Southern Stars - Tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney

The Lyall
The Lyall is located in cosmopolitan South Yarra, a 30 minute walk from the city centre via the botanic gardens. It is an all-suite boutique hotel—just 40 rooms—and provides its guests with professional and personalised service.

The Lyall offers 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, all beautifully-appointed in a modern style. Each offers full en-suite facilities, a private kitchenette and a small balcony/terrace. The larger suites also have laundry rooms.

Bistro Lyall serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in its elegant dining room or al fresco on the terrace. Other facilities include a small champagne bar, a fully-equipped spa and gym, bicycles (free to borrow) and a library.

Focusing on the city’s vibrant lanes and busy arcades, as well as the more prominent tourist sights, the walking tour is a great chance to learn about the history and unique architecture of the city centre in depth and in the company of a highly fluent local guide. It is a popular tour with locals as well as visitors.

The tour ends with lunch at a popular Melbourne restaurant, the Caboose, after which you have the afternoon free to explore the city at your own pace.

Great Ocean Ecolodge
Part of the Cape Otway Ecology Centre, Great Ocean Ecolodge is an ideal base from which to explore one of Australia’s most beautiful coastlines. It is surrounded by stunning scenery: raw bushland, dense woodland, dramatic cliffs and, of course, stunning beaches.

With just five rooms, Great Ocean is a highly intimate lodge, and has been designed to have as limited an impact on the surrounding environment as is possible. The rooms are generously sized and furnished. Each enjoys a view of wild grasslands where kangaroo are often seen grazing, oftentimes right outside the rooms!

Your 2 nights at the Great Ocean will provide a chance to learn more about some of Australia’s unique wildlife. Included in your stay is a dusk walk, which will see you explore the reserve in the twilight in the hope of spotting koala, kangaroo, tiger quoll, gliders and other nocturnal creatures, several of them endemic to the region.

Other activities, whether outdoors (surfing, biking) or at the hotel (spa treatments, yoga, champagne lunches) can be arranged locally at additional cost.

Take part in one of the many activities available at the Ecolodge, or explore the region independently. This is one of Australia’s most spectacular coastal regions, and offers stunning coastal views.

On arrival in Port Fairy, check in at the Oscar’s Waterfront Boutique Hotel for 1 night in a Riverfront Room.

Oscar’s Waterfront
Oscar’s Waterfront is an intimate B&B with an enviable position in the heart of Port Fairy, directly overlooking the marina. Oscar’s offers just seven guest rooms, in addition to a breakfast room, lounge and a viewing deck that looks out onto the marina.

On reaching the Grampians, check into Meringa Springs for 2 nights in a king room. A 3-course dinner is included each night of your stay.

Meringa Springs
Meringa Springs occupies a terrific location in the Grampians, where it overlooks miles of bushland and the very appropriately-named Mt Difficult. This couldn’t be further from the urban sprawl of Melbourne, or even the quiet charm of Port Fairy—this is the Australian outback at its most wild and rugged.

Meringa is furnished in the style of a traditional homestead, albeit a luxury one. Its guest rooms feature rich timber furnishings and stone fireplaces, as well as huge en-suite bathrooms with double showers and Jacuzzi baths. There are seven rooms in total, two in the main lodge and five separate villas. The villas all have private decks with marvellous views. The main lodge offers an impressive infinity pool.

Scenic bush walks and local guide-led tours are available (at additional cost) in the Grampians, or you can explore independently.

On arrival in Hobart, collect your rental car and drive to the Islington Hotel, approx. 20 mins from the airport. Check in at the Islington for two nights in a Garden Room.

Islington Hotel
Built in the mid-19th century, the Islington Hotel is a wonderful example of Regency architecture. It enjoys pride of place on a high hill overlooking the town and coast, its iconic design helping it to stand out as a local landmark.

The Islington’s 11 rooms are split between the main residence and a collection of garden cottages. All are lavishly furnished and equipped with all the expected modern amenities. The garden and courtyard rooms open out onto the patio through French doors.

The Islington has an open-plan country kitchen, where home-cooked breakfasts are served up each morning, giving a perfect start to the day!

The dinner menu changes regularly, and is accompanied by the best South African wines from the hotel’s extensive cellar.

In the afternoon, we recommend a visit to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). In the evening, sample Hobart’s fresh seafood at one of the many waterfront restaurants.

Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, is an attractive city notable for its Georgian architecture and stunning scenery. Don’t miss the bustling Salamanca Markets while you’re here. And if you have time, it’s worth climbing Mount Wellington for the magnificent views from the summit over the city and the Derwent River.

The town of Richmond is just a short distance from Hobart and offers much of historical interest. One of the earliest settler towns, it is home to Australia’s oldest bridge and jail. The drive from Hobart to Richmond takes you through the Coal Valley, where there are a number of wineries open to visitors.

Your Bruny Isand wilderness cruise departs from Adventure Bay at 11am and lasts 3 hours. It covers one of the most beautiful stretches of the Tasmanian coast, including some striking cliff formations—among the highest and most dramatic in the world—and the dry eucalyptus forests for which Bruny is famous. The wildlife is equally impressive. With any luck you will be able to spot whale, seal and dolphins. The birdlife, too, is splendid, with shearwater, pelican, eagle, albatross and much more.

During the cruise you will be accompanied by an experienced local guide, knowledgeable in the wildlife, geography and history of the region. Lunch and morning tea are included. The cruise ends early afternoon, after which you will be returned to your car. Make your way to Inala, a 20 minute drive. On arrival, check into Nairana Country Home for 2 nights in a self-contained cottage, with provisions for lunch and dinner included.

Nairana Cottage
Built in 2005, Nairana is a one bedroom bush cottage built with Tasmanian timber and set in the forest with a view of the South Bruny ranges. It’s a fully-equipped cottage suitable for long or short stays, complete with a well-stocked kitchen that opens onto a small lounge and dining area. The bathroom features a ‘spa bath’ and separate shower. There’s a laundry room with washer and dryer. The cottage has a long balcony furnished with an outdoor furniture set and—it wouldn’t be complete without it—a BBQ.

The 200 hectare Inala property is home to a rich variety of wildlife, including a number of endemic and threatened species, such as the Padalote. During your tour you’ll have the chance to learn more about the ongoing conservation efforts to protect these species and their natural habitat on Bruny Island.

The tour will allow you to explore a range of habitats—dry forest, rainforest, beaches and plains, in the process learning more about the fauna and flora of Bruny. You’ll spend the afternoon at Cape Bruny, taking in the marvellous coastal views, and visiting Australia’s second oldest lighthouse. In the evening, as dusk descends, make your way back to your cottage, keeping an eye out along the way for nocturnal species such as possum, wallaby and quoll.

This is a private tour and can be adapted to suit your interests, whether that’s wildlife or plant life, coastal or forest scenery.

Pumphouse Point
Situated on Lake St Clair, this original 1939 pumping station has been transformed into an unusual but luxurious 4½ star hotel. Opened in January 2015, it already stands out as Tasmania’s most stylish boutique guesthouse, thanks to its dramatic location and beautiful rooms.

With its stylish Art Deco façade, Pumphouse Point poses a striking contrast to the dramatic Tasmanian landscape that surrounds it. Located in the middle of the Lake and accessed via a long boardwalk, all of its 18 guestrooms (12 in the original building and 6 on the shores of the lake) offer marvellous views and come with a full range of modern amenities, including basic self-catering facilities (microwaves, refrigerators and a well-stocked larder), 30-inch televisions, high-speed WiFi, and en-suite bathrooms with bathtub or shower.

The property itself is stunning, and despite having undergone a thorough refurbishment, it still retains much of its original charm and character, as well as many of its original features, down to the carefully-preserved inudustrial lighting and the old water turbines, which are visible through the glass floor of the lobby.

Dining facilities at Pumphouse Point include a cafeteria and the Storehouse dining room, where multi-course meals are served each evening. Breakfast and other meals are not included in the cost of your stay, but each room comes with its own larder stocked with local produce that is available to buy, including cheeses, cured meats and soups.

The Cradle Mountain area is generally easy to explore independently, but we can book a local tour guide (at extra cost) to accompany you if required.

In addition to walking, other activities such as fishing and canoeing on the lake, and mountain biking in the surrounding hills, are also possible and can be organised locally.

You will be met on arrival in Sydney and transferred to your hotel, the stylish QT Hotel, for 3 nights in a deluxe room.

QT Sydney
QT Sydney is set right in the heart of the city, in what was once the State Theatre building. In keeping with the location, QT has a playful character, its décor reflecting the theatrical past. Much of the theatre’s original features—the façade and outer stone cladding—that had become damaged over the years, have been carefully restored, while the Gilt lounge serves as a stylish reminder of the past.

QT opens onto Market Street, Sydney’s main retail area, and is within easy reach of Hyde Park and Darling Harbour.

Remember to bring a hat, sun glasses, sun lotion, soft-soled shoes and, if the weather is warm, your swim wear. Snorkelling equipment will be provided. The cruise accommodates no more than 8 people.

The cruise will be led by skipper Colin, who will introduce you to the landmarks of Sydney Harbour. Lunch – sushi, salads and fruit, along with your choice of wine, beer, soft drinks and followed by a sweet treat with tea or coffee – will be shared in a quiet bay. At the end of the cruise you will be delivered to Darling Harbour where you might like to explore the shops, museums, and aquarium, before making your way back to your hotel.

Sydney, the biggest, oldest and, many would argue, most beautiful city in Australia, is notable for much more than its famous landmarks – the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Built around its dazzling harbour, the city has a relaxed but vibrant character, and is a pleasure to explore on foot. While your Sydney harbour tour will have covered many of the main sights, today is a great chance to take in some of Sydney’s other charms: its beaches, shops, galleries, theatres and restaurants. You can arrange as much or as little touring as you like, but here are just a few ideas:

• Take a walk around Circular Quay and to the Botanical Gardens, via the Opera House
• Attend a performance at the Sydney Opera House
• Take a ferry to Manly Beach – a stroll along Manly Wharf is a pleasant way to spend the afternoon
• Get out on the harbour – travel on the Sydney Ferry network (day tickets available); hire a private charter; or head out sailing on a skipper
• Tour Sydney’s art galleries (we can arrange private viewings at a number of galleries)
• Fly over Sydney Harbour in a light aircraft and lunch on the Hawkesbury River
• Explore the weekend markets
• Follow the coastal trail from Bondi to Bronte Beach
• Dine out at Darling Harbour

Private transfer from your hotel to Sydney International Airport is included.