DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Adelaide

Arrive in Adelaide, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Days 2 & 3: Explore Adelaide

The next two days are free to explore this lovely coastal city, that is the capital of South Australia. This charming and very walkable city has a thriving art scene, including the annual Adelaide Festival, and plays host to many sporting events.

Rundle Mall offers great shopping and some lovely architecture.  You can visit the bustling Central Market, take a cruise down the Torrens River, catch the tram to the seaside resort of Glenelg or relax in the lovely Botanic Gardens. The peaceful Himeji Japanese Garden is just outside the city centre.

The parklands that surround the Torrens River are home to many excellent museums including the Art Gallery of South Australia, which displays an expansive collection of indigenous art. The South Australian Museum has great natural history displays.

Carrick Hill is an historic English-style property situated at the foot of the Adelaide Hills, which regularly hosts art exhibitions. The Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute is Australia’s oldest Aboriginal-owned multi-arts centre, with fascinating art and cultural exhibitions.

Cleland Conservation Park is a 20 minute drive from the city centre. Mount Lofty offers panoramic views, and in Cleland Wildlife Park you can get up close to emus, koalas and other Australian native wildlife. The Waterfall Gully Reserve is also found here.

With over 80 cellars, the Barossa Valley winelands are some of the oldest in Australia and their wines are world-famous. Just an hour’s drive from the city, they are easily explored on a day tour.

Kangaroo Island, offshore from Adelaide, is home to indigenous wildlife such as sea lions, koalas and much diverse birdlife. It is a 20 minute flight from Adelaide (or 45 minutes by ferry from Cape Jervis) and is best visited on an escorted tour.

Day 4: Mannum

This morning you will be collected from your Adelaide hotel for your shared coach transfer to the historic town of Mannum, situated on the west bank of the Murray River.

For natural beauty and breathtaking scenery you’ll be hard pushed to beat the Murray River, which starts 1,500 miles north in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, before flowing down to Murray Bridge, the Lower Lakes and Coorong. The river is said to be over 130 million years old and is rich in Aboriginal history and culture.

One of the best ways to explore this river is on a houseboat, so arrive in good time to board your paddlewheel vessel, departing in the mid-afternoon. Settle in on board and enjoy a welcome dinner, which is served as we cruise up river.

We sail under floodlight to our overnight mooring, so keep your eyes peeled for nocturnal wildlife including kangaroos, hairy-nosed wombats, tortoises, egrets plus much more.

Note: A choice of cruises is available, ranging in duration from 3 to 7 nights.

Day 5: Wildlife, Water & Wine

Daybreak is a beautiful time on the river and keen photographers will enjoy the wonderful light and morning antics of the wildlife. The birdlife along the river is prolific and you can expect to see pelicans, wrens and swans and we cruise up river to Blanchetown. 

We navigate one of the 13 locks which maintain the ebb and flow of the water, with our overnight anchorage opposite Blanchetown. As the sun begins to set enjoy a guided tour of Burk Salter Boutique Winery, with tastings at the cellar door. 

Day 6: Swan Reach & Woolshed History

This morning we cruise down river to Swan Reach, a town first settled in the 1850s when it was the largest of five sheep and cattle stations in the region. The original homestead is now a hotel, where you can enjoy refreshments overlooking the river (own expense), before joining a guided walking tour and a visit to the Swan Reach Museum. 

We continue down river after lunch, enjoying the peace of river life as world glides by. On arrival at Sunnydale we disembark for the Woolshed Show, a re-creation of typical Australian woolshed history.

Afterwards we visit the Native Wildlife Shelter, and then a great Aussie BBQ prepared and cooked on the banks of the river. There is an optional nocturnal tour available this evening (additional cost).

Day 7: Aboriginal History & Archaeology

Enjoy the scenery as our vessel cruises slowly past magnificent cliffs, scoured over millions of years.

At the Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Reserve, we take a step back in time. This is one of Australia’s most significant archaeological sites, dating back tens of thousands of years. Learn more about the area and see ancient rock carvings on a guided boardwalk tour.

We continue down river to Younghusband, with scenic tender boat rides also available, and enjoy a Captain’s Buffet Dinner this evening.

Day 8: Barossa Valley

Enjoy a full day excursion onshore today, with a visit to the beautiful Barossa Valley. This region produces some world class wines, and you will get to learn more with a visit to the Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre.

Browse and tempt your taste buds at Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop, then enjoy lunch at Lambert Estate. Our final stop before heading back to our houseboat is at Gully Gardens Farm Shop in Angaston.

Day 9: Riverlands

The first bridge across the Murray River was built in 1879, and this rapidly became the bustling township of Murray Bridge.

After breakfast you can join a guided tour of the town, or a wildlife tour of Monarto Zoo (additional cost). Enjoy lunch on board, which will showcase the bounty of produce from the region.  In the afternoon we continue up river to Salt Bush Flat.

Day 10: Wildlife, Fauna & Flora

After breakfast enjoy a nature walk, where your guides will share their knowledge of the native flora and fauna.

Near Fromm’s Landing we head to River View Lodge, where we board a discovery vessel for a wildlife tour. Travelling in small groups, we explore the maze of the river and see an array of birdlife along the shoreline.

This evening there will be a farewell dinner and dance.

Day 11: Fly to Melbourne

This morning disembark at Mannum after breakfast and transfer by shared coach to Adelaide airport, for your flight to Melbourne.

Melbourne is the capital of the state of Victoria and is regularly voted as one of the most liveable cities on earth, surrounded by a breathtaking coastline, soaring mountain ranges and wonderful wine regions.

Days 12 to 14: Explore Melbourne

The next few days are free to explore Melbourne independently.

With its tangle of hidden laneways, tree-lined promenades and grand Victorian buildings funded during the early Gold Rush, the city has a distinctly European feel. There is superb shopping, an eclectic arts scene, and foodies will find plenty to love with many chic cafes. Famous Aussie chefs flaunt their talents here, and you can feast on everything - from Greek, Italian and Indian cuisine to Spanish and Vietnamese fare.

Located opposite Flinders Street Station, a major public transport hub, ultra-modern Federation Square contrasts sharply with its surrounding Victorian architecture. With more than 2,000 events annually, you can always find entertainment here. Wandering the labyrinth of lanes and alleyways around Flinders, Collins and Bourke Streets is a must as here you will discover elegant, interesting, and quirky Melbourne at its best. The jewel in the crown is the magnificent Block Arcade in Collins Street. With its mosaic floor, period details and interesting shops, this is the place where late 19th century gentry promenaded, coining the phrase, "doing the block." It's worth queueing for a morning or afternoon tea at the Hopetoun Tearooms, a Melbourne icon that dates back to 1892 and the only remaining original shop.

A short stroll away, on the banks of the Tarra River, you will find the Arts Centre with its prominent spire and the Southbank Promenade, which is filled with indoor/outdoor cafés and restaurants. An arts and crafts market is held here every Sunday. The skydeck on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower offers superb views.

Docklands is Melbourne's newest waterfront entertainment precinct filled with cafés, restaurants, tourist attractions and parklands. The views from the giant observation wheel, the Melbourne Star, are spectacular. Here you will also find the Junior Wonderland amusement park, the Icehouse ice sports venue and Etihad Stadium. An art and vintage market is held along the waterfront every Sunday.

You can use the City Circle tram network to explore local neighbourhoods, take a boat ride along the Yarra River, stroll through beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens, visit the Queen Victoria Market or head out to the beach at St Kilda, where you will find the National Gallery of Victoria. The Melbourne Museum is a short tram ride from the city centre and Captain Cook’s Cottage (brought from Yorkshire) can be seen in Fitzroy Gardens. This city also has many famous sporting venues, including the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Melbourne Cup horse race, held on the first Tuesday in November, brings the entire nation to a standstill.

Outside the city, you can take scenic day tours along the Great Ocean Road and the Mornington Peninsula, where you can combine seaside villages with boutique wineries and art galleries. Phillip Island is best known for its little penguins that emerge from the sea at dusk, but it is also home to the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The Yarra Valley and the Dandenongs is where you’ll find many food and wine producers, and perhaps encounter the elusive platypus at Healesville Sanctuary. You can also take an early morning hot air balloon flight over the vineyards.

The Grampians is a region of stunning mountains, valleys and lakes with mountain biking and hiking trails, as well as superb wineries and art galleries. The Gippsland region offers gold rush history in Walhalla, the unspoilt beaches of Croajingolong National Park and the little-visited Wilsons Promontory, known for its rugged granite mountains and abundant wildlife, including kangaroos and wombats.

Day 15: Fly Home

Transfer to Melbourne airport for your flight home.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing en-suite accommodation on a room only basis, with full board on the houseboat. All transfer are included. International and domestic flights are not included and will be quoted separately.

We offer a choice of hotels at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All hotels are subject to availability.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance. The FCO should also be consulted.