MELBOURNE TO LAKES ENTRANCE

Welcome to our exciting tour to Brigadoon. With chauffeured pickup from home, we are transferred to meet our O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours coach and crew, and make our way to Yarragon for our morning tea break. Continuing to Sale, we take a stroll down memory lane at the Museum of Timeless Memories—from hats to harvesters, pumps to pots, there is something for everyone at this eclectic museum. We stay for lunch and this afternoon we arrive into Lakes Entrance for our overnight stay. We’ll check in and freshen up for dinner.

OVERNIGHT: Bellevue on the Lakes, LAKES ENTRANCE 

LAKES ENTRANCE TO BATEMANS BAY

We are heading onto the NSW South Coast today as we make our way to Batemans Bay. Our morning stop is in Orbost at the Orbost Exhibition Centre, located on the Snowy River and surrounded by beautiful Forest Park. The exhibition is all about timber - including the National Collection of Wood Design, on permanent display. Designed on several levels we have time to enjoy a retail showroom, a gallery for professional artists and a top level for views of Forest Park. From here we continue east along the Princes Highway through Cann River and Genoa and across the border to Boydtown. Benjamin Boyd, the son of a London Banker, established Boydtown at Twofold Bay in the mid 1800’s as his headquarters from where he ran his whaling and grazing exploits. Boyd had grandiose ideas of developing Boydtown to a stage not only to rival nearby Eden but Sydney itself. His grand plans never eventuated and the only buildings erected were Boyd’s Church, the Lookout Tower and the Seahorse Inn. Here we’ll enjoy a light lunch in the olde world ambiance of the Seahorse Inn. After lunch, we can take a stroll around the estate as the Inn is set amidst sprawling lawns and lush gardens. This afternoon, we travel through Eden to Bega, stopping briefly at the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre before continuing to Narooma and onto Batemans Bay.

OVERNIGHT:  Sunseeker Motor Inn, BATEMANS BAY

BATEMANS BAY TO MITTAGONG

Today we make our way up the coast then inland travelling through the picturesque Kangaroo Valley. Taking in the scenery, we’ll travel over the historic Hamden Bridge, designed with gothic Victorian sandstone towers that make it look like the entrance to a secret medieval castle. We come to the Fitzroy Falls Visitors Centre, located in the middle of the cool rainforest where we meet our guide for an Interpretive Tour and stroll along the boardwalk to the top of the Fitzroy Falls. The scenery is stunning! Last stop for the day is the exciting Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk. There is some walking involved but the views over the treetops and down the Illawarra coastline are magnificent. Retracing our steps a little, we continue on to Mittagong, home for the next two nights.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement 

OVERNIGHT: Springs Mittagong, MITTAGONG

BUNDANOON IS BRIGADOON

Today we experience the excitement of the Annual Highland Gathering – “Brigadoon”. Thousands line the streets as the Parade begins where hundreds of pipes and drums, colourful floats and displays, marchers and vintage cars make their way to the grounds for the games.  We have pre-arranged our tickets, the profits from their sale contributing to many worthwhile charities and community causes in the Bundanoon area.  As the Official Opening ceremony takes place, the Chieftain of the Day welcomes visitors to the gathering, inspects the massed bands and clan representatives, and presides over the day. After the inspection, the bands retire and the games begin.  Discover Scottish Country & Highland dancing, individual Pipe Band displays and for the dog-lovers, Highland Cavaliers and Southern Highland Kennel & Obedience Club. Enjoy the traditional and not-so-traditional games from caber toss, shot putt to hay toss haggis hurling! What fun!  The day ends with the Closing Ceremony after which, we return to our accommodation in Mittagong.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement 

OVERNIGHT:  Springs Mittagong, MITTAGONG 

MITTAGONG TO ALBURY

We farewell our hosts in Mittagong and begin our journey home. We stop at Gundagai, home to the Dog on the Tuckerbox, for our morning break. We continue travelling to Holbrook. You might think it's a bit odd to find a life sized submarine in the middle of rural NSW? Our visit to the Submarine Museum will reveal why the HMAS Otway's final resting spot came to be in Holbrook. Through an amazing holograph presentation we will hear how a brave young Submariner, whose exploits during the First World War earned him the honour of having a town named after him. Lunch is at the café right next door. This afternoon we drive to Albury for our final night on tour.

OVERNIGHT:  Quality Resort Siesta, ALBURY 

ALBURY TO MELBOURNE

Continuing our journey home, we are off to enjoy the silos of Victoria. We begin in the small town of Tungamah, where the silo features much loved Australian wildlife including the iconic Kookaburra, pink and grey Galah and sulphur crested Cockatoo. Not far from here is our next silo, St James. Artist Tim Bowtell depicts a mural of Sir George Coles, the founder of Coles Supermarkets who was a local to the St James township. In Devenish, see Cam Scale’s artwork representing the changing role of women in the military – a First World War nurse and a modern-day combat medic, along with a tribute to the Australian Light Horse. Our last silos in Goorambat feature a Barking Owl, which is critically endangered as well as Clydesdales Sam, Clem and Banjo under working harness.  Here we also visit the ‘Sophia’ mural, representing the female aspect of the Holy Trinity on the wall inside the Uniting Church. We stop in Benalla for our last lunch together before continuing to Melbourne, where our chauffeurs will be waiting to take us home, concluding our fantastic time away with O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours!