MELBOURNE - SYDNEY - NEWCASTLE

Welcome to the second sector of our fantastic Coastal Road Trip as we travel from Sydney to Brisbane. With chauffeured pickup from home, we transfer 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 flight to Sydney. Here we will be welcomed by our coach crew who will assist us with our luggage, before we board the coach. We’ll stop for a lunch breack, then take the drive north to Newcastle, our base for the first three nights of our tour.

Inflight refreshments / Lunch own arrangements and expense

OVERNIGHT:  Apollo International Hotel, NEWCASTLE

GETTING TO KNOW NEWCASTLE

After breakfast, we get to know Newcastle.  First, we take the Anzac Memorial Walk right at the ocean near Bar Beach. This impressive structure was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli and the commencement of steelmaking in Newcastle. The walk is highlighted by a 160m cliff-top bridge which is adorned with striking steel silhouettes of soldiers and inscribed with close to 4,000 family names of men and women who enlisted during World War 1. Newcastle is surrounded by beautiful beaches and as we drive around the foreshore, we make our next stop at Fort Scratchley, built on the headland of Newcastle East in 1882 to defend Newcastle against possible Russian attack.  It is now a museum where they give you a map to explore the Fort on your own. For those more agile, we include a guided 

tunnel tour with a volunteer providing unique insight into the history of the site. (Unfortunately, due to the narrow stairs and hallways, the tour is unsuitable for wheelchairs or walkers.) After a lunch stop, we head to RAAF Williamtown for our visit to Fighter World, the world’s first fighter aircraft display centre. It’s here we see the history of the Australian Air Force close up.  After a wonderful day, we now head back to our hotel to relax before dinner.

OVERNIGHT:  Apollo International Hotel, NEWCASTLE

HUNTER VALLEY PRODUCE

We spend the day exploring Australia’s oldest wine growing region, the Hunter Valley. Known for its charming vineyards, beautiful landscapes and gourmet treats, we are sure to have a wonderful day. A warm welcome awaits us at Twenty 3 Twenty. On arrival we are met by a friendly staff member for a talk and sample of their famous chocolate and fudges. We may even see some being made through the windows. From here we visit Hunter Valley Cheese Company for some delicious tasters. Their cheese range is preservative free and manufactured on site to traditional cheese making recipes. Following our cheese sampling we relax in the beautiful sandstone walls and exposed antique timber rafters of Peterson Champagne House. We enjoy a delicious lunch overlooking the spectacular vineyards. Our final visit is to The Hunter Olive Centre showcasing some of the finest gourmet foods produced in the Hunter Valley. The Olive Centre has grown to be one of the largest specialty food outlets in the Hunter Valley, displaying a range of over 400 locally made products of which up to 60 are on tasting at one time. Onsite is also the Pokolbin Estate Vineyard where we can finish our day with a wine tasting. After a glorious day sampling all the Hunter Valley has to offer, we return to Newcastle.

OVERNIGHT: Apollo International Hotel, NEWCASTLE

NEWCASTLE TO PORT MACQUARIE

We now leave Newcastle and continue northward to Nabiac to visit the National Motorcycle Museum of Australia. This purpose-built complex houses 800 motorcycles and a motorcycle orientated gift shop. Among the favourite machines on display are a Kenilworth scooter (1919), a twin-cylinder water-cooled 2-stroke Scott, and a Vincent Black Knight. There is an excellent range of vintage bikes from the early nineteen hundreds and many interesting later machines. This will bring back some good memories for some of you. Our lunch break will be in the town of Nabiac before continuing on to our next stop, Bago Maze and Winery. With one of the world’s largest hedge mazes, you can wander this stunningly designed Lilly Pilly hedge maze or enjoy a glass of mulled wine whilst you take in the vineyard view. We now have a short drive to Port Macquarie where we stay for the next two nights.

OVERNIGHT: Mercure Centro, PORT MACQUARIE

EXPLORING PORT MACQUARIE

We spend the day exploring the township of beautiful Port Macquarie. The Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is a waterfront park that offers an elevated rainforest walkway with a local guide. One of Port Macquarie's landmarks is the Tacking Point Lighthouse, originally built in 1879 and restored to its natural glory. The reserve surrounding the lighthouse offers 180-degree views of the ocean and coastline of the area. From this lookout you can see as far south as the Dooragan mountains in Camden Haven and as far north as Point Plomer National Park. An upgraded accessible walkway enables people of all abilities to enjoy the breathtaking vistas. Did you know - Wild koalas are in crisis, and they could go extinct by 2050. We will visit the Koala Conservation Australia, a small rehabilitation centre for injured and sick koalas. Meet adorable koalas and learn about their care and preservation. Enjoy some time in walking along the Port Macquarie 

break-wall, where over the decades many have painted the rocks, turning it into a sort of outdoor gallery. We finish the day with a visit to Port Macquarie Museum to learn a little of the history of the area.

OVERNIGHT:  Mercure Centro, PORT MACQUARIE

PORT MACQUARIE TO COFFS HARBOUR

G’day, G’day and welcome to the Slim Dusty Centre in Kempsey. The Slim Dusty Centre is home to the famous Slim Dusty Museum and inspiring Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery. We continue on via South West Rocks to visit the Trial Bay Gaol. Step back in time on a guided tour, soaking up the history and the amazing coastal views of the Arakoon National Park. The gaol opened in 1886, after 13 years of construction. It must have been a strange feeling building a prison in such a beautiful setting. The prison labourers were there to construct a breakwater to make Trial Bay a safe harbour. Unfortunately the scheme failed, however you’ll still be able to see the remains of the breakwater from the guard tower lookout. During World War I the gaol became an internment camp for people of German descent who were feared to be enemy sympathisers.  We then continue our drive north to Coffs Harbour for our overnight stay.

OVERNIGHT: Opal Cove Resort, COFFS HARBOUR

COFFS HARBOUR TO BALLINA

We start the day with a visit to the iconic Big Banana. Known as one of Australia’s first and most loved “Big Things”, it’s the perfect place to capture a photo and perhaps indulge in one of their famous chocolate-coated bananas. From here, we visit the National Cartoon Gallery, Australia’s only dedicated gallery of its kind, showcasing clever, humorous and thought-provoking works from cartoonists across the country. Our last stop is the quirky Clog Barn and Dutch Model Village. Explore charming Dutch craftsmanship and wander through the working miniature model village. After lunch, we make our way to Ballina, the home of the Big Prawn.

OVERNIGHT:  The Islander Resort, BALLINA

EXPLORING THE AREA

We begin our day with a scenic drive to Alstonville, where we step back in time at the Crawford House Museum. This beautifully restored Federation-era home offers a fascinating glimpse into life on the Alstonville Plateau in the early 1900s, complete with period furnishings, photographs and stories of the district’s past. We then return to Ballina and visit the Ballina Naval and Maritime Museum. Here you’ll uncover the region’s rich seafaring heritage, from model ships and naval memorabilia to the remarkable story of the Las Balsas Expedition — an epic voyage in 1973 when three rafts sailed across the Pacific Ocean from Ecuador, making landfall right here in Ballina. After lunch, we return to our accommodation for a leisurely afternoon. Take a refreshing swim in the pool, enjoy the resort’s facilities, or simply unwind and relax in your own way.

OVERNIGHT:  The Islander Resort, BALLINA

BALLINA TO BRISBANE

This morning we drive the coastal road from Ballina to the popular tourist township of Byron Bay, with its beautiful beaches and “alternative” style shops. Upon arrival we visit the Byron Bay Lighthouse, where you can take a walk to the Cape Byron Headland Reserve – Australia’s most easterly point. Enjoy the breathtaking views from here before heading into the town for some free time. Next stop is at Tropical Fruit World where we enjoy a guided tractor tour around the farm and enjoy a fruit tasting show and Lunch. This afternoon we cross over the border into Queensland and the big smoke of Brisbane.

OVERNIGHT: Hotel Grand Chancellor, BRISBANE

DISCOVERING BRISBANE

This morning we take a drive to the Mt. Coot-tha Lookout, for a breathtaking panorama of Brisbane City and its surrounds from the observation deck. The lookout has been a favorite destination for both residents and visitors to Brisbane since before the turn of the century. Brisbane and Mt Coot-tha have both undergone great changes since then. In 1880, One Tree Hill, as Mt Coot-tha was then known, together with the surrounding area of 1500 acres, was declared a reserve for public recreation. From here we enjoy a River Cruise with live commentary and morning tea, taking in iconic landmarks like the Story Bridge, Kangaroo Point and the city’s riverside precincts. After the cruise we will make our way to the Plough Inn Tavern to enjoy lunch, followed by a gondola ride on the Wheel of Brisbane. To finish our day, enjoy some free time wandering the South Bank Parklands before returning back to our accommodation for our last night together.

OVERNIGHT:  Hotel Grand Chancellor, BRISBANE

BRISBANE TO MELBOURNE

With all the memories of the past week, we pack our bags for our direct flight home to Melbourne. Our chauffeurs will be on hand to take us straight to our door—all part of the O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours superior service.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement / Refreshments inflight