MELBOURNE TO ALBURY

Welcome to our exciting tour to Brigadoon. With chauffeured pickup from home, we are transferred to meet our O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours coach and crew, and make our way north, stopping along the way for our morning break and lunch in Benalla. Street art and silos are drawing crowds to small country towns in Victoria and after lunch, we drive around Benalla taking in some of the Street Art – artists from around the world were brought together to paint murals on bare walls, some over three stories high. Not far from here is our first silo - the Goorambat Silo – featuring the endangered Barking Owl.  Whilst in Goorambat we will also see the impressive “Sophia” mural in the Uniting Church. In Devenish, we’ll be amazed at Cam Scale’s artwork of a First World War nurse, a modern-day combat medic and a Lighthorseman and his trusty steed. In St James you will notice a large mural of Sir George Coles, the founder of Coles Supermarkets and the town has a plaque showing where his first business was located. Our last stop today is in Tungamah to see brolgas and a kookaburra. Each silo has a different artist and a different story! We continue on to Albury for our first night’s accommodation.

OVERNIGHT:  Quality Resort Siesta, ALBURY

ALBURY TO BOWRAL

Departing Albury, enjoy the open road before stopping at the beautiful privately owned Garroorigang Historic Home. Here we’ll enjoy lunch before being personally lead through 157 years of living Australian history in the unique setting of a lived-in family home.  Continuing on, we arrive into Bowral with time to relax before dinner.

OVERNIGHT: Peppers Craigieburn, BOWRAL

BUNDANOON IS BRIGADOON

Today we experience the excitement of the Annual Highland Gathering – “Brigadoon”. Thousands line the streets as the Parade begins where hundreds of pipes and drums, colourful floats and displays, marchers and vintage cars make their way to the grounds for the games. We have pre-arranged our tickets - the profits from their sale contributing to many worthwhile charities and community causes in the Bundanoon area. As the Official Opening ceremony takes place, the Chieftain of the Day welcomes visitors to the gathering, inspects the massed bands and clan representatives, and presides over the day. After the inspection, the bands retire and the games begin. Discover Scottish Country & Highland dancing, individual Pipe Band displays and for the dog-lovers, Highland Cavaliers and Southern Highland Kennel & Obedience Club. Enjoy the traditional and not-so-traditional games from caber toss, shot putt to hay toss haggis hurling! What fun!  The day ends with the Closing Ceremony after which, we return to our accommodation in Bowral.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement

OVERNIGHT:  Peppers Craigieburn, BOWRAL

FITZROY FALLS AND KANGAROO VALLEY

This morning we can appreciate the beauty of this area as we travel to the exciting Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk. There is some walking involved but the views over the treetops and down the Illawarra coastline are magnificent.  Retracing our steps slightly we come to the Fitzroy Falls Visitors Centre, located in the middle of the cool rainforest. Meeting our guide for Interpretive Tour, we stroll along the boardwalk to the top of the Fitzroy Falls. The scenery is stunning! You’ll then have time to purchase lunch before spending the afternoon travelling through the picturesque Kangaroo Valley. Taking in the scenery, we’ll travel over the historic Hamden Bridge, design with gothic Victorian sandstone towers that make it look like the entrance to a secret medieval castle. Heading towards to coast now we arrive at Batemans Bay and settle in for the evening.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement

OVERNIGHT: Sunseeker Motor Inn, BATEMANS BAY

BATEMANS BAY TO LAKES ENTRANCE

Continuing our return journey, we travel to Boydtown. Benjamin Boyd, the son of a London Banker established Boydtown at Twofold Bay in the mid 1800’s as his headquarters for his whaling and grazing exploits. Boyd had grandiose ideas of developing the town to not only to rival nearby Eden but Sydney itself. His grand plans never eventuated and the only buildings erected were the Seahorse Inn – where we enjoy lunch today, Boyd’s Church and Lookout Tower. This afternoon we head through Cann River and Orbost and onto Lakes Entrance for our final night.

OVERNIGHT:  Bellevue on the Lakes, LAKES ENTRANCE

LAKES ENTRANCE TO MELBOURNE

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end! We farewell our hosts and head for home. Our first stop is in Maffra where we visit the Gippsland Vehicle Collection. The “Maffra Shed” provides Gippsland with an outstanding rotating display of vehicles: cars, motorbikes, machinery, historic vehicles, carriages, trucks and auto memorabilia. After lunch at the Maffra Community Sports Club we make our way back towards Melbourne, where our chauffeurs will be waiting to take us home, concluding our fantastic time away with O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours!