MELBOURNE TO ALBURY

Welcome to our Christmas tour to Albury. With chauffeured pickup from home, we are transferred to meet our O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours coach and crew to begin our journey north. We stop in Benalla for lunch, then this afternoon we take a drive around Benalla taking in some of the Street Art – artists from around the world were brought together to paint murals on bare walls, some over three stories high. Not far from here we see our first art silo - the Goorambat Silo – featuring the endangered Barking Owl. Whilst in Goorambat we will also see the impressive “Sophia” mural in the Uniting Church. In Devenish, we’ll be amazed at Cam Scale’s artwork of a First World War nurse, a modern-day combat medic and a Lighthorseman and his trusty steed. In St James you will notice a large mural of Sir George Coles, the founder of Coles Supermarkets and the town has a plaque showing where his first business was located. Our last stop today is in Tungamah to see brolgas and a kookaburra. Each silo has a different artist and a different story! We continue on to Albury where we are staying for the next four nights.

OVERNIGHT: Mantra Albury, ALBURY

ALBURY—CORRYONG—TALLANGATTA

This morning we visit the Bonegilla Migrant Experience. The migrant experience features the remnant huts and buildings of “Block 19”, one of the original 24 accommodation blocks and other buildings that once covered a 130ha area. The original complex was built as the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre in 1947 and until 1971 served as Australia’s largest and longest operating migrant centre. It was the first Australian home for more than 300,000 post war migrants from over 50 countries. From here we travel to Corryong, for lunch at Legends on Hansen Cafe before a visit to the Man from Snowy River Museum which links Banjo Patterson’s ballad of the same name with local settler, Jack Riley. The museum sheds some interesting insights into the life of the pioneers and their ingenuity and it has an extraordinary exhibition of old skiing equipment. After an interesting day, we return to Albury.

OVERNIGHT: Mantra Albury, ALBURY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

There will be time to attend church services this morning if you wish. We’ll take a quick tour of Albury this morning. Prominent hills lie at each end of Dean Street and offer excellent vistas of Albury and the surrounds. Once aptly named Eastern Hill and Western Hill, a memorial Pillar (to the soldiers of WWI) resulted in the name change from Western Hill to Monument Hill. We then see the Albury Railway Station which in 1883 became a “change over station” for passengers between Melbourne and Sydney due to the different rail gauge using in NSW and Victoria. The station has the longest platform in NSW. Returning to our hotel, we prepare for our Christmas Lunch with all the trimmings! The afternoon can be filled with a post-Christmas lunch snooze or simply relaxing.  A light supper will be offered for those who are feeling peckish this evening.

OVERNIGHT:  Mantra Albury, ALBURY

HOLBROOK

We drive to Holbrook this morning where we have a locally based guide who will join us today and introduce us to the area. One of our stops will be at the Submarine Museum. You might think it's a bit odd to find a life sized submarine in the middle of rural NSW? Our visit 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. We also have time to take a look at the National Museum of Australian Pottery – another of Holbrook’s interesting attractions. There are over 1500 pieces of domestic pottery on display from 120 companies established between European settlement and 1920 and include a few rare examples made by the convict Jonathan Leak who's few surviving pieces are the earliest pottery produced in Australia. We also visit the Woolpack Inn - a two storey historic building with heritage listing. It is named after the Woolpack Inn which was opened by John Mitten in 1839. The building remained as a hotel until it was converted to a museum in 1971. There are 22 rooms of exhibits some of which depict the way the local residents lived in the 19th century. There is also a "War Room" telling the story of service personnel from the Holbrook  area serving in the first and second world wars. After lunch, we head to Culcairn, renowned for its National Trust classified buildings. Notable landmarks include the grand Culcairn Hotel, boasting Germanic architecture, an elegant restaurant, and impressive leadlight windows. The Culcairn Railway Station, with the adjacent Station House Museum, preserves the town's character through original 19th-century architecture, making it one of Australia's best examples. The red brick Culcairn Memorial Hall stands as another significant architectural site, housing honor rolls commemorating the town's veterans. From here we make our way back to Albury where we have time to freshen up before our last dinner together.

OVERNIGHT: Mantra Albury, ALBURY 

ALBURY TO MELBOURNE

Farewelling Albury, we make our way south to the historic village of Chiltern, a fascinating small historic town of some 1400 people which is distinguished by its historic streetscape of well-preserved brick buildings and old-fashioned timber verandahs.  From here we head to Rutherglen and a visit to the local tourist information centre which houses the Rutherglen Wine Experience. We can see displays on Rutherglen’s rich history, how wines are made and by whom. Late morning now, so it probably won’t be too early in the day to sample one or two of the fortified wines that the area is so famous for! Our lunch venue is in Euroa. From here we make our way home – our chauffeurs will be on hand to take us straight to our door – all part of the O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours superior service.