Australia | Public and Private Gardens, Conservation, Climate Change, Culture and the Sea

Begin your journey from your home city - destination: Melbourne, Australia!

Today you will cross the International Date Line as you continue your journey to Melbourne.

This morning, upon arrival at Melbourne International Airport and after completing immigration and customs, exit at the arrivals hall where you will find your driver, who will take you to your hotel. (Pre-registered rooms have been arranged for immediate occupancy.) In the early afternoon, meet your specialist horticulture guide who will be with you throughout your time in Australia, for a walking tour of Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is a custodian of lands, landscapes, and living plant collections renowned for their visual beauty and heritage, as well as their scientific and horticultural interest. The living collections and landscapes at both the Melbourne Gardens and Cranbourne Gardens play an important role in helping scientists and the public understand the history, present-day uses, and what the future may hold for plants in natural environments. They are also great spaces for the public to enjoy, understand, and appreciate plants. The Melbourne Gardens extend over 90 acres, with displays of more than 50,000 individual plants representing over 10,000 different species from every part of the globe; these are represented in 31 living plant collections. Return to the hotel this afternoon. In the evening, enjoy a relaxed dinner at the hotel. Accommodations in Studio Rooms with River & Southbank Fireball View.

Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel this morning before boarding a private coach to travel southeast from Melbourne's central business district, or CBD, around Port Phillip Bay toward Heartland, the private garden of Jac Semmler, a plant specialist and director of the plant practice Super Bloom. She named her personal garden Heartland to reflect her love for the tender practice of gardening, Australian landscapes, and her rural family history cultivated by generations of plantswomen. After spending time at Heartland, travel to the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in Cranbourne. This division of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria features the stunning Australian Garden, an award-winning, contemporary botanic garden surrounded by more than 700 acres of remnant native bushland and recognized as a site of State significance for plant and wildlife conservation for its homage to the beauty and diversity of Australian landscapes and flora. Stop for lunch at the garden's Boon Wurrung Café before a tour and free time to explore. The café is named after the Aboriginal Australians who lived in the area prior to colonization. Return to the hotel and enjoy some time at leisure this evening. Dinner is at your own expense tonight, and your guide can assist with dinner selections from the fine restaurants in the area.

This morning, travel to the beautiful Yarra Valley, stopping en route at the Chelsea Australian Garden, a recently completed, impressive recreation of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show 2013 Best in Show display by landscape designer Philip Johnson. This project used more than 75,000 square feet of previously unused space in the garden, making the landscaped portion 20 times the size of the original display while utilizing 15,000 plants from more than 400 Australian plant species, including rare and endangered species. Johnson was able to showcase a sustainable design and habitat creation that incorporates solar power and water-efficient features. Later, depart for Coombe Yarra Valley, a unique destination that was once the home of world-famous opera singer Dame Nellie Melba. With seven acres of stunning gardens landscaped over a hundred years ago, this estate boasts a succession of terraced lawns behind a cypress hedge, native, Italian, and vegetable gardens, a croquet lawn, an old tennis court, a newly established rose arbor, and the oldest swimming pool in Victoria - all against a historical, picturesque backdrop. Lunch is included in your visit to Coombe Yarra Valley. After lunch, continue to Cloudehill Gardens, a delightful, cool-climate garden designed by owner Jeremy Francis. It retains some old plantings from its origins as a nursery, including a magnificent Magnolia denudata and many larger trees like Beech and Maple. The garden comprises a series of distinctive terraced and lawn areas. Throughout, dry stone walls, brick masonry, and hedging help define the garden form. The central feature of the garden, running almost its full width, is an Italian-inspired walled courtyard garden. Tonight, enjoy another evening to explore on own.

After breakfast, depart for the Melbourne Airport for your flight to Sydney, where you will be received and taken to your hotel. Your bags will be safely stowed by the hotel until your rooms are available for occupancy at 3 pm. After a quick lunch at your own expense, board a coach and travel to Circular Quay, where you will then board Captain Cook Cruises' Premium Harbour Experience for a delightful cruise on the Sydney Harbour. This is Sydney Harbour sightseeing at its very best. Experience the most beautiful harbor in the world aboard a premium vessel especially designed for Sydney. The cruise route can vary depending on what's happening on the harbor. Every cruise includes Sydney's iconic landmarks, such as the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens, Garden Island Naval Precinct, Taronga Zoo, the Government House, palatial waterfront homes, and Fort Denison. The pace is relaxed and gentle, giving you plenty of time to capture the perfect photo. The Harbour Experience operates using premium sightseeing vessels with spacious outdoor decks and expansive viewing windows from their all-weather indoor lounges. In the evening, stroll to the nearby SkyFeast at Sydney Tower for spectacular views over Sydney and a delicious buffet dinner.
Accommodations in Signature Premium Rooms.

This morning, travel from your hotel to Barangaroo Reserve, Sydney's newest harbor foreshore park. The 14-acre park was built by transforming a former shipping container terminal into a sprawling green space, which set new benchmarks for environmental remediation and sustainable reuse of materials and water. This morning's visit will include a discussion with a project expert. Learn about some of the park's innovations, such as its state-of-the-art integrated water reuse system and special soil containing crushed sandstone and recycled waste. A remarkable planting program, comprising 675 trees, 2,200 shrubs, and 75,000 plants all native to Sydney, has been hugely successful with a failure rate of less than 1 percent. Barangaroo Reserve won the prestigious Landscape Design of the Year award at the 2017 AAP Architecture Prize. Named after Barangaroo, a Cammeraygal woman who was a powerful voice in the early days of colonial Sydney, the reserve is also rich in Aboriginal and cultural history and remains an area of great significance for Australians across all cultures. Following this visit, walk with your guide from Barangaroo down through the historical Rocks District and enjoy lunch and an address by a researcher from Australia's Climate Council. This is likely to be a lively discussion on an important and relevant issue. The researcher will join the group for lunch. Then, walk past Circular Quay to the Sydney Opera House for an hour-long tour of this magnificent building, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. Accompanied by an experienced guide, step inside this iconic landmark and discover the stories behind Danish architect Jørn Utzon's remarkable achievement. Explore the hallowed theatres and foyers where more than 1,600 concerts, operas, dramas, and ballets take place each year, run your hands over the world-famous shell tiles, take a seat in the elegant custom-made white birch timber chairs, and marvel at the vaulted ceilings of one of the biggest pillar-free chambers in the world. Following this tour, head back to your hotel by private coach. This evening, walk to dinner at Nick's Seafood Restaurant overlooking Cockle Bay.

This morning, depart Sydney for the Blue Mountains, traveling along the Great Western Highway. Today's tour highlights the diversity of flora of the Blue Mountains National Park, where you will view some of the bushfire-affected areas, which will have to be pointed out specifically, as their regrowth has been remarkable. Nearly 1,000 species of gum tree (Eucalyptus spp.) have evolved since Australia split from the supercontinent Gondwana 109 million years ago, and they now dominate as a genus across deserts, snow-covered mountains, coastal beach fronts, and every habitat in between, to survive drought, floods, and bushfire across the Australian continent. The first stop briefly visits the Echo Point lookout in Katoomba for spectacular views of the famous Three Sisters rock formation, the Blue Mountains' most spectacular landmark, and over Megalong Valley. Continue to Mount Wilson to visit a private garden. This area is famous for its cool-climate exotic gardens, and during spring and fall, it is a blaze of color. From Mount Wilson, travel to the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. The garden covers 70 acres on the summit of a basalt-capped peak. At 3,280 feet above sea level, you can find cool-climate plants from around the world. Meet the director or head curator on this visit. Return to Sydney via the Bells Line of Road in the late afternoon, with time at leisure for the remainder of the day.

This morning, go sightseeing through the trendy district of Oxford Street and then through elegant Paddington, with its rows of beautiful, terraced houses. Continue on to the Pacific coast, passing though the beachside suburbs of Bronte and Tamarama and on to the world-famous Bondi Beach. Take a stroll on the beach before traveling back toward Sydney through beautiful harbor-side suburbs and arriving at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, a 75-acre oasis in the heart of the city. Established in 1816, the organization is the oldest scientific institution in the country and home to an outstanding collection of plants from Australia and overseas. Here, meet one of the garden's curators, and then enjoy a guided walk of the garden and a visit to the Calyx exhibition center. After lunch in the stylish Botanic House restaurant, enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore Sydney before walking back to your hotel at your own pace.

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and travel by private coach to Sydney Airport for the flight to Cairns in North Queensland. Upon arrival, you will be met and taken to Tabu in Freshwater. This lush tropical garden sets the scene for the tropical section of this tour. Nestled at the foot of Mount Whitfield and sculpted into its hillside, Tabu is cleverly designed with mass plantings of beautiful foliage and flowers and a stunning rainforest background. After lunch and an exploration of Tabu, board the private coach back to your hotel in Cairns. Check in and have some time to relax and explore the city independently in the afternoon. The Pacific Hotel Cairns is perfectly located on the Esplanade and offers stunning views of Trinity Bay from private balconies. Accommodations in Executive rooms.

Cairns is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, and just a short walk away from your hotel, you can check in for your Great Barrier Reef catamaran experience, which departs at 10:30 am today. Take advantage of the cruise's many activities and amenities to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Outer Reef. There is a stable reef activity platform perfect for swimmers and non-swimmers to explore. It is also possible to snorkel, dive, visit the underwater observatory, cruise in a semi-sub, or just relax on the boat's sundeck and enjoy a delicious buffet lunch. There are also many more optional activities available beyond what is included in your tour, like scuba diving, snorkel tours, and even helicopter tours. Later, return to Cairns and walk back to your hotel. In the evening, enjoy dinner on your own.

This morning, travel to Mossman Gorge, part of the traditional lands of the eastern Kuku Yalanji people. Located in the southern part of the World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park, Mossman Gorge is one of the few places in the country where visitors can gain an insight into the lives, culture, and traditions of Aboriginal Australians and their connection to the natural environment. Join a guided 90-minute Dreamtime walk to get a deeper insight into the ancient flora and fauna of the rainforest and learn about Kuku Yalanji culture and traditional plant uses. You will be welcomed with a traditional smoking ceremony, where Kuku Yalanji people smolder various plants to produce smoke that is believed to cleanse and ward off bad spirits. The walk then meanders through the stunning rainforest and takes in gunyahs, also known as humpies, which are the traditional huts of this Aboriginal community. Your interpretive Indigenous guide will demonstrate traditional plant use, identify bush food sources, and provide an enchanting narrative of the rainforest and the community's special relationship with this unique tropical environment. They will also demonstrate traditions like making bush soaps and ochre painting. At the end of the tour, enjoy traditional bush tea and damper, a type of soda bread. Then, stop for lunch at your own expense at the Mayi Café and Restaurant in the Mossman Gorge Cultural Center. Later in the afternoon, travel from Mossman Gorge to Whyanbeel Arboretum, a former sugar cane farm that nestles into the hills of the Upper Daintree. Peter Sargent, the property's owner, showcases his arboretum as much more than the name suggests; it is also a tropical botanic garden and flower farm. Ferns, mosses, and native peppers grow along the shaded river bank. Exotic vanilla orchids grow among native vines scrambling up palms and trees. Peter's family runs a cut-flower business, producing gingers, heliconias, and palms. Many of the bromeliads and cordylines growing there have been bred by Peter and his father. Return to Cairns later this afternoon and enjoy the remainder of the day and evening at leisure.

This morning, delight in a tour of a private garden in Port Douglas, a beautiful coastal town north of Cairns. Visit the nursery and garden of local horticulturist and landscaper John Sullivan. John will share his knowledge of subtropical gardening and plans to develop the Mossman Botanic Garden.

After breakfast at the hotel, check out and travel to Cairns Airport for your flight to Brisbane. Upon arrival in Brisbane, you will be met and taken to your hotel, which is located opposite the heritage-listed City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane's original botanic garden. The garden features the Bamboo Grove, Weeping Fig Avenue, ornamental ponds, and much more. You will have free time this afternoon to enjoy the garden or to explore Brisbane city on your own. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner in the hotel's Walnut Restaurant. Accommodations in Premium rooms.

After breakfast at the hotel, check out from your room. Check-out time is at 11 am. Depending on your departure flight time, a boxed breakfast can be arranged as needed. You will then be taken to the Brisbane International Airport for your flight(s) home.