MELBOURNE TO MARYSVILLE

Welcome to our autumn tour to the beautiful Yarra Valley. With chauffeured pickup from home, we are transferred to meet our O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours coach and crew, then we’re off to the lush ranges of the Dandenongs, with beautiful views, picturesque reserves and a relaxing atmosphere. Travel through the striking mountainside from Belgrave on the historic “Puffing Billy” steam train. Disembarking at the Lakeside Station, we’ll find our coach ready to take us to Rayner's Orchard, a unique boutique orchard located in the beautiful Yarra Valley. Lunch will be served first before taking a Fruit Tasting Tractor Tour. They grow around 450 varieties of fruit and have at least eight varieties of fruit every day of the year! Thanking our hosts we then make our way to Marysville and settle into our hotel for the next three nights.

OVERNIGHT: Peppers Marysville, MARYSVILLE

SIGHTS OF MARYSVILLE

Following breakfast, we head out to discover the town. We’ll have some free time to explore the charming tree lined main street of Marysville before stopping in to meet the friendly team of volunteers who help run MIRA (Marysville Information + Regional Artspace). Much more than just a Visitor Centre, the space offers an exciting gallery, as well as a retail space stocking locally made artisan wares and produce. With Mira meaning “Look” the space is the perfect connection between Tourism and the Arts. Not far away is the District and Historical Society, home to a unique collection of items based around four main themes: Pioneers, Timber, Tourism and the RSL. The museum ONLY contains items that have a direct connection to the Marysville Triangle region. It’s time for lunch so we’ll make our way to the Duck Inn for a bite to eat and some warm hospitality. Our final visit today will be Bruno’s Art & Sculpture Garden, filled with terracotta sculptures inspired by his intrepid journeys to faraway places. Since the fires, Bruno has been steadily rebuilding his handcrafted collection of clay characters. With our day complete, we make the short drive back to the motel and relax prior to dinner.

OVERNIGHT: Peppers Marysville, MARYSVILLE

YARRA VALLEY SIGHTS AND DELIGHTS

This morning we head towards Healesville on the way we visit Alowyn Gardens which started life as a blackberry infested paddock.  Designed with shade and comfort in mind, it’s been developed into six distinct areas and for those who love a beautiful garden. We will enjoy exploring the gardens before morning tea here amongst the Autumn Blaze Maple trees. Next, we visit the fascinating TarraWarra Museum of Art. It is the first privately funded, significant public visual arts museum to be set up under the Australian Government’s philanthropic measures announced in March 1999. The museum has a charter to display Australian art from the second half of the twentieth century to the present day. Then we’re off to Rochford Wines featuring breathtaking panoramic views of the Great Dividing Ranges. We’ll indulge in a wine tasting, relax over lunch and maybe take a wander around the grounds.  After our wonderful luncheon we return to our hotel for a relaxed afternoon at leisure. 

OVERNIGHT:  Peppers Marysville, MARYSVILLE

HOMEWARD BOUND

This morning marks the last day on tour; however the fun is not over yet! Today we visit Coombe – The Melba Estate, one of the largest and oldest family estates in the Yarra Valley.  Established in the late 1800’s and once the home of famous opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, it is still owned and operated by her descendants, the Vestey family.  The history, elegance, beauty and romance of Coombe – The Melba Estate makes it a unique place to visit. The Coombe Cottage property includes seven acres of historic, landscaped gardens and today we enjoy a lovely morning tea followed by a tour of the gardens. From here we head to Wandin North to experience the history, elegance and beauty of Mont De Lancey Historic Homestead where pioneer Henry Sebire, a stonemason, migrated from Guernsey in the Channel Islands, arriving in Melbourne in 1850. In 1867 Henry, together with wife Martha and their four children settled in Wandin Yallock, where Henry leased 80 acres of newly surveyed Crown Land. They cleared the bush to grow food for the growing Melbourne population. We’ll be treated to a delightful lunch followed by a tour of the stunning gardens. What a lovely way to finish our fabulous tour! Later this afternoon, we meander our way back to Melbourne where our chauffeurs will be waiting to take us to our very doors!