MELBOURNE TO HORSHAM

Welcome aboard our 11-day tour featuring the Southern Flinders Ranges. After a personal pick up from our homes we transfer to meet our O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours crew and luxury coach to be on our way. We make a stop before making our way to Horsham for overnight. Before we check in, we’ll have time to view the unique silo art, titled The Yangga Dyata which means ‘Walking on Country’. 

OVERNIGHT:  Horsham International Hotel, HORSHAM

HORSHAM TO HAHNDORF

After breakfast, we depart Horsham and continue our journey towards the South Australian border. Look out for silo art as we pass though Kaniva. Our lunch venue is the Morning Loaf Bakery in Bordertown. This afternoon, we continue on the Dukes Highway through many small farming towns, stopping at Coonalpyn to view the magnificent artwork on the towns grain silo, before seeing the Murray River near Tailem Bend.  The last leg of our travels today takes us to Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, our base for the next two nights.

OVERNIGHT:  Manna of Hahndorf, ADELAIDE HILLS

MONARTO SAFARI PARK AND HAHNDORF

Today is spent exploring the largest open-range safari outside of Africa - Monarto Safari Park. The zoo plays a major role, nationally and internationally, in breeding programs for rare and endangered species. We’ll start our visit with a real treat! The Lions 360 Experience, the only 360-degree lion experience in Australia. Walk through a tunnel and emerge within clawing range of one of Australia’s largest lion prides. Enjoy a jaw-dropping, absolutely safe encounter, giving a prey’s-eye view into the world of these awe-inspiring predators! After lunch, we’ll be joined on board our coach by a qualified guide for a safari tour of the park. Then after some time to view the exhibits and a poke through the Zoo’s gift shop we return to Hahndorf with time to take a stroll down the vibrant main street before dinner.

OVERNIGHT:  Manna of Hahndorf, ADELAIDE HILLS

HAHNDORF TO PORT AUGUSTA

This morning, we make our way through the Adelaide Hills to visit the National Motor Museum in Birdwood. The National Motor Museum is an international centre for the collection, research, preservation, education, and display of Australian road transport history. More than a museum it is a social history of the way we were, the way we are now and the way of the future. After time here to enjoy the museum and reminisce of the times gone by, we continue through to Port Augusta.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement

OVERNIGHT:  Standpipe Golf Motor Inn, PORT AUGUSTA

PORT AUGUSTA TO THE FLINDERS RANGES

Port Augusta is located at the top of the Spencer Gulf. Major transcontinental rail services pass through Port Augusta as do the major east/west and north/south highways. The town was once an important base for arid land explorations to the north and later a busy shipping port. We take a brief look around, then embark on an historical train journey aboard the Pichi Richi Rail. This section of rail line is the original Port Augusta to Alice Springs line which travels through the famous Pichi Richi Pass to the historic township of Quorn. The railway heritage is reflected in the names of some of the old hotels - The Grand Junction and the Trans Continental. After lunch, we continue north stopping at the Kanyaka Homestead, just off the main road, 15 kilometres south of Hawker. Our next three night’s accommodation is in the Flinders Ranges at Wilpena Pound Resort.

OVERNIGHT:  Wilpena Pound Resort, FLINDERS RANGES

EXPLORING WILPENA POUND, FLINDERS RANGES

This morning, we meet our local guide for an insider’s tour of this stunning National Park.  The Flinders Ranges are well known for their wildflowers but it’s the dramatic gorges and spectacular peaks that are the real highlights of this beautiful part of Australia. We will visit two gorges (subject to weather and road conditions), Brachina Gorge and Bunyeroo Gorge. This afternoon we return to Wilpena Pound Resort where we can relax. We meet up for Stokes Hill Sundowners to observe the ever-changing colours of sunset over Wilpena Pound with refreshing predinner drinks and canapés. Marvel at this vast ancient landscape from a spectacular local viewing location and don’t forget your camera! We head back into the Resort for dinner.

OVERNIGHT: Wilpena Pound Resort, FLINDERS RANGES

MORE OF THE FLINDERS RANGES

This morning, we head to the tiny settlement of Blinman. Copper was discovered here by a shepherd, Robert Blinman in 1859. Blinman, who had a wooden leg and was known locally as Peg Leg, made the discovery when he broke off a chunk of rock he was sitting on whilst watching over this sheep. The mining of copper occurred from 1862 to 1918 when the ore ran out, with a total of around 10,000 tonnes of copper removed. We embark on a tour with Blinman Heritage Mine Tours after extensive excavations have made it possible to tour through the tunnels that were once worked by the Cornish miners. Next, we embark on a cultural journey with Wadna. We’ll immerse ourselves in the rich culture of the Adnyamathanha people with a Welcome to Country and centre visit which houses authentic and beautiful aboriginal paintings, homemade handbags and jewellery. We’ll also have lunch before returning to Wilpena Pound Resort where you’ll have time to enjoy the facilities at leisure or take one of the many easy walking trails within the National Park.

OVERNIGHT:  Wilpena Pound Resort, FLINDERS RANGES

FLINDERS RANGES TO CLARE

Today we leave the Flinders to start our journey back home. However, the South Australian outback has one last offering, Peterborough with its intriguing railway history. The town became hugely important as a railway link between the iron ore mines at Broken Hill and the iron and steel processing at Port Pirie. In its height, over one hundred trains a day were passing through the town. It is therefore hardly surprising that the "Steamtown" Heritage Rail Centre is a great place for you to enjoy lunch and learn more about this important SA outback town. From here we continue to Clare.

OVERNIGHT: Clare Country Club, CLARE

CLARE TO MILDURA

Driving to Burra, we will be joined on board this morning by a local expert for a fascinating tour of this charming country town, classified by the National Trust. Copper from Burra’s “Monster Mine” saved South Australia from bankruptcy in the 1840’s. It was the largest metal mine in the country employing 1,000 people. Cornish and Welsh miners flocked to Burra to work for South Australian Mining Association, and some set up homes in the dugouts hewn out of the banks of the Burra Creek. After lunch at the Burra Bakery, we continue on to Mildura for our overnight accommodation.

OVERNIGHT: Best Western Chaffey International Motor Inn, MILDURA

EXPLORING MILDURA

After breakfast, we will be introduced to Mildura by our locally based expert for a morning of sightseeing. We’ll hear about the Canadian Chaffey Brothers (George and William Benjamin) who arrived in Mildura in 1886 to establish the first irrigation scheme in Australia and hear about life on the river past and present. Our lunch break will be cruising along the river aboard the PV Rothbury. A unique feature of this cruise is travelling downstream through Lock 11, built to bypass the weir across the river. Back on dry land, we head to a lovely olive oil farm, Varapodio Estate, where we enjoy a tour and tastings of their award-winning oils. Our final visit for the day is Orange World, a working 50-acre citrus property situated just 8 minutes from Mildura over the Chaffey Bridge. We will enjoy a citrus tour around the picturesque property of avocado trees, numerous citrus varieties and tree grafting areas. There is also an opportunity to travel on the 70-seat tractor train with undercover seating for an informative commentary on a wealth of citrus information with a juicy sense of humour. 

OVERNIGHT: Best Western Chaffey International Motor Inn, MILDURA

MILDURA TO MELBOURNE

All good things must come to an end and so this morning we start the final leg of our journey home. We travel through the Wimmera-Mallee with our morning stop at Sea Lake to see the colourful silos. After lunch, we follow the Pyrenees Ranges back through Ballarat and on to Melbourne to complete a wonderful holiday!  As usual, our  chauffeurs will be on hand to take us straight to our door – all part of the O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours superior service.