Australia’s Southern Delights

Fly from the UK and arrive into Sydney on day 3, due to the flight time and the 10 hour time difference. You will be met and welcomed at the airport and transferred to the Novotel Darling Harbour hotel for a 3 night stay.

During your time in Sydney we have included a morning tour of Sydney, to help you find your way around the city, and a Harbour Cruise including a seafood buffet lunch. The rest of your time is at your leisure allowing you to explore the city as you wish. You might like to head for the famous Opera House and the Harbour Bridge or perhaps Bondi beach will be more tempting.

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Distance: 113km (70miles)

Pick up your motorhome this morning and travel south on the Princes Highway through the city of Wollongong and Shellharbour to reach the pretty coastal town of Kiama. The town’s name is thought to derive from the Aboriginal “kiaram-a” (meaning ‘where the sea makes a noise’) and you’ll discover why when you see the blowhole, which shoots water into the air up to a height of 60 metres. Also popular are the National Trust-classified row of restored timber terrace cottages in Collins Street, which now house craft and antique shops.

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Distance: 160km (99miles)

Continue your travels south on the Princes Highway. Along the way you might like to stop at the delightful little town of Berry or take a short detour inland from Berry to view the scenic Minnamurra Falls and take a stroll through the rainforest. When you continue southwards a detour via Nowra is recommended which will take you back to the coast to visit beautiful Jervis Bay. From Nowra, continue through the township of Ulladulla to Batemans Bay, your destination for the day.

Batemans Bay is situated on the mouth of the Clyde River, which boasts very pure water – the local oysters are excellent, as is the fishing. The local lakes of Durras, Coila and Tuross are popular for aquatic activities with Lake Coila being famous for its prawns. Nearby you’ll find Pigeon House Mountain in Morton National Park, which is renowned among bushwalkers, and there are walking trails such as the Corn Trail, which follows the route used by the early settlers to bring produce down Clyde Mountain to the coast.

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Distance: 175km (109miles)

It's back onto the Princes Highway this morning as you travel south to Merimbula, the ‘holiday resort’ of the Sapphire Coast.

Situated between Tathra and Pambula on the coast, Merimbula has a population of around 4,000 (and far more in summer) and is situated around the beautiful coastal waterways of Merimbula and Top and Back Lakes. These clean tidal lakes provide the perfect site for the many water sports that can be enjoyed on the lakes, which make Merimbula's waterways a major attraction for visitors.

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Distance: 267km (166miles)

Travel via the towns of Bellbird Creek, Orbost and Nowa Nowa today as you make your way to Lakes Entrance, which is aptly named as its the entrance to the Gippsland Lakes, Australia's largest inland water system. Its a popular destination due to its wonderful beaches as well as a spectacular hinterland featuring mountains, rivers and forests. The local area is home to dolphins, water birds, kangaroos, wombats and koalas giving you the opportunity to see these wonderful creatures. A short walk across a footbridge brings you to the Entrance and Bass Strait, with Ninety Mile Beach stretching away into the distance.

Optional activities nearby include a winery cruise or a visit to a nature sanctuary to see some of Australia’s native animals.

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Distance: 312km (194miles)

In Melbourne you might like to visit Mornington Peninsula, arguably Melbourne's best kept secret. Some of the highlights of the area include art and craft markets, antique stores, coastal and bush walks, plus koala and penguin reserves which provide opportunities to see the animals in their natural environment. The region has much of Victoria's earliest history, excellent golf courses, great restaurants and is also one of Australia's finest wine producing regions. There are a number of good vineyards for you to explore such as Dromana Estate and Main Ridge Estate.

Why not visit Phillip Island, the home of the Fairy Penguins, so called as they are the smallest breed of penguin. At dusk, they emerge from the surf, completely ignoring the thousands of curious onlookers.

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Distance: 200km (124miles)

Depart Melbourne on the Princes Freeway and travel to Geelong, where you join the Surfcoast Highway to the pretty coastal resort town of Torquay. From here you join the Great Ocean Road - one of Australia's most spectacular drives. The road hugs the coastline for much of the route, revealing lovely coastal scenery, as well as inland splendour.

Your destination for this evening is Apollo Bay, a scenic little fishing port nestled in the picturesque foothills of the Otway Ranges. In the town you’ll find a range of superb restaurants and cafes, art galleries, a fabulous seaside golf course, and interesting museums. In particular, the Bass Strait Shell Museum features a huge display of shells from all around the world and information on shipwrecks that have occurred off this perilous coastline. A steep and narrow road will take you to Mariners Lookout, to the east of town, where a short walk leads to spectacular views of the township and the coastline.

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Distance: 160km (99miles)

Drive via Port Campbell and Peterborough as you continue along the scenic Great Ocean Road, heading for Warrnambool. This is one of the most famous stretches of the Great Ocean Road as it hugs the coast line and takes you past the famous formations of the Shipwreck Coast. Along the way we recommend stopping at Port Campbell National Park, Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge plus the the best known feature of the road - the Twelve Apostles, magnificent limestone stacks rising out of the sea.

Originally a sealing and whaling port, Warrnambool now thrives on tourism and a variety of industries. There are good beaches and several historical attractions. Points of interest in this little town are the wrecks of the Loch Ard and the Schomberg, relics of which can be seen in the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village.

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Distance: 185km (115miles)

Depart Warrnambool this morning and continue along the Princes Highway heading west towards the town of Mount Gambier. Located on the slopes of an extinct volcano, which the town is named after, Mount Gambier has two famous attractions, the Blue Lake and the Cave in the centre of the city. Consequently, the town is also known as "Blue Lake City" or the "City around a Cave". The lake is famous for its change of colour from winter grey to intense blue in November each year. It remains blue until late March, and aside from its beauty, it is the city's source of water.

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Distance: 101km (63miles)

Head inland towards Naracoorte today. Explore the world heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves containing the skeletons of Australian megafauna dating back 500,000 years. Join a guided tour to feast your eyes on fascinating fossils and limestone formations or crawl and squeeze your way into parts of the Naracoorte Caves only accessible on the adventure caving tour. 

Situated in one of Australia's most famous and finest wine districts, is Coonawarra. The story of wine growing in this area goes back to 1890 and the Penola pastoralist John Riddoch and his establishment of the Coonawarra Fruit Colony. His own winery, which later became Wynns Coonawarra Estate, is also more than a century old. Why not join a wine experience tour with enthusiastic hosts to introduce you the incredible wine and food of the local area?

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Distance: 340km (211miles)

Traditionally a farming community, Mount Compass is situated between the world-famous McLaren Vale wineries and the scenic beach towns of Victor Harbor and Port Elliot on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula. Winding country roads will take you through beautiful scenery where seasonal produce is grown in abundance.

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