Tour Duration: To suit, minimum 6 days recommended
This tour to Barmera & the South Australian Riverland includes a 3 night “stay put” at the recently re-furbished Barmera Country Club Motor Inn which is totally surrounded the Barmera Golf Course. Local touring includes a cruise on the Murray River at Berri, lunch at the Historic Overland Corner Hotel, afternoon tea at the award winning Banrock Station, and the Loxton Historic Village.
Pick ups are available for groups from Sydney, NSW South Coast & Canberra regions. Departure dates for groups to suit, subject to availability.
Day 1: Home Port to Narrandera
Welcome to our 6 Day Tour to the Riverland region of South Australia. We will spend 3 nights at the Barmera Country Club Motor Inn so that we can enjoy some local touring, meet some local characters, and sample some local produce. So once we have completed our passenger pick up service and the coach is loaded we are ready to go. Our destination today is Narrandera which, like Barmera, is a river town – located on the Murrumbidgee River. We make several stops during the day including a lunch stop before our mid afternoon arrival. We take a look around town and then settle into our overnight accommodation.
Newell Motor Inn, Narrandera 02 69592877
Day 2: Narrandera to Barmera
Today we head to Hay for our morning stop before crossing the Hay Plain on our way to Mildura, stopping at Balranald to buy lunch. In Mildura we have time to enjoy a visit to Woodsies Gem Shop, Australia’s largest gemstone cutting and jewellery manufacturing complex. It’s a fascinating place where we can see jewellery being manufactured and visit the exquisite showroom. From here we continue through to our destination of Barmera – our base for the next 3 nights. Our accommodation, surrounded by the Barmera Golf Club, is all ground floor with walk in showers. Dinner will be in the motel restaurant each night and there will be Happy Hour in the bar each night from 5pm.
Barmera Country Club Motor Inn 08 85882888
Day 3: SA Riverland
Barmera is a popular holiday resort town situated on the shores of Lake Bonney. This morning we will see the monument dedicated to Sir Donald Campbell who attempted to break the Australian water speed record on Lake Bonney in the 1960s. We also call at the Country Music Hall of Fame before we head to Loxton to spend the remainder of the morning at the Loxton Historical Village. We have some free time to purchase lunch then drive to Glossop for a visit to Bella Lavender Estate. We have arranged afternoon tea with time to take a walk in the garden and check out their range of products for sale such as homemade soap, shampoo, lip balm and arthritis cream. After an interesting day we return to Barmera to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Barmera Country Club Motor Inn 08 85882888
Day 4: SA Riverland
Following breakfast we travel the short drive to Berri. Here we have arranged to join “Missy” – a 48 seat flat cruising boat for a two hour river cruise on this wide section of the river. It will be a very entertaining cruise including morning tea. Back on dry land we make our way to the historic Overland Corner Hotel. This was a popular rest spot last century for drovers moving stock between NSW and South Australia. The hotel was built from sandstone cut from a nearby quarry and in the 1870’s it was not unusual for as many as 30,000 sheep and several mobs of cattle to be camped here overnight. We enjoy lunch here then reboard the coach for Kingston on Murray. It is here that we have planned a visit to the award winning Banrock Station which lies at the junction of the Banrock Creek and the Murray River. The property was purchased by BRL Hardy in 1994. The 1650 hectare property has just 250 hectares devoted to premium grape varieties such as Semillon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The remaining land, including 12.5 kilometres of river frontage adjacent to the Banrock Lagoon and wetlands, is being returned to its native state. Following afternoon tea we drive back to Barmera.
Barmera Country Club Motor Inn 08 85882888
Day 5: Barmera to Griffith
We farewell our hosts at Barmera this morning and begin the drive home. Our destination today is Griffith. We travel back to Renmark and Mildura, then once again cross the Hay Plain. Late afternoon we arrive in Griffith for our final night on tour. Like Barmera, Griffith is located in a magnificent food and wine producing area – the Riverina (as opposed to the Riverland). It is also heartland for one of the world’s most successful rice industries. Developed as a model settlement, the town was planned by Walter Burley Griffin who also designed Canberra. On arrival we check in and enjoy dinner before heading home tomorrow.
Econolodge Motor Inn Griffith 02 69621800
Day 6: Griffith to Home
We head home this morning arriving late afternoon to complete a sensational 6 day tour.
