The Southern Wilderness is our premier trip. On this trip we follow the South Coast and Alps route, with a few fabulous additions: We spend three days in spectacular Wilson's Promontory National Park which boasts Victoria's largest area of coastal wilderness. At 'the Prom' we walk for a full day to the Lighthouse which is perched on a peninsula jutting into wild seas. We spend two nights at the Lightstation before returning via a magnificent pristine beach. We also travel up to Bogong High Plains where we experience landscapes which are altogether different from anywhere in the world with vast plains dominated by the tough and wiry Snow Gum.
Your Itinerary
Day 1: The trip starts with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. We stay in the lovely seaside suburb of St Kilda which is as famous for its restaurants, cafes and cake shops as it is for its funky architecture and streets capes.
Day 2: We stay another night in Melbourne to access the fabulous Yarra Valley and visit Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary. Nowhere else in Australia can you you get up close and personal with so many native animals in bushland surroundings. We will also take the opportunity to picnic and stroll through the nearby Mountain Ash Forests - these spectacular Eucalypts are the tallest flowering plants in the world. Finally, if time permits, we can drop into one or two of the local wineries for a tasting - the Yarra Valley is particularly renowned for it's Pinot Noir.
Day 3: This morning we leave the city and head down to Wilson’s Promontory National Park, at the southern most point of the Australian mainland. Wilson’s Promontory is an amazing and diverse region and the Park contains the largest coastal wilderness area in Victoria. Its 130 km of coastline are framed by granite headlands, mountains, forests and fern gullies. The wildlife here is also diverse with over 30 species of native mammals including koalas, wombats and several kangaroo species.
Day 4: Today is a big day as we head out on a 19km walk to Wilson’s Prom Lightstation. Participants will need to carry a small pack with their personal items and a small amount of group food. The site of the Lightstation, perched on a peninsula jutting into the wild seas of Bass Strait, is as magnificent as the walk in. We will stay in a cozy cottage at the Lightstation for two nights and take in the peace and beauty of this spectacular remote area.
Day 5: For those with energy to spare we can walk on to the very southern point of the mainland, otherwise it's a great spot for some rest and relaxation!
Day 6: We follow a different track back to Tidal River through Tea Tree and Grass Tree forests. En route we will stop for a swim at one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Australia (and there is good chance that we will be the only people in this isolated piece of paradise!).
Day 7: Today we will travel up into the Australian Alps. The landscape here is altogether different from mountains you will see anywhere in the world. Here the forests are dominated by Snow Gums, hard and wiry eucalyptus that can withstand winter snow. In summer these magnificent trees are contrasted by a colourful display of wildflowers. We will stay overnight in a classic Australian highlands pub.
Day 8: We will spend the morning on the Bogong High Plains before traveling down to the fascinating and charming village of Beechworth. From the 1850s Beechworth was a bustling Gold Rush town with a cosmopolitan population which included 3000 Chinese miners and the legendary bushranger Ned Kelly.
Day 9: The morning is free to enjoy the cultural precinct of Beechworth or to walk the trails of the rare box-ironbark forests. Then we will drive up to the crystal clear waters of the Snowy River in Kosciusko National Park. At 675,000 hectares, Kosciusko is one of the world's great National Parks and internationally recognized as part of a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The area is home to hundreds of kangaroos, as well as legends and evidence of early European colonization.
Day 10: Today we will climb Australia's highest mountain! But don't worry - it's a moderate morning hike. After taking in the incredible views from the top of Mt Kosciusko (altitude 2227m) we'll have time to explore some of the other walks of the region or simply spend the afternoon relaxing.
Day 11: We travel down the rainforested mountain range to the New South Wales south coast with its beautiful beaches and pretty villages.
Day 12: The Djuwin people have been continuously 'caring for country' for perhaps 40,000 years, and in 2006 the Australian Government handed back their land. Today we have the great opportunity to walk with the Traditional Owners of Djuwin Country on the sacred mountain of Gulaga while they explain their stories and some of their culture.
Day 13: We travel up the Sapphire Coast, through sandstone country, heathlands and rainforest of Royal National Park stopping en route for a picnic lunch. We arrive in Sydney refreshed and reinvigorated for a celebratory final dinner.
Day 14: The trip will finish after breakfast on the Bondi Beach Esplanade.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price includes:
- all meals except 3 breakfasts and 5 dinners
- accommodation and transport
- National Park fees and other entry fees
- guide services and guest local guides.
Price excludes:
- fares to and from the departure and arrival locations
- personal travel insurance
- soft and alcoholic beverages
- items of a personal nature.
Also see tour packages in:
Australia and Oceania
Australia
Women Tours
Ecotourism
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