MELBOURNE TO MOUNT GAMBIER

Welcome to our tour to stunning Kangaroo Island. With chauffeured pickup from home, we are transferred to meet our O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours coach and crew. Following our morning tea break, we travel to Wickliffe where we stop for lunch at Narrapumelap Mansion, an impressive French Gothic Mansion. This afternoon, our journey takes us across the border into South Australia to Mount Gambier for our first night’s accommodation.

OVERNIGHT: Presidential Motel, MOUNT GAMBIER

SPIRIT OF THE COORONG CRUISE - FLEURIEU PENINSULA

Following breakfast, we travel along the Coorong, glimpsing the Younghusband Peninsula enroute. At Meningie we board the “Spirit of the Coorong” for an informative and relaxing luncheon cruise. Our cruise takes us across the Coorong National Park. Derived from an Aboriginal word ‘karangk’ meaning narrow neck, it is one of the most breathtaking national parks in Australia. Our coach will be waiting for us in Goolwa for the drive across the Fleurieu Peninsula to our overnight accommodation in Normanville. 

OVERNIGHT: Lady Bay Resort, NORMANVILLE

KANGAROO ISLAND ENTERPRISES

This morning, we head down to Cape Jervis to board the SeaLink ferry for the 50-minute cruise across the Backstairs Passage to Penneshaw on the eastern end of Kangaroo Island. Back on dry land we start our exploration. Travelling around the harbour, we pass Pennington Bay and Prospect Hill (formerly Mount Thisby) before reaching American River, which is neither American nor does it have a river! The town is named after a group of American sealers who, in 1803, camped here alongside a narrow inlet which they mistook for a river at the time. Here, we visit the Rebuild Independence Group boathouse where a volunteer group is re­creating the 45ft United States Schooner "Independence", built by American sealers in 1803 and the first vessel ever built in South Australia. Our next stop is the Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Oil Distillery. It’s the only remaining commercial eucalyptus distillery in South Australia and is our venue for lunch today. We’ll stay on to learn about the past and present process of eucalyptus oil distilling. Our final stop for today will be Clifford’s Honey Farm - home to Kangaroo Island’s own population of Ligurian bees and the only pure strain in the world.  A visit here would not be complete without sampling their famous honey icecream! With our first day on the island complete we head to Kingscote, the island’s largest town and our home for the next three nights.

OVERNIGHT: Kangaroo Island Seaside Inn, Kingscote, KANGAROO ISLAND

MORE OF KANGAROO ISLAND

After breakfast we can look forward to another interesting day on tour. Our morning visit is to Emu Bay Lavender Farm. We will enjoy morning tea here as well as a tour. Making our way towards the centre of the island now, we arrive at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park. There are approximately 600 animals in the park covering 150 species. Owners Sam and Dana have a long wildlife background and take pride in the opportunity to support conservation through the park. It is not often that the park is without young animals that have been injured, rejected or orphaned so there may be babies to cuddle or feed also.  We have time to wander around the area and eat our picnic lunches. There is also a café on site for anything else we may feel like. We end the day by seeing the iconic Remarkable Rocks, Cape du Couedic and Admirals Arch in Flinders Chase National Park. Today we find out how wide the island is and our afternoon is spent enjoying the scenery on the way back to our hotel.

OVERNIGHT:  Kangaroo Island Seaside Inn, Kingscote, KANGAROO ISLAND

KANGAROO ISLAND WILDLIFE

We start the day travelling to Seal Bay Conservation Park, Kangaroo Island's premier tourist attraction. Here we’ll learn about the amazing lives of these endangered animals. Our experienced National Park Ranger will take us on a tour into the colony on a guided beach walk. Next stop is Raptor Domain for their In-Flight Birds of Prey demonstration. Offering a unique and entertaining experience while creating an understanding and appreciation for the bird’s role in the environment. We’ll stay on for lunch here at the Raptor Domain before returning to Kingscote for some free time to explore the town before we join up for our evening meal together at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT:  Kangaroo Island Seaside Inn, Kingscote, KANGAROO ISLAND

VICTOR HARBOR

This morning we say farewell to Kangaroo Island and board our ferry at Penneshaw for the journey back to the mainland and on to Victor Harbor. Nestled on a wide, sandy arc of Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor has been the summer holiday choice for generations of South Australians. A trip to Victor, as the locals affectionately call it, would not be complete without traversing the iconic Granite Island causeway atop the Clydesdale horse-drawn tram. We now have some free time to explore. Victor Harbor was originally a whaling centre with three whaling stations in the mid-1900s. An estimated 400 southern right whales arrived into Encounter Bay each season. Perhaps take the opportunity to visit the SA Whale Centre (own expense).

OVERNIGHT: McCracken Country Club, VICTOR HARBOR

VICTOR HARBOR TO HORSHAM

We travel to the “Heritage Town” of Strathalbyn this morning. Settled more than 175 years ago by Scottish immigrants, today the quaint town is popular for its boutique shops and beautiful heritage buildings in the historic main streets. At Tailem Bend we join the Dukes Highway through Coonalpyn - with a brief stop to view the silo artwork. The murals depict a magnificent tribute to the local school children representing “hope for the future”. Keith is our destination for lunch today and this afternoon, we make our way to Horsham for our final night on tour.

OVERNIGHT:  Horsham International Hotel, HORSHAM

HORSHAM TO MELBOURNE

Our last day together begins with a scenic drive through the spectacular Grampians National Park. A visit to this magical region would not be complete without stopping at Boroka Lookout. An easy stroll through stringybark forest leads us to two lookouts revealing panoramic views over the Halls Gap Valley, Lake Bellfield, Wonderland and Mt William Ranges. Our lunch stop is in Ararat and this afternoon, we rejoin the highway and travel via Ballarat home to Melbourne. What a great time away it’s been! As always, our chauffeurs will be on hand to take us straight to our door – all part of the O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours superior service.