- Date:
- 26-05-2021
- Duration:
- 3
Indulge yourself this autumn in the abundant flora, fauna and produce.
Watch the high-country towns come alive.
Hit the road with Riverina and make some memories.
Day One: Friday 26th (L,D)
After boarding our coach at a pre-arranged pick up point, we make our way through to Seymour, here we will stop for morning tea (included). Back on board we made our way to Benalla. On arrival in Benalla, we will visit the Benalla Ceramic Mural on the green lawns on the shore of Lake Benalla, opposite the Benalla Art Gallery. Explore the nooks and crannies of the ceramic mural and be rewarded as this curving, complex structure slowly reveals itself to the delight of children and adults alike. The mural integrates the skills of the traditional potters, the visons of indigenous people and the passion of he guided amateurs, new and old. Ledger Gallery A Celebration of 50 years. Benalla Art Gallery was established in March 1968 and 2018 marks 50th anniversary, since its early beginnings, housed in the Benalla RSL building in Nunn street. Benalla Art Gallery has grown to become one of Victoria most prestigious regional galleries. The striking modernist gallery complex, set on picturesque Lake Benalla and completed in 1975, was designed by Philip Sargent and Colin Munro. The Benalla at gallery permanent collection is one of the most important public collections of Australian art in regional Victoria and surveys Australia art history across indigenous, colonial, impressionist, modernist and postmodernist eras. 50 years on the gallery has become a major attraction for both Australian and international art-lovers.
After our tour of the gallery we will make our way into town to pick up our guide. Our tour continues with a tour of Benalla’s famous street art. Artists from around the globe have left their mark on buildings in and around this small town. Our guide will take us to some of the best displays of street art and provide us with local knowledge of the artists and their work. After dropping our guide back, we will head over to the Benalla Bowling Club for a cooked lunch. The RSL is situate opposite the Art Gallery across the river. Here you will enjoy a cooked lunch and a wander before boarding, the coach continuing our journey to Bright, on the way we will be stopping at three of the latest painted art silos in this area. 1. Goorambat 2. Tungamah 3. Devenish. Moving onward we make our way into Bright, driving through an archway of trees covered in shades of autumn leaves. On arrival at the Bright Chalets you will be greeted with refreshments and afternoon tea. Time to sort out your room locations, the gardens, the amazing view out your door – the majestical Ovens Valley. Dinner tonight at the Chalets.
Day Two: Saturday 28th (B,D)
This morning after a lovely buffet breakfast we make our way to Wandiligong. Firstly, we will visit the Autumn Craft and Produce Market in the Wandiligong Historic Public Hall. Here you will enjoy its period charm as you browse in comfort through the many stalls, showcasing locally grown produce and hand created goods – exquisite hand dried scarves, cushion, blanket, handmade cards, jewellery – novelty items, homemade jams, preserves and other wickedly indulgent treats. The annual Autumn Craft and produce market is not to be missed!
Next, we venture around to Morse’s Creek and join in the festivities at the Wandi Nut Festival in actions. The Wandiligong Nut Festival celebrates local growers, the end of harvest and the fabulous varieties of nuts and other fresh produce available in our cool climate during Autumn. The only nut festival of its kind in Australia! Nestled among heritage trees and gums, enjoy local stallholders, coking hazelnuts, walnuts, apples, beer, cider, wine, oil ad lots more. Chestnut roasting, chestnut soup, live music, the growlers creek band, waterline the band, food and wine tent
10:45am – Roasted chestnut tasting – Chestnut Ast. Inc.
11:00 am – Chestnuts three ways – Anthea Markowiak
12:00pm – Feature Event – Chestnut Gnocchi with a walnut sauce – Partriza Simone of Simone’s Cooking School followed by wine matching and tastings with Mark and Julie Holm of Ringer Reef Winery
1:30pm – Chestnut Hummus and Chestnut Pancakes.
Around 2pm we will make our way back to Bright, here you will have time to browse the local shop, try the bright brewery – tasting paddles (own cost) or take a walk through the brewery out to the deck outback, here you will find beautiful scenery, the creek with a backdrop of the oven’s valley. The deck café next door offering refreshments and food. Some free time to tour the shops before we return for some relaxing time at the Chalets. Dinner tonight at the Chalets.
Day Three: Beechworth (B,D)
Today, we will make our way to some amazing farm gates and gardens. First stop is for the sweet tooths. This chocolateries is pretty much strictly or adults, though. The range is small, focusing on blocks of singe-origin chocolate, with small range chocolate. What they buy is the cocoa beans, and everything is done in- house – sorting the beans, roasting, crackly, winnowing, refining, tempering, moulding. It’s a process that’s reflected in the strong chocolate smell in the room. If time permits, we may head to a country market in the area before making our way to the Deer Farm. Around lunchtime we will head to the Red Stag Deer – the Red Stag restaurant offers sunning views over Mt Feathertop. On your visit here you will encounter some of the majestic Red Stags in full alter or growing their new season velvet. You can also visit the two piggies, meet the baby goat’s and bottle feed them depending on the time of day. The animals are very special and display unique personalities. While feeding you can meet the master stag named Patrick along with Prince the goats who will happily come over and talk to you, (feeding bags are available for purchase at a cost of $5). Here you can enjoy some lunch – we will provide some platters with amazing produce for grazing whilst you taste some award-winning wines.
Day Four: Sunday – Homeward bound via Myrtleford (B,L)
Enjoy your buffet breakfast. This morning we say goodbye to our hosts. We will be departing at 9:00am. A we depart Bright along the Great Alpine Road, we will take some time to call into the Bright Berry Farm. The farm produces top quality berries resulting in jams and syrups that are full of the rich flavours of those of old. From its early days the farm has now expanded to 15 acres of berries, 2 acres of vineyard, 5 acres of cherries and 3 acres of mixed produce including nuts, apples and figs. Available for purchases at Bright Berry Farms are pre-picked berries, ice-creams, sorbets, fruit wines, cordials and of course their delicious jams and syrups (including diabetic-friendly products). Incorporated into Bright Berry Farms in 1997, the Mt Buffalo Vineyard label produces cool-climate reds, some of which have been highly rate by Australian wine critics.
As we continue along the Great Alpine road, we will stop at a remarkable place quite often missed in this area. ‘The Red Ramia Trading Store’, this store has so many interesting and beautiful products to look at. Some with amazing historic and cultural value. Products from exotic places, the colours, the textures, the history, the displays of art and household decorative pieces provided a feast for the eyes. This is a unique and amazing store. There is a cafe here, should you wish to have some refreshments. After our visit here we continue along a short distance to Myrtleford, where you will find Gapsted Winery, over years it has win numerous awards. Some of these include ‘Best Alpine Winery’ for six consecutive years ad the Victorian Tourism Award for ‘Best Winery Cellar Door’. Gapsted wines have been acknowledged locally and abroad – wining a staggered 26 trophies and 83 Gold Medals. Today, whilst enjoying a tasting with a choice of over 25 wines, you can sit down and joy the views, along with some amazing local produce platers (included in tour cost) to accompany your tasting. Back on board it off to lunch at the Buffalo Hotel then making our way homeward bound, topping for a few breaks along the way.
Some options to consider –
1. Bright brewery bush dance
2. Sunday bush markets
COST OF TOUR
$645.00 per person twin share based on 40 or more passengers.
$695.00 per person on twin share based on 34-39 passengers
Single room supplementary extra for 3 nights $150 per person.
COST INCLUDES
3 nights accommodation, 3 cooked buffet breakfasts, 3×2 course dinners, 1 picnic lunch, 4 lunches, entry fees listed, tours, shows, wine tasting listed and coach travel. Morning and afternoon tea day 1.
COST DOES NOT INCLUDE
Morning and afternoon teas, 1 lunch and entrance fees not stipulated and items of a personal nature.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Cost inclusions are indicted on each tour brochure.
Group bookings: $100 deposit is required upon booking. This is refundable if tour is cancelled 60 days prior to departure. All bookings must be paid in full 14 days prior to departure, unless private agreement with management has been arranged.
Cancelled Policy: If cancelled 30 days prior you will receive 80% of tour cost. 14ays – a 50% refund. 7 days – a 25% refund. Al refunds are negotiable and dependant on accommodations and venues booked. No refund will be made for nonappearance or cancellations 24 hours prior to departure or day of departure. Once tour has commenced there will be no refund. Travel insurance is available, please enquire as to cost upon booking. This will cover unforeseen circumstances.
Please note: Booking terms and conditions
Club/groups: A booking deposit of $100 is required to be paid by club the organiser to the coach company to confirm reservations within a week of booking, the booking deposit is noted as credit against our booking. Payments non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled a within 4 weeks prior to departure, the percentage of refund is based upon the discretion of management ad venues booked. Balance of the tour is to be no later than 2 weeks before departure. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour once passenger numbers are confirmed or after departure. Unless arrangement at the discretion of management.
Please note: Itinerary subject to change due to circumstance beyond your control.
All tour costs include accommodation on a twin/double share basis, breakfast, other meals as indicated on brochure. Single supplements are available on most tours at an additional cost.
Fares: Do Not Include items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone calls, drinks and items of emergency nature.
Itinerary: The company reserves a right to alter or change the accommodation, carriers or coaches at any time for any reason. It also has the right to cancel/alter the itinerary and/or tour without notice as may be found necessary for any reason whatsoever including, but not limited to road, weather or traffic conditions, non-performance of suppliers, industrial action, operational conditions and requirements. All additional expenses incurred resulting from any delays, cancellations or alterations will be sole responsibility of the passenger, whilst the company will take all reasonable steps to provide an enjoyable tour, the company accepts no liability for any los of enjoyment whatsoever and howsoever experience by the passengers.
Smoking and Alcohol Government Regulations forbid smoking and alcohol consumption in and on tourist coaches, however frequent stops provide the opportunity for those who desire to smoke.
Minimum numbers policy: All tours are subject to minimum numbers for tour to operate.
Payment: Cheque, money orders, online transfers/payments, direct bank deposit, c/card – 1%
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