2023/24 - 7 days: Adelaide

Day 1 (LD): To Adelaide (Saturday)

Let’s visit Adelaide! This morning our deluxe touring coach will be at the Club first thing for our drive across to Adelaide. Relax and enjoy the view as we make our way to the Western Highway and over to Horsham for lunch. From here we continue to Kaniva and Bordertown and then through the Mount Lofty Ranges into Adelaide. Our accommodation for the next six nights is in the heart of the city – at the 4 star Rockford Adelaide  - with large rooms, easy access bathrooms and onsite restaurant. Unpack and relax – this will be our base from which we will explore Adelaide & the nearby surrounds. (Meal inclusions: Club lunch at Horsham/Welcome dinner)

Rockford Adelaide – Cnr Hindley & Morphett Streets Adelaide Tel 08 82118255 – 6 nights

Day 2 (BD): Adelaide Hill & Hahndorf (Sunday

Following breakfast, we head to the hills – literally! Driving up the South Eastern Freeway we stop at Mount Lofty Summit for some stunning views over the city and the Gulf St Vincent.

From here we make our way to Hahndorf - Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement and a superb “flashback” to the nineteenth century with its shops, eating houses and attractions housed in authentic surroundings. World renowned artist, Hans Heysen, settled in Hahndorf in 1908 and built his studio, “The Cedars” in the style of a Bavarian Chalet. We will enjoy a guided tour of the house, the studio (which has been kept just the way Hans Heysen left it, including some unfinished sketches) and the extensive gardens. This was his base as he painted extensively onsite in the hills around Hahndorf and in the Flinders Ranges. There is now plenty of time to explore the many shops and galleries during our lunch break. Mid afternoon we make our way back to the city in time to freshen up before dinner. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the hotel)

We will explore the vast grounds and the extraordinary house with its Australian, English and French paintings and collection of silver and porcelain. We will enjoy a guided tour and lunch here before calling at The Monastery. Its “Sacred Garden" features 14 marble Stations of the Cross - originally commissioned in the 1950's and located at Mary's Mount in Goulburn. When the Sisters of Mercy moved from Goulburn the statues were given to the Passionist Community at Glen Osmond in Adelaide. These are significant works of art from the workshop of Franco Miozza of Tuscany. This afternoon we head to the Adelaide Zoo to view the two Giant Pandas – Wang Wang and Funi who arrived in Adelaide in December 2009 direct from China. We will spend about an hour wandering their multi-million dollar enclosure for a close up and personal experience before the short transfer back to North Adelaide. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the hotel/Light lunch at Carrick Hill)

Day 3 (BD): Exploring Adelaide & Glenelg (Monday)

First stop the morning is Montifiore Hill in North Adelaide - the spot from where Colonel Light planned a great city of the future in the sweeping valley below. Nearby is one of Adelaide most prominent landmarks - St Peters Cathedral, which overlooks the city. We have arranged an inspection of the fascinating stain glass within the Cathedral. Within Adelaide’s Parklands - or the Green Belt as its known are the beautiful, formal Botanic Gardens with have 16 hectares of Australian and imported plants and man made lakes. In the north east corner of the gardens is the Bicentennial Conservatory, said to be the largest in the southern hemisphere, housing exotic tropical plants from all over the world. We then head down to Glenelg. Locally referred to as “the Bay” Glenelg, on the Gulf St Vincent, is historically where Adelaide really started. This was the place where, on 28 December 1836, Governor Hindmarsh proclaimed South Australia a British Province. It was originally named Holdfast Bay (apparently because some ships successfully rode out a gale here) but this was changed to Glenelg, after Lord Glenelg, the Secretary of State for Colonies, in 1837. A replica of the HMS Buffalo, the ship in which Governor Hindmarsh arrived, is located north of the centre of Glenelg. We have free time for lunch and a look around before heading back to the motel (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the motel)

Day 4 (BLD): The Barossa Valley (Tuesday)

The Barossa Valley is one of the world’s best known wine valleys located just 60 ks north of Adelaide. It derives its name from the Barossa Ranges, which were named by Colonel William Light in 1837. Light chose the name in memory of the British victory over the French in the Battle of Barrosa, in which he fought in 1811. The name "Barossa" was registered in error, due to a clerical error in transcribing the name "Barrosa". The area is approximately 13 km long by 14 km wide. Travelling north along the Northern Expressway we exit to Nuriootpa on our way to the Barossa Chateau – a stunning building that sits in one of Australia’s most important rose gardens of international significance. Combined with Lyndoch Hill, the overall estate covers an impressive 25 acres, 30,000 roses and 5kms of walkways. We have arranged a guided tour of the Chateau and a light lunch. The Chateau is home to one of the largest collections of porcelain in Australia. Hermann Thumm’s extensive collection of porcelain is from the early 18th and 19th centuries and has been collected from all over the world and come from the great porcelain houses of Meissen, Sevres, Worchester, Chelsea and Stinton. Our afternoon appointment is to the Visitors Centre at Jacobs Creek. Way back in 1847, a young Bavarian immigrant by the name of Johann Gramp planted the Barossa Valley’s first commercial vineyard on the banks of Jacob’s Creek. Today, Johann’s original cellar is still standing at the site. After a great day we return to Adelaide. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the hotel/Light lunch in the Barossa Valley)

Day 5 (BD): The Fleurieu Peninsula (Wednesday)

Today our travels take us to Strathalbyn. High Street is well known for its antique shops set amongst some of the most historic buildings in South Australia. This is the perfect place to browse amongst the ambience of early South Australian settlement. Our morning tea stop is at the Strathalbyn Soldiers Memorial Gardens in the centre of Strathalbyn. This lawn area is beautifully presented with gardens of roses and enhanced by the historic features of the War Memorial and Rotunda. It is no wonder Strathalbyn is known as the prettiest town in South Australia! We continue to the historical township of Goolwa (an aboriginal word meaning “elbow”).

Situated on the bend in the Murray, near the mouth of the river, Goolwa initially grew with the developing trade along the Mighty Murray. The Murray mouth silted up and large ships were unable to get up to Goolwa, so a railway line, the first in the state, was built from Goolwa to nearby Port Elliot. In the 1880’s a new railway line to Adelaide spelt the end for Goolwa as a Port Town! From Goolwa we make our way across to Victor Harbor (or “Victor” as the locals call it). Victor was originally a whaling centre with three whaling stations in the mid 1900s. An estimated 400 southern right whales arrived into Encounter Bay each season. Unfortunately these magnificent mammals where destroyed and it is only in the last 20 years they have returned to the bay in increasing numbers. We have some free time in the town centre to buy lunch. Our return trip to Adelaide takes us through the McLaren Vale Wine Region where we make a stop at the McLaren Vale & Fleurieu Visitors Centre before heading back to Adelaide. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & Dinner in the motel)

Day 6 (BD): Free Day in Adelaide (Thursday)

A day at leisure! Perhaps visit the famous Adelaide Central Market which is South Australia's most visited tourist attraction – and hugely popular with the locals. It trades largely in fruit, vegetables, small goods, and café food and is divided into a colourful array of lanes and broadways. The Central Markets remain “the Heart of Adelaide!” There are some great gardens to visit just opposite our motel in the Southern Parklands as well as the Botanic Gardens on North Terrace.

Try one of the great coffee shops on Hutt Street and shopping in Rundle Mall. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the motel)

Day 7 (B): Heading Home (Friday)

We are heading home later today but wait…there is more! This morning we have an optional tour Adelaide Oval. The redeveloped Adelaide 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 Adelaide Oval Tour will take us behind the scenes to the inner workings of this iconic ground.

We then complete our checkout, farewell our hosts at the Adelaide Rockford and make a brief stop at Haighs Chocolates where we have the chance to taste the delights of this very tasty South Australian icon! From here we make our way back to Adelaide Airport for our flight home. (Flight to be advised – additional cost).On arrival our transfer coach will be waiting to take us back to the Club to complete a sensational 7 day tour. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast in the motel)

Tour Price

$1,620 per person (sharing a twin or double room)

The tour price is dependent on a minimum of 40 paying customers. Should the number of bookings not reach the minimum of 40 the following prices apply –

• Minimum 35 - $1,655 per person

• Minimum 30 - $1,715 per person

• Minimum 25 - $1,795 per person

• Minimum 20 - $1,920 per person

Add $450 for a guaranteed single room

Fares subject to change and availability of services. Includes most meals, local guides and entry fees.

Personal Travel Insurance is strongly recommended

Tour Inclusions

Tour Price includes accommodation as per the itinerary, meals as indicated (B= Cooked breakfast, L= Light or packed lunch, D = Buffet or limited choice dinner), deluxe touring coach with seatbelts, attractions/entries as noted.

Next Steps

To arrange a tour for your club simply contact Alex Corones from Australian Road Journeys on 0488 117 682 with your preferred date of travel – he will do the rest! When everything is confirmed, ARJ will provide printed itineraries for distribution to interested club members.

Read some testimonials from past groups here.

Tour Conditions

A deposit of $350 per person is required to secure your booking. This deposit is fully refundable until 60 days prior to the day of departure. Final payment is required 45 days prior to the day of departure. Bookings cancelled within 14 days prior to the day of departure are non-refundable. No additional cancellation fees apply.

Personal Travel Insurance is strongly recommended.

The Itinerary may be subject to change without notice. Whilst every effort is made to adhere to the itinerary as provided, Australian Road Journey’s reserves the right to alter the touring and attractions as dictated by circumstances and conditions outside the company’s control. Alterations may be made to ensure the smooth running of the tour.  Every attempt will be made to ensure alterations do not adversely affect the operation of the tour. Australian Road Journey’s will not be held responsible for weather based cancellations or those closures made at the venue’s discretion. All itineraries are subject to change due to occasional restrictions in opening times/days of some attractions, e.g. churches, wineries etc.