Day One: Journey to Mudgee

Mudgee is located 270km north-west of Sydney Morning tea in the Blue Mountains & after lunch in Lithgow join the Castlereagh Highway through to Mudgee. A warm welcome awaits you at Winning Post Motel in Mudgee. You are just a short stroll from the town centre in Mudgee. Your contact number during your stay at Winning Post will be 02 6372 3333 (L,D)

Day Two: Explore Mudgee

This morning enjoy a coach tour of Mudgee followed by a visit to the Historical Museum. The township of Mudgee was first reached in 1821 by William Lawson & first settled in 1822 by George and Henry Cox & is the second oldest settlement west of the Great Dividing Range. Mudgee has many fine old stately buildings from last century which have been classified by the National Trust. With a population of around 12,000 it is a thriving rural centre serving a regional population of about 22,000. Enjoy lunch along with a wine tasting provided at Walter Wines Cellar Door, one of the region’s leading Vineyards. It is an idyllic location to relax and unwind as you sample the wines and enjoy lunch within the comfort of the Cellar Door environment. You will have the choice of purchasing wine by the glass or bottle, as well as beer, soft drinks and bottled water with lunch.

This afternoon is a free choice: You can choose to stay on the coach & enjoy another Cellar door & taste some more fine Mudgee wine at the unique Peter Van Gent Wines where you will visit the authentic barrel hall where you can taste their wines as well as the famous, original Mudgee White Port. Or you have the option to return to the resort to relax & enjoy or the shoppers can have some time to explore the Mudgee town centre. (B,L,D)

Day Three: Hill End

This morning travel to Hill End just 72 k’s south of Mudgee. In the late 1800’s, a tremendous wealth of gold was exposed in the area. In October 1872, the Star of Hope Gold Mining Co uncovered what was, at the time, the world’s largest specimen of reef gold. In the late 1800’s Hill End was one of the state’s largest inland towns with more than a kilometre of shops, five banks, two newspapers, a brewery, twenty-seven hotels and stamper batteries pounding 24 hours a day. The sprawling gangs of raucous miners are now nothing but a memory. Today Hill End is somewhat different to the settlement that existed in those earlier years. Today, on arrival, enjoy a morning tea before learning more of this history with a guided tour with free time to explore the historic village before lunch at the Royal hotel. After lunch depart for Goree Park. Gooree Park Wines & Horse Stud is situated on one of Central Western NSW’s most beautiful properties just out of Mudgee, encompassing over 500 hectares of state-of-the-art vineyards, a Wagyu beef enterprise & the home of champion racehorses.

Gooree Park is famous for its champion horses and thoroughbred racing. The home of notable stakes winners – Northern Meteor, Don Eduardo, Dreamscape, Snow land, Moti, Desert War, Shower of Roses, Tempest Morn, Bush Padre, Crowned Glory, Mr Murphy, Royal Courtship and Red Hannigan, Zutara and Someday Somehow. Enjoy a special tour of the Horse Stud this morning with one of the key property managers on board the coach. After the tour, enjoy a wine tasting at the Cellar door. (B,L,D)

Day Four: Mayfield Gardens

Another highlight of your tour is Mayfield Gardens near Oberon. Travel via Sofala to Bathurst with a morning tea break provided along the way. Mayfield is one of the largest privately-owned cool climate gardens in the world. It is set within a 5000-acre working farm near Oberon. It is truly amazing & you must see it to believe it. Your visit starts with the amazing Water Garden area which is a breath-taking garden set on the north-eastern edge of Mayfield Garden. Hewn blue-stone walls line the paths that wind through the Water Garden with the colours and textures of mass planted Hydrangeas, Rhododendrons, Azaleas and much more. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, water and a raincoat or umbrella in case the weather changes during your visit. Lunch will be provided at the Gardens Cafe to fit in with your visit today. (B,L,D)

Day Five: Gulgong

This morning will include a stop at Mudgee Honey Haven with their great range of honeys available for tasting & purchase. You can also purchase morning tea here during your visit. It is a short drive to Gulgong for a fascinating town tour & some free time to explore this historic village. The streets in Gulgong wind between quaint clapboard and iron buildings complete with verandas and iron lace & the bends in the streets reflect the lines of the original tent lines from the gold rush. Stop for a moment and you can almost imagine the hustle and bustle of the old gold mining town as it was in the late 1800’s. Around 130 buildings are listed with the National Trust. After lunch, today includes entry to the brand new Holtermann Museum and the Henry Lawson Centre. The Holtermann Collection of Photographs is a unique cultural and social archive of world significance housed in the State Library of NSW. It comprises some 3,500 glass plate negatives of varying sizes depicting life in Australia’s cities, towns and villages during the second half of the nineteenth century. Of particular importance are the many photographs which detail life on the goldfields during the 1860’s and 70’s and the newfound wealth this brought to the burgeoning colony. Comprising some 350 images, the Gulgong photos taken in 1872, show in minute detail what it is was that made Gulgong different to many of the other Australian goldfields.  They were mostly taken by Merlin as quarter plates and they have made possible the reconstruction of the town from its earliest beginnings following the first discovery of payable gold in April 1870. Enjoy a stroll down the main street. The stores are fascinating & so well preserved. Meet your guide again at the Prince of Wales Opera House for a tour and show! Des Kelly (and others) perform ‘Tales of the Swag’ – a highly entertaining experience featuring poems, songs and humour. A true country experience. (B,L,D)

Day Six: Journey Home

Depart Mudgee this morning with free time for morning tea in Portland before visiting the interesting Mt Piper Power Station Expo Centre. The power station is fuelled using black coal sourced from mines in the local area. We’ll then have lunch in Lithgow before your journey home continues & we hope you are taking with you many happy memories of your time in Mudgee. We look forward to you joining our other coach tours in the future & we would welcome your call for further information. Thank you for choosing this holiday. (B,L)