Best of the Riverina Region

Day 1 – Friday 25 October 2024

Our tour starts as we depart Sydney and travel south, pausing for morning tea in the Southern Highlands and lunch in Yass. From here we join the Burley Griffin Way which takes us through delightful towns like Harden and Temora before arriving in the beautiful Riverina town of Griffith, our based for the next 5 nights. Enjoy a 2 course dinner in the comfort of the motel’s restaurant.

Day 2 – Saturday 26 October 2024

Our exploration of the Riverina Region starts this morning with a visit to a local Rice Farm. Hear from the farmer about the local industry and irrigation practices. Then we enjoy a pleasant stroll through not one but two of Griffith’s delightful gardens that are open to view during the Spring Festival. Lunch today will be at one of the open gardens. At the Griffith Information & Interpretive Centre, watch a short film on the area and see the stained glass window display. We are then joined on the coach by a local guide who will introduce us to Griffith with an informative town tour. This afternoon, you can wander across the road from the motel to see the Citrus Sculptures. The display which is held for only 2 weeks in October features more than 60 larger than life three dimensional sculptures made from citrus. Tonight, we enjoy dinner at the Griffith Exies Club.

Day 3 – Sunday 27 October 2024

This morning we stop to have a look around the local Sunday Markets (gold coin entry required). Then at the Catania Fruit Salad Farm, our passionate hosts take us on a wonderful tour of the farm providing us with a brief history of irrigation to the region along with growing and harvesting facts about the 60 different fruit trees including tasty samples along the way. Next, we explore the Pioneer Park Museum and Italian Museum. Enjoy a light lunch and a train ride around the grounds which feature over 40 historical buildings as well as information on local agriculture and irrigation plus the history of Italian migration, settlement and horticulture in Griffith. Our last stop this afternoon is to Calabria Family Wines where we taste some quality award winning Riverina Region wines at the Tuscan-style cellar door. Enjoy dinner at the motel tonight.

Day 4 – Monday 28 October 2024

Today we travel to the Riverina town of Leeton where we are joined by a local guide who will show us around town. At the Visitor Information Centre we experience the ’Tastes of Leeton’ where we sample locally grown products and learn how they are produced and packaged for sale all around the world. Enjoy a delicious lunch at the Whitton Malt House before visiting the Southern Cotton Gin for an informative and engaging tour to learn about the local cotton industry. We journey back to Griffith with time to freshen up before returning to the Exies Club for another delicious dinner and a chance to mingle with the locals.

Day 5 – Tuesday 29 October 2024

This morning we travel to the town of Ardlethan, birthplace of the Australian Kelpie where we pause for a quick photo. Continuing on, we arrive in Junee where we take a guided tour of the famous Licorice & Chocolate Factory. Hear of the buildings history and the establishment of Green Grove Organics and learn about the licorice and chocolate manufacturing process. After lunch we travel to Cootamundra where we visit Sir Donald Bradman’s Birthplace, now a museum honouring the Australian cricketer. At Jubilee Park, we take a stroll around the Captains Walk which features 43 bronze sculptures of Australian Test Cricket Captains. Continuing on, we pause in the 1920’s heritage village of Ariah Park before returning back to Griffith. Dinner for our last night will be at the motel.

 

Day 6 – Wednesday 30 October 2024

After breakfast, we farewell Griffith and travel to Narrandera to see the Tiger Moth Memorial and Big Guitar. Lunch today will be in Gundagai. Following an afternoon comfort stop around Goulburn, our journey comes to an end as we return to Sydney, arriving back at around 6:30pm.