Tasmania Escorted Tour

Exploring Tasmania

22nd February – 4th March 2019

Personally escorted by Jacinta Anderson

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Tour Details

Tasmania offers many wonderful experiences, great food & wine and stunning scenery. I’m sure we will have a memorable time exploring the apple isle.

HIGHLIGHTS

Visit Mt Wellington
Explore Salamanca Market
Ferry to Mona Old & New Museum
Magnificent Mt Field National Park
Gordon River Cruise
Cradle Mountain National Park
Table Cape, home of tulips
Picturesque Stanley to view “The Nut”
Tarkine Wilderness region
Ashgrove cheese Factory
Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre
Village of Grindelwald
Bridestowe Lavender Estate
Legerwood Carved Memorial Trees
Freycinet National Park
Port Arthur Historic Site

YOUR TOUR LEADER

Jacinta Anderson

Jacinta has worked in the travel industry since 1994 dealing with both leisure & corporate travellers. Having visited many destinations extensively, her favourite destinations are Egypt, Turkey, South Korea and more recently Bhutan, China, Patagonia, Belgium and Norfolk Island.
After escorting your group earlier this year to Norfolk Island, I am thrilled to be able to escort your next adventure to Tasmania. Tasmania offers many wonderful experiences, great food & wine and stunning scenery. I’m sure we will have a memorable time exploring the apple isle.

INCLUSIONS

Maximum group size will be 32 participants
Minimum group size will be 20 participants for tour to be fully escorted
Melbourne/Tasmania and return economy airfares and taxes
Return coach transfers between Gippsland and Melbourne Airport
Personally escorted throughout the entire tour (minimum 20 passengers)
10 nights 4 star hotel accommodation in twin or double bedded rooms with private facilities
Private air-conditioned coach
Experienced driver and local guides
Meals as per itinerary – 10 Breakfasts (B),1 Lunch (L), 10 Dinners (D)
Comprehensive sightseeing as per itinerary
Porterage (one suitcase per person)

EXCLUSIONS

Travel insurance (a surcharge may apply for passengers over 70 years or if there is a pre-existing medical condition)
Expenses of a personal nature like laundry, telephone/fax calls, alcoholic beverages, medical expenses
Any meals not included in the itinerary

SPECIAL NOTES

Flight schedules to be advised.
The order of the sightseeing may vary depending on local conditions.

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Tour Costs

$3999 per person on a twin share basis
Single supplement – $875

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Deposit to secure booking: $750 per person – non-refundable
Final payment due: Thursday 29th November 2018

CANCELLATION FEES

For cancellations received more than 90 days prior to tour departure, a cancellation fee of $750 pp will be charged, which cannot be credited to another booking. Notice of cancellation must be made in writing to Gippsland Travel Centre. If notice of cancellation is received 90 days or less, prior to departure, the following fees apply:

No of days prior to tour departure
70 days and over
Cancellation fee of a % of tour cost
loss of $750 deposit

No of days prior to tour departure
7 – 69 days
Cancellation fee of a % of tour cost
50% of full fare + loss of deposit

No of days prior to tour departure
1 – 6 days
Cancellation fee of a % of tour cost
100% or full fare + loss of deposit

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Tour Itinerary

Departs Melbourne: 22nd February 2019
Concludes: 4th March 2019

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Friday 22 February Melbourne – Hobart

We depart Gippsland early this morning and travel by coach to Melbourne Airport for our Virgin flight to Hobart. On arrival, we will be met and transferred to the WREST POINT HOTEL, or similar, for a two-night stay.

On this afternoon's tour, we view the capital's city sights and hear about the first settlers, see original sandstone buildings still bearing the signature markings from the original convict labourers and visit the Botanic Gardens. We shall also see Battery Point and the original customs building, Constitution Dock, Brooke St Pier and more. We visit Mt.Wellington for amazing views over Hobart and the Derwent River.

Our Welcome Dinner tonight we will be at our hotel.

Saturday 23 February Hobart Sightseeing

A free day to enjoy the sights, sounds, flavours, colour and action of Salamanca Market. Explore the market stalls, wander through the historic sandstone warehouses discovering innovative Tasmanian

arts and crafts and delight in the taste and aroma of freshly baked goods and local produce, meeting the friendly people who make or grow what they sell. Take a moment to sit back and relax at one of Salamanca's cafes and watch the world pass you by with cooling ale or locally produced cider.

This afternoon we hop on board the Mona ferry to head to the Museum of Old and New Art. Dinner tonight will be at the hotel.

Sunday 24 February Hobart – Strachan

This morning we head west to New Norfolk and the magnificent Mt. Field National Park. Tasmania’s oldest National Park is the location of the spectacular three-tiered waterfall, Russell Falls, which is surrounded by towering swamp gums.

We take the winding journey up to Lake St. Clair and travel through Queenstown, along the rainforest bordered road of the World Heritage protected Franklin- Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, and on to coastal Strahan. Our overnight accommodation will be at the STRAHAN VILLAGE HOTEL, or similar. Tonight, we enjoy dinner at our hotel.

Monday 25 February Gordon River Cruise – Cradle Mountain

A spectacular Gordon River Cruise, where the wilderness comes to the water’s edge, is the highlight of today. You’ll be awestruck by the beauty of the dark waters, stained amber by buttongrass tannins, reflecting the untouched wilderness. We stop at Sarah Island for insight into Tasmania's lesser known convict history, the Macquarie Harbour Penal Settlement and see Hell’s Gate and Heritage Landing, site of the 2,000 year old Huon Pine. Pass the towns of Rosebery and Tullah as we travel to our hotel, CRADLE MOUNTAIN HOTEL, or similar, on the outskirts of sensational Cradle Mountain National Park. Tonight, we enjoy dinner at our hotel.

Tuesday 26 February Cradle Mountain – Smithton

This morning it’s time to explore the inspiring beauty of Cradle Mountain National Park. We’ll head to gorgeous Dove Lake for spectacular views of Cradle Mountain – make sure the camera’s charged, this is a scenic highlight, and the air – there’s none fresher! We may spot Bennetts wallabies, echidnas and pademelons grazing through the alpine heathlands.

Picture rolling green hills and Friesian cows – this afternoon we make our way past Table Cape, home of tulips, for views of Bass Strait and coastline. Picturesque Stanley is in our sights as we head west with a view of ‘the Nut’ and a chance to explore. Our final destination is Smithton where we will check in to the TALL TIMBERS HOTEL, or similar, for an overnight stay. Tonight, we enjoy dinner at our hotel.

Wednesday 27 February Smithton – Launceston

First up we’ll experience a guided tour of the Tarkine Wilderness region, one of Australia’s largest unprotected temperate rainforests and contains vast forests of myrtle, leatherwood and pine trees. En route to Launceston we’ll visit the Ashgrove Cheese Factory to learn all about cheese making and taste some samples.

On arrival in Launceston we shall check into the BEST WESTERN PLUS, or similar, for two-night stay. Tonight, we enjoy dinner at our hotel.

Thursday 28 February Launceston Sightseeing

This morning travel to Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre through the rolling hills and vineyards of the Tamar Valley. Beaconsfield Mine has a long rich gold mining history. Our expert local guide will bring to life the mine’s extraordinary past and tell you of incredible engineering feats, the town’s heritage and the dramatic events of the 2006 rock fall and mine rescue.

We visit the village of Grindelwald. Established in the 1980s as a unique residential development. All houses in Grindelwald have been built in Swiss style, with wide eaves, flowerboxes, window shutters and balconies. The settlement is fringed with glassy lakes and views of the Tamar Valley with free time to explore Cataract Gorge before we board an afternoon cruise.

Tonight, we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Friday 1 March Launceston – Bicheno

Bridestowe Lavender Estate is our first stop today. Bridestowe has been growing lavender since 1922 when a London perfumer planted lavender seeds from the French Alps on his family estate which he named after his wife's birthplace in England. Try some of Bridestowe's lavender products and we can treat ourselves to their famous lavender ice-cream!

Later we stop at the Legerwood Carved Memorial Trees, planted in honour of fallen WWI soldiers. After our lunch time stop at St Helens, we follow the picturesque East Coast south to Bicheno.

This evening you may like to take an optional tour to see Bicheno's wild penguin colony as they emerge from the ocean for the night, or even take a tour to see Tassie Devils (At own expense). Our overnight accommodation will be at the BEACHFRONT AT BICHENO.

Tonight, dinner will be at our hotel.

Saturday 2 March Bicheno – Hobart

Get your camera ready for the spectacular and breathtaking – Freycinet National Park. We’ll take a walk that will unveil astonishing views across brilliant blue water, forest and golden beach. Cape Tourville Lookout is magic! We travel through Swansea and Orford, then chart a course for Hobart. We will have some free time in Richmond before arriving into Hobart, where we will check into the WREST POINT HOTEL, or similar, for a two-night stay.

Tonight, dinner will be at the hotel.

Sunday 3 March Port Arthur

We explore Port Arthur Historic Site today. We cross Eaglehawk Neck to the Tasman Peninsula and enjoy a cruise around the Isle of the Dead and a fascinating guided walk of Port Arthur's infamous convict prison. We'll have time to wander the site at our leisure before we leave. See rugged sea cliffs from Pirate’s Bay Lookout and feast your eyes on the amazing vistas of Tasman’s Arch, Devil’s Kitchen and the Blowhole on the drive back to Hobart.

This evening we will celebrate the end of our holiday at a Farewell Dinner at one of Hobart’s favourite restaurants.

Monday 4 March Hobart – Melbourne

This morning, we will be transferred to the Hobart Airport for our flight to Melbourne. On arrival we will be met and transferred to Gippsland arriving home in the late afternoon.