5 DAY FULLY INCLUSIVE TOUR
30TH APRIL TO 4TH MAY 2021
The Koroit Irish Festival celebrates the region’s rich Irish heritage. Nestled on the northern slopes of the dormant Tower Hill volcano, the unique and character filled Koroit has been acclaimed as one of Australia’s most complete examples of an early Irish settlement. The Festival celebrates all things Gaelic including a full-scale Gaelic football match. Throw in some great food vendors, market stalls and some “Shamrock “n” Roll” and you have a memorable experience.
TOUR MAP
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Barwon Park Mansion, Botanic Gardens, Gaelic Football match, Cheeseworld, Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Apostle Whey Cheese, GORGE Chocolates, Port Campbell National Park, Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Timboon Cheesery and Timboon Fine Icecream.
MULTIPLE NIGHT STAYS
4 nights in Warrnambool.
PRICE
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Twin Share Room First Tour: Twin Share Room Repeat Traveller 2 - 10 Tours: Twin Share Room Repeat Traveller 11 - 20 Tours: Twin Share Room Repeat Traveller 21+ Tours: Single Room Supplement: Deposit: |
$TBA per person $TBA per person $TBA per person $TBA per person $TBA per person $200 per person upon booking |
O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours will match single travellers who wish to twin share, with another single traveller of the same gender.
However, if this is not possible, you shall be provided with single accommodation at the twin share fare (no additional cost).
However, if this is not possible, you shall be provided with single accommodation at the twin share fare (no additional cost).
TOUR MAP
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ITINERARY
DAY 1: friday 30th april, 2021
MELBOURNE TO WARRNAMBOOL VIA GREAT OCEAN ROAD
Welcome to our 5 day tour to Warrnambool on the West Coast. From Melbourne we travel via the West Gate Bridge and Princes Highway to Winchelsea. We take a break at a historic house – Barwon Park Mansion. This majestic 42-room bluestone mansion and stables is largely in its original condition, resonating with the glory of Victoria's pastoral heritage. After a tour and a light lunch we continue to Colac where we are joined on the coach by our local guide. The town is the main centre of a prosperous, closely settled agricultural district. Our tour includes the Botanic Gardens that, like the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, were influenced by William Guilfoyle who remodelled them in 1910 - but they date back to the nineteenth century. Listed on the Australian heritage register, the gardens contain a number of significant specimens. From here we continue through to Warrnambool and check into our accommodation for the next four nights. This evening we are attending the Gala opening of the Koroit Irish Festival, which promises to be a lot of fun!
OVERNIGHT: Quality Suites, WARRNAMBOOL
Welcome to our 5 day tour to Warrnambool on the West Coast. From Melbourne we travel via the West Gate Bridge and Princes Highway to Winchelsea. We take a break at a historic house – Barwon Park Mansion. This majestic 42-room bluestone mansion and stables is largely in its original condition, resonating with the glory of Victoria's pastoral heritage. After a tour and a light lunch we continue to Colac where we are joined on the coach by our local guide. The town is the main centre of a prosperous, closely settled agricultural district. Our tour includes the Botanic Gardens that, like the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, were influenced by William Guilfoyle who remodelled them in 1910 - but they date back to the nineteenth century. Listed on the Australian heritage register, the gardens contain a number of significant specimens. From here we continue through to Warrnambool and check into our accommodation for the next four nights. This evening we are attending the Gala opening of the Koroit Irish Festival, which promises to be a lot of fun!
OVERNIGHT: Quality Suites, WARRNAMBOOL
day 2: saturday 1st may, 2021
KOROIT IRISH FESTIVAL
Koroit’s claim as the Irish heartland of Australia is not made lightly. Koroit’s current population of about 1500 people is still dominated by families of Irish decent with Irish names common throughout the township. The rich volcanic farmland of the area drew Irish potato farmers to Koroit who had fled the famine and couldn’t believe their luck to find a piece of Ireland in their new country. Over the next two days, the Koroit Irish Festival celebrates the region’s rich Irish heritage. Highlights include the Gaelic games carnival - including a full-scale Gaelic football match, the Australian Danny Boy Championships, market stalls and food vendors. Plus there are more musicians than you can shake a sheleighly at, with ditties ranging from traditional Irish folk right through to shamrock ‘n’ roll. While there is always great music, song, comedy and dance at the festival, there are also a wide range of other activities that make the Koroit Irish Festival unique and a weekend of fun unmatched anywhere out of Ireland herself!
OVERNIGHT: Quality Suites, WARRNAMBOOL
Koroit’s claim as the Irish heartland of Australia is not made lightly. Koroit’s current population of about 1500 people is still dominated by families of Irish decent with Irish names common throughout the township. The rich volcanic farmland of the area drew Irish potato farmers to Koroit who had fled the famine and couldn’t believe their luck to find a piece of Ireland in their new country. Over the next two days, the Koroit Irish Festival celebrates the region’s rich Irish heritage. Highlights include the Gaelic games carnival - including a full-scale Gaelic football match, the Australian Danny Boy Championships, market stalls and food vendors. Plus there are more musicians than you can shake a sheleighly at, with ditties ranging from traditional Irish folk right through to shamrock ‘n’ roll. While there is always great music, song, comedy and dance at the festival, there are also a wide range of other activities that make the Koroit Irish Festival unique and a weekend of fun unmatched anywhere out of Ireland herself!
OVERNIGHT: Quality Suites, WARRNAMBOOL
DAY 3: sunday 2nd may, 2021
WARRNAMBOOL
Following breakfast we embark on a guided tour of Warrnambool. Located on the spectacular Shipwreck Coast, Warrnambool is a region with a rich maritime history and is the final resting place of over 180 wrecks. Dropping off our guide we travel out to Cheeseworld, the home of award winning cheeses, at nearby Allansford. We enjoy a tasting here then head to the Botanic Gardens. The gardens were planned by William Guilfoyle who later became a director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. In 1877 he designed an appropriate layout of sweeping lawns, long curving paths where the viewer can gaze into the distance. Following lunch (at own cost) and some free time, we spend the remainder of the afternoon at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village where we are in for a real treat! Oddball, the movie starring Shane Jacobson, was released nationally in September, 2015 and follows the true story of the Middle Island Maremma Project. They use Maremma dogs to guard the local Little Penguin colony. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is home to the real Maremma dogs (Eudy and Tula) and today we will have the chance to meet them and to learn why Middle Island Maremma’s are needed, their success and of course why they are suited to the role of penguin guardians. It will be a fascinating tour. Our focus is then on the maritime history of the region as we enjoy a wander through the State Heritage listed Lady Bay Lighthouse precinct, overlooking Lady Bay. Flagstaff Hill holds the richest collection of Shipwreck artefacts in Australia. Scattered throughout the Village are a range of trades that supported the rich maritime heritage of the late 1800s. We stay for dinner at Pippies by the Bay restaurant followed by the wonderful show, “Shipwrecked”. This is a spectacular sound and laser show that takes us on a journey through a raging ocean, flanked by an unforgiving coastline. It is the true story of a Melbourne bound clipper with a priceless statue on board.
OVERNIGHT: Quality Suites, WARRNAMBOOL
Following breakfast we embark on a guided tour of Warrnambool. Located on the spectacular Shipwreck Coast, Warrnambool is a region with a rich maritime history and is the final resting place of over 180 wrecks. Dropping off our guide we travel out to Cheeseworld, the home of award winning cheeses, at nearby Allansford. We enjoy a tasting here then head to the Botanic Gardens. The gardens were planned by William Guilfoyle who later became a director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. In 1877 he designed an appropriate layout of sweeping lawns, long curving paths where the viewer can gaze into the distance. Following lunch (at own cost) and some free time, we spend the remainder of the afternoon at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village where we are in for a real treat! Oddball, the movie starring Shane Jacobson, was released nationally in September, 2015 and follows the true story of the Middle Island Maremma Project. They use Maremma dogs to guard the local Little Penguin colony. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is home to the real Maremma dogs (Eudy and Tula) and today we will have the chance to meet them and to learn why Middle Island Maremma’s are needed, their success and of course why they are suited to the role of penguin guardians. It will be a fascinating tour. Our focus is then on the maritime history of the region as we enjoy a wander through the State Heritage listed Lady Bay Lighthouse precinct, overlooking Lady Bay. Flagstaff Hill holds the richest collection of Shipwreck artefacts in Australia. Scattered throughout the Village are a range of trades that supported the rich maritime heritage of the late 1800s. We stay for dinner at Pippies by the Bay restaurant followed by the wonderful show, “Shipwrecked”. This is a spectacular sound and laser show that takes us on a journey through a raging ocean, flanked by an unforgiving coastline. It is the true story of a Melbourne bound clipper with a priceless statue on board.
OVERNIGHT: Quality Suites, WARRNAMBOOL
DAY 4: monday 3rd may, 2021
THE 12 APOSTLES GOURMET TRAIL
Today is a day for tempting the tastebuds as we follow the 12 Apostles Gourmet Trail! We make our way to Cooriemungle to visit Apostle Whey Cheese, a genuine ‘paddock to plate’ operation. We’ll have an interesting chat and a chance to taste their wares! It’s then a short trip to our next stop: GORGE Chocolates, producers of handmade chocolates using a special type of Belgian chocolate. At Princeton we pick up the Great Ocean Road where it rejoins the coast and runs the full length of the Port Campbell National Park. We pass the Twelve Apostles - huge pillars looming out of the surf, carved over time by the fury of the ocean; Loch Ard Gorge, where in 1878 the iron hulled clipper Loch Ard was driven out onto rocks offshore. Of the 50 or so on board only two were to survive, being swept into the narrow gorge now named after their ill-fated vessel. After lunch in Port Campbell we’re now off to Timboon to the Timboon Cheesery. We’ll have a talk and the chance of a taste of their speciality product. Last call today is Timboon Fine Icecream, a refreshing way to end our Gourmet Trail day!
OVERNIGHT: Quality Suites, WARRNAMBOOL
Today is a day for tempting the tastebuds as we follow the 12 Apostles Gourmet Trail! We make our way to Cooriemungle to visit Apostle Whey Cheese, a genuine ‘paddock to plate’ operation. We’ll have an interesting chat and a chance to taste their wares! It’s then a short trip to our next stop: GORGE Chocolates, producers of handmade chocolates using a special type of Belgian chocolate. At Princeton we pick up the Great Ocean Road where it rejoins the coast and runs the full length of the Port Campbell National Park. We pass the Twelve Apostles - huge pillars looming out of the surf, carved over time by the fury of the ocean; Loch Ard Gorge, where in 1878 the iron hulled clipper Loch Ard was driven out onto rocks offshore. Of the 50 or so on board only two were to survive, being swept into the narrow gorge now named after their ill-fated vessel. After lunch in Port Campbell we’re now off to Timboon to the Timboon Cheesery. We’ll have a talk and the chance of a taste of their speciality product. Last call today is Timboon Fine Icecream, a refreshing way to end our Gourmet Trail day!
OVERNIGHT: Quality Suites, WARRNAMBOOL
DAY 5: tuesday 4th may, 2021
WARRNAMBOOL TO MELBOURNE
After completing our check out formalities we begin the tour home. We are going to travel via the western section of the Great Ocean Road again – for a second look - but this time we won’t stop as we make our way into the Otway Ranges to the north of Apollo Bay. Our lunch stop is at the spectacular Otway Fly – a tree top walk, the longest and highest canopy walk of its kind in the world. There is a 300-meter 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 you need it – and the tree tops view of the Otway's is an experience well worth the effort! We have arranged a BBQ lunch here before we tour through Gellibrand and back to Colac to rejoin the Princes Highway for the drive home.
After completing our check out formalities we begin the tour home. We are going to travel via the western section of the Great Ocean Road again – for a second look - but this time we won’t stop as we make our way into the Otway Ranges to the north of Apollo Bay. Our lunch stop is at the spectacular Otway Fly – a tree top walk, the longest and highest canopy walk of its kind in the world. There is a 300-meter 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 you need it – and the tree tops view of the Otway's is an experience well worth the effort! We have arranged a BBQ lunch here before we tour through Gellibrand and back to Colac to rejoin the Princes Highway for the drive home.
TOUR INCLUSIONS
Complimentary chauffeur driven transfers
Victorian passengers from Greater Melbourne, Bendigo, Torquay, Ballarat, Geelong, the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas, Phillip Island and selected areas of Gippsland will be picked up from home in a private chauffeured vehicle by one of our professional drivers.
For Victorian passengers not within this pick up zone, or our interstate passengers a quote can be provided for home pickup in extended areas. At the end of your tour, you will be safely returned home with memories of a sensational tour.
O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours Touring Coach
Features include comfy reclining seats for a maximum of 36 passengers with plenty of leg room to stretch out.
Arm and foot rests, seat belts, panoramic windows with blinds, refrigerator for passenger use, Road Cam screens which display the road ahead in real time and an onboard rest room. A second door for easier entry and exit,
a hands-free hand sanitizer dispenser onboard and full air suspension for a smooth, quiet ride.
Tour Director
Dedicated O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours coach crew (tour directors) on board to ensure
your travel experience is memorable.
Best Available Quality Accommodation
Ensuite motel accommodation each night.
Attractions
All tours and interest venues as per itinerary.
Meals
Full cooked breakfasts, morning tea, most lunches (1 lunch at own arrangement and expense) and two course restaurant dinners daily.
No Hidden Extras
O'Shannessy's Quality Tours are fully inclusive.
“... The Koroit Irish Festival is home to some the best Irish music, dance, comedy and song in Australia. After all, we are the heart of Ireland in Australia....”
koroitirishfestival
PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION POLICY
Balance due on invoice approximately 30 days prior to departure.
Deposit is fully refundable until 31 days prior to departure date.
Prices include GST and all taxes.
Cancellation 30 to 8 days before tour departure date, 20% Refund of Tour Cost
Cancellation within 7 days of tour departure date, No Refund
On or after tour date departure, No Refund
Travel Insurance is not compulsory, however we highly recommended you take out comprehensive travel insurance with a reputable insurer at the time you pay for your tour.