Travel to Australia on your vacation. After departing from Los Angeles you will be provided with an evening meal. You can relax, have a drink, watch a movie, review your itinerary or just rest. You will be given Breakfast before landing in Sydney, Australia. (You lose one day crossing the International Date Line but don’t worry you catch it up again on your return flight to the USA)

The Qantas Boeing 747-400 is equipped with the latest entertainment features of any Airline. The overnight flight to Australia can be a good opportunity for sleeping or to watch the latest movies after your evening meal.

Please confirm with the airlines at Check-in that they have all your Frequent Flyer information on record.

Travel by shuttle from the Airport to your vacation accommodation in Sydney, Australia.

Travel to your accommodation in Sydney, Australia, where you will be staying whilst on vacation for 2 nights.

Embrace Sydney’s best location with this four star vacation accommodation ideally nestled in the heart of the city. Overlooking Wynyard Park you will enjoy this icon of time-honored tradition, warm hospitality and friendly personal service. Just a short stroll away from many famous attractions including the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour, The Royal Botanical Gardens and more. You will love the luxury of the close accessibility to public transportation including light rail access, train station, the bus system and nearby Circular Quay which will allow you to see much more of Sydney and surrounds. Featuring: 446 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, 2 restaurants, 4 bars, indoor heated pool, sauna, spa, and gymnasium. Amenities: air conditioning, daily maid service, fridge, iron & board, radio channels, shower, coffee & tea, ensuite bathroom, hair dryer, shaving adaptor, sprinklers, smoke detectors, television, telephone, internet access (broadband), data port, wake up calls, mini bar, and 24 hour room service. With all this and more take time out to experience the wonders of Sydney while enjoying all your accommodation has to offer.

Upgrade Available (Upon Request): Stunning 5 Star Property

The Sydney Explorer is a Hop On, Hop Off, sightseeing bus that takes in 27 key landmarks of the inner city (Opera House, Darling Harbour) and eastern beaches (Coogee and Bondi).

This unique city tour through Sydney departs from Circular Quay every 20 minutes starting at 8:40am, with the last round-trip service departing at 5:20pm. You can get on or off at any of the stops on the route. After traveling through some of Sydney’s most exclusive residential areas, the tours take in some of Sydney’s most spectacular coastlines and beaches. The bus travels every day along a 30km route and makes numerous stops. The bus trip takes 2 hours to complete the whole journey (with no stops). Buy your tickets onboard ($39 AUD for Adult ticket). Use your ticket stub to get amazing discounts at each stop location. Please Note: Sydney Opera House is one of the stops if you would like to do the Explorer on the same day as your Opera House tour.

For additional information, please visit: http://www.city-sightseeing.com/?command=search&clear-search=true&destinations=Sydney

View the world famous black opal, the ‘Aurora Australis’, valued at 1 Million Dollars; with the opportunity to bring home the colors of Australia with a beautiful piece of opal jewelry.

Australia is known as the country of origin for this splendid stone with 95% of the world’s precious gem opal found in exclusively in Australia. Australian opal displays all the colors of the rainbow and holds a spectrum of colors found in nature, fire, the ocean and more. It is these contrasts that make opals a truly fascinating and unique gemstone with no two opals appearing exactly the same. In the Middle Ages the Romans considered opal a stone that could provide great luck, as it was believed to possess all the virtues of Emeralds, Sapphires and Ruby’s.

Share this unique experience and be educated about Australian Opal at Altmann & Cherny. Established in 1948 with hopes of sharing this unique gemstone with the world, they have built a reputation of excellence with 3 generations actively involved the families are considered leading opal experts. Please visit them at:

18 Pitt Street
Sydney, NSW
Telephone: 61 2 9251 9477

On your vacation participate in an inspiring tour of the opera house in Sydney, Australia.

This one hour tour outlines the intricate and controversial history of the Sydney Opera House along with details of the unique design of this architectural masterpiece. You will visit a number of the six performance venues, including the magnificent wood paneled Concert Hall and the Opera Theatre as well as the new Utzon room. You will also visit the glass enclosed northern foyer areas which boast spectacular views of Sydney Harbour – a perfect photo opportunity.

Upgrade to Opera House Tour & Tasting Plate Available

On your vacation explore Darling Harbour in Sydney, Australia with this unlimited full day pass, or take the 1 1/2 hour round trip cruise and see all the main harbour sights with commentary.

Hop On and Hop Off at up to seven famous harbour attractions with this unlimited full day pass, or simply take the 1 1/2 hour round trip cruise and see all the main harbour sights with commentary.

The Harbour Express stops at the following tourist attractions:
Fort Denison: The historic island and cafe in the middle of Sydney Harbour.
Taronga Zoo: Discover Australia’s amazing wildlife including koalas, platypus and kangaroos.
Shark Island: This island national park is the perfect destination for a BYO picnic lunch, complete with a small beach area for swimming.
Watson’s Bay: Home of Doyle’s famous seafood restaurant and only a short walk to beautiful harbour swimming beaches, HMAS Watson and headland parks.
Luna Park: Sydney’s famous fun park with rides and games, or walk across the Harbour Bridge from Milsons Point station.
Darling Harbour: Aquarium & Wildlife World, Australian Maritime Museum, shops, restaurants and only a short stroll or Monorail to Sydney Tower, Star City Casino, Powerhouse Museum and China Town.
Circular Quay: The Rocks historic precinct, weekend markets, Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens and Harbour Bridge pylon.
(Additional Fees apply for Park Entry to Fort Denison, Shark Island & Taronga Zoo).

Travel by shuttle from the Airport to your vacation accommodation in Sydney, Australia.

Travel within Australia by domestic air from Sydney to Launceston, Tasmania.

Travel by taxi from the airport to your vacation accommodation. (as per your own arrangements, pay as you go).

Make your way from the Airport Baggage Claim area to the Taxi Stand. Taxi’s are available on demand. Pay as you go.

Travel to your accommodation in Launceston, Tasmania where you will be staying whilst on vacation for 1 night.

Spend time in Launceston sipping fine wine and nibbling on smooth crumbling cheese or relaxing amongst the luxurious surrounds of your room watching the tranquil Tamar River and its abundance of wildlife.

The surrounding precinct has become a new and vibrant centre of Launceston, Tasmania with a wide range of cafes and restaurants to experience and the opportunity to be pampered at the Mud Urban Day Spa. Adventures further afield include the impressive Cataract Gorge, the famous James Boag brewery and if you’re a wine lover, Launceston’s Tamar Valley, home to one of Australia’s major cool-climate wine growing regions.

The six-day walk is a fabulous journey within Tasmania’s World Heritage Area. Following the famous Overland Track, the walk extends from Cradle Valley to Lake St. Clair through a variety of spectacular landscapes.

Day One:
Meet other walkers and guides, complete a gear check. After breakfast you will journey to Waldhiem in Cradle Valley. You will make a stop for lunch at Plateau Creek before stating another four hour walk. You will have the chance to see Waterfall Valley and the towering Barn Bluff.

Day Two:
The walking today is undulating with a few sections of exposed moorland. There are no large hills and the once notoriously muddy Pine Forest Moor is now a duckboard path over the mud! Also offered is an additional side trip to Lake Will. You travel across plains where glaciers once sat and slowly moved, scouring out shallow tarns. Now there are plains of button grass with ancient Pencil Pines sitting with their roots in the water. Rising from the moors, the peaks of Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff are behind us to the North, and the stately Mt. Pelion West directly ahead.

Day Three:
Today you begin with a long, slow descent around the base of Mt. Pelion West down to the Forth River before it plunges into the Lemonthyme Valley. After a break at Frog Flats by the Forth River, you have a long, gentle ascent out of the valley onto the beautiful Pelion Plains with outstanding views of Mt. Oakleigh. There are many side trips in the Pelion Plains area with mountains all around, some excellent swimming holes, abandoned copper mines, or simply peaceful and humbling spots to rest quietly.

Day Four:
Begin today with a climb to Pelion Gap where there are great views both back from the north and forward to the south. Today we allow extra time for the side trips from Pelion Gap. It’s a further few hours of gentle downhill from the gap to the hut, so a very relaxing day with the option to make it more challenging.

Day Five:
This is a day of waterfalls and majestic forests. You depart Kia Ora hut and walk about an hour to Du Cane where a hut remains from the long-gone days of animal trapping. A fine spot to rest in the native gardens planted by trapper Paddy Hartnet’s wife during her long stints in the bush with her husband. From there, you wander through some of the oldest forest in the National Park with King Billy Pines as old as 2000 years. Here you are above the Mersey River, which descends deeply northward towards Bass Strait. There are three major sets of waterfalls and you can opt to visit one or more of these. Lunch will beside one of the falls. During the afternoon, you will make the way over Du Cane gap then descends beside the spectacular Falling Mountain to Windy Ridge Hut.

Day Six:
Lake St Clair is Australia’s deepest natural lake, and as with most of this area, it has been shaped by glaciers. The walk is mainly through cool temperate eucalypt forest, and birdsong is all around. We arrive at Narcissus at the northern end of Lake St Clair in time for lunch before boarding the cruise boat for the spectacular 17km cruise back to Cynthia Bay. There is a visitor centre at Cynthia Bay, and you usually have about half an hour to look around. The return trip to the estate is through the trout fishing mecca of the highland lakes, descending the rugged Western Tiers to the broad plains of the Northern Midlands, and passing through the rural townships of Cressy and Longford.

Travel by taxi from your vacation accommodation to the airport (as per your own arrangements, pay as you go).

Travel within Australia by domestic air from Launceston to Melbourne.

Travel by shuttle from the Airport to your vacation accommodation in Melbourne, Australia.

Travel to your accommodation in Melbourne, Australia, where you will be staying whilst on vacation for 3 nights.

Your 4 Star vacation accommodation is located in the heart of Melbourne, Australia. Its suites are equipped with kitchenettes, air conditioning, and ensuite bathrooms. Most are facing on to the hotel’s private European style courtyard. The vacation accommodation is close to Chinatown. Or perhaps stroll to the Southern Cross Station and travel by tram throughout the city. For the less adventurous, Melbourne is the perfect launching pad for day tours to such places like Phillip Island and Penguins, or perhaps the Great Ocean Road.

Spend today on a tour of the most beautiful section of Victoria’s south coast, an adventure along the Great Ocean Road.

Enjoy one of the world’s greatest coastal drives – it’s severity and striking contrasts will remain etched in your memory forever. Enjoy views of Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay from the West Gate Bridge, Stroll along the pristine sandy beaches and wander through the sleepy seaside holiday towns. Discover the deep lush fern gullies and eucalypt trees that roll down to the sheer cliffs that plunge dramatically into the ocean. View majestic monoliths dramatically protruding from the sea including the Twelve Apostles which are the world’s largest coastal limestone towers – an awesome spectacle. Marvel at Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge – millions of years of erosion have sculpted these incredible landmarks.

Departs Melbourne at 8:00 AM
Returns to Melbourne at approximately 7:30 PM
Upgrade available to include lunch.

Today you’ll have the day free to Explore Melbourne City’s vast shopping centres, markets and boutiques, maybe do some souvenir shopping.

Melbourne is a Multicultural City boasting many boutique cafes, wineries and extensive shopping. You’ll also find it very easy to get around on the trains and trams, especially within the inners of Melbourne.

Puffing Billy, Yarra Valley Wineries and Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary – Wine Lovers Alternative

Ride the Puffing Billy Steam Train through lush forests before sampling traditional Australian billy tea and lamington cakes. In the Yarra Valley enjoy wine tasting and the company of local winemakers at Fergusson’s Winery. After lunch (including lunch, vegetarian available) continue on to visit two more vineyards, Domaine Chandon and Rockford’s Eyton for further wine-tastings and a winery tour.

Operates daily.

Phillip Island is home to an astounding array of wildlife, including Australia’s largest fur seal colony, the little penguins and cuddly koalas. Enjoy getting close to koalas and kangaroos before joining the little penguins at dusk, as they emerge from the surf and waddle to their burrows.

In the afternoon visit Warrook Farm, a working cattle property, and enjoy the opportunity to feed kangaroos and other farm animals. At Phillip Island visit the Koala Conservation Centre and observe cuddly koalas. View the Nobbies, home to one of Australia’s largest seal population. See the seaside town of Cowes and the Visitors Information Centre. At dusk, enjoy the ‘little penguin parade’ and see penguins make their way to their dune burrows (no flash cameras allowed during the parade).

Upgrade Available to Private Viewing Platform (pricing available upon request)
Departs at 1:15 PM
Returns at 11:30 PM

The Queen Victoria Market is an historic Melbourne landmark and a Melbourne institution dating back to more than 120 years ago.

Queen Victoria Market hasn’t been just a market. At different times in the past it has been a cemetery, a livestock market and a place to sell fruit and veggies (vegetables) wholesale. It is said to be the southern hemisphere’s largest open-air market offering a variety of fresh farm produce and, on Sundays, a wider range of merchant items which turn the market into a modern Arabian Nights bazaar. This is the place to buy your souvenirs.

Aside from the variety of wares offered at the Queen Victoria Market, buskers and street entertainment are a market feature, particularly on Sundays when Queen St is closed and becomes a place of cafes, carnival rides and other activities. And there’s always the sound of spruikers cajoling visitors into buying their goods, and you can haggle for the best prices you’re able to get.

The Queen Victoria Market trading hours are 6am to 2pm on Tuesday and Thursday; 6am to 6pm (with the general merchandise section closing at 4pm) on Friday; 6am to 3pm on Saturday; and 9am to 4pm on Sunday. The market is closed on Monday and Wednesday, and on Good Friday, Anzac Day, Melbourne Cup Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. (Please double check times before you go.)

Mingle with visitors and locals alike at the centre of the city know as Melbourne’s meeting place, Federation Square! Showcasing a creative mix of attractions it boasts 15 restaurants, cafes and bars and over 2000 events annually making this a must see in Melbourne!

Winner of the 2006 and 2007 Victorian Tourism Awards, Federation Square embraces some of the world’s most stunning architecture with a wide array of attractions. Situated on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation the Square supports the nation’s contemporary expression and values the heritage and traditions of the indigenous people of this area. Be sure to check out the Atrium, a major challenge made of glass, steel and zinc. Flanked by Zinc, this centre provides access to The Square which features the paved sandstone cobbles from Western Australia and spectacular views of the City, Southbank and the Yarra River. Don’t forget to make a stop off at the Wharf which offers up the Riverland Bar and Cafe, Hire-A-Bike, Ferry Boat Drop off and Pick Up Service.

If you just happen to be in Melbourne on a Thursday night be sure to take advantage of the late night program! Open until 9pm, the Ian Potter Centre is the world’s first major gallery dedicated exclusively to Australian art which showcases a spectacular array of over 20 galleries housed within this landmark architectural complex. Also open until 9pm, don’t miss the Australian Centre for the Moving Image which is the first centre of its kind in the world with its dedication to the moving image in all its forms – from early cinema to the latest digital media – it certainly offers a unique experience for visitors from around the globe.

Tours can be booked via the Melbourne Visitors Centre onsite at Federation Square:
Tours Operate Monday – Saturday at 11am and 2pm
Guided Walking Tours: AUD$12- adults, AUD$10 concession
Guided Walking Tour and Lunch: AUD$35 per person

Photo Credit: Tourism Victoria

Travel by shuttle from your vacation accommodation to the Airport in Melbourne, Australia.

Your International Flight arrives in Los Angeles on the same day of departure from Australia, due to your crossing of the International Dateline.

Your flight home will give you the opportunity to reflect on your Australian vacation. Please tell your friends if you have enjoyed the experience and direct them to “ABOUT AUSTRALIA ” for information via our website at www.aboutaustralia.com