MELBOURNE TO BUNDABERG

Welcome to our fantastic holiday to Gympie and the World Heritage Listed Fraser Island. With chauffeured pickup from home, we travel to Melbourne Airport. Here we’ll be greeted by an O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours representative who will assist us with check in and see us onto the plane for our direct flight to the Sunshine Coast. Upon our arrival, we will be welcomed by our coach crew who will help us with our luggage before we board the coach. We then take the drive to Bundaberg for our first two-night stop over. We settle into our rooms before meeting for our first dinner together.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement / Refreshments inflight

OVERNIGHT: Sugar Country Motor Inn, BUNDABERG

BUNDABERG HIGHLIGHTS

This morning we visit Macadamias Australia and learn of the origin of the macadamia nut, how they are planted, harvested, processed and packaged. We will finish our tour with some tastings in the café. Next we visit Hinkler Hall of Aviation celebrating solo aviation pioneer, Bert Hinkler, and the wonders of innovation, adventure and spirit. Time to relax and enjoy the scenery and lunch in the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens. To finish our day, it is a must to visit the Bundaberg Rum Distillery. They state the Rum is home grown, and they mean it, priding themselves on sourcing all the ingredients locally, which they believe is the secret to the rich and bold taste of the famous Bundaberg Rum. We enjoy a guided Distillery Experience Tour and once you’ve experienced the sights and smells of the distillery, we return to the Rum tasting bar, where we can sample any of the top shelf rums from their range. Cheers to that! We return to our accommodation for a well earned rest before dinner.

OVERNIGHT: Sugar Country Motor Inn, BUNDABERG

BUNDABERG TO K’GARI

This morning we drive out to Bargara on the beach to visit the Amandine Lavender Farm. At the farm, we will learn all about growing lavender and using the produce for calming, relaxing or sleeping. They have a gift shop with a range of handmade items and unique gift lines. We then head to River Heads where you have time to stretch your legs before boarding for the barge transfer to the World Heritage K’gari (Fraser Island) and Kingfisher Bay Resort. We arrive in time to unpack for the next three-night stopover.

OVERNIGHT: Kingfisher Bay Resort, K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND)

FRASER ISLAND BEAUTY SPOTS 4WD TOUR

Today we join the full-day Beauty Spots Tour, a day of adventure seeing all the iconic K’gari (Fraser Island) sights and natural attractions. We will discover gorgeous Lake McKenzie, Central Station, Wanggoolba Creek, 75-mile beach, Maheno shipwreck, Eli Creek and the coloured sands of The Pinnacles. The tour includes lunch and refreshments, so all you need to pack is your sunscreen, swimwear and a sense of adventure. Today’s tour is in the airconditioned comfort of a custom-designed, four-wheel drive bus. As the island is all sand, this can be a bit rocky, but the vehicles are all seat belt equipped with coach seats to keep us in place. Please note you will need to be able to walk on soft sand and be able to get in and out of a 4WD vehicle today.

OVERNIGHT: Kingfisher Bay Resort, K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND)

WHALE WATCHING CRUISE

Today is an early start as we venture on an unforgettable whale watching cruise on the World Heritage-listed waters of K'gari. You will enjoy close encounters with these gentle giants in the sheltered, calm waters of the Great Sandy Strait, with whales often approaching the boats for a memorable show. We return to the resort for you to enjoy a leisurely afternoon, take a walk or relax around one of the resort pools. This afternoon, we will meet for a “Bush Tucker Talk & Taste” experience before dinner.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement

OVERNIGHT: Kingfisher Bay Resort, K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND)

K’GARI - MARYBOROUGH - GYMPIE

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before checking out and catching the 10.30am barge back to the mainland. Back on our O’Shannessy’s Coach, we head to Maryborough, where our local guide, a Mary Poppins inspired character, will hop on our coach and guide us on a fascinating Tour of Maryborough. Discover unique connections to the world’s most famous nanny, set against a backdrop of beautiful riverside parks and glorious colonial architecture. We then continue our drive to Gympie and settle in for our next two-night stay.

OVERNIGHT: Victory Hotel, GYMPIE

MARY VALLEY RATTLER

This morning we take a three-hour return trip on the Classic Rattler Run in a C17 Steam Train. We are about to travel back in history, to a time when everything was slower, a time when everybody living along the Mary River saw life through the prism of the river and the railway line was a very important part of the community. After a lunch break, we visit the Gold Mining and Historical Museum, learning about the early gold mining era, as well as displays showcasing rural, military, hospital, transport, communications and steam development in Australia. Before returning to our accommodation, we will take a drive past some heritage city sights, including Gympie’s Town Hall which was built in 1890 and situated on the spot of the original gold strike by James Nash.

OVERNIGHT: Victory Hotel, GYMPIE

HOMEWARD BOUND

Completing our memorable tour of the naturally beautiful Fraser Island and Gympie region, we return to the Sunshine Coast Airport for our return flight to Melbourne. Upon arrival, our chauffeurs will be waiting to transport us safely home with many interesting stories to tell of our Queensland adventure with O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours.

Lunch at own arrangements and expense / Refreshments inflight