Tasmania

TASMANIA

INCREDIBLE NATIONAL PARKS AND TURBULENT HISTORY

Convict history, wild beautiful landscapes, native animals, waterfalls, rugged coastlines and still lakes

26 OCTOBER - 6 NOVEMBER 2021

TASMANIA

INCREDIBLE NATIONAL PARKS AND TURBULENT HISTORY 26 OCTOBER - 6 NOVEMBER 2021 We bring you Tasmania, a place of wild and beautiful contrasting landscapes, forests, native animals, waterfalls, rugged coastlines and still lakes.

Experience the Exceptional...

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We introduce you to the real Tasmania, circumnavigating the whole island and present to you an in-depth insight into its history, culture, uniqueness and natural splendour.

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Tasmania is Australia’s smallest state but it packs a lot in and like New Zealand is bigger than it looks, filled with diverse scenery with over 40 percent reserved as national park and World Heritage areas. It also has wonderful, friendly, helpful people who enjoy a relaxed island lifestyle, fabulous wine and food and a haunting history evoked by spectacular convict-era ruins.

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Fabulous musical events provided by your hosts: John Cameron, Alex Foster and Jess Hindin on violin.

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A full day tour to the Port Arthur Convict Settlement with its rich history of Australia’s convict past with a guided walking tour, a short harbour cruise, plus 30 buildings, ruins and restored gardens and houses.

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Picturesque Dove Lake at the foot of Cradle Mountain plus travel past mountain ranges, swift flowing rivers, steep gorges and historic mining towns.

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Cruise the Gordon River into the heart of Tasmania’s wilderness. Cross vast Macquarie Harbour, past Sarah Island, worst convict settlement of all and follow the Gordon through stands of ancient Huon pine, sassafras and myrtle rainforest.

OUR HOSTS FOR THIS TRIP

John Cameron

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For more information ring our office or visit our website

Alex Foster

Jess Hindin

TASMANIA A LAND OF CONTRASTS

Derby

We bring you a full 12 day tour around the beautiful island of Tasmania with its magnificent scenery, historical sites and turbulent history and a chance to meet with the friendly locals and really get to know this fabulous island.

Beaconsfield Grindelwald Sheffield

Zeehan

We circumnavigate the island, delve into the convict history, wonder at the beauty of the contrasting landscapes, enjoy the island’s exotic wildlife and present some fabulous music concerts along the way.

STRAHAN Gordon River Cruise

Highlights Include: • Our city tour of Hobart with Battery Point, Salamanca Place, Constitution Docks and the waterfront.

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Welcome dinner this evening with music, entitled The Luck of the Irish!

BICHENO

CRADLE MT Queenstown Derwent Bridge Wild Rivers N.P

Tarraleah

Freycinet N.P

Richmond

TASMANIA

Fly Hobart to Auckland

TUESDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2021 (D)

WEDNESDAY 27TH OCTOBER 2021 (B, D)

LAUNCESTON

Deloraine Woolmers Estate

HOBART

This tour includes: Hobart (5 nights with day tours to Port Arthur Convict Settlement and Huon Valley), Freycinet National Park (1 night), Launceston (2 nights), Cradle Mountain (1 night), Strahan (2 nights).

Highlights Include: • On arrival at the Hobart Airport we travel to nearby Rosny Lookout for panoramic views of Hobart before transferring to the hotel in time to freshen up before dinner.

St Helens

Port Arthur

Fly Auckland to Hobart

THURSDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2021 (B) Highlights Include: • Tour to Port Arthur which includes the Port Arthur Convict Settlement on 40 hectares of landscaped grounds with Australia’s convict past, with a guided walking tour.

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A short Harbour Cruise plus a chance to see more than 30 buildings, ruins and restored gardens and houses, plus Norfolk and Frederick Henry Bays.

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Drive by the Tasman Peninsula, picturesque Eaglehawk Neck and Pirates Bay.

Hobart Waterfront & Salamanca

www.operatunity.co.nz/travel | P: 0508 886 489 | E: travel@operatunity.co.nz

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Tasman Peninsula FRIDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2021

(B, L, D)

Highlights Include: • Today we say goodbye to Hobart and make our way to Coles Bay and the Freycinet National Park.

We follow the Tasman Highway via Orford and Triabunna to tour north beside the blue waters of the Tasman Sea. •

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See the convict built, enigmatic Spiky Bridge then continue on to the picturesque Freycinet National Park with its jagged pink granite peaks, crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches.

SATURDAY 30TH OCTOBER 2021 (B, D) Highlights Include: • This morning we tour the East Coast to St Helens then turn inland to pass through the hinterland and myrtle rainforest of Weldborough Pass.

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Visit the former tin mining area of Derby and detour to Legerwood to admire the tree carvings commemorating the war heroes of the region.

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Travel via the rich agricultural region of Scottsdale, across the unique A-frame Batman Bridge spanning the Tamar River and continue to Beaconsfield where we tour the Gold Mine Heritage Museum, site of the mine disaster and miraculous rescue.

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Views of the picturesque Tamar Valley as we tour through Grindelwald Swiss Village with its alpine style houses and unusual wood carvings.

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Continue to our overnight accommodation at Launceston.

Take in the views from the stunning Cape Tourville before arriving at the fishing village of Bicheno and our overnight accommodation.

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Port Arthur Convict Settlement

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Cape Tourville

For more information ring our office or visit our website

Cataract Gorge

SUNDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2021 (B, L, D) Highlights Include: • After a leisurely start this morning we explore Launceston’s city centre and magnificent Cataract Gorge with its cliff-side gardens, peacocks, pools, suspension foot bridge and one of the longest single span chairlifts in the world (ride is optional and at own expense).

Cradle Mountain MONDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 2021 (B, D)

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Stroll in the City Park and the John Hart Conservatory noted for displays of begonias, cyclamens and other hot house blooms.

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Enjoy a gourmet BBQ lunch and sample some of the delicious products at the Tasmanian Gourmet Sauce Company.

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Along the way visit Deloraine, famous for its arts and crafts and we taste award winning cheese at Ashgrove Farm.

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Travel to Longford to tour the World Heritage Woolmers Estate and National Rose Garden. This property shows a fascinating reflection of colonial life in Tasmania with the Rose Garden displaying one of the finest collections of historic roses in the Southern Hemisphere.

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Spend time in the town of Sheffield, where a tiny community has recorded their history and honoured their pioneers in huge paintings on the town walls then continuing on to Cradle Mountain.

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Later in the afternoon take the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Tasmanian devil as we visit Devils@Cradle and learn about the challenges facing this endangered species.

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From early afternoon there is free time to relax before dinner.

Highlights Include: • Travel to the iconic Cradle Mountain.

Cradle Mountain

www.operatunity.co.nz/travel | P: 0508 886 489 | E: travel@operatunity.co.nz

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Dove Lake

TUESDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 2021 (B, L, D)

WEDNESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2021 (B, L, D)

Highlights Include: • Travel to the picturesque Dove Lake at the foot of the crags of Cradle Mountain.

Highlights Include: • Today we cruise the incomparable Gordon River into the heart of Tasmania’s wilderness and the edge of World Heritage.

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Visit Waldheim, forest home of pioneer Gustav Weindorfer.

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Travel past mountain ranges, swift-flowing rivers, steep gorges and historic mining towns.

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Take time at Zeehan (once known as the ‘silver city’) to visit the museum and the beautifully restored Gaiety Theatre, (we hope to do a short concert here).

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Our destination this afternoon is the port of Strahan situated on beautiful Macquarie Harbour.

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On arrival explore the village and wharf area where one of the few remaining Huon pine sawmills still processes logs felled in the rainforests of Western Tasmania many years ago.

Sarah Island

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Waterfall close to Cradle Mountain

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Cross vast Macquarie Harbour, past Sarah Island, worst convict settlement of all and follow the Gordon through stands of ancient Huon pine, sassafras and myrtle rainforest to step ashore for a wilderness board-walk at Heritage Landing.

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Voyage to Hells Gates, the aptly named harbour entrance where many early ships were destroyed by ferocious ocean swells.

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On return to Strahan, there will be opportunity to further explore the village or return to the hotel.

Gordon River

For more information ring our office or visit our website

Hobart

THURSDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 (B, L, D)

FRIDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 2021 (B, D)

Highlights Include: • Depart Strahan via Queenstown, the spectacular Mt. Owen, the winding Gormanston Hill and ghost towns of the Chamonoi Valley.

Highlights Include: • Travel to the nearby Mt Nelson for spectacular views over Hobart and Storm Bay.

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Cross Lake Burbury to enter the Wild Rivers National Park and experience the wonders of Gondwanaland during a short rainforest walk to Nelson Waterfalls.

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At Derwent Bridge visit “The Wall in The Wilderness”, an extraordinary work of art being crafted telling the story of Tasmania’s Central Highlands.

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In Tarraleah Gorge view the penstocks and workings of an early Hydro-electric installation before crossing the Central Plateau. Descend through hills and hop fields to historic New Norfolk.

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Follow the picturesque Derwent Valley to the city of Hobart.

Hobart’s Royal Botanical Gardens

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Enjoy some quiet moments in Hobart’s Royal Botanical Gardens, vibrant with spring colours and blooms then travel to the historic village of Richmond.

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Walk across Australia’s oldest bridge, built by convict labour between 1823 and 1825. Visit the cemetery of Australia’s oldest remaining Catholic Church, St Johns, built in 1836 or browse through the many delightful craft shops, galleries and food stores.

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In the afternoon, return to Hobart for some last minute shopping and prepare for tonight’s final dinner Memories Are Made Of This held in a private dining room.

SATURDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2021

(B)

This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, we are transferred to the Hobart Airport for our flights home.

Hobart’s Royal Botanical Gardens

www.operatunity.co.nz/travel | P: 0508 886 489 | E: travel@operatunity.co.nz

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7,800

$

per person twin share Single Room supplement add $1,550 Initial Deposit on booking

Second Deposit due 17 May 2021 Final Balance due: 26 July 2021

$1,250 $2,000

Deposits refundable (less costs incurred) prior to FINAL BALANCE DUE DATE. Itinerary details are subject to change, however any changes will be replaced with a comparable or better option.

THIS TRIP INCLUDES: •

12 day full tour of Tasmania.

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Return Flights – Auckland – Melbourne – Hobart// Hobart – Sydney - Auckland.

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Hobart (5 nights with day tours to Port Arthur Convict Settlement and Huon Valley), Freycinet National Park (1 night), Launceston (2 nights), Cradle Mountain (1 night), Strahan (2 nights).

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A full tour around the beautiful island of Tasmania with its magnificent scenery, historical sites and turbulent history with a chance to meet with the friendly locals and really get to know this fabulous island.

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4 musical events with dinners presented by your hosts: John Cameron, Alex Foster and Jessica Hindin on violin.

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Magnificent scenery including Freycinet and Cradle Mountain National Parks, Tasman Peninsula, Cataract Gorge, Gordon River and the Huon Valley.

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Time for tasting, coffee, shopping and rummaging in cute shops including Strahan, Chudleigh Honey Farm and Sheffield.

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Fabulous tours including Port Arthur and its convict history, Gordon River Cruise, Devils at Cradle, ranger’s guided tour in Freycinet National Park, Launceston and Hobart City tours, Woolmers Estate and the National Rose Garden.

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All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 10 dinners plus all tips, taxes and porterage.

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Escorted by John Cameron, Alex Foster and Jess Hindin.

GENTLE TOUR This tour will suit most people, even with a stick or a walker, but sorry not someone in a wheelchair. The activity level is gently paced, but you still need to be able to get on and off buses easily. There will be walking, but not a lot.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION • • • Toll Free: 0508 886 489 email: travel@operatunity.co.nz | www.operatunity.co.nz PO Box 132 150 Sylvia Park, Auckland 1644, New Zealand

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All trips are subject to change but any changes will be of equal or greater value.

Deposits refundable until final payment date minus any costs incurred, or an administration fee of up to $300.

Travellers need to be independently mobile and fit to travel.

Travellers are required to obtain comprehensive travel insurance for all international trips.

Please refer to terms & conditions on our booking form.