Outback Landscapes

Welcome to  Victorias capital Melbourne, renowned for its sporting events, café culture and breathtaking natural wonders. Regarded by many as the world’s most liveable city and known as Australia’s cultural capital, it is the birthplace of Australian Impressionism and Australian Rules football.  Your Scenic Special Stay tonight is at the le Meridian Hotel . Meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers tonight during a welcome drink and dinner.

This morning, visit Bendigo, a town built by immigrants who came for the gold rush. The money from this era turned Bendigo into a grand city of architectural elegance. Journey to the riverside town of Echuca to board the PS Australian Star paddle steamer for a magical three-day cruise along the Murray.

After breakfast on board, visit the Great Aussie Beer Shed and Heritage Farm Museum, a quirky celebration of Australias love affair with beer. The museum features an extensive collection of over 17,000 cans and bottles from around the world. This afternoon is yours to enjoy the natural wonders of the Murray River.

A full day of cruising takes you towards the impressive Torrumbarry Weir. Visit the Interpretive Centre where you can learn about the Murray Darling Basin and water conservation methods being used in the region.  Expect the river birds to strike up their evening chorus as you enjoy your final dinner on the ship.

Travel through the low scrub of Mallee country before stopping in the regional city of Mildura. Located on the banks of the Murray River, Mildura produces most of Victoria’s citrus fruit.  Visit the World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park and meet our park ranger for a guided tour. You’ll see the famous Mungo lunette, formed by sand swept up from the dried-up lake floor and dumped on the shoreline. Today its the site of the iconic “Walls of China”, carved from layers of the lunette and spectacular in its desolation. Your overnight stay is at the historic  Quality Hotel Mildura Grand.

Stop in the town of Wentworth, where the mighty Murray and Darling Rivers meet. Arrive in Broken Hill  site of the world’s richest deposits of silver , lead and zinc, which led to the establishment of BHP. Your two-night stay will be at the Broken Hill Resort.

Delve into the world of unconventional artist Kevin "Pro" Hart during a tour in the Ant Hill Gallery. Visit the outback ghost town of Silverton, scene of over 140 films and commercials. Go for a stroll around the restored gaol, art galleries and the Silverton Hotel before a visit to the Mad Max Museum. At the Daydream Mine, experience life in the early days of mining. Visit the Royal Flying Doctors Service before enjoying a milkshake and a shot of nostalgia at the famous Bells Milk Bar. Enjoy the sunset at the spectacular Living Desert Sculptures Outdoor Museum.

Leave NSW for South Australia. Travel through  remote Saltbush country on the Barrier Highway and the towns of Peterborough and Hawker .Enter Flinders Ranges National Park for your two-night stay in the outback hospitality of the Wilpena Pound Resort. Sunset Drinks Watch the sunset with a drink in hand from Stokes Hill, which offers spectacular panoramic views of Wilpena Pound and the surrounding ranges.

Optional flight - Elevate your experience with an optional flight over Wilpena Pound. (Additional expense). With rugged mountain scenery, plunging gorges and a huge array of fauna and flora, the Flinders Ranges are a wonderful showcase of the Australian outback. Enrich In a 4WD, venture with your local guide to the heart of Wilpena Pound. Hear stories about the ‘The Meeting Place’, home to the Adnyamathanha people for tens of thousands of years, then preserved as a natural enclosure by early pastoralists.

Travelling south, today we stop in Port Augusta, situated on the quiet waterways of the Spencer Gulf. Visit the Wadlata Outback Centre and journey through the ‘Tunnel of Time’ to learn about life in the outback. Continue to the palindromic  Adelaide seaside suburb of Glenelg, where youll enjoy an overnight Scenic Special Stay at the luxurious beachfront Stamford Grand Hotel.

Journey south today to the Fleurieu Peninsula, where rolling hills are gilded by rugged clifftops and sandy beaches. Stop in McLaren Vale and visit the d’Arenberg Cube, a five-story contemporary glass structure that almost appears to float amongst the vineyards. Board your ferry ride to Kangaroo Island, where youll settle in at the Seafront Hotel for the next three nights. Sunset Drinks Unwind over an evening drink while basking in the stunning views of the beach before dinner.

Be inspired by the scenery at Flinders Chase National Park and take advantage of two great photo ops: Admiral’s Arch and the aptly named Remarkable Rocks. A special encounter awaits at Seal Bay, home to the third-largest sea lion colony in Australia. Meet your conservation guide for a walk amongst the seals; locals say that if youre quiet, you might even hear them talking.

Enrich Tantalise your taste buds as your local epicurean guide introduces you to the magnificent flavours that put Kangaroo Island on culinary maps around the world. Sample gourmet  honey and wine in a feast for the senses.

A morning ferry trip will return you to the mainland and from there, its on to Adelaide,  South Australia’s capital, renowned for its gourmet delights and thriving arts scene. Your home for the next three nights is a Scenic Special Stay at the Sofitel Adelaide. Enrich Meet the winemakers at Gemtree Wines, rated the ‘World’s Best Winery for Sustainable Wine Tourism’ in 2019. Discover through an interactive experience at the Biodynamic hut all about biodynamic viticulture and finish your visit with a taste of locally sourced snacks.

Travel to one of Australia’s oldest wine producing regions, Barossa Valley, and spend the day discovering its famous drops. Visit Maggie Beer’s farm shop and pick up some culinary tips during a cooking demonstration, before the chance to try wine with lunch at the historic Seppeltsfield Winery. Take a vineyard tour of the award-winning Jacob’s Creek Winery before your return to Adelaide.

Freechoice: Discover the history and culture of Adelaide on a walking tour or indulge on the Adelaide Central Market tour. Alternatively, choose between a city sights tour, which includes the famous and newly renovated Adelaide Oval and a Torrens River cruise, or a visit to the Adelaide Zoo, the second oldest in Australia. Enjoy a farewell dinner tonight at your hotel.

The time has come to say goodbye to your newfound friends and head home, taking with you an anthology of Stories for Life. The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the tour will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above.