinct Australian fauna. (Overnight William Macintosh Motor Lodge, Naracoorte) 360km

DAY 10 Monday 27 March

An early morning visit to Boole Lagoon – one of Australia’s largest and most diverse wetlands (3600 hectares) and a major refuge for a large number of waterbirds and waders before heading northeast to Edenhope for a short break. On to Victoria’s Little Desert National Park and our overnight stay with Wimpy and his mallee fowl at Little Desert Lodge.

(Overnight Little Desert Lodge) 110km

DAY 11 Tuesday 28 March

Early morning walks and tours before leaving Little Desert Lodge travelling through Nhill and Jeparit (birthplace of Sir Robert Menzies) to Wyperfeld National Park for lunch. Then its east through mallee country via Sea Lake to our overnight stay at Swan Hill. (Overnight: Campbell Motor Inn, Swan Hill) 209km

DAY 12 Wednesday 29 March

Morning tea at Bishops Lodge in Hay and lunch on the Murray River near Darlington Point should have us well on the way to Lake Cargellico – our overnight destination – with time to visit Cocoparra National Park and Rankins Springs en route. (Overnight Lachlan Way Motel with dinner at a nearby hotel). 392 km

DAY 13 Thursday 30 March

On the home run to Sydney we travel via Forbes, Eugowra, Orange, Bathurst and the Blue Mountains arriving in Sydney about 4.30pm 555km

Notes:

Special Departure Dates: 18 – 30 March 2006
Trip Duration: 13 days
Departs from: Sydney Central Station
Tour Ends: Sydney Central Station
Departure Time: 8.00 a.m
Return Time: 5.30 p.m
All Prices: COST; $2830.00 per person. Includes travel, twin-share accommodation at motel with en-suite facilities, morning teas and all meals and comprehensive notes. Single supplement is $ 470.00