The Explorers' Discovery Tour - Gold, Wine & Wildlife

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Newnes & Wolgan Valley
6 stops
1
Scenic Bells Line of Road meanders through the Hawkesbury River area AKA the Fruitbowl of NSW. At Bilpin we'll enjoy a morning coffee & locally made fresh apple pie
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
2
From the Mt Banks lookout, discover the magnificent basalt formations at Grose Valley - Blue Mountains National Park.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free
3
The magnificent Hartley Vale Valley with a good chance to spot eastern rosella's, more kangaroos, an emu or a wedge-tailed eagle.
Admission ticket free
4
A short walk up the hill takes us to the hidden Blackfellows Hand Cave - sacred site of Aboriginal rock-stencil prints.
20 minutes • Admission ticket included
5
The old Newnes Hotel, and our Eco Cabins are all that is left of the once booming oil shale town in the Wolgan Valley. Surrounded by the escarpment of the Wollemi NP and the Gardens of Stone, we enjoy the most magnificent star studded night.
10 hours • Admission ticket included
6
For those who are keen, a brisk circuit walk of about 8 km takes us to the Glow Worm Tunnel deep in the Wollemi NP. See the magical natural light show created by thousands of glow worms!
3 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Rylstone & Dunn Swamp
4 stops
7
Glorious exposed cliff escarpments, volcanic plugs and lush rolling grazing lands of the Capertee Valley - recognised as one of the top 20 bird watching areas in the world! Bird watchers paradise: Painted Honeyeater, the Wonga Pigeon, Diamond Firetail, Turquoise Parrot, Plum-headed Finch, Superb Lyrebirds, Grey Babblers, Mistletoe-birds and, if we're really lucky, the very rare Regent Honey-eater.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free
8
The Ghost town of Glen Davis with it's abandoned mine shafts and oil-shale ovens.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
9
The heritage protected Rylstone - a throwback to 19th century country NSW
10 hours • Admission ticket free
10
In the Wollemi NP, this area by the Ganguddy river is one of the most beautiful spots in Australia. Expect to see wombats, long-neck turtles, swamp wallabies, plenty of birds and, with a bit of luck, a platypus! The Pagoda Walk offers fantastic views over the swamp, the river and the lime stone rock formations giving the walk its name.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
Mudgee
4 stops
11
Wine tasting in the Mudgee region - home of about 75 wineries, the first started by 4 German families in the 1870's.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
12
Pittoresk Gulgong - birthplace of famous Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. Visit the Pioneer Museum and the Henry Lawson Centre.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
13
With its location along the river, surrounded by rural holdings, Goulburn River is rich in plant and wildlife. Kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroos are often seen grazing on the riverbanks. A rich variety of plant life - eucalypts, river oak, grevilleas and callistemon (more commonly called bottlebrush) - provides habitats for many birds, including glossy black cockatoos and lyrebirds.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
14
A stop at this long forgotten country town
15 minutes • Admission ticket free
Day 4
Gold Country
3 stops
15
Exploring ands sight-seeing through the old gold-fields, the Central Tablelands and the Great Dividing Ranges. Not to be missed: gold ghost-town of Sofala & the Old Sofala Gaol
1 hour • Admission ticket free
16
This skilfully preserved and reconstructed old gold mining town offers a glimpse into 19th century life.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
17
At Jenolan, an easy 1 hour guided tour will take us on a journey into the heart of the Imperial Cave to learn about the limestone rocks, the history of the caves and the region and to admire the beautiful sights with colourful lights illuminating the rock walls.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Kanangra
6 stops
18
After a hearty breakfast at our hotel (included), we're straight off to yet another national park within the Great Blue Mountains World Heritage Area: the Kanangra Walls, of the Kanangra-Boyd National Park. An easy but refreshing walk along the valley ridge seamed with silver banksia, bright red mountain devils and white flowering hakeas offers unparalleled views across one of Australia’s most spectacular landscapes with its waterfalls, exposed spikes of ancient rocks and misty mountains. In the depths of the gorge, spot an Australian red cedar or the gorgeous flame robin. Or look up to see some soaring wedge-tail eagles.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
19
Lunch in the old postoffice of the quaint explorers' hamlet of Hartley, with a visit to the local Aboriginal gallery.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
20
A short walk to Pulpit Rock offers one of the best views of the Grose Valley, Blue Mountains National Park
1 hour • Admission ticket included
21
The Three Sisters
One of the most known rock formations and lookouts of the Blue Mountains.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
22
Cahill's Lookout
Offering great views on Narrowneck and the Megalong Valley
20 minutes • Admission ticket free
23
If weather allows it, a short circuit walk brings us past the roaring falls of Wentworth, and lets us enjoy the lush eucalyptus growth along the Jamison Valley.
1 hour • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Tags