Great Southern Rail Adventure

DAY 1
Saturday 11 October 2014
Sydney – Adelaide (D)

Meet your Ross Tour leader at Sydney’s Central Station and hop aboard the Indian Pacific for our overnight journey to Adelaide. We’ll dine as the train heads west, and fall asleep to its rhythms. 
Accommodation: Indian Pacific.

DAY 2
Sunday 12 October 2014
Adelaide (B/L/D)

Wake as we cross the Darling River and skirt the shore of Lake Menindee before we make our first stop in Broken Hill. There’s time to take a tour or to wander on your own through the early morning streets of this fascinating town. Reboard the Indian Pacific for a leisurely breakfast taken as we move through red soil country, spotted with wildflowers. Slowly the desert gives way to fields of grain, and then to townships, and finally to the suburbs of Adelaide. It’s late-afternoon when we arrive at Adelaide Parklands Terminal. We transfer by coach to our hotel, the perfectly located Crowne Plaza. We’ll dine tonight in the hotel’s excellent restaurant, Red Salt. 
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza, Adelaide

DAY 3
Monday 13 October 2014
Adelaide (B/L)

We’ll have our first introduction to the wonder of South Australia’s rose-growing prowess this morning at the International Rose Garden. This garden is part of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. It is here that roses are trialled before their release onto the Australian market. Less well-known highlights of the Gardens include the world’s only Museum of Economic Botany, and an impressive storm water capture and treatment wetland. Lunch will be served in the Botanic Gardens.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza, Adelaide

DAY 4
Tuesday 14 October 2014
Adelaide – Barossa Valley (B/MT/AT/D)

Art and gardens come together today when we visit The Cedars, the family home of Hans Heyson in Hahndorf. Heysen’s studio is preserved as if he’s just stepped out for a cup of tea. We’ll also tour the house and hear its stories, wander through the garden, and explore the work of Nora Heysen, which hangs in her studio. When his daughter Nora showed an interested in painting flower still lifes, Hans gave the genre up, leaving the subject entirely to her. We’ll see the flowers they both painted growing in the garden, and explore the property where the great gums that Heysen is best known for still dominate the skyline. We’ll enjoy a morning tea here at The Cedars.
This afternoon we head into the lovely Barossa valley with an afternoon tea stop at Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop before we check in to the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort. All the rooms have panoramic views across the Barossa Ranges and Jacobs Creek vineyards.
Dinner is included tonight at the hotel.
Accommodation: Novotel Barossa Valley

DAY 5
Wednesday 15 October 2014
Clare Valley (B/L)

A feast of roses today when we travel into the Clare Valley to visit The Heritage Garden of world-renowned rosarian, Walter Duncan. Walter and his wife Kay are generous, knowledgeable and charming hosts. We’ll discover all kinds of ways to grow roses here: ‘Lamarque’ wraps verandah posts; ‘Mme Gregoire Staechlin’ hangs over the veranda; ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison’ perfumes an allee of arches; ‘Julia’s Rose’ and ‘Pierre de Ronsard’ are espaliered against galvanized iron and the wonderful French Guillot roses have a place of honour. Lunch will be served in the garden.
Return to the hotel with free time to enjoy the facilities of the Barossa Resort.
Accommodation: Novotel Barossa Valley

DAY 6
Thursday 16 October 2014
Barossa Valley – Adelaide (B)

We say goodbye to the Barossa this morning, and head first to a charming private garden with a small nursery attached. We’ll have free time to explore, shop and lunch in the pretty village of Hahndorf before we head down to Adelaide and the gardens at Carrick Hill. This grand Tudor-style house, built in 1930 by Sir Edward Hayward, is surrounded by wonderful gardens, including extensive rose gardens.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza, Adelaide

DAY 7
Friday 17 October 2014
Adelaide – Melbourne (B/D)

We’re up early this morning to catch The Overland to Melbourne. The train has recently been refurbished, and offers a comfortable, spacious and relaxing journey through rugged mallee scrubland, fields of golden crops, vast open plains and gently rolling hills. We’ll pass through classic Australian country towns including Murray Bridge, Bordertown, Nhill, Dimboola and Ararat, before arriving in Melbourne late in the afternoon. We’ll transfer to our hotel, The Marriott, and enjoy dinner together in the hotel.
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel, Melbourne

DAY 8
Saturday 18 October 2014
Melbourne (B)

We’ll wander through Melbourne’s fine Botanic Gardens this morning with a passionate and knowledgeable Gardens guide who’ll bring the history of the gardens alive. We’ll finish up at the café on the lake, where the scones are some of the best you’ll find in the state!
This afternoon is free to explore Melbourne’s galleries and museums, or its fabulous shops and laneways.
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel, Melbourne

DAY 9
Sunday 19 October 2014
Mornington Peninsula (B/L)

Today we’ll visit two very different and contrasting gardens on the Mornington Peninsula. First, the award-winning Australian Garden at Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. This garden is inspiring, educational, and stunningly beautiful. Lunch will be served in the Boonerwurrung Café overlooking the garden.
Cruden Farm is this afternoon’s treat. This is the famous garden of the late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, who came to Cruden Farm as a young bride more than 80 years ago. This much-loved garden is serene and subtle, much like the woman herself.
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel, Melbourne

DAY 10
Monday 20 October 2014
Dandenong (B/L)

A cool-climate adventure today when we retreat to the top of the Dandenong Ranges. Cloudehill is our destination. This arts and crafts garden of jewel-like garden rooms is set within woodlands of 80-year-old European beech, magnolias, maples and Himalayan tree rhododendrons. The planting combinations, garden room design, and horticulture, all overseen by owner Jeremy Francis, are inspiring. We’ll lunch in the restaurant looking over the gardens before we return to Melbourne.
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel, Melbourne

DAY 11
Tuesday 21 October 2014
Ballarat (B/D)

Lambley Nursery is set around an old farmhouse in the central Victorian Goldfields outside of Ballarat. Lambley is Australia’s leading mail-order, dry-climate plant specialist, and the gardens here are an inspiration. Our host David Glenn is an internationally recognised plantsman. You won’t believe the incredibly lush and colourful walled Dry Garden is watered only a few times a year!
On our way back to Melbourne we’ll stop at the charming spa town of Daylesford, which offers plenty of lunch opportunities, as well as some great shopping.
Tonight we’ll get together for a Farewell Dinner at the hotel.
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel, Melbourne

DAY 12
Wednesday 22 October 2014
Melbourne – Sydney (B)

Back to Sydney today on the XPT. We’ll get a great sense of the country as we journey north through Victoria and on into NSW, rolling into Central Railway at 8pm.

• Ross Tours Great Southern Rail Journey, October 2014 Download

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TOUR PRICE
Twin Share per person land only $5,695
Single Supplement $1195* single cabin on Indian Pacific Gold Service
Single Supplement $1595* twin cabin with exclusive occupancy on Indian Pacific Gold Service
Note: Indian Pacific Gold Service single cabins do not have ensuite facilities
All prices in Australian Dollars.
Prices based on minimum 15 passengers.
Price is based on departure ex Sydney. Price from other Australian cities available on application. Group meals do not include beverages. Hotels listed in this brochure are correct at time of printing, however, if a change becomes necessary for any reason, the accommodations substituted will be equivalent in standard. Please refer to Ross Garden Tours standard terms & conditions.
DISCOUNTS
Book and pay in full by 13/6/2014 to receive the Early Bird Discount of $200.00 per person off the final instalment.
Previous Traveller Discount $100.00
Garden Clinic Member Discount $50.00
Senior card $195
Tour inclusions:
Indian Pacific Gold Service Sydney to Adelaide
The Overland Red Premium seats Adelaide to Melbourne
XPT Premium seats Melbourne to Sydney
Air-conditioned motorcoach throughout tour including full breakfast daily
Deluxe accommodation for 10 nights including full breakfast daily
Breakfast daily, 1 morning tea, 5 lunches, 1 afternoon tea and 5 dinners
Entrance fees to all gardens and sightseeing including The Cedars, Heritage Garden, Carrick Hill House, Cranbourne Botanic Garden, Melbourne Botanic Garden, Lambley Nursery, Cloudehill Nursery, Cruden Farm
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