Begin your tour | Arrive in Brisbane | Onto Gold Coast
Welcome to your 'Cox & Kings Amazing Australia' tour! On arrival in Brisbane, you will be met and transferred by our local representative to the fun city of Gold Coast. On arrival in Gold Coast, check into your hotel. Later enjoy a tranquil evening on your own on the beautiful beach of Gold Coast. (D)
In Gold Coast | Visit Movie World
Spend the day with your favourite super heroes at Warner Bros. 'Movie World ' and let Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman vie for your attention! Australia's only movie related theme park gives you behind the scenes non-stop action. Stunning special effects are mixed with the latest in ride technology, so motion stimulators, roller coasters and slow river rides make for family fun! That is only the trailer! Street shows with skits and singing performances. An All-Star Parade with costumed characters alongside movie themed floats. Even a number of real live film studios within the complex! The all new LOONEY TUNES Carousel is a wonderful carnival of colour and light. SYLVESTER'S Bounce 'n' Pounce is a mini thrill ride just for kids. Enter a new dimension at the Shrek 4D Adventure. Try the amazing Superman Escape, a rollercoaster that propels you vertically upwards at 100km per hour. 'Movie World' makes you believe in happy endings! (B, D)
In Gold Coast | Sea World | Optional Helicopter Ride
Today Sea World, Australia's best Marine park and one of its oldest and most popular tourist attractions awaits! It excites and educates. Shark Bay, the world's largest man made lagoon system for sharks, houses some awe inspiring species. Waterski WipeOut, an energetic show set in the 'Golden Era' of Surfers Paradise, takes you back to the 1960's. Don't miss meeting the Australia's only Polar bear cubs in their home at Sea World's Polar Bear Shores - one of the most advanced technological exhibits. Hold on there's more - the new generation of Sea World dolphins at Dolphin Cove and then the thrill of Australia's first triple loop Corkscrew rollercoaster! Plenty of action coming up! Witness the daredevil stunts of the international ski team or take a trip into the mysterious world of the Bermuda Triangle. Still raring to go? Take an optional Helicopter Ride! It's enthralling and there's no better way to see the whole of the Gold Coast - over Surfers Paradise, past towering hotels and condominiums… (B, D)
Onto Cairns | Kuranda Rainforest with Skyrail | Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
Today, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairns. From Cairns proceed to the Kuranda Rainforest and marvel at the natural beauty all around. Visit its colourful market and then leave it all behind, as you enter a different world. Glide silently above the rainforest canopy aboard the Skyrail. Then visit Tjapukai, a stunning theatrical interpretation of Aboriginal Culture from the beginning of time into the future. The story of the rainforest people of Tropical North Queensland is skillfully brought out from the History Theatre to the inspiring Creation Theatre, the original Dance Theatre and the Interactive Camp Village. Here you can try your hand at boomerang throwing and learn didgeridoo playing! (B, D)
In Cairns | Optional Hot Air Ballooning with breakfast | Full Day Great Barrier Reef Cruise to Green Island
Up, up and away - don't miss the optional early morning Hot Air Ballooning excursion! The unrivalled view of the Australian landscape as you gently rise above the ground, propelled by the breeze is…something else! Experience the wonder and romance and then, after your flight, indulge in a unique breakfast in the countryside of Cairns. Later in the morning, board the exciting Big Cat Great Barrier Reef Cruise to Green Island. Your Big Cat Great Barrier Reef Cruise to Green Island begins from Cairn pier as you board the luxury 'Big Cat' catamaran. From the moment it moors in the calm waters of the island's lagoon, a host of reef activities await! You can opt to swim, snorkel, view coral from a glass bottom boat, or take an introductory scuba dive under expert supervision, all at an additional charge. Explore the underwater world of the reef without even getting your feet wet! A Semi-Submarine ride in the air-conditioned comfort of the 'Yellow Sub'! Seated below water level, you are treated to a diver's view of the beautiful coral reef and marine life. Soak up the sun and sea and enjoy a sumptuous buffet lunch. (B, CL, D)
Onto Melbourne | Evening free for leisure activities
The next part of your Aussie tour unfolds as you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Melbourne. On arrival in Melbourne you will be met and transferred by our local representative to your carefully chosen hotel and checked in. Set around the natural harbour of Port Philip, Melbourne is probably the most cosmopolitan city in Australia. This evening is free to enjoy this Victorian city on Melbourne's famous trams, a great way to explore the city and inner suburbs. (B, D)
In Melbourne | Guided Panoramic City Tour | Optional visit to Eureka Skydeck with The Edge | Visit Melbourne Cricket Ground and Museum | Optional Phillip Island tour with Penguin Parade
Right up there among the fabulous places you see on our guided panoramic Melbourne city tour, is a visit to Royal Botanical Gardens, among the world's finest. At the magnificent Town Hall, view the richly carved Grand Organ - with more than 10,000 pipes it is the largest in the southern hemisphere! Visit the War Memorial, Fitzroy Gardens, Southbank Waterfront, the high rises of the CBD and the majestic St. Patrick's Cathedral. Try some retail therapy at Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne's shopping heart that's truly ticking! Check out your vertigo quotient with an optional visit to the highest viewing platform in the Southern Hemisphere - the Eureka Skydeck 88! Together with dizzying views of Melbourne you can live life on 'The Edge' - a glass cube which projects 3 metres from the building - with you in it - suspended almost 300 metres above the ground! Visit the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Museum, an iconic Australian sports stadium, located in Yarra Park in inner Melbourne. Home to the Melbourne Cricket Club, it holds the world record for the highest light towers! You are free to explore this Victorian city on Melbourne's famous tram system on which both heritage and modern trams run. Or take advantage of our optional visit to Phillip Island with Penguin Parade. The best time to see the actual 'penguin parade' is at dusk, when the penguins cross Summerland Beach to return to their sand-dune burrows. Watch them make their way across the beach in groups, after a tiring day, fishing for food in the waters surrounding the island! (B, D)
In Melbourne | Visit Ballarat and Sovereign Hill
Travel to Ballarat and visit Sovereign Hill, a perfectly re-created 1850s gold mining settlement. Explore the shops and wander the main street to visit goldsmiths and craftsmen of another time. Journey through the town of Ballarat and see the Victorian architecture of a prosperous era. Cross the original route of the early horse drawn stage coaches. Try your luck panning for gold, visit the museum or ride a stage coach (at your own expense). Tour an underground gold mine or catch a ride in a traditional horse drawn carriage (at your own expense) or simply observe the working and living conditions that existed last century. Pass by and discover the turbulent story behind one of Australia's most notorious incidents at the Eureka Stockade Centre in Ballarat. View Ballarat's historic sites and beautiful Victorian architecture, a thriving monument to the town's golden era of prosperity. Visit the Gold Museum. Enjoy browsing the unique period style stores along with real life characters and story re-enactments. After an unforgettable day, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Melbourne. (B, D)
Fly to Sydney | Onto Port Stephens | Visit Hunter Valley | Vineyard Tour with lunch | Hunter Valley Gardens
Today, transfer to the airport for your flight to Sydney. On arrival in Sydney, you will be driven to Port Stephens. Enroute, you will visit the Hunter Valley region, treasured as the oldest wine country in Australia. From your first glimpse of endless vineyards, to the moment you walk through a cellar door, there's something delightfully intoxicating about the history and tradition of wine making! After the vineyard tour delicious western lunch will be served at an excellent restaurant with marvellous views Located in the heart of the Hunter vineyards at the foothills of the Brokenback Ranges are the spectacular Hunter Valley Gardens. Spanning over 25 hectares, the twelve feature gardens are an amazing riot of sights, colours and fragrances! The Rose Garden flaunts more than 8,000 spectacular blooms. The 10 metre waterfall is an invitation to linger and take in the superb views from the lookout. While the Storybook Garden is an excuse to step back in time with all your favourite fairytale characters! Ahead to Port Stephens - the Dolphin capital of Australia. Famous for its vast stretches of unspoilt beaches, beautiful bays and lakes, national parks and much more, it is the ultimate place to be. (B, CL, D)
In Port Stephens | 4 WD Ride and Sand boarding | Dolphin Cruise | Onto Sydney | Showboat Dinner Cruise
This morning wake up to some serious fun! Port Stephens, a playground of brilliant white sand melting into the Pacific Ocean (sigh!) is the perfect escape for city dwellers. Your fabulous Beach and Dune Experience begins with a 4WD Ride! Travel in a range of modern, comfortable off-road vehicles into the Sand Dunes, which rise up to 30 metres with slopes up to 60 degrees - it has to be seen to be believed! Why not try sandboarding, a thrilling experience you won't forget! Sail amongst the port's friendly dolphins on the Dolphin Cruise. Here's your chance to see them up close in the wild, while you enjoy the commentary by dedicated naturalists. Get wet in the boom net, or ride above the dolphins in the bow net, or maybe just relax on the deck and take in the beauty of the offshore islands. Potter around the beach and soak in atmosphere! Enjoy the evening in Sydney, Australia's largest city, on the Sydney Showboat Cruise. Cruise around the spectacular coastline of the Sydney Harbour, with a scintillating stage show and sumptuous buffet dinner on board. (B, CL, D)
In Sydney | Day at leisure | Optional tour to Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves
Sydney has been voted the best city in the world for the eighth consecutive year in a poll by renowned travel magazine 'Conde Nast Traveller. Explore this dynamic city on your own. Or take an optional full day excursion to Blue Mountains and Jenolan caves. Discover the majestic beauty of the Blue Mountains - named for the blue haze of oil given off by eucalyptus trees. The Blue Mountains are not, as the name suggests, a range of mountains, but rather a series of cliffs surrounding a plateau with rugged eroded gorges. Take in the view of the magnificent Three Sisters - the mountains' most famous peaks. Their history comes to life through the tales of your guide! Visit Australia's largest underground limestone caves, the unique Jenolan Caves. The caves were created over millions of years, through a complex relationship between water, rock, atmosphere and the life forms that inhabit the environment. Its beauty lies in the maze of ancient limestone tunnels, subterranean rivers and caverns richly draped with exotic mineral deposits. The spectacular lighting in the caves never ceases to amaze! (B, D)
In Sydney | Guided Panoramic City Tour | Sydney AMP Tower | Oz Trek Tour | Sydney Aquarium | Sydney Wildlife World | Visit the Opera House | Optional Skywalk | Optional Seaplane
Today explore Sydney on a guided panoramic city tour which includes highlights like the Darling Harbour, one of the world's greatest waterfront destinations. Experience a slice of the city's history at the Rocks area, the busy CBD area, Hyde Park, Kings Cross, the world famous Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Mrs. Macquarries Chair, Eastern suburbs, home to the city's rich and famous and the world renowned Bondi beach. Visit the Sydney Centre Point (AMP) Tower which includes the 1000 ft giant minaret-topped spike for a glorious view of the magnificent Sydney cityscape. There's more - the Oz Trek Tour, a journey that excites the senses with its 180-degree cinema screens, sensational surround sound and heart-stopping, real-motion seating! Your virtual Australian tour is a smash hit! Later, visit Sydney Aquarium and experience the diversity of Australia's rich aquatic life in Sydney's unique Aquarium with numerous exhibits like the Murray Cod, Seal Sanctuary, Saltwater Crocodile and many more. A tour to Australia is incomplete without an interaction with the Australia's very own wildlife. At Sydney Wildlife World, we provide you the opportunity to enjoy an authentic wildlife experience. Explore 3 levels, 9 habitats and over 65 exhibits, featuring the largest variety of Australian plants and animals under one roof. Don't miss the chance to get a photo clicked with a koala! No photograph can compete with the visual impact of the Sydney Opera House. Located on Circular Quay, the iconic monument looks remarkable from outside and if you get up close you will see several of the million or so ceramic tiles which cover the Sydney Opera House shells. Visit the Opera House that has 4 auditoriums, showing music, ballet, theatre and film performances. The Studio is a new venue, which offers contemporary performances. This is one of the most visited attractions in Australia and one of the busiest entertainment venues in the world! Enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace or you can get an instant adrenalin charge by by opting for the Sydney Skywalk - Sydney's highest open-air attraction. Enjoy 360-degree open-air views of Sydney from the roof of Sydney Tower, a breathtaking 260 metres above Sydney. Harnessed onto a moving, glass-floored viewing platform that extends out over the edge of the golden turret of Sydney Tower, you can view Sydney beneath your feet from a whole new perspective! Alternatively, opt for a flight over Sydney in the Seaplane. Gently exit the harbour and marvel at the stunning sandstone cliffs rising abruptly from the sea. Take in Sydney's iconic landscape including its magnificent beaches, Opera House and Bridge and much more stunning scenery. Fly over the most celebrated Bondi Beach via the stunning cliffs of the Eastern Suburbs. The view is amazing! (B, D)
Homeward Bound
Good times need never end ! As you get ready for the airport and your flight back home, relive the high points of your Cox and Kings tour. We are confident you will join us again, sometime soon… (B either in the hotel or on board the flight)
