January 19 - February 03, 2025
16 Days
Tour Status - Guaranteed Departure
This HOSTED tour by David & Brenda Layden from Select Holidays, offers a rural and cultural tour in Australia. You are in for an incredible "down under" farm tour with stops at cereal grain, potato, sheep, wheat, sorghum, cotton and pulse crop farms. Australia is a fascinating agricultural continent. From grain farms to large feedlots, vegetable farms to wide-open spaces, this customized tour arranged by Select Holidays, offers a large range of amazing visits. Then explore the magic of Hawaii visiting Oahu and Pearl Harbour, the breathtaking beaches, plus more….. Why not join Select Holidays in 2025?
Tour Highlights
Deluxe and rural accommodations
Meals as per itinerary
Air conditioned transportation
City & area tours as per itinerary
Rural visits as per itinerary
Sydney Harbour Cruise
Sydney Opera House Tour
Lone Pine Koala Park
Darling Downs
Feed Lot Tour
Grain, Cotton & Fruit Farm
Green Island & Great Barrier Reef
Tjapukai Aboriginal Park
Kuranda Rail
Skyrail Tours
Hosted by Select Holidays
Plus More....
Day 01 - Jan 19, 2025: Sun - MELBOURNE, AU
Upon your arrival, clear Australian Customs. Overnight in Melbourne.
**International airfare into Melbourne is NOT included in the price below. Call for pricing details.
Day 02 - Jan 20, 2025: Mon - MELBOURNE, AU
A morning city tour of Melbourne. After lunch, continue into the farming community of Ballarat and check into the hotel for a 2-night stay. Ballarat is Victoria's largest inland city, a thriving hub of contemporary arts, events and food and wine, with a fascinating heritage backdrop. [B/D]
Day 03 - Jan 21, 2025: Tue – BALLARAT, AU
Today’s farm visits will include a visit to a sheep sales yard, as well as a potato, corn farm. Afternoon visit to a local company who make Australian sprayers. [B/L/D]
Day 04 - Jan 22, 2025: Wed – BALLARAT - BORDERTOWN, AU
Travel through the region, known as the “Victorian Wheat Belt”. This afternoon visit to a carrot farm followed by a visit to a large scale cereal grain operation. The small farming community of Bordertown is home base for the night. [B/L/D]
Day 06 - Jan 23, 2025: Thu – BORDERTOWN - MANNAM, AU
This morning, visit a seed cleaning operation then continue into Murray Bridge. This afternoon, visit an onion processing facilities before arriving the quaint community of Mannam, a historic town on the west bank of the Murray River. [B/D]
Day 07 - Jan 24, 2025: Fri – MANNAM - BAROSSA VALLEY - ADELAIDE/GLENELG, AU
The Barossa Valley wine region is one of Australia's oldest and most premier wine regions. Unlike most of Australia whose wine industry was heavily influenced by the British, the wine industry of the Barossa Valley was founded by German settlers. The warm continental climate of the region promoted the production of very ripe grapes that was the linchpin of the early Australian fortified wine industry. Enjoy a tour and lunch at a local winery. This afternoon, travel onto Adelaide/Glenelg for a two-night stay. Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth largest Australian capital city. The city of Adelaide is surrounded by the hills on the east, and over 70 kilometers of coastline on the west. Glenelg is a beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. [B/L]
Day 08 - Jan 25, 2025: Sat – ADELAIDE/GLENELG ~ CAIRNS
Transfer to the Adelaide Airport for the flight to the tropical city of Cairns. Upon arrival transfer to hotel with the balance of the day free. [B]
Day 09 - Jan 26, 2025: Sun – CAIRNS, AU **Today is “Australia Day
Following breakfast, travel to “Freshwater Train Station” to board the “Kuranda Rail” for a scenic train journey up the mountainside to “Kuranda Station” and a visit to the Kuranda village. The picturesque mountain village is surrounded by the “World Heritage Rainforest”. Later, board the “Skyrail Rainforest Cableway”, the world’s longest gondola, for an epic aerial ride over the rainforest canopy as you make your way back down the mountain and visit “Tjapukai Aboriginal Park” for a dance and boomerang throwing performance. It is both an entertaining spectacle, and an educational experience for everyone. This evening, take time to explore the foreshore promenade and shop at local markets, eat tropical fruits and seafood. [B]
Day 10 - Jan 27, 2025: Mon – CAIRNS, AU
A fast 45 minute catamaran ride will take you to beautiful Green Island to enjoy this unique coral reef, which is situated on part of the “Great Barrier Reef" - one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Enjoy a glass bottom boat ride over the coral as well as a lunch on the island before returning back to Cairns. [B/L]
*Snorkeling equipment included*
Day 11 - Jan 28, 2025: Tue - CAIRNS ~ BRISBANE, AU
This morning, transfer to the Cairns International Airport for the flight to Brisbane. Visit the “Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary” where you can see koalas, kangaroos and other amazing animals. Then transfer to the hotel with the balance of the time at leisure. [B]
Day 12 - Jan 29, 2025: Wed – BRISBANE ~ TOOWOOMBA, AU
Depart Brisbane and travel west to a fertile area known as the Darling Downs. The area surrounding Gatton is a major vegetable growing area with year-round production and access to nearly 3 million consumers in Southeast Queensland. Visit a Research Station where you will meet your host in the field to receive an overview of horticulture in the area, as well as an insight into the research being done at the Station, particularly in relation to vegetables. Lunch at Picnic Point Restaurant – offering superb views. The Darling Downs region has become known as the feedlot hub of Australia. Visit a large cattle feedlot. Check in to centrally located hotel in the city of Toowoomba for the night. Dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. [B/L]
Day 13- Jan 30, 2025: Thu - TOOWOOMBA ~ STANTHORPE, AU
Depart Toowoomba and travel to an area located to the southwest. Visit a family with a mixed cropping enterprise. Intensive cropping and irrigation practices have made this area of Queensland famous with both summer and winter crops such as cotton, soybeans, maize and sorghum, many grown utilising innovative water harvesting and production techniques. Further southeast, visit a leading breeder of stud Charolais and commercial composite beef cattle. Make a stop at Kent Saddlery for a workshop tour. This successful family business has a connection to the Outback and country people, built on servicing and their annual visits to Outback cattle stations for over 30 years. Arrive in the town of Stanthorpe and check in to our hotel. [B/L/D]
Day 14 - Jan 31, 2025: Fri – STANTHORPE ~ TAMWORTH, AU
After breakfast, follow the New England Highway (the inland highway connecting Brisbane to Sydney) to Guyra to visit a family-owned successful mixed livestock enterprise, with cattle and sheep for both superfine merino wool and meat. Lunch with your hosts. Afternoon arrival in the city of Tamworth – known as the Country Music Capital of Australia. Check into your centrally located accommodation for a 1-night stay. [B/L]
Day 15 - Feb 01, 2025: Sat - TAMWORTH - SYDNEY, AU
Travel to the nearby fertile farming area known as the Liverpool Plains, where you will spend some time at a successful family-owned mixed cropping and livestock enterprise. Travel directly through to Sydney. Lunch opportunity (own cost) and comfort stops enroute. Continue into Sydney and checking into the hotel, situated on the Darling Harbour, for a 2-night stay. [B]
Day 16 - Feb 02, 2025: Sun - SYDNEY, AU
Enjoy a morning cruise on the world's most beautiful Harbour, Sydney Harbour. The beauty and splendor of the Sydney Harbour, is something that has to be experienced first-hand - no picture or video can do justice to it. After lunch, take a tour of the world-famous “Sydney Opera House”. The balance of the afternoon is free to explore on your own. Join Select Holidays for a “Farewell Dinner” this evening. [B/D]
Day 17- Feb 03, 2025: Mon – SYDNEY ~ END OF TOUR
All good things must come to an end. [B]
Ask about extending your stay in Australia by adding a visit to one of these other amazing regions like; Western Australia & Tasmania OR Ayers Rock and Alice Springs.
**Airfare to/from Australia is not included in the price. Ask about special International airfares for this tour.
Flights within Australia are included in the above price.
price PER PERSON, DOUBLE - from $12,660.00 Land price only*
Plus Air/Gov't Taxes of $894.00 CAD per person
Single Occupancy - add $3,188.00
INITIAL DEPOSIT - $3,000.00 per person at time of booking
FINAL PAYMENT per person is due before October 22, 2024