DESCRIPTION
We require at least 8 visitors on this tour in a 12 seater people carrier to make it worthwhile. We can accommodate 10 visitors
This is now a new 5 Day Tour with 2 nights staying at the Premier Mill Hotel in Katanning and 2 nights at the Dog Rock Motel in Albany. Check with Wayne for Single Supplement price [email protected]
THEME: Discover the Wheatbelt and Great Southern with its history of European settlement and colonisation, the stories about the original custodians of the land the first nation’s peoples, visit Albany and multi-cultural Katanning against the backdrop of the incredible painted murals in local towns as part of the “Public Silo Art Trail” along with some stunning wildflowers and hear about the rivalry between the Swan River Colony established in Perth and the first colonial settlement at Albany in 1826.
Learn about Broomehill and the gold prospectors who trekked along the Holland Track to the Goldfields and view other treasures like the Historical Whaling Station, Anzac Centre and Premier Mill Hotel all complimented with wine tastings at several locations! This tour will leave some long lasting memories!
Day 1 Welcome to Country, Woolsheds, “Bart” the Sheep and the Multi-Cultural “Capital” of WA
· After a quick pick up from various Perth City locations (starting from 7.30 am) we drive a short distance to Kings Park for morning tea to enjoy the landscaped wildflower gardens, the magnificent views over the Swan River and City, the Anzac Memorial and the Darling Ranges before heading south
· Departing Perth through the “General Darling Ranges”, named by Captain James Stirling’s Government Botanist, Charles Fraser, and known locally as ‘Darling Range or the scarp’, we travel along Albany Highway to Williams Woolshed for lunch
· Then travelling through Narrogin and Wagin this land in the Wheatbelt region has seen millions of sheep grazing and crops stretching skyward from the early settlement days of the 1800’s where wool raised on this land fetched record prices in Britain during the Industrial Revolution feeding the growth of the weaving industry and then followed by the “wool boom” in the 1950’s In Wagin we view the massive merino sheep “Bart” and walk around the landscaped gardens
· We depart Wagin and head for Dumbleyung to learn about the “ace” Donald Campbell’s world speed lake exploits, visit Wuddi Tours Indigenous shop and take a short tour if time permits to visit local cultural sites and their bush garden before travelling to Katanning
· Our final stop is Katanning for two overnight stays. Guests stay at the Premier Mill Hotel. The Premier Mill Hotel is a converted roller flour mill, refurbished into modern accommodation, with an accompanying restaurant and cafe. End the day by partaking in a traditional Australian pastime, a ‘Sundowner’, at the downstairs Cordial Bar at the Premier Mill Hotel, before tucking into a delicious meal at the nearby Royal Exchange Hotel. This is a tour favourite experience!
Day 2 Pioneers and Prospectors, Kokoda Track and Mosques
· Start the day at 8.30am by finding out about the history of Katanning with a special guest historian who will impart the secrets of this famous town. Learn about the unique personalities that developed the railway line and opened up the hinterland for sheep and cropping
· Then we depart to another famous icon in Western Australia, Broomehill. Famous for the remarkable ingenuity of John Holland and his team, who in April 1893, carried their meagre supplies on horseback through harsh terrain to cut a shorter route for gold seekers to the new gold discoveries in the outback. In Broomehill we can enjoy morning tea at the historic Henry Jones Café and listen to several enthralling stories about Holland and the gold seekers who trekked over 533kms to the newly discovered goldfields in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in the 1890’s. Guests walk the town looking at remnants of the early prospectors
· Then following morning tea we meet and chat to local community leader Alep at the “The Daily Grind” where we also enjoy a lunch with Malay cuisine before heading off to finding out about how modern multi-cultural Australia is reflected in the celebration of Islamic culture and the opening of a local Mosque in Katanning along with viewing the painted wildlife artwork and other local features around this incredible town
· After lunch we head off to Kojonup for afternoon tea at Kodja Place along with viewing the old barracks, the spring and the historic water trough and learning more about Brigadier Potts and the Kokoda Track of WW11
· At Kodja Place we view the Indigenous and settler handcrafted tools before enjoying billy tea and damper and chatting to the local Indigenous person “Billy” along with enjoying local wine and cheese tastings and other platters before departing back to Katanning
· Again end the day by partaking in the traditional Australian pastime, a ‘Sundowner’, at the downstairs Cordial Bar, at the Premier Mill Hotel, before tucking into a delicious meal and getting that feeling of being spoilt for choice!
Day 3 Mountain Country, Birds, Silo Art and Cultural Sites
· Next morning we are up and about early departing Katanning after 2 glorious days where we head back through Broomehill to travel down the “Horsepower Highway” to Gnowangerup and then along the Mt Trio Road
· As we travel through the Stirling Range we take a trip to the carpark lookout at Bluff Knoll, the highest peak being 1099 metres above sea level. It is known as the ‘place of many eyes’ or Pualaar Miial, by Indigenous Noongar people. We enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding plains and see if we can spot black cockatoos, birds of prey, purple-crowned lorikeets, scrub wrens and other birds in their natural habitat
· In the meantime lunch is being scheduled at the Yongergnow Malleefowl Centre Ongerup where guests can experience the Malleefowl sanctuary. The sanctuary is part of the National Malleefowl Recovery Program to protect Malleefowl and their habitat. This country is known for the massive deforestation or clearing of vast ecologically rich and diverse Eucalyptus Mallee
· We make a quick visit to the Ongerup Railway Museum and wildflower display before heading to Albany
· Time permitting our next stop is the Porongurup Range for afternoon tea at a local winery. This country is famous for the stunning beauty of tall karri and open jarrah forests, unique eco systems and massive granite rocks. One of the five wine growing regions in the Great Southern, it is important for sheep, cropping and producing intensely flavoured wines
· We then depart and travel straight to our destination for two nights in Albany at the Dog Rock Motel with dining at Lime 303 a classy restaurant which is part of the motel complex
Day 4 Whales and Anzacs
· In the morning we start the day afresh at 8.30am and travel in the footsteps of people living at the first colonial settlement in Western Australia in late 1826. The settlement was originally a military outpost and part of the Colony of NSW and called Frederick Town (this changed in 1831 when it was formally proclaimed part of the Swan River Colony) and renamed Albany in 1832
· We travel out to the “Natural Bridge,” the “Gap” and Albany’s Historic Whaling Station, where you can step aboard the former Cheynes IV Whalechaser ship. We enjoy the region’s wildflower garden and the wildlife park. Lunch is planned in Whaler’s Cafe that flanks the picturesque views across the islands to the mainland
· The afternoon activities include a visit to the National Anzac Centre and the Convoy Lookout which offers a truly unique opportunity to absorb the reality of Australia’s and New Zealand’s first contingent of 30,000 troops to WWI who were anchored in a large convoy in King George Sound (October 1914)
· Finally we take a journey around the coast line to Middleton Beach, to view spectacular beaches and coastline, which offers locals and tourists alike, aquatic beauty and tranquillity before the final night of the tour with a dinner at Lime 303 restaurant
Day 5 Sandalwood, Wines and Woolsheds
· On our return journey to Perth we visit the Sandalwood Shop for morning tea and a tour before visiting Mt Barker lookout, the Museum and then Gilberts Winery for tastings and an early lunch
· We then proceed along Albany Highway for afternoon tea at the Williams Woolshed before we head out of the Wheatbelt toward Perth with a quick trip along the coast as the tour ends at the Hotel Rendezvous in Scarborough on the beachfront
Terms and Conditions apply and all enquiries to Wayne Monks at [email protected]
