Bright Autumn Colours
Days:
7 Days
Activity:
2. Moderate
Transport:
Drive
$2,595.00
Tour description
Chase the colour and crisp mountain air on this unforgettable 7-day Alpine Autumn escape from Sydney, travelling through Australia’s capital and the legendary high country landscapes of New South Wales and Victoria. Begin with a scenic journey to Lake Jindabyne, with stops at Nepean Dam, Canberra’s autumn displays and historic Cooma, before settling in for a relaxing lakeside stay. From Thredbo, cross the Roof of Australia on the spectacular Alpine Way through Kosciuszko National Park, learning about the mighty Snowy Mountains Scheme along the way. Step into local folklore at Corryong’s Man from Snowy River Museum, then follow beautiful river valleys into Bright—your charming base for four nights in the heart of Victoria’s Alpine region.
With a local guide, uncover Bright’s heritage streets and alpine stories, taste seasonal produce at Nightingale’s Orchard, and soak up golden leaves in Centenary Park. Discover dramatic mountain scenery on Mount Buffalo and take in the best of the region’s historic towns, including Beechworth’s gold-rush grandeur and Yackandandah’s boutique village charm.
A full day in the Alpine High Country brings breathtaking views from Mount Hotham, the rustic appeal of Dinner Plain, and a relaxed visit to Red Stag Deer Farm.On the homeward journey, enjoy the warm country welcome of Wagga Wagga with its galleries, heritage buildings and riverside sights, before travelling north via Junee, Cootamundra and Yass, returning to Sydney with wonderful memories of Australia’s most beautiful autumn landscapes.
Tour Departure Location = Sydney
Travelling from somewhere else? Return flight quotes are available on request. Please contact our team to join the tour.
Itinerary
Our journey south this morning is broken with morning tea at Nepean Dam at Bargo. We continue on to Canberra which itself boasts an impressive display of Autumn colour. After lunch we have a brief tour of our outstanding capital were we continue south on the Monaro Highway, pausing at Cooma to take in some of its rich heritage We will travel onto Jindabyne and check into our 4 star motel, on the edge of Lake Jindabyne, with time to relax before dinner at 7.00pm.
Overnight: Rydges Horizon Resort, Jindabyne
Meals Included: Lunch & Dinner
This morning sees us head through Jindabyne and on to Thredbo for morning tea. After some time in the village and or an optional chairlift ride to the top of Crackenback, we will then travel across the roof of Australia through Kosciusko National Park on the spectacular Alpine Way. We will not only appreciate the rugged beauty of this vast landscape but also the amazing feat of engineering that brought about the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Our lunch is at Corryong on the Victorian side of the border and we will visit the Man from Snowy River Museum. The town was home to Jack Riley, the original man from Snowy River that inspired the Banjo Patterson Poem and the museum highlights his story along with the area’s rich history. We follow the Upper Murray and Kiewa Valley and then travel cross country into the Ovens Valley through Myrtleford and Porepunkah on our way to Bright.
Overnight: Bright Colonial Motel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning we meet our local guide for a fascinating town tour of Bright, where heritage streets, tree-lined avenues, and alpine history bring the town’s story to life. We then visit Nightingale’s Orchard to sample local produce before enjoying morning tea in Centenary Park beneath a canopy of golden autumn leaves. After lunch, we travel to Mount Buffalo, where crisp mountain air and sweeping alpine vistas create a truly unforgettable afternoon among the high-country landscapes.
Overnight: Bright Colonial Motel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, we visit the Bright Art Gallery, showcasing a vibrant collection of local works that celebrate the beauty and creativity of the region. We then travel to Beechworth, one of Victoria’s best-preserved gold rush towns, where we pause for morning tea before joining a guided tour that shares stories of miners, bushrangers, and grand heritage buildings. Lunch is enjoyed at the famous Beechworth Bakery, a true country institution. In the afternoon, we travel through the charming village of Yackandandah, known for its boutique stores and welcoming character, before returning to Bright for dinner together.
Overnight: Bright Colonial Motel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today we venture into the Victorian Alps, climbing steadily toward Mount Hotham, where we pause for morning tea surrounded by breathtaking mountain views and crisp alpine air. Continuing through snow gum country, we pass the picturesque village of Dinner Plain, known for its rustic chalets and welcoming alpine charm. Later, we visit the Red Stag Deer Farm, where we enjoy lunch and take time to wander the scenic grounds, watching the resident deer and other farm animals in their peaceful setting. We return to Bright for dinner and a relaxed evening together.
Overnight: Bright Colonial Motel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Sadly we leave the beautiful Ovens Valley, (but with another 2 great days in front of us) we commence our journey to Wagga passing through Albury – Wodonga and on to the Olympic Way and Culcairn for morning tea. We travel through the towns of Henty and The Rock before continuing on to Wagga Wagga, our state’s largest inland city. This afternoon after lunch we visit the impressive regional art gallery and National art glass gallery and take in some of the grand heritage buildings. We will visit the Charles Sturt University as well as the Wagga Beach and Botanic Gardens.
Overnight:Mercure Wagga Wagga
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning we will travel north through the interesting town of Junee where we will take in some of its highlights and then on to Cootamundra where we will enjoy morning tea at Jubilee Park. There will be time to inspect the 41 bronze statues of Australia’s Cricket Captains before we continue through Harden & Binalong to Yass where we will pause for lunch. This afternoon we will rejoin the Hume Highway, breaking our journey home at Sutton Forest before returning to Sydney late afternoon.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Activity Levels
-
1. Easy
-
2. Moderate
-
3. Active Moderate
-
4. Adventurous
Testimonials
Dear John I just want you to know how much I enjoyed my trip to Yamba with you and to thank you for your careful driving, your interesting commentary, your selective gathering of foods and morning tea and your care and concern for all passengers. It’s no wonder we have such a happy group.
Isabel, Sydney.
Re: Batemans Bay Hi Debbie, We have just returned from a 4-day trip to Bateman’s Bay with with Jimmy as our driver. I wanted to email to tell you how good he was. He was so friendly and pleasant, nothing was too much trouble, and his help / support of our older Ex-Servicemen and their wives was outstanding. He was also very interested in out stories which was lovely. I know we always get that level of service from OnCourse, and wanted you to know that it continued with Jimmy. He was so articulate on the microphone and always had some interesting bits of information about where we were or where we were near. The weather on our trip could have been better, but he did his best, moved things around, found places for us to stop in the rain, and always with a smile on his face and made the trip so enjoyable. His handling of the coach was also something we all commented on. Once again, another lovely trip away, and I wouldn’t hesitate to go on any trip Jimmy was involved in.
