Coast to Coorong

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DAY 1 Saturday 8 March

Our early morning start finds us following the shores of Botany Bay, crossing the Georges River and then the Port Hacking River as we travel south, stopping to enjoy the environment and views as we rejoin the coast. Colliers loaded coal at private jetties built at Coalcliff, Bulli and Bellambi, and we pass these and the new Sea Cliff Bridge on our way to visit George Barney’s harbour basin at Wollongong. Continuing along the coast, the importance of the shipping trade and its place in our history becomes more apparent as we visit the ports and hinterland of Kembla, Shellharbour, Bombo, Kiama and Gerringong. Our overnight stay is at “Coolangatta” – Alexander Berry’s historic property (1822) (Overnight Coolangatta Estate - 210km)

DAY 2 Sunday 9 March

Areas we travel through today were producing goods to be loaded and shipped to the Sydney markets. The mode of transport is different today but the produce and landscape are much the same. Initially we travel through dairy country, breaking our journey at Ulladulla for morning tea and a walk looking at European history from an Aboriginal perspective. On through Batemans Bay to Moruya for lunch and a visit to the quarry and town site where the granite for Sydney’s Harbour Bridge pillars was cut and loaded on to barges. The afternoon takes us through Narooma, Tilba Tilba and Bermagui on our way to Ngairin, our overnight stay next to Mimosa Rocks National Park (overnight Ngairin - 230km; easy walking)

DAY 3 Monday 10 March

The history of Tathra, Merimbula, Twofold Bay, Boydtown, Davidson Whaling Station and Boyd’s Tower make this an area worth exploring before heading to our overnight stay at Gipsy Point on Mallacoota Inlet (next two nights at Gipsy Point Luxury Lakeside Apartments - 185km; easy walking)

DAY 4 Tuesday 11 March

Time to explore this beautiful inlet both by water and on land (30km)

DAY 5 Wednesday 12 March

Travelling inland from Gipsy Point we pass though the small towns of Genoa and Cann River, stopping for walks in the small remnant rainforest patches before again heading for the coast at Cape Conran Coastal Park. We stop for afternoon tea at Marlo, where the Snowy flows into Bass Strait. We then continue west through Lake Tyers State Park to Lakes Entrance (overnight at Banjo Paterson Motor Inn - 330km; easy walks)

DAY 6 Thursday 13 March

Leaving Lakes Entrance we follow the Princes Highway through rich farming country around Bairnsdale to Sale (morning tea and inspection of wetlands park). We continue to the Strzelecki Ranges, enjoying spectacular mountain and ocean views from the Grand Ridge Road. We will enjoy lunch and some walking in the beautiful rainforests of Tarra-Bulga National Park before descending to the coastal plain at Yarram. The South Gippsland Highway takes us through some of Australia’s best dairying country to Foster (next two nights at Comfort Inn Foster Motel).

DAY 7 Friday 14 March

Off to the rugged and beautiful Wilson’s Promontory today. Plenty of time to enjoy the fascinating geology, vegetation and wildlife and glorious scenery. We will enjoy several walks and the exhibitions at the Visitors’ Centre (125km; 5-6km of easy to medium walking)

DAY 8 Saturday 15 March

Leaving Foster we travel through Leongatha, Korumburra and around Western Port Bay to Mornington Peninsula National Park. From Sorrento we catch the ferry to Queenscliff and pick up the Great Ocean Road at Torquay, heading for our overnight destination of Lorne (overnight in Lorne)

DAY 9 - Sunday 16 March

We leave the coast briefly this morning travelling into the Otway Ranges and enjoying some short walks among the mountain ash and blue gums before returning to the coast and its spectacular stacks, sea caves and beaches. The Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and Bay of Islands are all icons worth visiting but we will also access lesser known but equally beautiful spots such as Childers Cove. Time also to visit the coast around Warrnambool and the volcanic crater at Tower Hill before reaching Port Fairy (next two nights Seacombe House Motor Inn - 150km; easy walking)

DAY 10 - Monday 17 March

Time to take in the old world charm of this beautiful seaside port with a free morning and an optional historic town tour and a visit to Victoria’s lava tubes in the afternoon (100km)

DAY 11 - Tuesday 18 March

Continuing west from Port Fairy we follow the coast road to Portland and the beautiful Bridgewater Bay area visiting areas of interest in both locations. Our journey then takes us through Discovery Bay National Park and lower Glenelg National Park to Mt Gambier where we will lunch alongside Blue Lake, another extinct volcanic crater. Leaving Mt Gambier we travel across South Australia’s limestone coast – renowned for its wines, underground cave systems and large wetland areas. There is a lot of history along this coast – we will call in at the old whaling station of Beachport on our way to Robe- a historic port on Guichen Bay where in the 1850’s, 16000 Chinese miners disembarked to avoid the Victorian Governments 10 pound poll tax (overnight at Robe Haven Motel - 264km)

DAY 12 - Wednesday 19 March

Our exploration of the Coorong begins today – we travel via Cape Jaffa, Kingston and Lacepede Bay on our way to the South Coorong. There are pelican breeding islands in this area of the Coorong which we can view – we will also visit Chinaman Wells and Policemans Point as we follow the waters of the Coorong northwest to Meningie. We continue around the wetland areas of Lakes Alexandrina and Albert to Goolwa – an important port town in South Australia and our overnight stay for the next two nights (next two nights at Goolwa Central Motel - 360km)

DAY 13 - Thursday 20 March

A different perspective of the Coorong today. Aboard the “Spirit of the Coorong” we depart Goolwa and cruise alongside Hindmarsh Island as we head deep into the Coorong. Short walks including an Aboriginal interpretive walk and a walk across the Younghusband Peninsula to the Great Southern Ocean. The combination of birdlife, dune systems, waterways, lagoons and the pristine environment should make our visit to “Storm Boy” country a memorable one.

DAY 14 - Friday 21 March

Continuing our theme of following the coast, our last day will take us through Port Elliot and Victor Harbour and then up the west coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula to Adelaide.

Includes travel, twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities, all meals and comprehensive notes.