New South Wales: City & Outback

Welcome to Sydney, the capital of New South Wales. Australia’s largest city is on the edge of one of the most beautiful harbours in the world. Enjoy an overnight Special Stay with a welcome dinner at the hotel. (D)

Cross the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge this morning and head north to one of the hidden gems of NSW, the Hawkesbury River. Visit the Broken Bay pearl farm situated on the Lower Hawkesbury River, the only operating pearl farm in the state. Enjoy a cruise on the Hawkesbury and learn how pearls are farmed in this region. Tonight’s two-night Special Stay is located in the Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest wine region. (B/D)

Discover the beauty of the Hunter Valley Gardens this morning with a guided tour. Wander through the 10 individually themed gardens and view some of the 600,000 shrubs. Take a horse and carriage ride to begin your afternoon of tasting local delicacies: wine, cheese, and chocolate. (B/L)

Travelling through the Upper Hunter districts of NSW, we will stop this morning in Scone, known as the horse capital of Australia. It is home to dozens of horse studs and world-class thoroughbred breeders. As you arrive in Tamworth you will see the Golden Guitar, an acknowledgement of Tamworth’s place as the home of country music in Australia. Enjoy a two night stay. (B)

Discover some of the local towns of the Tamworth region as we explore the silo art that adorns the enormous agricultural silos dotted throughout the district. This movement began in 2015 in Western Australia and has spread throughout other regions of Australia. The Water Diviner is the name of the Barraba Silo mural by artist Fintan Magee. Visit the Nundle Woollen Mills for an understanding of the process taken to transform the raw material of sheep and other animal shearing into a ball of wool yarn. (B/D)

See the iconic Dorothea Mackeller poem ‘My Country’ bought to life on the silos in Gunnedah. The town of Gunnedah is known for its abundance of native wildlife. Travelling through Dunedoo there are more painted silos that are dedicated to a famous horse and its jockey – Winx and Hugh Bowman. Overnight stay in Dubbo. Enrich: Enter the Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo after it has closed for a private tour and dinner. (B/D)

Head west to the copper city of Cobar for an overnight stay. A town rich in mining history, visit Fort Bourke Hill for views of the open cut mine and Cobar itself. (B/D)

Heading west through the town of Wilcania on the Barrier Highway, arrive in the outback town of Broken Hill. This fascinating town is the site of the world’s richest deposits of silver, lead, and zinc, which led to the establishment of the BHP mining organisation. Stay three nights in Broken Hill. (B/D)

Visit the outback ghost town of Silverton, scene of more than 140 films and commercials. Spend time strolling around the restored gaol, art galleries and the Silverton Hotel before heading to the Daydream Mine to experience life back in the early mining days. Visit the Mad Max museum, where many pieces of the original set have been found buried underground. Take a tour of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, before a chance to enjoy a milkshake from the famous Bells Milk Bar. Enjoy dinner tonight at The Palace Hotel made famous by the movie ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’. (B/D)

See and learn about the incredible artwork of Pro Hart during a visit to the Ant Hill Gallery. Visit the small town of Menindee located on the banks of the Darling River and home to the Menindee Lakes. Enjoy sunset at the spectacular Living Desert Sculptures Outdoor Museum. (B/D)

Visit the World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park and meet our park ranger for a guided tour. The famous Mungo Lunette was formed by sand swept up from the dried lake floor and dumped on the shoreline. It is now the site of the spectacular ‘Walls of China’, carved from layers of the lunette and simply spectacular to view. Enjoy an overnight stay. (B/D)

Follow the Murrumbidgee River today as we travel through the town of Balranald, gateway to Yanga National Park. Visit The Australian Shearers Hall of Fame during our stop in Hay, where you can step into the world of the shearer. Meet the colourful characters and watch a live sheep shearing demonstration. The next two nights are in Griffith. (B/D)

Griffith is known as the ‘food bowl of Australia’; it is also NSW’s own little Italy. Sixty per cent of Griffith’s residents have Italian heritage. The town was designed by Walter Burley Griffin in the early 20th Century as part of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme. European migrants settled in the region after World War I and II and have helped build a distinctive food and wine culture. Spend the day tasting wine and sampling local food. (B/L/D)

Visit the Art Deco town of Leeton, also designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Call into Junee to visit the famous Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Stop to pat the Dog on the Tuckerbox at Gundagai before more tastings at the award-winning Long Track Pantry. Cross the border from New South Wales to the Australian Capital Territory, arriving at our nation’s capital Canberra for our two-night Special Stay. (B/D)

Freechoice: Choose between a behind-the-scenes visit to either the National Gallery of Australia, home to almost 160,000 works of art and the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art; or the National Museum of Australia to explore Australian life, history and culture. Enrich: Visit Australian Parliament house for a below-decks experience including an afternoon tea that is normally reserved for visiting dignitaries. Hear about the vision of architect Romaldo Giurgola’s and how it completed Walter Burley Griffin’s plan. Visit spaces that are normally off limits and taste the Parliamentary Librarians Gin. (B/D)

Today your Scenic journey will conclude as we depart the capital and return to Sydney in New South Wales. The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the tour will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions. (B)