7D6N Melbourne, The Southern Touring Triangle & The Great Ocean Road

Melbourne – Phillip Island – Mornington Peninsula – Great Ocean Road – Ballarat

PACKAGE INCLUSIONS:

ü 1N accommodation in Philip Island ü 1N accommodation in Mornington Peninsula ü 1N accommodation in Apollo Bay ü 1N accommodation in Warnambool ü 1N accommodation in Ballarat ü 1N accommodation in Melbourne ü 6D Hertz Car Hire ü Penguin Parade with Penguin Plus ü Koala Conservation Centre ü Churchill Island Heritage Farm ü A Maze N Things & Panny’s Chocolate Factory ü Peninsula Hot Spring in Mornington ü Entrance to Sovereign Hill at Ballarat ü Otway fly tree-top walk at the Great Ocean Road

DAY 01 SOUTH EAST TOURING TRIANGLE: MELBOURNE VIA YARRA VALLEY TO PHILIP ISLAND DISTANCE: 214 KM, ABOUT 2 HR 50 MINS Depart Melbourne to hit the road for Yarra Valley, located only an hour from Melbourne's CBD. Where you can get up close to some Aussie icons at the Healesville Sanctuary, or simply indulge in some of the best cool climate wines Australia has to offer with a tasting at one of over 50 cellar doors. Stop by Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery for abundant free chocolate tastings. With over 150 different varieties of hand-crafted chocolates and ice creams, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Take a guided orchard tractor fruit tasting tour with farmer Len Rayner at Rayner's Stonefruit Orchard, currently grow over 300 varieties of fruit. Compare the fantastic flavours of about 12 varieties of fresh tree ripened fruit. Tractor fruit tasting tours are available from December to April, and the Tractor Farm Discovery Tours run from May to November, whereas fruit tasting is now available on tours right through the year. Continue driving to Philip Island and check in to your accommodation. Head over to the Nobbies to walk along the boardwalk to the blowhole and enjoy spectacular sunset views along the island’s rugged south coast, before making your way to the star attraction of the Phillip Island Nature Park – The Phillip Island Penguin Parade. Delighting visitors for many years with little penguins making their way up Summerland Beach each night at sunset, the Phillip Island Penguin Parade is the third largest visited natural attraction in Australia. With your Penguins Plus ticket, you have access to the boardwalk which is limited to 180 guests per night. Overnight: Phillip Island

S E L F D R I V E H O L I D A Y S

DAY 2 PHILLIP ISLAND TO MORNINGTON PENINSULA DISTANCE: 110 KM, ABOUT 1.5 HOURS Make your way to A Maze N Things, and marvel at the mental confusion of objects defying gravity, rooms flooding without getting wet, a huge magic tap floating in mid air, or giant people shrinking into tiny versions of their former selves. At Pannys Amazing World of Chocolate, you can learn about cocoa harvesting, how chocolate is made, vital ingredients and an interactive range of displays that explain the whole Chocolate production process from farm to shop. Find your way to the Mornington Peninsula via the Bass Highway which connects to the South Gippsland Highway and turning left at the Baxter-Tooradin Road. Visit the cellar doors at Paringa or Red Hill estates or Tuck's Ridge. Stay around for lunch or sample more options at Montalto, T'Gallant or Green Olives at Red Hill. At Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm, indulge in delectable strawberry ice cream, wine, jam with scones and cream. U-pick strawberry is seasonal and only available from Nov to Apr. Enjoy the afternoon on a horse trail ride on Gunnamatta Beach. Don't stop when the sun sets – take a night swim in the heated pools at Peninsula Hot Springs, meet nocturnal animals at Moonlit Sanctuary or see Port Phillip Bay shimmer as the sun goes down from a Moonraker Dolphin Cruise. Overnight: Mornington Peninsula DAY 3 MORNINGTON PENINSULA TO APOLLO BAY DISTANCE: 270KM, ABOUT 3.5 HOURS Combine Melbourne’s South East Touring Triangle with Great Southern Touring Route using the passenger car ferry to ply between Sorrento and Queenscliff. From here, a short 45mins drive to Torquay - the official start of the spectacular coastal drive along the Great Ocean Road. The Surf World Museum at Torquay documents surfing history in the region and provides interpretative displays. Along with Bells Beach, Torquay is recognised among the world's premier surf locations. Continue on through the townships of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet to Lorne, a resort-style town combining restaurants and shops with historic properties and natural attractions such as the Angahook-Lorne State Park. Approaching Apollo Bay, the contrast between rugged coast and inland forest becomes more spectacular. The stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is considered by many to be the most picturesque section of the Great Ocean Road. The highway is carved into sheer cliffs that drop away into the ocean, offering commanding views of the waves swelling and crashing onto the rocks and beaches below. This small fishing and farming village is also an excellent base for exploring the waterfalls and rainforests in the Otway National Park whilst enjoying the fresh seafood and local produce. Walk through breathtaking wilderness, explore secluded beaches or the forest canopy via the Otway Fly Tree Top Walk in the Otway National Park. Not to be missed is dinner at award-wining Chris’s Restaurant, which overlooks Apollo Bay. Overnight: Apollo Bay DAY 04 APOLLO BAY TO WARRNAMBOOL DISTANCE: 161KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 2.5HR Drive to Port Campbell National Park to witness nature's marvellous rock formations. This is the most famous section of the Great Ocean Road featuring an amazing collection of rock formations known as the Twelve Apostles - carved out of the headland by the fierce waves of the southern ocean. Spectacular shapes in the nearby cliffs, including Loch Ard Gorge, the Arch, the Blowhole and London Bridge as well as Wreck Beach are also not to be missed. Adventurous sightseers can take the boardwalks that lead to lookouts and great views of the coastline, which is dotted with plaques and signs that mark the places where more than 160 ships floundered along the aptly named Shipwreck Coast. An exhilarating helicopter experience over the coastline and rock formations will mark an unforgettable experience! This leg of the journey ends at Warrnambool, the only city on the Shipwreck Coast. Set on the edge of Lady Bay, Warrnambool boasts a colourful history, which can be explored at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum. Whales migrate al ong the part of the coastline and can be spotted

from lookouts and on boat trips between May and October. The nightly "Shipwrecked" sound and light show is a definite highlight! Overnight: Warrnambool DAY 05 WARRNAMBOOL TO BALLARAT DISTANCE: 173KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 2HR After breakfast, proceed to Ballarat, Sovereign Hill. Australia’s foremost outdoor museum, Sovereign Hill re-creates Ballarat’s first ten years after the discovery of gold in 1851 when thousands of international adventurers rushed to the Australian goldfields in search of fortune. By day, Sovereign Hill is where Australia’s history comes to life! It’s just like stepping back in time - from the hustle and bustle of Main Street where costumed ladies and gents parade their new-found wealth, to the excitement of the Red Hill Gully Diggings where you can pan for real gold and it’s yours to keep! If you are brave, try a self guided underground adventure through the dark, winding tunnels of the Red Hill Mine and re-live the discovery of the famous Welcome Nugget. In the evening Sovereign Hill has a sound and light show with dinner, depicting the uprising of the miners during the Eureka Rebellion, when prospectors protested about high licence fees for very few rights. (show & dinner are optional) Overnight in Ballarat. DAY 06 BALLARAT TO MELBOURNE DISTANCE: 158KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 2HR Before departing, visit the Ballarat Wildlife Park where you will see a range of native Australian animals including wombats, koalas and kangaroos. On the way back to Melbourne take a 40 minute detour to Hepburn Springs, a resort town located in the middle of the largest concentration of mineral springs in Australia.The springs are full of health-giving minerals that occur naturally in different formulations, giving every spring a distinctive taste.The town is increasingly known for its resident masseurs and holistic therapists. At the Convent Gallery in Daylesford, converted from an old nunnery into its present delightful shopping centre and art gallery, you can load yourself with local crafts and souvenirs. Later you could maybe visit Ballan, a classic small Australian provincial town, and Bacchus Marsh, a produce town famous for its apple orchards (when in season you can pick your own) before returning to Melbourne. Overnight: Melbourne DAY 09 DEPART Drop off your car at the airport before flying onwards to your next destination.