Bright Autumn Festival
Days:
7 Days
Activity:
3. Active Moderate
Transport:
Drive
$2,995.00
Tour description
Experience the spectacular colours of autumn on this wonderful seven-day journey through regional New South Wales and Victoria’s magnificent High Country. Combining brilliant seasonal scenery, charming country towns, fascinating history and breathtaking alpine landscapes, this tour showcases the region at one of the most beautiful times of year.
Travel south through Yass, Cootamundra and Junee to Wagga Wagga before continuing to picturesque Bright, your base for four nights. Discover Bright with a local guide, sample local produce at Nightingale’s Orchard and enjoy the golden autumn canopy of Centenary Park before travelling into the dramatic landscapes of Mount Buffalo.
Step back in time in historic Beechworth, with stories of gold miners and bushrangers, and explore the beautifully preserved village of Yackandandah. Journey into the Victorian Alps to Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain, enjoy lunch at Red Stag Deer Farm and visit Bright Art Gallery.
The adventure continues through the Snowy Mountains, visiting the Man from Snowy River Museum and travelling via Thredbo to Jindabyne. A visit to historic Cooma Gaol and a final stop in Canberra complete a memorable autumn escape filled with magnificent scenery, history and country hospitality.
Tour Highlights
- Four nights in beautiful Bright
- Guided tour of Bright
- Spectacular autumn colours and Centenary Park
- Nightingale’s Orchard local produce tasting
- Mount Buffalo and High Country scenery
- Guided heritage tour of Beechworth
- Visit charming Yackandandah
- Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain
- Lunch at Red Stag Deer Farm
- Bright Art Gallery
- Wagga Wagga sightseeing and Botanic Gardens
- Cootamundra Captain’s Walk
- Man from Snowy River Museum
- Scenic journey through Thredbo and the Snowy Mountains
- Overnight stay in Jindabyne
- Historic Cooma Gaol
- Canberra city orientation
- All experiences, meals, accommodation and luxury coach travel as listed in the itinerary
Itinerary
Our autumn adventure begins as we journey south from Sydney, pausing at Nepean Dam for morning tea amid tranquil bushland and crisp country air. We continue to Yass, where we enjoy lunch and time to explore the town before travelling through the rural landscapes of Harden and Cootamundra. Here we pause to discover the Captain’s Walk, an impressive collection of bronze statues honouring Australia’s Test cricket captains. Continuing via the railway town of Junee, we arrive in Wagga Wagga where we check in to the Mercure and enjoy a welcome dinner together.
Overnight: Mercure Wagga Wagga Meals Included: Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of Wagga Wagga, taking in some of the city’s highlights including the Botanic Gardens, Wagga Beach and several notable heritage buildings. Morning tea is served amongst the beautiful surrounds of the Botanic Gardens before we travel south through the Riverina towns of The Rock, Henty and Culcairn. After a brief orientation tour of Albury, we enjoy lunch before continuing via Myrtleford and the famous Phoenix Tree to the picturesque alpine town of Bright. We settle into our accommodation before dinner this evening.
Overnight: Bright Chalet
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 Chalet Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, we travel to the beautifully preserved gold rush town of Beechworth, where we meet our local guide for a fascinating tour sharing stories of miners, bushrangers and the town’s remarkable heritage. Following lunch at the famous Beechworth Bakery, there is time to browse the boutique shops, galleries and historic streets at your own pace. This afternoon, we visit the charming village of Yackandandah, renowned for its beautifully preserved streetscape, historic buildings and welcoming country atmosphere, before returning to Bright for dinner together.
Overnight: Bright Chalet Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today we venture into the spectacular Victorian Alps, climbing steadily towards Mount Hotham, where we pause to admire breathtaking mountain views and the crisp alpine air. Continuing through snow gum country, we pass the picturesque village of Dinner Plain, renowned for its distinctive alpine chalets and mountain charm. After lunch at the Red Stag Deer Farm, where we can wander the scenic grounds and see the resident deer and other farm animals, we visit the Bright Art Gallery, home to an inspiring collection of works by talented local and regional artists. We then enjoy some free time back at our accommodation before gathering for dinner this evening.
Overnight: Bright Chalet Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, we farewell Bright and journey through the spectacular Snowy Mountains, pausing at Tallangatta for morning tea overlooking the peaceful waters of Lake Hume. Continuing to Corryong, we visit the Man from Snowy River Museum, where fascinating displays celebrate the legendary horsemen of the High Country and Banjo Paterson’s famous poem. After lunch, we travel through the alpine landscapes of Tom Groggin, Dead Horse Gap and the picturesque village of Thredbo before continuing to Jindabyne. We settle into our accommodation and enjoy dinner together this evening.
Overnight: Rydges Horizons Resort, Jindabyne Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, we travel to Cooma for a fascinating visit to the historic Cooma Gaol, where we discover stories of its colourful past and the people once housed within its walls. We then continue to Canberra, where a brief city orientation showcases some of the nation’s most recognisable landmarks, including Parliament House and Lake Burley Griffin. Following our farewell lunch, we begin our journey back to Sydney, taking with us wonderful memories of brilliant autumn colours, alpine scenery and the charm of Victoria’s High Country.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Activity Levels
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1. Easy
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2. Moderate
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3. Active Moderate
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4. Adventurous
Testimonials
Ladies and Gentlemen, Our recent tour to Merimbula and the Sapphire Coast was enjoyable. We wish to have recorded our special thanks to John T, the driver of the week. Not only steered us through thick and thin but changed his hat throughout the days to become maitre de plaisir, Tea and Coffee director, Seniors supervisor, time keeper, convenience spotter, luggage handler and so the list goes on and on. John is a credit to the Company !!
Best regards, Helga
Hi Kerry Great trip as usual in the Alps. Hans was able to secure 2nd spot on the bus line and we were away very quickly leaving lines of buses behind us. The motel was excellent and the food service the quality A1. The chap in charge of the Bar and foor service, lan, was most attentive and with the help of Hans did a wonderful job of keeping everyone happy. The escorted Tour of Albury by Allan was one of the best I have encountered. The Hibernian Hotel was ‘spot on’, the hotel was spacious and the food perfect. The Red Stag Deer Farm was without doubt one of the highlights of the trip. The complex looks over the valley with sweeping views. The owners gave a very informative and entertaining talk and we really could have stayed longer. I believe it would be an ideal venue for a bit of variety to say have morning tea at Bright and then go to the Red Stag for Iunch and a talk by them. They did well out of the bus with people buying lots of their products. Most of the people on the bus have done the same Bright trip previously in one form or another and the inclusion of this I feel would draw other ‘past’ travellers to do the same trip again. I know I can speak for everyone, it was a top trip.
