Adelaide & The Overland

DAY 1

ALBURY – MELBOURNE SUNDAY 27TH APRIL, 2025
Welcome aboard Martins touring Coach for our Autumn tour to Adelaide including the Overland train journey, The Clare Valley and Adelaide Regions. Departing from Lavington Shopping Centre at 8.45am, Albury Railway Station 9.00am and Wodonga Plaza Smythe Street at 9.15am, we travel via the Hume Freeway and head to The Brewers Table at Seymour for our lunch stop. Arrive in central Melbourne at the Savoy on Little Collins Hotel, located right across the road from Southern Cross Station. We have some free time this afternoon, then we meet again for dinner, but it’s early to bed tonight before our early start tomorrow morning.
Accommodation: The Savoy on Little Collins Melbourne Ph: (03) 9622 8888

DAY 2

MELBOURNE – ADELAIDE MONDAY 28TH APRIL
Southern Cross Station is the starting point for our short break to Adelaide. There is nothing quite like travelling by rail, and The Overland operates a day-long service running between Melbourne and Adelaide in both directions. On board, you’ll experience a comfortable journey as you watch the diverse landscapes outside your window, from rugged mallee scrub to fields of green and gold. Our journey passes through country towns including Geelong, Ararat, Horsham, Dimboola, Nhill, Bordertown and Murray Bridge. On arrival at Adelaide’s Keswick Interstate Rail Terminal, our local touring coach will meet us for the transfer to our accommodation for the next 5 nights.
Accommodation: Stamford Grand Hotel Glenelg Ph: (08) 8376 1222

DAY 3

EXPLORING ADELAIDE TUESDAY 29TH APRIL
Spend today exploring Adelaide. The city’s central business district is surrounded by Parklands, or the Green Belt as it’s known. For an excellent overview of the city and its Parklands we make a stop at Montefiore Hill. It was from this spot that Colonel Light planned a great city of the future in the sweeping valley below. Easily seen from the Hill is Adelaide Oval, one of the most beautiful Cricket Ovals in the world. Another landmark close by is St Peters Cathedral, which overlooks the city from North Adelaide. Next, we head to the banks of the Torrens River and board the Popeye cruise for a High Tea Cruise whilst we take in the iconic sights of Adelaide.  From here it’s not far to The Adelaide Botanic Gardens. This year, Chihuly's Garden Cycle Exhibition is making its Australian debut, exclusive to Adelaide! As we meander under majestic trees and through the lush landscapes of Adelaide Botanic Garden, an event by the world's most celebrated contemporary glass artist, Dale Chihuly, awaits us. We will take our time exploring the vibrant, large-scale sculptures in the beautiful botanical destination before heading back to the hotel.

DAY 4

THE SOUTH COAST WEDNESDAY 30TH APRIL
From Glenelg we travel around an hour out of Adelaide to the coastal town of Victor Harbor. We take a brief sightseeing tour, then have morning tea at the Causeway Café followed by some free time to look through the local shops. Early afternoon we board the Cockle Train for the one-way journey along the coast to Goolwa. The Cockle Train travels along the oldest steel railed railway in Australia dating back to 1854 when it was constructed to provide a link between the River Murray and the ocean wharfs at Pt Elliot and later at Victor Harbor. In early days of settlement, the local residents would take a horse drawn train to Goolwa to collect Cockles from the sandy beaches near the Murray mouth. It was a great day's outing and thus gained its name.
From Goolwa we return to Glenelg via the McLaren Vale wine region

DAY 5

THE ADELAIDE HILLS & MONARTO SAFARI PARK THURSDAY 1ST MAY
Today we visit the Monarto Safari Park, the largest open-range safari experience outside of Africa and is home to more than 50 species of exotic and native animals. The zoo plays a major role, nationally and internationally, in breeding programs for rare and endangered species. We’ll be joined on board our coach by a qualified guide for a safari tour of the park. After some time to view the exhibits and a poke through the Zoo’s gift shop we have lunch and then head to the Adelaide Hills town of Hahndorf. At the Beerenberg Strawberry Farm we will have the opportunity to purchase from their gift range and the large range of delicious preserves and other condiments. You may not know, but Beerenberg products can now be found in 24 countries, on major airlines and in more than 300 hotels! Next, we have a little free time to explore the main street of Hahndorf and look through the small craft and souvenir shops before arriving back in Glenelg.

DAY 6

ADELAIDE SIGHTSEEING FRIDAY 2ND MAY
This morning visit The Adelaide Oval. The redeveloped oval offers a unique blend of new and old – from the latest in stadium design to the famous features such as the heritage listed scoreboard, the century-old Moreton Bay Fig trees and the grassed northern mound. Our tour will take us behind the scenes to the inner workings of this iconic ground. We will see the old score board that is still in use today. Afterwards we will visit one of Adelaide’s stunning residential olde world mansions called Carrick Hill.  This building was a creation from the imagination of a man and his wife who decided to bring, to their home city of Adelaide, some of the magic that they had been so captivated by when honeymooning in England. Sir Edward Hayward created a Tudor manor house set in almost 100 acres of scenic bushland. Carrick Hill was bequeathed to the people of South Australia by Sir Edward and Lady Hayward and is now maintained by the State Government. We enjoy lunch and a guided tour here before returning to Glenelg.

DAY 7

THE CLARE VALLEY SATURDAY 3RD MAY
Leaving Adelaide, we spend the morning travelling north, arriving at Anlaby Station to experience the grandeur and glamour of times gone by. We’ll see extensive gardens and historic buildings that make Anlaby one of the finest homesteads in country South Australia. The early 1800s buildings sit on 10 acres of Edwardian gardens amongst the stables, workers cottages and sheds. We’re welcomed with a tour and lunch by the hosts. Farewelling the station, we continue towards Clare Valley stopping along the way to visit Martindale Hall. This magnificent mansion was known as Appleyard School in the film Picnic at Hanging Rock. We take a tour of the house to hear all the colourful history, where a rumoured 14 servants (4 of which lived in the hall) were on call 24 hrs a day to look after the needs of two people! Such was the extravagant upper-class lifestyle of the wealthy pastoralist!! After a tour we enjoy a lovely afternoon tea, before making our way to our hotel in Clare for the final night of our tour.
Accommodation: Clare Country Club Clare Ph: (08) 8842 1060

DAY 8

CLARE – SYDNEY – ALBURY SUNDAY 4TH MAY
We farewell our hosts and following breakfast transfer to the Adelaide Airport. Flight No QF0738 departs 11.00am for our flight to Sydney. Here we have a short wait until our Flight No QF2207 departs 3.00pm arriving Albury 4.15pm.

TOUR COST

$4835.00 Per Person Twin / Double Share
$5820.00 Single Supplement

INCLUDES

Coach travel and transfers for duration of tour
Overland Rail Melbourne to Adelaide
Economy Airfares Adelaide—Albury
Accommodation on basis as booked
Meals as indicated on itinerary
Entrances to attractions and Rail Excursion as per itinerary
Goods & Services Tax

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner