Mungo, Menindee & Broken Hill (Ex Melbourne)

TOUR ITINERARY:

Day 1 Tuesday (D)
On arrival in Mildura transfer to your accommodation.

Day 2 Wednesday (LB, L, D)
This morning we’re off to the Mungo National Park.  The Willandra Lakes preserve the longest continuous record of Aboriginal life in Australia from 40,000 years ago to the present.  Our tour this morning with a local guide across the lake floor to the “Walls of China” provides an opportunity, via the layers of the sand dunes, to experience the history of this prehistoric period.  The layers of clay and sand contain many Aboriginal artefacts and evidence of life when the lakes were full and the local Aborigine population who lived along the shores fished for golden perch, yabbies and shell fish.  The Europeans who arrived in the 1850’s established the Gol Gol Station and Mungo Woolshed, which was built in 1869 and is open for inspection.  After arriving and settling in to Mungo Lodge, we’ll spend some time ‘champagne in hand’, watching the sunset.
Overnight & dinner: Mungo Lodge

Day 3 Thursday (LB, L, D)
Depart Mungo and travel through Pooncarie and Menindee, where we have an early lunch at the Menindee Albemarle Hotel.  After lunch we stop at Kinchega National Park.  It lies amongst the beautiful Menindee Lakes.  The lakes are fed by the tranquil Darling River, which meanders along the eastern boundary of the park, amid forests of River Red Gum, Coolabah and Black Box.  Kinchega is an oasis for wildlife amid the dry red sand plains of the surrounding semi-arid region.  The serenity of the glades is disturbed only by the multitudes of water birds that flock there throughout the year to breed in extensive rookeries.  Surrounding the lakes, undulating blue bush sand plains give the visitor a chance to see the great Red Kangaroo and wandering emus in their native habitat.  After a tour of the area we hop on board the 'River Lady' with your skipper Malcolm and cruise the ancient Darling River where the Barkindji people once roamed. Enjoy the serenity of Australia's longest river, its wetlands habitat with abundant native birds, animals, fish and yabbies. In bygone days, paddle steamers, travelling from Goolwa on the Murray to Bourke on the Darling, helped open up inland Australia.  We continue on past the Quandong Roadhouse to Broken Hill for overnight stay. 

Day 4 Friday (LB, L, D)
Today we embark on the ‘Silver Trail’ tour.  This tour will take you back to the first settlement of this once barren land and bring you through the ages to the present time. It will enlighten you on the discovery of Silverton in the early 1880’s until the then population of approx 3000 people, put all their belongings in their wheelbarrows and moved to the ‘Broken Hill’, to seek their fortunes mining for Silver, Lead and Zinc. Your guide will inform you of the discovery of the largest silver, lead and zinc ore body in the Southern Hemisphere and the impact the enormous wealth of the Silver City, had on the development of our great country. You will visit the Miner’s Memorial on the Line of Lode where the views over Broken Hill are spectacular. A visit to the once Silver, Lead and Zinc miner Pro Hart’s Studio is a must when visiting Broken Hill. Another artist that is growing in stature is Peter Anderson known as ‘Ando’. This once Mining Engineer never does things by half, this is evident by his work the ‘Big Picture’ the worlds largest acrylic painting on canvas (100mx12 m) and is housed in the Silver City Mint and Art Gallery with an abundance of Silver Jewellery for sale. Overnight Broken Hill.

Day 5 Saturday (LB, L)
After a light breakfast we make our way to historic Wentworth, situated at the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers.  Captain Charles Sturt arrived at the junction in 1830 and Europeans first began to settle here in the 1840’s.  For over 70 years Wentworth was the nucleus of river trade between New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.  Today, Wentworth still exudes an ‘old town’ atmosphere.  We’ll take a look at the junction of Australia’s two most famous rivers – The Darling and The Murray.  Continue through Dareton, Buronga and Gol Gol to Trentham Cliffs to visit Trentham Estate Winery.  One of the smallest wineries in the district, Trentham Estate Winery is situated on the banks of the Murray and has been owned and run by the Murphy family since 1909.  Here we enjoy lunch whilst taking in the magnificent Murray River views.  Continue to Mildura and set down for your return journey home.

Cost: $1499.00 per person twin share. $1699.00 single person
Fully packaged holidays designed to connect with Flights or VLine travel from Melbourne to Mildura but do not include those fares. Inclusions: 4 nights accommodation, 4 breakfasts, 4 dinners, 4 lunches. All tours and transfers as listed.

Departure Dates: Tuesday 29th June 2010, Tuesday 27th July 2010, Tuesday 14th September 2010, Tuesday 12th October 2010 or on request for groups of 10 or more

Cancellation and Indemnity
Conditions *Road conditions and weather may necessitate variations to itinerary *No smoking no alcohol on bus/coach *All tours are subject to alteration or cancellation without notice *All tours are subject to minimum numbers *Cancellation Fees may apply

Ph: (08) 8087 6956
Fax: (08) 8087 8175
Toll: 1300 723 583
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