11 Day Tastes of Southern Australia
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Overview
11-Day Tastes of Southern Australia
Sydney to Adelaide
This trip fully deserves its name. Expect to sample some of Southern Australia’s most drool-worthy produce – think craft beers, wines, and cheeses – and also savour some of its most dreamy landscapes, from the Great Ocean Road’s Twelve Apostles to the sparkling coves of South Australia on a Kangaroo Island tour. In between there are Phillip Island little penguins, Melbourne laneways, the Barossa, and Canberra, Australia’s culture-filled capital.
Why not join a Murray River Cruise after your tour and make the most of your visit to South Australia?
Journey:
Departs Sydney & Returns to Adelaide
Difficulty:
Medium
Group Size:
40
Tour Code:
KESMA

Itinerary
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1 Day 1: Sydney - Canberra
It’s hard to believe that just 1.5 hours from Sydney lies a patch of countryside that could have been transplanted straight from the English Cotswolds. Think atmospheric villages amid rolling hills of grape vines – the Southern Highlands is the closest wine region to Australia’s largest city, after all. And then there are the grand gardens and emerald farms, one of which you’ll visit to meet Craig Starr and his family. Gold Creek Station farm is your backdrop for a Be My Guest BBQ lunch and tales about life on the land. This is your entrée to the country’s cool little capital of Canberra, home to Parliament House, where you’ll go behind the political scenes.
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2 Day 2: Canberra - Wangaratta
Thanks to architect Walter Burley Griffin, Canberra is an urban planner’s delight – the city is that well laid out, as you’ll discover when you head to the summit of Mt. Ainslie for panoramic views. You won’t yet be able to see the mighty Murray River, but you’ll soon cross it en route to Beechworth. From Australia’s longest river, travel through Victoria’s High Country to the well-preserved gold rush town of Beechworth. Beechworth saw an influx of fortune-seekers from all over the world during the 1850s. Get the lowdown on Beechworth over a chat with the publican of the historic local pub and enjoy afternoon tea in the oldest hotel in town. Then you’ll be set and on your way to explore honey and gold shops, galleries and museums at your leisure, before Wangaratta beckons.
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3 Day 3: Wangaratta - Melbourne
Meandering south toward historic Glenrowan, you’re well and truly in Ned Kelly country – this is where the infamous bushranger and his gang were finally captured in 1880. The story is remembered on pretty much every city corner, whether in enormous statues or at the museum. We’ll tell you all the tales – some of them true, many of them hearsay. All of them entertaining. Then we’ll tell you a bit more about Melbourne, like how it’s the home of Aussie rules football, covets some of the country’s best arts institutions, and has a swag of stellar restaurants, cafés and bars. Small wonder it’s known as Australia’s cultural, culinary and sporting capital. After a city tour, immerse yourself in a guided galleries tour of our First Peoples arts and cultural centre, the Koorie Heritage Trust, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, then head off to explore. Forget your map – one of the joys of being in Melbourne is getting lost. Discovering a hidden jazz bar. Stumbling upon a hole-in-the-wall restaurant or another gallery that catches your eye. Enjoy.
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4 Day 4: Melbourne Free Time
You’re on your own today. Well, not really, because your Travel Director is at your service to help arrange optional experiences. Perhaps enjoy a strong coffee in one of Melbourne’s atmospheric laneways. Adrenaline junkie? Linger in the city, gaining bird’s-eye views from the Melbourne Skydeck at the Eureka Tower, the Southern Hemisphere’s highest attraction, looming almost 300 metres above the ground. Or, perhaps exploring the city on foot with a History and Donuts Walking Tour is more your thing. Animal lover? Venture out on a Phillip Island little penguin tour to see hundreds of these cute creatures pad from the ocean along the sand back to snuggle in their burrows for the night (all own expense). The choice is yours.
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5 Day 5: Melbourne - Warrnambool
The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most epic journeys, a dramatic 240-kilometre union of limestone stacks (Twelve Apostles, we’re looking at you), World Heritage listed rainforest, untouched coastal coves and sleepy towns, like Lorne and Apollo Bay. It’s hard to know where to point your camera on a Great Ocean Road tour. We recommend having it poised to snap shots of the Loch Ard Gorge, the site of a famous shipwreck, and London Bridge rock formations. The latter sandstone arch once resembled its namesake bridge; even after its collapse, it’s still an impressive natural wonder. It doesn’t get any better than this.
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6 Day 6: Warrnambool - Naracoorte
Emus and koalas… oh my! These are just a couple of the animals you’ll likely spot as you drive through Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve – housed in a dormant volcanic crater. Remarkably, this pocket of paradise was once wasteland, transformed by volunteers. More volcanic history awaits across the South Australian border in Mt. Gambier, home to the crater-filling Blue Lake. Because it’s very blue. And it’s a lake. By now you’ll be pretty thirsty, so it’s a good thing the Coonawarra wine region is around the corner. After a few sips, you may find yourself getting deep – literally. Naracoorte’s Alexandra Cave is a maze of delicate needle-like stalactites and massive twisting columns.
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7 Day 7: Naracoorte - Kangaroo Island
The Fleurieu Peninsula is a natural adventure playground, all rolling hills, rugged clifftops and sandy beaches. Seaside Victor Harbor turns on the charms – take a horse drawn tram ride out to Granite Island (own expense) – before your ferry blasts its horn. All aboard for Kangaroo Island, home to native wildlife like sea lions, koalas and diverse bird species. Your destination is Kingscote.
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8 Day 8: Kangaroo Island Sightseeing
It’s time for an island adventure: first stops are Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, home to an immense colony of raucous fur seals. The wildlife greets you at Seal Bay Conservation Park, where enormous sea lions barrel down the sand to the water. Here, on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience you’ll visit one of the country’s most important sea lion breeding grounds. Aside from smelling totally divine, eucalyptus oil is like the Holy Grail of healing – there’s not much that it can’t cure. Drop in to South Australia’s only eucalyptus distillery to tour the estate (look out for resident kangaroos and emus), discover Kangaroo Island’s history and take a fascinating deep dive into the production of this 100% pure, aromatic oil. A well-deserved tasting of craft beer awaits at a boutique brewery, the only one on the island. How does a Golden Ale sound?
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9 Day 9: Kangaroo Island - Adelaide
You’ve arrived in the South Australian capital, known for its well-preserved churches and well-admired cuisine. Did you know that Adelaide boasts more restaurants per capita than any other city in Australia? After a city orientation tour, the afternoon is yours to see just how many you can sample – we have a few recommendations, including a visit to the epic Central Market, where you can try green ant gin with cheese, among so many other delicacies (own expense).
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10 Day 10: Adelaide Hills and the Barossa
Pull on your elastic-waisted pants – today is one of indulgences through the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa, dotted with atmospheric towns like Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. A Barossa and Hahndorf tour reveals the bountiful food and wine this pocket of the state is known for. Discover local flavours over lunch at Lambert Estate, nestled in the rolling hills of the Barossa followed by a wine or gin tasting at Maggie Beer’s Pheasant Farm. Enjoy a Japanese inspired Farewell Dinner this evening at the hotel with your newfound friends.
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11 Day 11: Farewell from Adelaide
By day 11, you will have a suitcase full of gin, wine and cheese; a camera full of dreamy images; and more memories than you can count. TOUR END: Your guided holiday ends after breakfast in Adelaide.
NOTES
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat Water bottle Warm layers in cooler months Camera Comfortable walking shoes
- Flights to and from the start/end of your trip are not included in the trip price.
- The day prior – flights to arrive anytime at Sydney Airport
- Day 11 – flights to depart anytime from Adelaide Airport
- Return airport to hotel transfers are included in the holiday price
- A low to medium level of fitness is required. Most walks are on boardwalks however there is the opportunity to walk on the beach at Seal Bay and the track is quite steep in places. Guests will also walk along bush tracks and gravel roads at Hanson Bay. Guests will also have the opportunity to walk over the Remarkable Rocks so surfaces can be slippery and uneven. For guests wanting to walk down to Admirals Arch, there are quite a few steps. Other less active options are available, however.
Tour Inclusions
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Highlights
- Meet Craig Starr on his 400-hectare sheep farm Gold Creek Station for a tale or two, and a BBQ. The stories continue at Australian Parliament House.
- Gold rush towns always come with stories about infamous bush rangers and love scandals. Hear them when you arrive in historic Beechworth.
- By visiting Kangaroo Island’s Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, you not only gain insights into Australian animals, but also have the chance to support them.
- Along the Great Ocean Road’s 240 kilometres you’ll discover all manner of natural drama, from limestone stacks to World Heritage listed rainforest and untouched coastal coves.
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Inclusions
- Centrally located hotels
- National Park entrance fees
- Arrival and departure private airport transfers
Availability
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