Tasmania 24

DAY 1

ALBURY / WODONGA– SPIRIT OF TASMANIA SUNDAY 13TH OCTOBER, 2024
Welcome aboard Martin’s air-conditioned touring coach for departure from Lavington Shopping Centre Griffith Road Bus Stop at 9.15am, Albury Railway Station 9.30am, Wodonga Plaza Smythe Street 9.45am and Wangaratta Coles Perry Street at 10.40am for our special spring tour to Tasmania. This year our program takes us on a ‘circle’ tour of the Island State and includes all the iconic attractions of Tasmania and lot more.Travel via the Hume and Princes Freeways to North Geelong, (lunch en route, own expense) to connect with our 6.45pm departure on the Spirit of Tasmania. Sailing has arrived! On board enjoy dinner in the Tasmanian Marketplace Kitchen restaurant. The cabins on ‘the Spirit’ are quite small but very comfortable, with a porthole, twin bed accommodation and en-suite bathroom. The facilities on the vessel are extensive with lounges, bars, shops and viewing areas.
Overnight: Spirit of Tasmania, Port Hole Cabins

DAY 2

DEVONPORT - SMITHTON MONDAY 14TH OCTOBER
Arriving around 6.00am in East Devonport on the North Coast of Tasmania and head straight for breakfast at the nearby Argossy Motor Inn. From Devonport make our way along the coast road to Stanley, discovering towns like Ulverstone and Penguin (yes, there is a 3m-high ‘giant penguin’ for photo opportunities; penguins are featured artistically on rubbish bins, and other penguin signage is scattered about this quaint town) and Burnie along the way. Our first stop this morning is at the Table Cape Tulip Farm, the home of Van Diemen Quality Bulbs. This truly spectacular farm just explodes in colour!  There will be a fantastic show of tulips in the fields, one of which is open for us to walk in rows and rows of beautiful bright colours - a perfect spot for a group photo. We have lunch in Wynyard and this afternoon head to Stanley for some free time to take the chairlift to the ‘Nut’ before a self-guided tour of Highfield House, the mansion which many regard as the birthplace of European settlement in the North West of Tasmania. Built from 1832 to 1835 as a residence for the chief agent of the Van Diemens Land Company Edward Curr, it represents an important part of Tasmanian historic heritage. With outstanding views of Stanley and The Nut, it is hard to believe this area was once a convict enclave but the proof is all around us in the convict barracks, cottages, chapel, barns and pig styes.
Arriving in Smithton we check into our hotel.
Accommodation: Tall Timbers Hotel (2 nights) Smithton Ph: (03) 6452 9000

DAY 3

WOOLNORTH STATION TUESDAY 15TH OCTOBER
This morning we visit Woolnorth Station.  Woolnorth covers more than 22,000 hectares in the far north west corner of Tasmania. This property is owned by the Van Diemens Land Company which began in 1825 from a Royal Charter from King George IV. It is the only company in the world still operating under such a charter. Most of Tasmania’s native animals abound on Woolnorth Station including wallaby, wombat, echidna, bandicoot, platypus, sugar gliders, quolls, Tasmanian Devils and others. In fact the last four Tasmanian Tigers ever captured were caught at Woolnorth and sent to the Domain Zoo in Hobart. We will be accompanied by a Station Guide and have morning tea and lunch while here. Breathe the world’s freshest air at Cape Grim and visit the Wind Farm to enjoy a brief but spectacular coastline walk around Woolnorth Point – from the west coast around the point to the east coast! This afternoon, travel a little further on to Dismal Swamp. This is an interesting place. Dismal’s name belies the beauty and natural presence that saved it from the fate of nearby swamps, long ago cleared and drained for farmland. At the bottom of a closed basin, the four boardwalks on the swamp floor make it easy to get to know life in a swamp without getting our feet wet.

DAY 4

CRADLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK & QUEENSTOWN WEDNESDAY 16TH OCTOBER
This morning head to Devils@Cradle.  This venue is a conservation sanctuary for Tasmania’s most iconic resident – the Tasmanian Devil.  The visit should provide us with an understanding of their lifecycles and the current threats that confront them.  From here it’s not far to Cradle Mountain where we have lunch at the Cradle Mountain Hotel before a tour of the Cradle Mountain National Park including Waldheim and Dove Lake. From here we make our way via Tullah and Queenstown to arrive in Strahan and our accommodation.
Accommodation: Strahan Village (2 nights), Strahan Ph: (03) 6471 4200

DAY 5

GORDON RIVER CRUISE THURSDAY 17TH OCTOBER
Start our day with a stunning cruise this morning. It leaves at 9.00am and takes us right across Macquarie Harbour and approximately 12 kilometres into the Gordon River. See Huon Pine trees that are thousands of years old. In fact the age of an ancient tree recently ‘discovered’ was put at 10,000 years and - if verified - will be recognised as the oldest on earth. We have the opportunity at Heritage Walk to see these and other trees of the dense forest close up. We will also come across the remains of the 3 storey jail house on Sarah Island and take a first hand view of the only entrance to Macquarie Harbour, known as Hells Gates. It’s a great day topped off with a beautiful buffet lunch. Return to Strahan mid afternoon for some free time to spend around the main wharf and the Esplanade before returning to our accommodation.

DAY 6

WORLD HERITAGE TOURING FRIDAY 18TH OCTOBER
Leaving Queenstown head to Derwent Bridge (the geographical centre of Tasmania) where we stop to view - the Wall in the Wilderness. The ‘wall’ is a work in progress which will take several more years to complete. The panels, when complete, will measure 100 metres in length. In the reception area, there are many three-dimensional sculptures to view. The area to the south is part of the huge South West National Park, which combined with the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park makes up almost a full one third of the land mass of Tasmania. We continue on to Salmon Ponds near New Norfolk. This is the oldest Salmon and Trout Hatchery in the southern hemisphere, established in 1860. We have lunch here and visit the Trout Fishery Museum, a working Fish Hatchery & Salmon Ponds. Mid afternoon we arrive in Hobart and take a drive through town. Set between the towering peak of Mount Wellington and the Derwent River, Hobart is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Founded in 1804, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital and everywhere you go the past steps out to meet you. Sullivans Cove is lined with sandstone warehouses reflecting the area's rich maritime history and at Battery Point tiny cottages vie for space with grand mansions and Victorian terraces.  We have time to settle into our hotel and relax before dinner.
Accommodation: Wrest Point Hotel & Casino (3 nights) Hobart Ph (03) 6221 1888

DAY 7

HOBART & THE SALAMANCA MARKETS SATURDAY 19TH OCTOBER
This morning a local guide joins us for a sightseeing tour of Hobart from the coach. We are lucky enough to be in Hobart on a Saturday, so later this morning we visit the famous Salamanca Markets. Over 300 stallholders sell fresh and gourmet produce, arts, crafts and handiwork crafts from all over Tasmania, interstate and overseas. We have some free time here to purchase our lunch before visiting the The Cascades Female Factory. The Factory was a self-contained, purpose-built institution intended to reform female convicts, where the inmates did laundry and needlework services, offsetting some of the colony's penal costs. Dinner tonight is in the Point Revolving Restaurant and take in the stunning views as the sun sets over Hobart.

DAY 8

BRUNY ISLAND SUNDAY 20TH OCTOBER
Today we are in for a fantastic experience with Rob Pennicott's multi-award-winning Bruny Island Traveller tour. It will be a slightly earlier start to the day as we travel through Hobart’s southern suburbs and then cross via ferry to Adventure Bay, Bruny Island. On our tour enjoy a true gourmet experience as we visit the home of Bruny Island's Cheese, Oysters, Fudge, Berries, Wine and Whisky to savour their produce and hear the stories behind the harvest. Throughout the day take in some incredible scenery. The light bush of the northern island gives way to the dense rainforest of the south - this pristine wilderness is home to diverse wildlife including rare white wallabies. After a memorable day head back to Hobart.

DAY 9

RICHMOND & PORT ARTHUR MONDAY 21ST OCTOBER
After an early start we make our way to the historic town of Richmond, proclaimed a township in 1824 and is probably Tasmania's best known man-made tourist attraction.  Its streets are paved with history and many of the fine colonial buildings have been adapted for use as art galleries, craft shops and restaurants and a gaol that pre-dates Port Arthur by five years and is one of the best preserved of Australia's colonial prisons.  The convict-built Richmond Bridge over the Coal River is the oldest bridge in Australia. Mid-morning, we arrive at the Port Arthur Historic Site. The penal settlement is a stark reminder of the harsh conditions endured by the earliest European inhabitants of this one-time island jail. The ruins are the greatest single tourist attraction in Tasmania and the place where up to 12,000 prisoners were kept in an atmosphere of hopelessness and misery. Even though the Tasman Peninsula is spectacular, you can imagine the conditions, especially on a cold winters day, endured by the prisoners 150 years ago. We take a look through the Visitor Centre before a guided walking tour through the Penal Settlement followed by a Harbour Cruise. Leaving Port Arthur, begin our afternoon touring stopping to see some natural attractions on the Tasman Peninsula, such as the Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen. Our day concludes as we arrive in Orford at our accommodation overlooking Maria Island.
Accommodation: East Coaster Resort Orford Ph: (03) 6257 1172

DAY 10

WINEGLASS BAY CRUISE TUESDAY 24TH OCTOBER
Today we take a spectacular drive to Coles Bay on the edge of the Freycinet National Park where we board our Wineglass Bay Cruise which takes us along the Freycinet coastline. Discover a coast dotted with sparkling white sand beaches, including Cooks and Bryans beaches, only accessible by water or a full day bushwalk. Explore the inner passage of remote Schouten Island, home to little penguins and short tailed shearwaters, before heading into the Tasman Sea towards Wineglass Bay. Look out for various hidden sea caves, blowholes and waterfalls amongst the sheer granite cliffs. Take in the sheer beauty of Wineglass Bay from the rarely seen perspective of the water, a shimmering crescent of white sand fringes spilling into glass turquoise waters. Our cruise includes a ploughman’s style lunch featuring smoked meats, salad, cheeses served alongside a locally baked bread roll, fruit and a sweet treat. Following disembarkation this afternoon we follow the coast through Bicheno to Saint Helens for our overnight accommodation.
Accommodation: Panorama Hotel Saint Helens Ph: (03) 6376 1999

DAY 11

ST HELENS - LAUNCESTON WEDNESDAY 23RD OCTOBER
Following breakfast begin our journey to Launceston, travelling via the small township of Ledgerwood, to see the incredible tree carvings. Near here located in Nabowla is the Bridestowe Lavender Farm. We have lunch on arrival and take a tour of the farm – one of the world's largest single commercial lavender farms, producing the finest quality lavender flowers and lavender oil. Later this afternoon make our way into Launceston where our afternoon is spent exploring Cataract Gorge at our own pace. Stroll along the pleasant walks through the landscaped gardens to the tea rooms or take a ride on the chairlift (own expense) which crosses the gorge.
Accommodation: Hotel Grand Chancellor (2 Nights) Launceston Ph: (03) 6235 4535

DAY 12

LAUNCESTON & THE TAMAR RIVER THURSDAY 24TH OCTOBER
Our Launceston touring starts with Tamar River Cruises aboard the Lady Launceston this morning and explore the Old Launceston Seaport before cruising to Kings Wharf viewing historic vessels and Launceston's delightful riverfront precinct. The highlight of the experience is cruising into the spectacular Cataract Gorge as we engage the Lady Launceston's unique and silent electric drive. From Launceston follow the Tamar River to Beauty Point for a tour of Seahorse World, a high-tech working farm.  The seahorse has long held a peculiar attraction for mankind, and this is also our lunch venue.  On our return to Launceston we stop in Beaconsfield - site of Tasmania's largest gold discoveries and of course the incredible rescue in 2006 of two miners, Todd Russell and Brant Webb, who emerged from the mine 14 days after being trapped almost 1 kilometre underground. Visit the Beaconsfield Gold Mine and Heritage Museum, home to Australia's only waterwheel-driven stamp battery, featuring an extensive collection of memorabilia and artefacts.

DAY 13

LAUNCESTON - DEVONPORT - MELBOURNE FRIDAY 25TH OCTOBER
This morning travel to nearby Deloraine and visit Yarns: Artwork in Silk.  The main highlight of this attraction is the light and sound show presentation in the auditorium. We explore the indoor and outdoor museum at leisure, then it’s off to Ashgrove Cheeses for a cheese tasting, talk and lunch. On our way to Devonport we pass through Sheffield, a delightful township which sits in the shadows of Mt Roland and the Western Tiers. The town centre features many murals depicting the history of the area. From here we head to the Axeman’s Hall of Fame and Timberworks Museum. The attraction salutes both the pioneers of the industry and those who have triumphed in competitive wood chopping. We have afternoon tea just outside Devonport at the Anvers Chocolate Factory. The ‘House of Anvers’ is a real chocolate sensation. Located in the property formerly known as ‘Wyndarra Lodge’, it is a stylish 1931 Californian Bungalow set on 1.12 hectares of gardens with mature trees and plants from all over the world. Late afternoon we board the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ for the 6.45pm service back to North Geelong with dinner served on board.
Overnight: Spirit of Tasmania – Port Hole Cabins

DAY 14

MELBOURNE - WODONGA / ALBURY SATURDAY 26TH OCTOBER
The Spirit of Tasmania arrives back at North Geelong. Rejoin your Martins Coach as we head off for breakfast at the Wyndham Cache Werribee. Commence our travel home via the Hume Freeway back to Wodonga / Albury arriving mid afternoon to complete a fantastic holiday to Tasmania.

TOUR COST

$6780.00 Per person Twin / Double Share
$8088 Single Supplement

INCLUDES

Luxury touring coach from Albury to Geelong and return
Port Hole Cabins With Private Facilities on ‘Spirit of Tasmania’
Coach touring for duration of tour in Tasmania
Accommodation on basis as booked
Meals as indicated on itinerary
Entrances to attractions and cruises as per itinerary
Goods & Services Tax

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner, AT=Afternoon Tea