Tastes of Southern Australia

As hard as it is to say goodbye to Sydney, it’s just as easy to say hello to the Southern Highlands. South of the ‘Harbour City’, the bucolic countryside of Berrima awaits – fun fact: this is the oldest Georgian village in Australia. Further on, you’re welcomed to Gold Creek Station by sheep farmer Craig Starr for a Be My Guest BBQ lunch and tales about life on the land. Onward to the country’s cool little capital, home to Parliament House, where you’ll go behind the political scenes. Tonight, join your Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner.

Get some Canberra perspective from the summit of Mt. Ainslie. You won’t be able to see the Murray River, but you’ll soon cross it en route to Beechworth, Victoria’s best-preserved gold rush town. We’ll give you the Beechworth lowdown, then set you on your way to explore character-filled antiques stores, galleries and museums at your leisure. There are plenty of charming places to refuel, as well, before Wangaratta’s cathedrals beckon.

Meandering south toward historic Glenrowan, you’re well and truly in Ned Kelly country – this is where the infamous bushranger and his gang were finally captured in 1880. We’ll tell you all the tales, then a few more about Melbourne, the home of Aussie rules football, some of the country’s best arts institutions, and a swag of stellar restaurants, cafés and bars. Once you have your bearings, explore as you will. We can help with evening restaurant reservations.

You’re on your own today. Well, not really, because your Travel Director is at your service to help arrange optional sightseeing experiences. After you’ve enjoyed a strong coffee in one of Melbourne’s atmospheric laneways, that is. Adrenaline junkie? Linger in the city, gaining bird’s-eye views from the Melbourne Skydeck at the Eureka Tower. Animal lover? Venture to Phillip Island to see hundreds of little penguins pad along the sand.

The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most epic journeys, a dramatic 240-kilometre union of limestone stacks (Twelve Apostles, we’re looking at you), World Heritage listed rainforest, untouched coastal coves and sleepy towns, like Lorne and Apollo Bay. It’s hard to know where to point your camera. We recommend having it poised to snap shots of the Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge rock formations. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Emus, kangaroos, koalas, echidnas… These are just some of the animals you’ll likely spot as you drive through Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve – housed in a dormant volcanic crater. Remarkably, this pocket of paradise was once wasteland, transformed by volunteers. More volcanic history awaits across the South Australian border in Mt. Gambier, home to the crater-filling Blue Lake. By now you’ll be pretty thirsty, so it’s a good thing the Coonawarra wine region is around the corner. After a few sips, you may find yourself getting deep – literally. Naracoorte’s Alexandra Cave is a maze of delicate needle-like stalactites and massive twisting columns.

The Fleurieu Peninsula is a natural adventure playground, all rolling hills, rugged clifftops and sandy beaches. Seaside Victor Harbor turns on the charms – there are steam locomotives – before your ferry blasts its horn. All aboard for Kangaroo Island. A well-deserved tasting of craft beer awaits at a boutique brewery, the only one on the island. How does a Golden Ale sound? Your destination is South Australia’s oldest European settlement, Kingscote.

If you like alliterations, you’ll love today’s attractions: first stops are Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, home to an immense colony of raucous fur seals. Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was badly damaged by the 2019 bushfires. Through your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, you’ll assist with their bushfire recovery plan and wildlife rehabilitation program. Learn from one of their experienced guides about the delicate ecosystem and Australian native animals. More wildlife greets you at Seal Bay Conservation Park, where enormous sea lions barrel down the sand to the water. This is one of the most significant breeding colonies in the country.

You’ve arrived in the South Australian capital, known for its well-preserved churches and well-admired cuisine. Did you know that Adelaide boasts more restaurants per capita than any other city in Australia? After a cultural walking tour through the city’s Botanic Gardens with an Aboriginal Guide, and an Adelaide city tour, the afternoon is yours to see just how many you can sample – we have a few recommendations, including a visit to the epic Central Market, where you can try green ant gin with cheese, among so many other delicacies.

Pull on your elastic-waisted pants – today is one of indulgences through the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa, dotted with atmospheric towns like Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. A Barossa and Hahndorf tour reveals the bountiful food and wine this pocket of the state is known for. And you’ll enjoy a tasting from small batch wine makers from across the valley as well as discovering local flavours over lunch at Lambert Estate enveloped by vines.

By day 11, you will have a suitcase full of gin, wine and cheese; a camera full of dreamy images; and more memories than you can count.