MELBOURNE TO ALBURY

Welcome to our Christmas in July tour to Albury.  With chauffeured pickup from home, we are transferred to meet our O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours coach and crew. This morning we travel north along the Hume Highway, stopping for our morning break enroute. At Nagambie we step aboard the Goulburn Explorer for our lunch cruise on the scenic waterways of Victoria’s picturesque Goulburn River. On conclusion of our cruise we reboard the coach and head to Albury.

OVERNIGHT:  Quality Resort Siesta, ALBURY

EXPLORING ALBURY

Following breakfast, we take a look around Albury.  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. The monument was actually constructed in 1923 and stands 493 feet above sea level. Next we make our way down to the Albury Botanical Gardens. The gardens feature an impressive plant collection of both native and exotic origins. We then see Albury Railway Station which, in 1883, became a “change over station” for passengers between Melbourne and Sydney due to the different rail gauge used in NSW and Victoria. The station has the longest platform in NSW. After our busy morning we’re off for a special Christmas in July lunch with all the trimmings!  This afternoon, there’s some free time – perhaps make a visit to the Murray Arts Museum Albury (MAMA). Re-opened in October 2015, every corner of MAMA is bold, vibrant and alive. Along with an emphasis on innovative, self-curated exhibitions, MAMA features a stunning 24-hour 'art skin', interactive workshops and immersive cultural experiences. MAMA reimagines what a gallery can be! After our festive lunch, a light supper will be served tonight.

OVERNIGHT:  Quality Resort Siesta, ALBURY

WONDONGA AND CORRYONG

This morning we visit the Bonegilla Migrant Experience. Built as the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre in 1947 and until 1971 served as Australia's largest and longest operating migrant centre. We then head up the Murray Valley, travelling via Wodonga to Tallangatta where we stop for lunch. From here we drive to Corryong where we visit The Man From Snowy River Museum, which links Banjo Paterson’s ballad of the same name to the Upper Murray and Jack Riley. The Man from Snowy River Folk Museum sheds some interesting insights into the life of the pioneers and their ingenuity and it has an extraordinary exhibition of old skiing equipment. We also visit the Corryong cemetery and the grave of Jack Riley, believed to be the Man from Snowy River. After an interesting day, we return to Albury.

OVERNIGHT:  Quality Resort Siesta, ALBURY

CULCAIRN AND THE LOCKAHRT FARM SCULPTURES

Leaving Albury for the day we head to Culcairn to discover its colonial heritage. Culcairn was a major rail junction during the era of steam trains. Visit the heritage-listed Station House Museum to uncover intriguing railway history and memorabilia. The museum is housed in an impressive two-storey building, which was the home to 17 stations masters and their families from 1883 to 1979. Next, we visit the Marrocka Emu Farm, located in the hills near The Rock, where they raise approximately 200 emus. These emus are marketed for their leather, feathers, meat and most importantly their oil. The tour covers the stages from the incubation of chicks to adult breeding and a talk on the industry history. Arriving in Lockhart there are 20 various farm art sculptures for us to look at, with several being the winning pieces of the Spirit of the Land Festival. After lunch, we visit The Greens Gunyah Museum and the Doris Golder Gallery. The portraits in this collection were created using washed wool from white and coloured sheep, no dyes were used.  Doris spent over 14 years successfully creating these rare pieces of art, during which time over 30 portraits were completed.  Several of her more well-known subjects corresponded with Doris and requests to display the portraits were also numerous, some even being displayed at the Parliament House in Canberra.

OVERNIGHT:  Quality Resort Siesta, 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 late 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.