The Explorers' Discovery Small Group Tour - Gold, Wine & Wildlife

Itinerary

Day 1: Newnes & Wolgan Valley

Stop At: Bilpin, Bilpin, Blue Mountains, New South Wales
Scenic Bells Line of Road meanders through the Hawkesbury River area AKA the Fruitbowl of NSW.

At Bilpin we'll enjoy a morning coffee & locally made fresh apple pie
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Blackheath, Blackheath, Blue Mountains, New South Wales
From the Mt Banks lookout, discover the magnificent basalt formations at Grose Valley - Blue Mountains National Park.
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Little Hartley, Little Hartley, Blue Mountains, New South Wales
The magnificent Hartley Vale Valley with a good chance to spot eastern rosella's, more kangaroos, an emu or a wedge-tailed eagle.


Stop At: Blackfellows Hand Cave, Blackfellows Hand Fire Trail via Wolgon road Wollemi National Park, Lithgow, New South Wales 2790 Australia
A short walk up the hill takes us to the hidden Blackfellows Hand Cave - sacred site of Aboriginal rock-stencil prints.
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Newnes Industrial Ruins walk, Newnes New South Wales Australia Newnes Rd, Australia Plains, New South Wales 2790 Australia
The old Newnes Hotel, and our Eco Cabins are all that is left of the once booming oil shale town in the Wolgan Valley.
Surrounded by the escarpment of the Wollemi NP and the Gardens of Stone, we enjoy the most magnificent star studded night.
Duration: 10 hours

Stop At: Glow Worm Tunnel, Old Coach Road, Lithgow, New South Wales 2790 Australia
For those who are keen, a brisk circuit walk of about 8 km takes us to the Glow Worm Tunnel deep in the Wollemi NP. See the magical natural light show created by thousands of glow worms!
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Newnes Eco Cottages

Day 2: Rylstone & Dunn Swamp

Stop At: Capertee, Capertee, New South Wales
Glorious exposed cliff escarpments, volcanic plugs and lush rolling grazing lands of the Capertee Valley - recognised as one of the top 20 bird watching areas in the world!

Bird watchers paradise: Painted Honeyeater, the Wonga Pigeon, Diamond Firetail, Turquoise Parrot, Plum-headed Finch, Superb Lyrebirds, Grey Babblers, Mistletoe-birds and, if we're really lucky, the very rare Regent Honey-eater.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Glen Davis Ruins, 3491 Glen Davis Rd, Glen Davis, New South Wales 2846 Australia
The Ghost town of Glen Davis with it's abandoned mine shafts and oil-shale ovens.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Rylstone, Rylstone, New South Wales
The heritage protected Rylstone - a throwback to 19th century country NSW
Duration: 10 hours

Stop At: Dunns Swamp, Wollemi National Park Rylestone, Mudgee, New South Wales Australia
In the Wollemi NP, this area by the Ganguddy river is one of the most beautiful spots in Australia. Expect to see wombats, long-neck turtles, swamp wallabies, plenty of birds and, with a bit of luck, a platypus!

The Pagoda Walk offers fantastic views over the swamp, the river and the lime stone rock formations giving the walk its name.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: The Globe Hotel, Rylstone

Day 3: Mudgee

Stop At: Mudgee Wines, 280 Henry Lawson Drive, Mudgee, New South Wales 2850 Australia
Wine tasting in the Mudgee region - home of about 75 wineries, the first started by 4 German families in the 1870's.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Gulgong, Gulgong, New South Wales
Pittoresk Gulgong - birthplace of famous Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson.

Visit the Pioneer Museum and the Henry Lawson Centre.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Goulburn River National Park, Bylong Valley Way, Baerami, New South Wales 2849 Australia
With its location along the river, surrounded by rural holdings, Goulburn River is rich in plant and wildlife. Kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroos are often seen grazing on the riverbanks. A rich variety of plant life - eucalypts, river oak, grevilleas and callistemon (more commonly called bottlebrush) - provides habitats for many birds, including glossy black cockatoos and lyrebirds.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Bylong, Bylong, New South Wales
A stop at this long forgotten country town
Duration: 15 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: The Globe Hotel, Rylstone

Day 4: Gold Country

Stop At: Sofala, Sofala, New South Wales
Exploring ands sight-seeing through the old gold-fields, the Central Tablelands and the Great Dividing Ranges.

Not to be missed: gold ghost-town of Sofala & the Old Sofala Gaol
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Hill End, Hill End, New South Wales
This skilfully preserved and reconstructed old gold mining town offers a glimpse into 19th century life.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Jenolan Caves, Jenolan Caves, New South Wales
At Jenolan, an easy 1 hour guided tour will take us on a journey into the heart of the Imperial Cave to learn about the limestone rocks, the history of the caves and the region and to admire the beautiful sights with colourful lights illuminating the rock walls.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Jenolan Caves House

Day 5: Kanangra

Stop At: Kanangra-Boyd National Park, New South Wales Australia
After a hearty breakfast at our hotel (included), we're straight off to yet another national park within the Great Blue Mountains World Heritage Area: the Kanangra Walls, of the Kanangra-Boyd National Park.
An easy but refreshing walk along the valley ridge seamed with silver banksia, bright red mountain devils and white flowering hakeas offers unparalleled views across one of Australia’s most spectacular landscapes with its waterfalls, exposed spikes of ancient rocks and misty mountains.
In the depths of the gorge, spot an Australian red cedar or the gorgeous flame robin. Or look up to see some soaring wedge-tail eagles.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Little Hartley, Little Hartley, Blue Mountains, New South Wales
Lunch in the old postoffice of the quaint explorers' hamlet of Hartley, with a visit to the local Aboriginal gallery.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Pulpit Rock Lookout, Pulpit Rock Track, Blue Mountains National Park, New South Wales 2570 Australia
A short walk to Pulpit Rock offers one of the best views of the Grose Valley, Blue Mountains National Park
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: The Three Sisters, Echo Point road Echo Point, Katoomba, New South Wales 2780 Australia
One of the most known rock formations and lookouts of the Blue Mountains.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Cahill's Lookout, 258-276 Cliff Drive, Katoomba, New South Wales 2780 Australia
Offering great views on Narrowneck and the Megalong Valley
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Wentworth Falls, Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, New South Wales
If weather allows it, a short circuit walk brings us past the roaring falls of Wentworth, and lets us enjoy the lush eucalyptus growth along the Jamison Valley.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.