15 day Western Wonderland

Tour Code: WA15

Departure Dates
2000: 13feb, 12 & 26mar, 9 & 30apr, 21may, 11jun, 23jul, 20 & 27aug, 3, 9, 10, 17, 23 & 24sep, 1, 7, 8, 15, 22 & 29oct, 5 & 12nov, 24dec
2001: 7 & 21jan, 11feb, 4 & 25mar, 8 & 29apr, 20may, 10jun

Legend: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Price: au$ 3735 Twinshare pp / au$ 4455 Sole Room use

Day 2 Mon. Historical York Motor Museum - Wave Rock - Hyden (BD): Travel via the Great Eastern Highway, crossing the jarrah forests of the Darling Ranges, and on to York, Western Australia's most historic town. Inspect the famous York Motor Museum. On arrival at Hyden visit the natural wonder, Wave Rock, stretching some 100 metres long, and rising 15 metres above the ground like a giant wave. Overnight: Hyden, Wave Rock Hotel.

Day 3 Tue. Goldfields - Kalgoorlie - Two-Up School (BD): Journey through the wheatbelt to Southern Cross, gateway to the goldfields. In spring this area is carpeted in a multi-hued magic of wildflowers. Continue to Coolgardie where we visit the gold museum. Tour Kalgoorlie, the "City of Gold", and travel down Hannan Street to admire the Victorian architecture of the buildings, featuring beautiful wrought iron lattice work. See Paddy Hannan's Statue and visit the legendary Two-Up School. Overnight: Kalgoorlie, Mercure Inn Overland.

• Ride the Pemberton Tram through scenic south-west forests
• Relaxing 2 night stay in picturesque Margaret River
• Tour Mt. Romance Bodycare Factory
• Visit a Wildflower Farm
• Spectacular Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk through a Tinglewood forest
• Stay 4 nights in beautiful Perth
• Enjoy wine tasting at Leeuwin Estate Winery, Margaret River
• Guided tour spectacular Jewel Cave
• See stromatolites, "living fossils"
• Stay right on the beach at Monkey Mia - meet the famous Dolphins
• Stay Karri Valley Resort - a unique lakeside forest retreat
• Visit the unusual Pinnacles, Nambung National Park
• See the awesome expanse of Wave Rock
• Visit Kalgoorlie's famed Two-Up School
• Tour historic Albany - visit Whaleworld
• Guided tour Hannans North Gold Mine
• Visit Esperance and unique Pink Lake
• Tour Stirling Range National Park - wildflowers in season
• Kalbarri National Park - wildflowers in season
• Tour Geraldton

Day 5 Thur. Esperance - Pink Lake - Stirling Range - Albany (BD): Tour Esperance and enjoy a magnificent view over the Bay of Isles and the hinterland from Rotary Lookout. See Twilight Bay and view the Pink Lake, one of nature's rare phenomena. Travel through Ravensthorpe to the rugged beauty of the Stirling Ranges where high jagged peaks tower over the bushland, abounding with wildflowers in spring. Overnight: Albany, Quality Inn Motel or The Esplanade Hotel.

Day 6 Fri. Historic Albany - Mt. Romance Bodycare Factory - Whaleworld - Tree Top Walk (BD): Tour historic Albany including a visit to Mt. Romance Bodycare Factory where you will learn the secret of extracting essential oils from local wildflowers. See the production of bodycare products using emu oil. Visit Australia's last whaling station, where it is not uncommon during spring to see whales close to shore. Admire spectacular views of King George Sound and the rugged coastline at "The Gap" and "Natural Bridge". Travel into the tall timbers area of the south-west where karri, jarrah and tinglewood trees tower majestically over the countryside. Discover the magnificence of this region from the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk as you wander through the canopy of a Tinglewood forest, high above the surrounding landscape. Overnight: Pemberton, Karri Valley Resort, on the edge of Beedulup Lake.

Day 7 Sat. Gloucester Tree - Pemberton Tram - Margaret River (BD): Begin the day with a visit to the Gloucester Tree, the highest tree fire lookout in the world standing over 60 metres tall. This afternoon, enjoy a relaxing ride aboard the Pemberton Tram as it meanders through the karri forests to Northcliffe. Your local guide will provide an interesting commentary highlighting the history of the rail line and the region. Continue through the picturesque south-west to Margaret River. Overnight: Margaret River, The Freycinet Inn or Colonial Motor Inn for 2 nights. Tonight your Tour Director will host pre-dinner drinks with champagne, to celebrate the "Turn of the Century".

Day 8 Sun. Cape Leeuwin - Jewel Cave - Leeuwin Estate Winery (B): Journey to Cape Leeuwin, where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet. For the energetic a climb to the top of the lighthouse will be rewarded with views of the surrounding rugged coastline. Enjoy a guided tour of the Jewel Cave filled with a variety of limestone formations, from the most delicate of straws to majestic columns. The south-west is renowned for its award-winning wines. Your visit to Leeuwin Estate Winery will provide the perfect opportunity to sample some of these wines.

Day 9 Mon. Busselton - Bunbury - Mandurah - Perth (BD): Leaving Margaret River travel to Busselton, an area renowned for many talented crafts people. See displays of their beautiful craft work, woodwork and pottery, at the Bunyip Craft Centre. Tour Bunbury, making a stop at Boulter's Heights for a perfect view over the whole city, then continue on to Perth. This evening enjoy the option of dining a la carte in the unique atmosphere of Horsefeathers Restaurant. Overnight: Perth, Novotel Langley Perth for 2 nights.

Day 10 Tue. Tour Perth - Fremantle (B): Morning tour of Perth, including the main shopping and business areas, and beautiful historic buildings. Enjoy the panorama of Perth and Swan River from Kings Park, 400 hectares of gardens alive with wildflowers (in season). Continue to Fremantle and feel the olde worlde charm of this historic port, filled with cafes, museums and markets. Remainder of day at leisure to explore Perth at your own pace.

Day 11 Wed. New Norcia - Wildflower Farm - Kalbarri (BD): Travel to New Norcia, a charming town touched with the influence of early Spanish Benedictine Monks. See the monastery and church, and enjoy a local guided tour of the museum, housing priceless European treasures. At Coomberdale, visit a wildflower farm. See the drying racks where thousands of flowers are prepared each year for export and enjoy the beautiful arrangements. During spring the grounds are alive with colourful paper daisy, statice and banksia. Continue through the Irwin Valley to the popular holiday town of Kalbarri. Overnight: Kalbarri, Palm Resort.

Day 12 Thur. Kalbarri National Park - Shell Beach - Monkey Mia (BD)
Tour Kalbarri National Park enjoying spectacular views of the Murchison River Gorges. This area is renowned for its brilliant wildflowers in season including the unusual Murchison Claw flower and delicate feather flower. Travel the Peron Peninsula, through the World Heritage region of Shark Bay, visiting Shell Beach, to arrive Monkey Mia, where "wild" dolphins come in to shore.
Overnight: Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, overlooking the beach where the dolphins come in to shore.

Day 13 Fri. Dolphins - Denham - Stromatolites - Geraldton (BD): Feel the magic of interacting with the dolphins of Monkey Mia - a truly unique experience (subject to dolphin appearance). Visit the nearby town of Denham, where many buildings are made from limestone shell blocks. Enjoy views from Eagles Bluff and across Shark Bay as you journey to Hamelin Pool. See the stromatolites, the world's oldest known living organism before the journey to Geraldton. Overnight: Geraldton, Mercure Inn.

Day 14 Sat. Pinnacles - Perth (BD): Follow the Brand Highway, through the crayfishing town of Dongara to Cervantes. Nearby is Nambung National Park home of the mystical Pinnacles. Experience the unusual, eerie character of this region as you walk through the "Painted Desert" of limestone pillars and golden sand. Tonight, join your fellow passengers for a special farewell dinner including complimentary wine.
Overnight: Perth, Novotel Langley.

Day 15 Sun. Perth (B): Your tour concludes this morning after breakfast.