Sightseeing between Brisbane & Adelaide NRMA Insurance Test Matches

Tuesday 9th December
Transfer from Brisbane hotels to Brisbane Airport and check in for flight to Cairns.

Welcome to Cairns, the largest city in Tropical North Queensland. The cosmopolitan Esplanade traces the bay foreshore and blends the city life of cafes and shopping with the natural attractions of the Coral Sea. Upon arrival in Cairns, collect luggage and join the coach transfer to our hotel.

Accommodation: Crystalbrook Collection, Flynn
Harbour View Room – 1 night

Wednesday 10th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
Leaving Cairns, we drive to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures for our morning visit. Upon our arrival, we will cruise the still waters of the lagoon on specially constructed boats. The cruise incorporates a commentary on the significance of wetland habitats and crocodile spotting is guaranteed! Whilst here our programme includes a presentation on cassowaries, a guided tour of the park and a visit to the crocodile farm.

This afternoon we visit Mossman Gorge where the river tumbles its way over and around huge granite boulders that line the gorge creating cool, clear freshwater swimming pools. This is also the start of the Daintree National Park, a dense jungle part of the wet tropics environment and protected by World Heritage listing since 1988. We will have a local indigenous guide take us through the rainforest and includes a traditional smoking ceremony to cleanse and ward off bad spirits. Your experienced interpretive Indigenous guide demonstrates traditional plant use, identifies bush food sources, and provides an enchanting narrative of the rainforest and their special relationship with this unique tropical environment. Discover traditions like making bush soaps and ochre painting. At the end of the tour, enjoy traditional bush tea and damper.

From Mossman Gorge we now head to Port Douglas and check into the stunning Sheraton Mirage Resort.

Accommodation: Sheraton Mirage Resort Port Douglas
Run of House Rooms – 3 nights

Thursday 11th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
We have a fabulous day planned today as we discover the unforgettable Outer Great Barrier Reef. For an experience of a lifetime, we board Quicksilver’s Wavepiercer Catamaran which will take us to a reef at the very edge of Australia’s Continental Shelf, to an underwater world that is a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour and brilliance. At Agincourt Reef, a magnificent ribbon reef, we experience firsthand the magic that is the Great Barrier Reef. We can choose to snorkel or stay dry and explore the reef from the comfort of the semi-submarine, just one metre underwater. Watch the fish feeding from the unique underwater viewing platform and underwater observatory, or fly in a helicopter over the reef (diving and helicopter flights are optional and at own expense). We’ll be given a talk by a Marine Biologist, to answer all our questions and enjoy morning and afternoon tea and smorgasbord lunch.

Friday 12th December
Breakfast included
Today is free to relax and enjoy Port Douglas. Perhaps enjoy a round of golf on the championship Golf Course, relax by the pool, or enjoy the beach, the day is yours (any sights/excursions at own cost).

Saturday 13th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
Today we visit the Daintree River where we embark on a cruise on one of the most densely populated mangrove estuaries in the world. There is nothing quite like watching wildlife while cruising along the beautiful Daintree River. We stop for lunch at the Daintree Discovery Centre and get to know the area through the various displays. Step from one UNESCO site to another as Cape Tribulation is where the ancient Daintree Rainforest and stunning Great Barrier Reef meet. Walk on the world-renowned rainforest beach and admire the coastline and fringing coral reef from the Kulki Lookout before returning to Cairns.

Accommodation: Crystalbrook Collection, Flynn
Harbour View Room – 2 nights

Sunday 14th December
Breakfast and Dinner included
This morning, we have a short drive to the north of Cairns where we board the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Making our way up the range we stop off to visit a rainforest interpretative centre and take a short walk through the rainforest before arriving in the pretty village of Kuranda. From the Sky Rail Kuranda station, we can take a walk into the Kuranda Village. Here there are numerous market stalls and shops to look through as well as cafes and restaurants. We have time at leisure in Kuranda before we board the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway for the spectacular train ride through the magnificent Barron Falls National Park. Highlights of the ride are picturesque valleys, jungles, railway bridges, tunnels built over a century ago and the Barron Falls themselves. Dinner tonight is a short walk from the Hotel at Dundees Restaurant overlooking the waterfront.

Monday 15th December
Breakfast included
After breakfast we transfer to the Cairns Airport for our flight to Adelaide.

Arrive Adelaide and transfer to your hotel and join your group for the Test Match.

Tuesday 9th December
Transfer from your Brisbane hotel to Brisbane Airport for your flight to Alice Springs.

On arrival in Alice Springs, our local touring company will transfer us to our accommodation at the Crowne Plaza Lasseter’s Alice Springs Hotel. There are several bars and restaurants located within the Lasseter’s Alice Springs Casino complex and it’s an easy walk from your hotel room.

Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters Hotel
Standard Rooms – 3 nights

Wednesday 10th December
Breakfast and Dinner included
Following breakfast we commence our Alice Springs sightseeing tour. At Anzac Hill we get a good overview of Alice Springs and take in the views before we visit The Old Telegraph Station. The Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve marks the original site of the first European settlement in Alice Springs. It was stablished in 1871 to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide along Australia’s Overland Telegraph Line. This not only connected Australia’s population Centre’s with the north of the country, but it also connected Australia with the undersea telegraph network of the British Empire. Next, we take a virtual journey in ‘The World’s Largest Classroom’ as we visit The Alice Springs School of the Air. The film and guide presentations reveal stories about the school and its students, sharing a distinctive history, outback lifestyle and world-renowned innovations of this uniquely Australian school. We have some free time to purchase lunch at the nearby Base Café before visiting the Alice Springs Royal Flying Doctor Base. Today it operates 21 bases and covers more than 7,150,000 square kilometres. The Alice Springs base was opened in 1939 to provide emergency and preventative medicine to outlying communities and stations throughout Central Australia.

Our dinner tonight is something a little different and very unique to Outback Australia. Just 15 minutes out of Alice Springs is The Earth Sanctuary – a World Nature Centre at The Quandong Homestead. Tonight, we enjoy a mouth-watering Australian bush BBQ with music and entertainment to experience the spirit of the outback through stories of the aboriginal dreamtime. We even learn how to cook a swagman’s damper!

Thursday 11th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
We have a great day in store, as we explore the majestic Western MacDonnell Ranges starting with the Alice Springs Desert Park. This is a very special place and as we take the time to walk slowly through the displays, we will gain a good understanding of this region with its highlights and challenges. We have lunch, then travel to Standley Chasm and take a self-guided walk to appreciate the natural beauty in this part of Australia.

Our final visit for the afternoon is to Simpsons Gap and if we are lucky enough we may see a black-footed rock Wallaby along the walking track or near the permanent waterhole.

Friday 12th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
Leaving Alice Springs, we now start making our way to Kings Canyon. At the Erldunda Roadhouse we stop for an early lunch and arrive mid-afternoon at Kings Canyon Resort in the Watarrka National Park. The spectacular scenery, a permanent waterhole surrounded by palms known as the Garden of Eden and the Lost City combine to make Kings Canyon a most remarkable place. We have time at leisure, then prior to sunset we enjoy drinks and canapes at the light display created by international artist Bruce Munro. The installation consists of 69 two metre towers made up of 216 glass water bottles per tower. The solar fibre optic cables installed inside, change colour in response to music emanating from within them, taking us on a captivating and immersive auditory and visual journey.

Accommodation: Kings Canyon Resort
Standard Rooms – 1 night

Saturday 13th December
Breakfast and Dinner included
For those feeling energetic, a great way to start the day is to explore the Canyon on the Ridge Top Walk, or those of us who prefer a less active time can take the shorter walk into the floor of Kings Canyon. Late morning we depart Kings Canyon for Uluru. Along the way we notice Mt Conner, this sandstone mesa is often confused with Ayers Rock but is slightly smaller. On arrival into the Yulara Township we check into our accommodation at the Voyages Desert Gardens Hotel.

Tonight, we are dining out – way, way out. The Sounds of Silence Dinner is a gourmet dinner under the stars. Winner of many tourism awards, the Sounds of Silence is a unique Australian outback experience with the setting of the sun behind the domes of Kata Tjuta and Uluru, the haunting sounds of a didgeridoo and a delicious Australian themed dinner.

Accommodation: Voyages Desert Gardens Hotel
Garden View Rooms – 2 nights

Sunday 14th December
Breakfast included
An early start to the day showcases Uluru in a different light to the evening and that is why we are up to see the sunrise. Our coach will be ready for the early departure to the Sunrise Viewing Area to experience the first glimpse of the day. This morning we visit The Olgas, also known by the Aboriginal people as ‘Kata Tjuta’ or place of many domes. There are excellent views from an observation deck then plenty of time for a walk among the ancient domes before returning to our hotel. Back to the resort for lunch (own expense) before we take an in depth look at Uluru.

Learn about Aboriginal perceptions of Uluru, its powerful spiritual significance and how Anangu traditional owners and rangers are looking after the Park together. There are many fine examples of Anangu art to see along the way. You may like some statistics! Uluru is located in the World Heritage Listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. It rises 348 metres from the desert floor and has a girth of 9.4km. It’s the world’s most famous monolith with at least two thirds of the Rock lying beneath the surface. We now take a drive around the Rock, stopping for photo opportunities along the way. Our next walk is along a short track to the Mutitjulu Waterhole, home of Wanampi, an ancestral watersnake. Here we can learn how Kuniya and Liru (the woma python woman and poisonous snake man) helped create Uluru.

Monday 15th December
Breakfast included
Breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant. Transfer by coach to the airport for your departure flight to Adelaide.

Upon arrival, transfer from Adelaide Airport to your hotel to join your group for the Test Match.

Tuesday 9th December
Transfer from Brisbane hotel to Brisbane Airport for your flight to Hobart.

On arrival at Hobart Airport, we meet our local coach operator and take a sightseeing drive around Hobart on the way to our centrally located Hobart hotel, Hotel Grand Chancellor. Set between the towering peak of Mount Wellington and the Derwent River, Hobart is one of the most picturesque cities in Australia. Founded in 1804, Hobart is Australia’s second oldest capital and everywhere we go, the past steps out to meet us.

Accommodation: Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart
Standard Run of House Rooms – 3 nights

Wedesday 10th December
Breakfast included
Following breakfast, we head to the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary (pronounced “Bon-a-rong” – Aboriginal meaning “Native Companion”). Bonorong was established in 1981 as a sanctuary for injured and orphaned wildlife and is Tasmania’s most popular wildlife park. Here we get the chance to see some of Tasmania’s unusual animals – the most famous of course being the Tasmanian Devil. From here we take a sightseeing tour of Hobart including a visit to the Mount Wellington lookout. We complete our day with a visit to the Cascade Brewery. Here we are given an insight into Australia’s oldest brewery, its finest beers and the brewery process. We complete our tour with some tastings and the opportunity to wander through the beautiful gardens then return to our hotel.

Thursday 11th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
A pleasant drive this morning takes us into the Huon Valley, an area to the south of Hobart. The Huon Valley and D’Entrecasteaux Channel provide some of the most picturesque touring in Tasmania. Our morning visit is at the Tahune Forest Airwalk. The AirWalk is an elevated walkway 30 metres above the forest floor, with the final cantilever section sitting at a height of 50 metres above the Huon River. We have free time to complete the walk and enjoy the sights before lunch, then we retrace our steps to Grove – home to the Apple Shed Museum & Willie Smith Organic Cider, where will experience a self-guided tour and have a tasting.

Friday 12th December
Breakfast and Dinner included
Today, we head to the East Coast of Tasmania and arrive at the Port Arthur Historic Site. The penal settlement is a stark reminder of the harsh conditions endured by the earliest European inhabitants of this one time island jail. The ruins are the greatest single tourist attraction in Tasmania and the place where up to 12,000 prisoners were kept in an atmosphere of hopelessness and misery. The first part of our tour involves time at the Visitor Interpretative Centre where we take a fascinating journey, retracing the life of a convict from the time of his petty crime in England, to his transportation to Port Arthur and finally his life in the penal colony. There’s now some free time to further explore the settlement and purchase lunch. If we wish, we can also take a cruise around the harbour where we pass the Isle of Dead. This afternoon we make our way along the East Coast of Tasmania through the many small towns that are dotted along the coast. Late afternoon we arrive in Bicheno and settle into our hotel for the night.

Accommodation: Beachfront Bicheno Hotel, Bicheno
Run of House Rooms – 1 night

Saturday 13th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
This morning we take a spectacular drive to Coles Bay on the edge of the Freycinet National Park. Here we board our Wine Glass Bay Cruise which takes us along the Freycinet coastline. Discover a coast dotted with sparkling white sand beaches, including Cooks and Bryans beaches, only accessible by water or a full day bushwalk. Explore the inner passage of remote Schouten Island, home to little penguins and short tailed shearwaters, before heading into the Tasman Sea towards Wineglass Bay. Look out for various hidden sea caves, blowholes and waterfalls amongst the sheer granite cliffs. Take in the sheer beauty of Wineglass Bay from the rarely seen perspective of the water, a shimmering crescent of white sand fringes spilling into glass turquoise waters. Our cruise includes a ploughman’s style lunch featuring smoked meats, salad, cheeses served alongside a locally baked bread roll, fruit and a sweet treat. Back on dry land we start making our way north to Launceston. The journey takes around 2.5 hours and should see us arrive into Launceston late afternoon.

Accommodation: Hotel Grand Chancellor, Launceston
Standard Run of House Rooms – 2 nights

Saturday 14th December
Breakfast included
Launceston is the centre of Tasmania’s north, situated at the point where the South and North Esk Rivers meet to become the Tamar River, which then flows away to Bass Strait. The city nestles in the wide valleys formed by the river systems and is surrounded by mountains. On our Launceston sightseeing tour we visit Cataract Gorge – a magnificent Reserve in the city centre. There are some pleasant walks through the landscaped gardens to the tea rooms, or those who are interested can take a ride on the chairlift (own expense) which crosses the gorge. We now make our way north along the western side of the Tamar though Exeter to Beaconsfield, site of Tasmania’s largest gold discoveries and of course more recently the incredible rescue of two miners who were trapped underground in 2006. Here we visit the Beaconsfield Gold Mine and Heritage Museum (housing Australia’s only waterwheel-driven stamp battery). This afternoon we cross the Batman Bridge for a close up view of the mighty Tamar River before driving down the eastern side of the Tamar River and returning to Launceston.

Monday 15th December
Breakfast included
Breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant then transfer by coach to the airport for your departure flight to Adelaide.

Upon arrival at Adelaide Airport, transfer to your hotel.

Tuesday 9th December
Transfer to the Brisbane Airport for your flight to Sydney.

Radiating from the sparkling waters of Sydney Harbour, Australia’s largest city stretches from the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the foot of the Blue Mountains. Sydney boasts stunning beaches, world class shopping and a host of superb restaurants and cafes. On arrival in Sydney we transfer to our centrally located Sydney Hotel.

Accommodation: Rydges World Square Hotel, Sydney
Deluxe Rooms – 6 nights

Wednesday 10th – Sunday 14th December
Enjoy your free days in Sydney!

Optional Excursions will be available soon.

Monday 15th December
Following breakfast, we transfer to the Sydney Airport and head to Adelaide for the next Test Match.

Arrive Brisbane and transfer to your hotel and join your group for the Test Match.

Tuesday 9th December
Transfer from Brisbane hotel to Brisbane Airport for your flight to Queenstown.

Arrive Queenstown Airport and after completing entry formalities, transfer to your hotel.

Surrounded by majestic mountains and set on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu, the natural beauty and the unique energy of the Queenstown region create the perfect backdrop for a holiday full of adventure, exploration or relaxation. As well as the proclaimed ‘adventure capital of NZ’, the resort town of Queenstown is sophisticated and fantastically scenic. Its lake and mountain landscape is suited to almost any kind of adventure; but Queenstown is just as well-known as a place for indulgence, for wine and cuisine and for gold-mining history.

Accommodation: Millennium Hotel Queenstown
Superior Rooms – 3 nights

Wedesday 10th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
Depart early this morning and travel around Lake Wakatipu and through Te Anau and the Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound. Fiordland National Park, part of the UNESCO Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area is one of the great wilderness areas of the Southern Hemisphere. The scenery is spectacular with lofty mountains and deep valleys carved out by Ice Age glaciers. There are clear rushing streams and leaping waterfalls set in magnificent native rainforest.

Board a comfortable vessel for a scenic cruise down Milford Sound past towering Mitre Peak to the Tasman Sea. Seals and dolphins are often seen in the clear waters of the fiord. Picnic lunch served on board.

At the conclusion of the cruise, the boat returns to Milford Wharf. Reboard the coach and retrace your journey back to Queenstown travelling via the Cleddeau Gorge, Homer Tunnel and the lovely Eglinton Valley.

Arrive Queenstown at approximately 7.30pm.

Thursday 11th December
Breakfast and Lunch included

This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of Queenstown. Highlights include a visit to historic Arrowtown, a quaint village set on the banks of the Arrow River which was once a rip-roaring gold rush town. Time here to sample some of the cafés, galleries and boutiques or you may wish to take a walk to the historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement. Lunch will be later today so you may wish to purchase morning tea (own cost).

Also see the Edith Cavall Bridge spanning the narrow canyon of the rugged Shotover River before returning to the town centre and checking in at Steamer Wharf for your luncheon excursion.

Steeped in Queenstown’s pioneering history, your experience commences with a cruise across Lake Wakatipu in the 1912 vintage steamship, the TSS Earnslaw. Disembark at Walter Peak High Country Farm, one of the first farms set up in the region and still a working farm.

In the ambience of the Colonel’s Homestead, enjoy a delicious gourmet BBQ lunch which the chef will prepare in front of you. After lunch enjoy an entertaining brief farm experience including a sheep shearing demonstration or take a walk around the beautiful lakeside gardens.

On the cruise home breathe in the fresh alpine air on the Earnslaw decks as you watch Queenstown draw nearer.

Remainder of afternoon and evening at leisure to sample some of Queenstown’s excellent dining establishments.

Friday 12th December
Breakfast and Dinner included
Depart Queenstown through the Kawarau Gorge and cross the Central Otago sheep and cattle country. Ascend past glacial Lakes Wanaka and Hawea and cross the Southern Alps via the Haast Pass – the scenery is stunning. Follow the Haast River towards the coast and drive north through magnificent native rainforest and past wild beaches and bush fringed lakes. Drive through the Fox township and into Franz Josef village.

Franz Josef is a small isolated village nestled amidst rainforest on the edge of Westland National Park, part of the UNESCO South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. The massive rivers of glacial ice of the Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier flow from snowfields high in the Southern Alps almost to sea level – quite an unusual feature in a temperate climatic zone. Suggest a helicopter flight and snow landing on the glacier (not included – additional cost).

Dine this evening at the hotel restaurant.

Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier
Superior / Douglas – 1 night

Saturday 13th December
Breakfast and Lunch included
Drive north along the West Coast with the Tasman Sea to the west and the Southern Alps rising steeply to the east to the town of Hokitika. Time permitting, visit the greenstone factory at Hokitika where a local jade like stone highly prized by pre-European Maori is crafted into exquisite jewellery. Head inland to the small remote village of Arthurs Pass in the heart of Arthurs Pass National Park.

Board the TranzAlpine train for a scenic rail journey through the heart of the mighty Southern Alps. Travel across towering viaducts, through spectacular gorges and river valleys then the landscapes opens up as you journey across the fertile Canterbury Plains and into Christchurch City.

Arrive Christchurch Railway Station then reboard your coach for the transfer to your hotel.

Stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Southern Alps, Canterbury is a land of plains and peaks, small coastal, alpine and rural towns and a city rebuilding itself. Christchurch has emerged revitalized following the earthquake that devastated much of the city in February 2011. The destruction of several landmark historic buildings has led to the development of new city plans, a bold public art programme and innovative use of space.

Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Christchurch
Standard Room – 2 nights

Saturday 14th December
Breakfast included
This morning join a local guide for a 75-minute city walk to discover cultural treasures hidden in plain sight and learn how local Māori people are expressed in the rebuild of the city following the Canterbury Earthquakes in 2010/2011.

The tour begins with mihi whakatau | welcome and karakia | prayer to visitors safe on your journey. Listen to the creation story of Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatūānuku (Earth Mother), and hear their ancestors’ story of how the hongi brought to life Hineahuone. Following the footsteps of Māori people’s ancestors to the awa (river), sharing traditional Māori and Settler stories and demonstrating how Māori people are kaitiaki (guardians) and how they preserve the past that determines the future.
Walking past traditional mahinga kai (food gathering) and pā (māori village) sites, your guide will bring to life the stories of the past and present and how they have been woven into the emerging city.

Afternoon at leisure.

Included is a pass on the restored heritage Christchurch Tram so you can enjoy a journey in style through the changing face of Christchurch’s city centre. Knowledgeable drivers will inform you about the city, its landmarks and local sights. Your ticket allows you to get on and off the tram as often as you please! Your journey takes you to the appropriate stops for Punting on the Avon and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens Tour. In addition, Cathedral Junction, the Avon River, Gothic-style Arts Centre, the Canterbury Museum and New Regent Street are just some of sights to be seen from the comfort of your tram, or accessed from the 18 stops en route. Board at any of the 18 tram stops, and get on and off with your ticket throughout the day. The trams run approximately every 15-20 minutes.

Monday 15th December
Breakfast included
Breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant then transfer by coach to the airport for your departure flight to Adelaide.

Upon arrival at Adelaide Airport, transfer to your hotel.