South Australian Insights Itinerary
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South Australian Insights Friday 8th to Friday 15th May 2015 South Australian Insights will feature travel in our privately chartered train conveying three first class heritage carriages: two first class saloon carriages including a buffet servery and a spacious forty seat lounge. We depart from Thirroul on the South Coast of NSW and travel to Adelaide via far western NSW and north east South Australia. This will be a unique opportunity to travel by chartered train and to travel only in daylight ensuring you can sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. Insights Tours is offering you the opportunity to travel by private chartered train and to experience many wonderful insights into South Australia. Day 1 Friday 8th May Thirroul to Parkes Meet at Thirroul Railway station where our specially chartered train will be awaiting us. We’ll travel via the scenic Illawarra Range to Moss Vale with a special stop at Summit Tank lookout affording a glorious view (weather permitting). Morning tea will be served from the buffet car as we continue through the Southern Highlands’ towns of Goulburn, Yass and Cootamundra then we take a rarely travelled route to the Central NSW town of Parkes where we stay tonight. A sumptuous lunch will be served on board as we travel toward the former gold mining town of Forbes where a local vigneron will board the train and offer complimentary tastings. Overnight at Parkview Motel, Parkes. Day 2 Saturday 9th May Parkes to Broken Hill After breakfast we board our train for the journey to the famed far western NSW city of Broken Hill – known as the Silver City for its fabulously rich silver mines. Sit back and enjoy the comfort of our first class lounge car and first class saloon car. Morning and afternoon teas and lunch will be served on board from our buffet car. We’ll see the broad expanse of Western NSW and cross the Darling River at Menindee where suddenly we find ourselves passing through orange groves. Not long afterwards, we begin skirting along the bank of Lake Menindee as we head toward the Barrier Ranges and the famed silver city… Broken Hill. We stay overnight at the Crystal Motel, a short 100m walk from the station. Day 3 Sunday 10th May Broken Hill to Peterborough We commence the day’s touring with visits to one of Broken Hill’s most well known artists, Jack Absolom, and his gallery of artworks in his imitable style and colours. During our tour of the city we’ll visit the site of the hold-up of the Silverton picnic train, the Line of Lode – bearing one of the richest silver, lead and zinc mines in the world, and the commemorative wall to all the people killed in the mines since operations began. The Silver City Mint and the Broken Hill Barrier Industrial Council building where industrial conflicts and strategies were devised. This afternoon we lunch on the train as we cross into South Australia and arrive at Peterborough where we attend the sound and light show at the Peterborough Railway Roundhouse, included in the show is the general history of the district including the visit of General Douglas Macarthur during World War Two. Overnight at the Roundhouse Motel, Peterborough. th Day 4 Monday 11 May Peterborough to Adelaide We travel by our coach from Peterborough to Quorn – this small town is located in the southern Flinders Ranges. It was once an important station on the Ghan line to Alice Springs. We’ll pass the spectacular Mount Remarkable near the picturesque village of Melrose in the Southern Flinders Ranges. At Quorn we’ll have morning tea and time to explore the town before boarding our chartered railmotor, which takes us from Quorn through the spectacular Pichi Richi Pass and down to the plains surrounding Spencer Gulf, to the city of Port Augusta. We’ll change trains to our lounge car train and head to Adelaide where we stay 4 nights at the beautifully appointed Adina Apartment Hotel located in the very heart of Adelaide at Victoria Square. th Day 5 Tuesday 12 May Coorong and Victor Harbour Our coach takes us up into the Adelaide Hills with a stop at Mount Lofty summit with views over Adelaide from the lookout. We continue to the town of Strathalbyn where our local guides will introduce us to some of the interesting historic features of this picturesque town on the Angus River. Our chartered train takes us from Strathalbyn to river port town of Goolwa where we’ll walk to the jetty and board our chartered vessel for a leisurely 2 hour cruise on the Murray River including a stop at the river mouth where it meets the Great Southern Ocean. After the cruise our train takes us to Victor Harbour where we’ll have some free time, before our coach returns us to Adelaide. In the evening we will ride a specially chartered heritage tram (circa 1929) from our hotel to dine in the seaside town of Glenelg. Our tram will return us to the hotel after dinner. Day 6 Wednesday 13th May Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills Image: Vivi Tholley Today we tour by our coach. In the morning we visit Chateau Tanunda where we have a guided cellar tour and wine tastings followed by lunch in the chateau café. After lunch you will experience the highly unusual acoustic phenomena of the Whispering Wall. Then we continue on our way to Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills. The charm and character of this town stem from its history of German settlers to the district and you will have the opportunity to experience this during some free time. Our touring today is completed with a guided tour of The Cedars – the former home of renown South Australian artist Hans Heysen and where many of his works are on display. Dinner this evening will be your own arrangement (not included in the tariff). Day 7 Thursday 14th May Larg’s and Adelaide We visit some uniquely Adelaide institutions and businesses: Cooper’s Brewery; Rossi Boots, manufacturing footwear for over 100 years; and Haigh’s Chocolates, an Adelaide institution. Lunch will be beside the sea at Larg’s Pier Hotel, gloriously renovated to its original 1900’s style and charm. Our finale dinner this evening is in the dining room of our hotel. Day 8 Friday 15th May Adelaide Tour concludes after breakfast. Check out by 10am. For those interested, The Overland train departs this morning for its daylight journey to Melbourne. General Information and conditions of booking Cost The cost of this tour is $3,575 AUD. The cost includes: • All train travel as per the itinerary including: spacious and comfortable heritage non-airconditioned lounge and first class saloon carriages on a private train from Thirroul to Adelaide • private chartered railmotor from Quorn to Port Augusta on day 4 • private chartered railmotor from Strathalbyn to Victor Harbour on day 6 • good quality motel accommodation on a twin share basis in ensuite rooms • all meals except dinner on day 6 • services of Insights Tours’ escort throughout the tour • all road transport in a chartered air conditioned coach day 3 to 7 inclusive • all sightseeing excursions, guided touring and entrance fees to all places as specified in the itinerary • all taxes and tips • bottled water on the coach • chartered bus transfers at Parkes • private chartered tram on day 5 The additional costs are: drinks, dinner on day 6, travel insurance, items of a personal nature and anything not mentioned above. Places on the tour require a $500 deposit. The balance will be due by Monday 9th March 2015 To make a booking Please complete the enclosed booking form and return it to Insights Tours with your deposit. Cancellations policy For cancellations on or before Monday 9th March 2015 If you need to cancel your booking prior to or on Monday 9th March 2015, the cancellation fee is $200 per person. For cancellations after Monday 9th March 2015 If you need to cancel your booking after Monday 9th March, the cancellation fee is 100% of the total tariff, that is, there is no refund of the total tariff. Insights Tours strongly recommends that you consider travel insurance in case you need to cancel. Insurance We strongly recommend considering travel insurance to cover cancellation fees as well as medical emergencies, lost luggage and unforeseen delays during the tour. Insights Tours can provide information about obtaining insurance. We are an accredited agent of Aussie Travel Cover insurance. Viability of tour In the event that the economic minimum number of guests is not reached, the tour will be cancelled by Insights Tours no later than Wednesday 11th March 2015 and we will refund in full any money paid. Trains Thirroul to Adelaide A private chartered train hauled by a diesel locomotive. The train will consist of 3 carriages: a first class sitting carriage, a combined buffet/ first class sitting carriage and a lounge car. Total seating in the 3 carriages is for 120 however we will limit the number of guests to a maximum of 40 to ensure ample spaciousness, comfort and enjoyment Pichi Richi Railway and Strathalbyn to Victor Harbour On day 4 we will travel by chartered railcar from Quorn to Port Augusta. This non air conditioned heritage railmotor built by South Australian Railways is now operated by the Pichi Richi Heritage Railway. On day 6 we will travel by a similar chartered railcar. This non air conditioned heritage railmotor is now operated by the Steamranger Heritage Railway. Adelaide tram On day 5 we travel from Adelaide to Glenelg and return on a 1929 heritage tram fully restored to its former glory.