The great dividing range
Melbourne to Brisbane
TBA Late 2024 or Early 2025
Join us on a 12 day off road adventure from Melbourne to Brisbane. Taking the back roads, we explore the High Country, the tallest part of the Great Dividing Range and travel through the small historic towns of the Eastern Australian Cordillera.
This tour is a mixture of heritage and motel accommodation.
Tour Cost
From $6950 per person, twin share.
Single supplement $700
Includes all meals, accommodation and attractions.
As shown in the itinerary
Tagalong option
Have you got a 4wd that you would like to put through its paces?
We will give you peace of mind traveling in a convoy of vehicles with competent guides, who are great bush mechanics. Learn about your vehicle’s capabilities, absorb some get-out-of-trouble tricks and pick up some great hints for touring meals and campfire cooking.
Some of the extra features of our Tagalong option is that we want to make our groups all inclusive, so we include the following
- All meals are included in the price and you dine as part of the group.
- All entry fees into attractions.
- Motel or other accommodation where we are not camping are covered in your cost.
Tagalong price is for a vehicle with 2 people.
$6800 , per vehicle. 2 people twin share.
Itinerary
DAY 1
Day 1
Today is the start of the trip and we pick you up from your accommodation or the airport (pre-arranged) to join the group and spend some time in Melbourne, voted Australia’s most liveable city. Meet your fellow passengers, discuss the trip ahead and get to know each other.
Included: Dinner
Accommodation: Melbourne, Hotel
DAY 2
This morning we start our adventure proper and head up into the hills. We head up into the hills to for the start of our exploration of the Great Dividing Range. We stop at the old gold mining town of Wahalla, now a well preserved modern community. There’s time to explore the town, take an underground and for the brave, even take a walk to the cemetery and the famous ‘Curse Grave’ of James Mitchell, which promises death to those who lean over it!
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Walhalla, Motel
Attractions: Mine Tour
DAY 3
This morning we take a trip on the Goldfields Railway, through the spectacular Stringer’s Gorge before heading to the historic town of Beechworth, famous for the Ned Kelly trials. Beechworth’s incredibly well preserved streetscapes include the National Trust listed Beechworth Historic Precinct, a collection of government buildings made of locally quarried stone and barely altered since they were built in the late 1850s.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Beechworth, Motel
Attractions: Goldfield Railway
DAY 4
Carrying on through the mountains via the back roads we take in some stunning scenery as we travel through the Kosciuszko National Park and into NSW. Our overnight stop is at the alpine town of Jindabyne, on the edge of the Snowy Mountains. The movie ‘Jindabyne’ was filmed here, based on a short story by Raymond Carver, and a famous album by Paul Kelly, “So Much Water, So Close to Home’. We take a visit to the Snowy Region Visitor Centre.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Jindabyne, Motel
DAY 5
Continuing through the Kosciusko National Park we cross the Murrumbidgee River and head into the ACT. Canberra, the capital of our nation, has a lot to offer and we have a two night stay to appreciate the attractions of the area. This afternoon we take a guided tour of Parliament House, with an optional visit to the National Art Gallery afterwards.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Canberra, Motel
Attractions: Parliament House, National Art Gallery
DAY 6
This morning we visit the poignant halls of the Canberra War Memorial before heading out to Cockington Green, a beautifully set up model village with railway.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Canberra, Motel
Attractions: War Memorial, Cockington Green
DAY 7
On the banks of Macquarie River in the Central Tablelands, the vibrant regional centre of Bathurst is full of history and gold rush heritage. More importantly to some, it’s also the home of Australian motor racing and we take a turn around the race circuit, heading up to Mt Panorama.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Bathurst, Motel
DAY 8
A short trip today to the town of Lithgow, which played a significant role in Australia’s industrial history as a centre for coal mining and steel production. There’s the option to explore the State Mine Heritage Park and the ruins of the Blast Furnace Park. We’ll take a steam locomotive ride on the Zig Zag Railway. For those that like a walk we can head to the Glowworm Tunnel, a disused railway tunnel, notable for its resident glowworms, the bioluminescent larvae of a type of fungus gnat.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Lithgow, Motel
Attractions: State Mine Heritage Park, Zig Zag Railway
DAY 9
Today it’s a twisty, windy scenic drive through the Eastern Ranges, skirting Wolemi and Golburn River National Parks. Our overnight stay is Muswellbrook, situated on the banks of the Hunter River.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Muswellbrook, Motel
DAY 10
This morning we travel to the iconic town of Tamworth, known for the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival, which draws big name international acts. We visit the Big Golden Guitar (iconic Australian ‘Big Thing’) and the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame. From there it’s onto the town of Dorrigo, situated on the northern tablelands at the gateway to the Gondwana Rainforest region.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Dorrigo, Motel
Attractions: Australian Country Music Hall of Fame
DAY 11
It’s a scenic coastal drive today, heading to Brisbane. There’s a great stop at The Clog Barn, with a Dutch miniature village and railway. We travel on up through the Gold Coast before we hit the city and, sadly, spend our last night on tour. We reflect on the adventures we’ve had and relish in the company of the old and new friends along on the trip.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Brisbane, Motel
Attractions: The Clog Barn
DAY 12
Homeward Bound!
After a farewell breakfast the tour concludes with airport/accommodation shuttles.
INCLUDED IN YOUR TOUR PACK
Water Bottle and Fly Veil
You’ll be grateful for both of these!
Keep Coffee Cup
For your personal brew.
Sectional Map
Trace the route as you travel along. One per passenger or one per car, if doing the trip as a tagalong.