The Aboriginal meaning for Warrnambool is & quote between two rivers, which accurately describes the cits’ location between the Merri and Hopkins Rivers. The city is bounded on a third side by ocean and spectacular beaches. Warrnambool is the centre of a region known as the “Shipwreck Coast”. At least 28 wrecks are listed in the Warrnambool area and a further 29 at Port Fairy. The coastline, although extremely dangerous for the early sailors, is absolutely spectacular. One of the best ways to discover the history and heritage of the area is via a visit to the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village Museum that recreates the appearance, atmosphere and activities apparent in a small coastal port during the 50 years prior to 1900. A highlight of our tour will be the sound and light spectacular “Shipwrecked” which will be performed at the Village.
Day 1 (LD): Mt GAMBIER TO WARRNAMBOOL – Monday 20 May, 2019. Welcome to our 5-day tour to Warrnambool. Following our pick-up service we are set to go. We head across to Hamilton and onto a little village called Wickliffe. Our lunch stop is at Narrapumelap - an impressive French Gothic Mansion. Its original owner, John Dixon Wyselaskie (1818-1883) was a successful pastoralist and a Philanthropist. We will enjoy a tour here and a light lunch before travelling onto Warrnambool – a beautiful seaside city on the shores of Lady Bay. More than 100 ships and boats were wrecked within 80 kilometres from Warrnambool, hence the current name for the area - The Shipwreck Coast. We check in to our accommodation and settle in before dinner in the restaurant. (Meal Inclusions: Light lunch/Welcome dinner in the motel)) Gateway Motor Inn, Warrnambool 03 55628622 – 4 nights
Day 2 (BLD): EXPLORING WARRNAMBOOL – Tuesday 21 May, 2019. This morning we will meet our guide for a tour of Warrnambool. Gardens are a feature of Warrnambool. The Warrnambool Botanic Gardens were also planned by William Guilfoyle. He later became a director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. We head off to nearby Allansford to visit Allansford Cheese World – home of award winning cheeses. They have a museum on the premises which will be interesting to wander through. We enjoy a cheese tasting and lunch before returning to Warrnambool. This afternoon we visit the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. Supported by the local community this delightful complex authentically recreates the appearance, atmosphere and activities apparent in a small coastal port during the 50 years prior to 1900. It presents and preserves material, artefacts and vessels relating to Australia’s early maritime museum. And tonight we relive that era! The night time sound and laser show called “Shipwrecked” it recreates the
tragic story of the Loch Ard Shipwreck that took place in local waters more than 120 years ago. It will be one of our highlights of our holiday. (Meal Inclusions: Breakfast in the motel, lunch at Allansford Cheese world, dinner at Shipwrecked)
Day 3 (BLD): PORT FAIRY – Wednesday 22 May, 2019. This morning we have a later start to the day after our spectacular night before. We head to the small fishing village of Port Fairy travelling through the Tower Hill State Game Reserve. The 614 hectare reserve is situated in the crater of an extinct volcano which formed thousands of years ago when a violent eruption created the funnel-shaped crater which was later filled by the lake with its various small islets. The reserve is home to kangaroos, koalas, wombats, sugar gliders, possums, echidnae, numerous waterbirds (including Cape Barren geese, musk ducks,
spoonbills and chestnut teals) and some very bold emus! We’ll drive through the reserve via a one way scenic road, over a land bridge to the main body of land which is virtually surrounded by Tower Hill Lake. We continue on to Port Fairy. Port Fairy’s rich, maritime history and its colonial character have been faithfully preserved. Seaman’s blue-stone cottages rub shoulders with gracious commercial and
administrative buildings. Its fine antique shops, pubs and restaurants are all housed in original Victorian buildings - The National Trust has classified 50 of them. On arrival we have time at leisure to enjoy the township. We meet up with our local guide for a tour of the area before our lunch at the Caledonian Inn Hotel. Early afternoon, we return to Warrnambool and have some free time before dinner. (Meal
Inclusions: Breakfast & Camp; dinner in the mote/Pub lunch)
Day 4 (BLD): THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD - Thursday 23 May, 2019. We depart Warrnambool this morning for our day trip along the full length of the Port Campbell National Park - the western section of the Great Ocean Road, spanning over 200km of spectacular coastline, known also as The Shipwreck Coast.
The road is an engineering feat, built by returned servicemen as a permanent memorial to those who died while fighting in WWI. Its completion took over 10 years and on the 6th of November 1932, it was officially opened by the Lieutenant Governor Sir William Irvine. We’ll make several stops along the way to see
interesting landmarks such the well-known London Bridge, once a bridge-like promontory arching across a furious sea. However in 1990 it collapsed dramatically into the sea, stranding a handful of amazed (and extremely lucky) visitors at the far end! We’ll also see the famous Twelve Apostles - huge stacks which loom out of the surf, carved over time by the fury of the ocean - Sailors originally referred to the stacks as “The Old Sow and her Piglets”! - Leaving the coast, we wind our way through the slopes of the Otway Ranges and the Otway National Park. The spectacular Otway Fly is a tree top walk, the longest and highest canopy walk of its kind in the world. There is a 300-metre flat walk from the carpark to the Visitors
Centre so wear some comfortable shoes. There are also a number of steps but there is some buggy style transportation if we need it – and the treetop view of the Otways is an experience well worth the effort! We’ll have lunch here before the return trip back to Warrnambool.
(Meal Inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Light lunch at the Otway Fly)
Day 5 (BL): THE LOWER GLENELG RIVER TO HOME – Friday 24 May, 2019. Today we farewell our hosts and checkout of our hotel and depart the area. We head to Nelson, located just before the South Australian Border. Nelson is a pretty village located on the Glenelg River. It’s here this beautiful river, which flows through the Lower Glenelg National Park, enters the Southern Ocean. The very best way to see the national park is by boat, so today we have arranged a Luncheon river cruise to see, close up, this dramatic region. Back on dry land we now head for home arriving mid-afternoon. (Meal Inclusions: Breakfast in motel, Luncheon Cruise)
All itineraries are subject to change due to occasional restrictions in opening times/days of some
attractions, e.g. churches, wineries etc. We cannot be held responsible for any changes due toclosures, inclement weather etc.
$1188.00 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE
$325.00 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
Deposit of $500.00 payable on booking,
balance 60 days prior to tour departure.
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Cancellation insurance is not included but strongly recommended.
Cancellation Policy:
More than 20 days - loss of remainder of deposit.
20-14 days - 50% of payment
Less than 14 days - 100% of payment.
