July 24 Ballina, Port Macquarie, Byron Bay
We pick you up from your home and head up to Port Macquarie. Visit the award winning Billabong Zoo – New South Wales premier regional wildlife park renowned for its Koala Breeding Centre. Enjoying the Koala presentation, and the opportunity to get our photograph taken patting a Koala. We arrive in Port Macquarie late afternoon, check into our rooms ready for dinner.
click here for your brochure … Ballina, Port Macquarie
KANGAROO ISLAND &
MURRAY PRINCESS
with Ezi Drive Coaches
Tour Inclusions:
• Pick up from your home, transport and return
• Luxury Coach Travel Seatbelts & Restroom
• 8 Nights Minimum Three Star Quality Motel Accommodation
• 8 Three Course Dinners with Choices & All Fully Cooked Breakfasts
• Lunch Days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10
• All Entry Fees and Guides as per Itinerary
Tour Highlights:
Wagga Wagga Highlights Tour; Hay Internment & Prisoner of War Camps Interpretive Centre
Tour & Lunch; Olivewood Estate; Ruston Rose Gardens Tour & Lunch; Victor Harbor Whale
Centre; Coorong Discovery Cruise & Lunch; Kangaroo Island Sea Link Ferry; Kangaroo Island
Guide; American River Aquatic Reserve; Clifford’s Honey Farm; Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Oil
Distillery & Lunch; Kingscote Highlights Tour; Island Pure Sheep Dairy; Seal Bay Conservation
Park; Hanson Bay Sanctuary; Flinders Chase National Park; Penneshaw Gateway Information
Centre; Historic Murray River Port of Mannum; 3 Nights Onboard Murray Princess – On Shore
Excursions – Great Food & Entertainment; The Pines Tour & Lunch; The Village – Historic
Loxton; & more!
Tour Fee including GST: Members $4,769.00 per person, twin share
Non Members $4,789.00 per person, twin share
Single Supplement $780.00
Minimum loading 20 passengers booked and paid by Thursday 10th March 2016
WE DRIVE YOU
SINCE 1992
12 Days / 11 Nights – with Mary and Brian
Tour Departs: Saturday 30 April – Wednesday 11 May 2016
NEW
TOUR
For information and bookings phone: 02 4774 9700
Website: ezidrivecoaches.com.au – Email: mary@ezidrivecoaches.com.au
Please note that the itinerary is subject to change without notice
PO Box 109 BRINGELLY 2556
Day 1 Sat 30 April: Bringelly / Wagga Wagga M/Tea, A/Tea & Dinner
We pick you up this morning from home and make our way across to Wagga Wagga.
After enjoying comfort stops for morning tea and lunch, we arrive in Wagga Wagga and
make our way to the Wagga Wagga Tourist Information Centre. We are joined by our
local guide for a highlights tour of Wagga Wagga including the fine buildings, tree lined
streets, parks and gardens. After enjoying our afternoon tea we make our way to our
motel to check in before dinner.
Overnight Wagga Wagga
Day 2 Sun 1 May: Wagga Wagga / Mildura Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning after breakfast we depart Wagga Wagga and travel west through Narrandera
and Darlington Point to enjoy a comfort stop along the way. We continue across to Hay
for our lunch stop at the Hay Internment & Prisoner of War Camps Interpretive Centre.
Over 6,000 German, Italian and Japanese civilian Internees and Prisoners of War (POW)
were kept in three Prison Camps at Hay between 1940 and 1946. They were guarded
by over 600 members of 16th Australian Garrison Battalion. The ‘Dunera Boys’, 1,984
German Jews and other refugees from Nazi occupied Europe, were the first internees of
British Government WWII policy and arrived in Hay on 7th September 1940. The museum
houses exhibits, photographs, stories and music about experiences of internees, POW’s
and townsfolk. We continue on through to Mildura where we check in to our motel before
dinner.
Overnight Mildura
Day 3 Mon 2 May: Mildura / Renmark / Victor Harbor Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning after a leisurely breakfast we depart Mildura and make our way across to
the Riverland of South Australian to Renmark calling at the historic Olivewood Estate
situated on the outskirts of town. A grove of old olive trees and date palms planted in 1890
by Charles Chaffey, the man behind Olivewood Estate beginning the story of Renmark’s
transformation and that of the entire Riverland regions irrigation and settlements.
Constructed of logs, Olivewood was built in 1889 and still looks slightly out of place
compared with the town’s other buildings. After our tour we are joined by our local guide
for a Highlights Tour of the river township before enjoying a light lunch at Ruston Rose
Gardens before strolling through the colourful and fragrant rose gardens. We can also
discover the historic racing and classic car display, wander around the gift shop and
purchase some freshly cut flowers! After leaving Ruston’s we head south to Tailem Bend
before arriving into Victor Harbor where we check into our accommodation before dinner.
Overnight Victor Harbor
Day 4 Tue 3 May: Coorong National Park / Victor Harbor Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning after some free time in Victor Harbor which will include a visit to the SA
Whale Centre which features three floors of interactive and exciting displays including
the Steve Irwin ship replica, 3D Theatrette, marine history, interactive displays, whale
skeleton and murals. Later in the morning we arrive at the historic wharf and port of
Goolwa and board our Coorong Discovery Cruise, which takes us on a delightful journey
into the mighty Coorong National Park. Our 4 hr cruise includes lunch and afternoon
tea, two short guided walks, spectacular scenery, bird watching and the Mouth of the
famous Murray River. Later in the day, we return to our motel before dinner.
Overnight Victor Harbor
The Itinerary
Day 5 Wed 4 May: Kangaroo Island Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning we drive across to Cape Jervis and board the Kangaroo Island Sea Link
ferry for our crossing to Kangaroo Island. At Penneshaw, we are met by our very own
experienced Kangaroo Island guide and begin our adventure of the Island as we make
our way around past the American River Aquatic Reserve and arrive at Clifford’s Honey
Farm for a little taste of local produce. We hear about the placid Ligurian Bees, their
breeding and the production of over 10,000 kilograms of pure honey annually. Kangaroo
Island is thought to be the only place in the world where a pure strain of the Ligurian
bees exists. We enjoy a taste of the different varieties as well as the chance to purchase
some of Jenny’s famous honey ice cream. We also stop at the Emu Ridge Eucalyptus
Oil Distillery where we will learn the distilling process, operating the same way it began
in the 1890`s. While here, we may like to purchase a bottle from the only commercial
distillery still in operation in South Australia. After lunch, we make our way into historic
Kingscote for a highlights tour before arriving at the Island Pure Sheep Dairy enjoying
an audio visual before seeing the sheep being milked with up to 300 milked at any one
milking and some may be surprised to learn that there are more sheep milked worldwide
than cows. We also have the opportunity (if game) to taste their excellent cheeses and
yoghurt made at the dairy, which include Spanish, Greek, Italian and Cypriot recipes.
Later in the afternoon we arrive at our accommodation for check in and enjoy dinner.
Overnight Kangaroo Island
Day 6 Thu 5 May: Seal Bay / Flinders Chase NP Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning we venture into the world famous Seal Bay Conservation Park, the only
place in the world where we can stroll with our guide through a wild seal colony. Seal Bay
is home to around 600 of the rare Australian Sea Lions. After leaving Seal Bay leaving,
we travel into the Hanson Bay Sanctuary a popular Koala habitat where we also witness
Wild Cape Barron Geese, Wallabies and Kangaroos Grazing. After lunch, we make our way
into the magnificent Flinders Chase National Park enjoying breathtaking views of Yacca
Flat and coastal scenery on our way to the Cape du Couedic Lighthouse and keeper’s
residences. Built in 1909 it is considered the Islands finest structure. With the automation
of the lighthouse, the nearby keeper’s residences are now available for accommodation.
This area is home to a colony of New Zealand Fur Seals and the natural land bridge
that is “Admirals Arch”. After taking the boardwalk down to the arch, we may witness
the amazing sight of New Zealand Fur Seals frolicking in the water and on the rocks
under the arch. We then travel a short distance to Weirs Cove as our guide explains the
history of the ruins of the storage huts and the steep jetty. We then view the spectacular
Remarkable Rocks. We are able to take a walk around these unusual huge boulders,
which have been carved, into many different weird and wonderful shapes by the wind and
ocean spray over many centuries. Later in the day we travel back to our accommodation.
Overnight Kangaroo Island
Day 7 Fri 6 May: Kangaroo Island / Murray Princess Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast, we travel back down to Penneshaw before visiting the Gateway
Information Centre, which is home to the original Frenchman’s Rock, and an interpretive
display of the Island and a great place to purchase souvenirs and local produce. We
board the Kangaroo Island Sea Link Ferry for our return journey to Cape Jervis before
making our way up to the Murray River Port of Mannum, the birthplace of the Murray
River trade and communication. Here we enjoy some free time to purchase lunch before
we board the delightful PS Murray Princess and head downriver while we enjoy predinner
drinks and a Welcome Dinner. As we cruise under floodlight to our overnight
mooring at Mundarra we may see nocturnal wildlife on the riverbank as well as grey
kangaroos, hairy-nosed wombats, Murray long necked tortoises, spoon-beaked egrets
and many other species. Our on-board entertainer provides music for the night owls.
Overnight Murray Princess
Day 8 Sat 9 May: Murray Princess Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
In 1879 the first bridge to span the Murray River was built at Edwards Crossing, which
quickly became the bustling township of Murray Bridge. After a hearty breakfast, we
join a guided tour of the town’s historic landmarks and local attractions. This afternoon
we begin our journey upriver. Tonight we moor at Craignook, where after dinner you can
enjoy being entertained by the talented crew of the Murray Princess.
Overnight Murray Princess
Day 9 Sun 10 May: Murray Princess Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, it’s all ashore for the guided nature walk where our guide will share the
secrets of the local flora and fauna. It’s a great way to get in a little exercise before Murray
Princess departs for the big river gorges and 90 metre cliffs of the upper river. Midmorning,
we gather in the Sturt Dining room for a special presentation on the bounty of food
and wine produced in the Riverland’s. At the 205km mark, we turn and head downriver
to River View Lodge where our discovery vessel awaits for a backwater wildlife tour.
Travelling in small, personalised groups, we explore the maze of backwaters, creeks and
lagoons. The birdlife is amazing. Watch for darters, herons and egrets feeding along the
river’s muddy edges. Late afternoon, photography enthusiasts have a great opportunity
to capture a spectacular cliff-top river sunset, before joining the Captain and Officers for
pre-dinner drinks and the finale Captain’s Dinner and Dance.
Overnight Murray Princess
Day 10 Mon 11 May: Murray Princess / Loxton / Mildura Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, the PS Murray Princess arrives at Mannum where we reluctantly say
farewell to the crew of the Princess and head across to Loxton enjoying tour and lunch
at The Pines, which was built in 1909. This historic six roomed sandstone villa and its
contents were bequeathed to the people of Loxton in 2002 for display and entertainment
purposes. The wide driveway lined with mature pine trees makes a welcoming entrance,
opening up to spacious gardens of roses, hibiscus and other assorted plants, as well as
a lawn area. After leaving The Pines we visit The Village – Historic Loxton, established
in 1970 to preserve memorabilia, paper based records, photographs, books, artefacts,
machinery and buildings as well as other elements of the district’s history. The Village,
historic Loxton tells the stories of the region’s early settlers and their families, displayed
in over 45 recreated buildings and exhibits on the banks of the mighty Murray River. All
buildings and displays have been relocated or built on site, with most replicating original
constructions from Loxton’s pioneering years. Later we continue to our motel in Mildura
where we check-in before dinner.
Overnight Mildura
Day 11 Tue 12 May: Mildura / Wagga Wagga Breakfast, M/Tea, A/Tea & Dinner
This morning after breakfast, we depart Mildura and travel east, back to Wagga Wagga.
We enjoy a comfort stop along they way for morning tea before continuing on our way
through to Hay for a chance to purchase lunch. After lunch, we travel continue on our
way enjoying a short stop for afternoon tea before arriving in Wagga Wagga later this
afternoon for check-in before dinner in motel the restaurant.
Overnight Wagga Wagga
Day 12 Wed 13 May: Wagga Wagga / Home Breakfast
After breakfast this morning, we bid farewell to Wagga Wagga and begin our journey
back home enjoying comfort stops along the way. We arrive back home this afternoon to
say goodbye at your doorstep after a wonderful time away with Mary & Brian from Ezi
Drive Coaches.