Southern Circle

Monday 26 October

Depart on Air New Zealand mid-afternoon to arrive in Perth late afternoon. Transfer to inner-city hotel with the evening free. 

Tuesday 27 October

Morning city tour of Perth including Kings Park, the Casino, Bell Tower and Swan River. Continue to the nearby coastal city of Fremantle for lunch (own expense) and free time to enjoy this famous port city.  Welcome Dinner tonight.

Wednesday 28 October

Enjoy a day trip to Rottnest Island, a protected nature reserve just off the Perth coast. Meet the island’s famous residents — the Quokka, a small wallaby-like marsupial — along with pelicans and other wildlife. Explore the island’s historical heritage and relax on beautiful sandy beaches before returning to Perth in the late afternoon.

Thursday 29 October

Travel south with an inland detour that provides a good cross section of rural life. At a crossroads in the middle of nowhere is Gnomesville, a prolific collection of the legendary creatures. Continue to Donnybrook, the ‘Apple Capital’ and stone fruit orchards for lunch and on to the coastal city of Busselton with its 1.8km jetty jutting out into the Indian Ocean. Later arrive in Margaret River for a two night stay.

Friday 30 October

Begin the day with a drive to Cape Leeuwin, the most south-westerly point of Australia where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. Visit the lighthouse and later the Mammoth Caves, a large limestone cavern where a guided tour is included. Continue to a winery for a tasting and lunch. Return to Margaret River.

Margaret River -Located in the far south-west corner of Western Australia is one of the most geographically isolated wine regions in the world. But this isolation is no barrier to the development of a region that is highly regarded as a producer of powerful, yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignon. It has also forged a great reputation for its white wines notably Chardonnay and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends.  Today there are just over 5,000 hectares under vine and over 150 wine producers in the region - made up predominantly of smaller niche-size wine producers – one of which you’ll visit. Collectively they produce a massive 20% of Australia’s premium wine. 

Saturday 31 October

Today travel inland to the town of Nannup, the home of Cambray Cheese. Lunch in a truffle growing area and on to the former sawmilling town of Pemberton to board a train for a bush ride along an old timber railway line. Spend the next two nights in a lakeside resort in a Karri Forest.

Pemberton, set amongst rich agricultural land and Karri forests won the Top Tourism Town for populations less than 5000.

Sunday 01 November

Today drive and walk through the tall Karri and Jarrah (eucalyptus) trees to enjoy a 4WD experience into the coastal sand dunes and a peaceful river cruise to the ocean. Return to your lakeside accommodation.

Monday 02 November

On your journey to Albany, stop off near the Southern Ocean coastal town of Walpole for morning tea and the popular Karri ‘tree top walk’ above the forest canopy with views of the wilderness. Continue to Greens Pool, a sheltered, sandy white beach ringed by large granite boulders and ‘Elephant Rocks’ - another natural phenomena.  Your next stop is a small, but renowned organic cider making orchard for tasting before continuing to the coastal city of Albany (the rural capital of the south) for a two-night stay.

Tuesday 03 November

Begin the day with a river cruise sightseeing tour after a poignant visit to the award-winning National ANZAC Centre (opened by the Prime Ministers of both Australia and New Zealand). From Albany, 30,000 Australian and New Zealand troops departed for Gallipoli in 1914. 

Wednesday 04 November

Today’s highlight takes you into the Stirling Ranges and the mountainous nature reserve where possibly the wildflowers will be in bloom. Enjoy walks through Porongurup National Park before visiting the Knoll Outlook for sweeping views across the vast inland region where wheat, barley and canola dominate the landscape. Continue east through Jerramungup and the mining town of Ravensthorpe to the small coastal town of Hopetoun for an overnight stay. 

*Note: Share accommodation tonight in 3 bedroom units/2 bathrooms.

Thursday 05 November

Begin the day with a visit to Fitzgerald National Park and the charming Hopetoun Village before travelling to Esperance. Arrive early afternoon in this eastern coastal gem of WA, famed for its pristine, whiter-than-white beaches — with two ranked among the best in Australia.

Friday 06 November

Today’s trip includes an interesting stop-off at the Lucky Bay Brewery for lunch and to see first-hand the production of craft beers. Return to Esperance with time to relax. There are some interesting museums to visit, particularly Skylab which displays the remnants of the American Space Shuttle which fell nearby in 1979.

Saturday 07 November

Travel north through wheat and farmland to the former mining town of Norseman — famously said to be discovered when a prospector’s horse unearthed a gold nugget with its hoof. Known as the gateway to the Nullarbor, it’s the ideal place for lunch and a quick wander. Continue on to Kalgoorlie, once the epicentre of the gold boom and still a thriving mining city, with stops at lookouts showcasing the vast surrounding landscape.

Kalgoorlie – Boulder sits on the edge of the Golden Mile and its economy has been driven by gold since 1893. The main street named after Paddy Hannan, the Irish prospector who discovered gold near the town in 1893. The Edwardian Town Hall and a colourful array of hotels and buildings remain, testament to the gold era.

Sunday 08 November

Morning sightseeing tour includes a visit to the ‘Super Pit,’ the massive hole in the ground from yesteryear which is still in gold production. Afternoon free to explore.

Monday 09 November

Today travel by coach to several places of interest before driving to the nearby mining ghost town of Coolgardie. Once the third largest town in West Australia with a population of around 30,000, the town had two Stock Exchanges, three breweries, seven newspapers and 26 hotels. Now around 850 people reside in the town. Return to Kalgoorlie via the city of Boulder. 

Tuesday 10 November

A morning departure by ‘The Prospector’ train arriving mid-afternoon into Perth. Transfer to the hotel for one night’s stay. Farewell Dinner tonight. 

Wednesday 11 November

A leisurely day with time to maybe enjoy a Swan River cruise, hire a cycle or relax in the city before a late check out and transferring to the airport for an overnight flight home to Auckland. 

Thursday 12 November

Arrive in Auckland early morning.

The option to extend your tour isavailable.