Port of Sale Historic Cruise and the Great Alpine Road
11 Days
9 to 19 April 2026
Active
$6,725pptw
135 villabucks
Port of Sale Historic Cruise and the Great Alpine Road
View soaring mountains, alpine lakes, lush green valleys and picturesque historic towns on a journey from Victoria’s Gippsland region to Lake Jindabyne in New South Wales. Traverse some of Australia’s most magnificent high country on this fabulous 11-day tour. Visit the historic mountain village of Walhalla, cruise from the Port of Sale, and travel the acclaimed Great Alpine Road. Enjoy autumn colour in Bright, gold rush tales in Omeo and Beechworth, and sweeping Snowy Mountains scenery before concluding in Canberra.
Itinerary
Day 1. Perth to Gippsland (D)
Fly from Perth to Melbourne then travel into Central Gippsland. Settle into Warragul and meet your fellow travellers over dinner as the adventure begins.
Accommodation: Mercure Warragul
Day 2. Central Gippsland and Port of Sale Cruise (BLD)
Call at the ANZAC Lookout and Gippsland Immigration Wall before Maffra’s Gippsland Vehicle Collection, a treasure of rotating classic cars and memorabilia. After lunch at a local brewery, step aboard a heritage wooden vessel in the Port of Sale and cruise the canal and river while hearing stories of early settlement and trade.
2 nights at M Hotel, Sale
Day 3. Walhalla Mountain Village (BLD)
Wind into the ranges to Walhalla, once one of the richest gold towns in the world. Explore the Corner Store Museum, then go beneath the mountain on a guided Long Tunnel Extended Mine tour. After lunch, ride the Walhalla Goldfields Railway through dramatic forested gorges and autumn hues. Return to Sale for dinner.
Day 4. Great Alpine Road: Sale to Bright (BD)
Travel via Bairnsdale to admire St Mary’s celebrated murals, then follow gold rush history through Omeo. Climb to Mt Hotham and Dinner Plain for sweeping alpine vistas before descending into the Ovens Valley and the charming town of Bright.
3 nights at Riverbank Park Motel, Bright
Day 5. Beautiful Bright at Leisure (BD)
Enjoy Bright in autumn with free time to wander tree-lined streets, visit boutiques and galleries, and sample local produce. Choose to call at Nightingale Bros orchard for tastings or relax by the Ovens River before a convivial dinner.
Day 6. Mount Beauty and High Plains Views (BD)
Call at scenic lookouts en route to Mount Beauty. Learn about the valley’s First Peoples and High Plains huts at the visitor centre. Continue to the historic streets of Yackandandah for lunch at leisure, then take in grand views around Mount Buffalo before returning to Bright.
Day 7. Beechworth Gold History (BD)
Arrive in beautifully preserved Beechworth for a guided tour of the Historic and Cultural Precinct. Taste at Beechworth Honey, then step inside the Old Beechworth Gaol to hear tales of notorious inmates including the Kelly gang.
1 night at The Grands Oaks Resort, Beechworth
Pass the famed Ettamogah Pub as you continue north to Holbrook to explore the Submarine Museum and its remarkable inland submarine. At the Pioneer Women’s Hut, discover resourceful stories from rural Australia over a light lunch before reaching Tumut.
1 night at Tumut Valley Motel, Tumut
Day 9. Snowy Mountains Drive to Cooma (BD)
Follow the Snowy Mountains Highway through rolling hills and alpine country. Pause in Adaminaby, then explore the Snowy Scheme Museum’s exhibits on one of Australia’s greatest engineering feats. Continue to Cooma and settle in for dinner.
2 nights at Redhill Cooma Motor Inn, Cooma
Day 10. Jindabyne, Wildbrumby and Thredbo Views (BLD)
Begin with the Charles Davis Photography Gallery, showcasing alpine wildlife and landscapes. Visit Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery for tastings and lunch among sculpture gardens. Continue to Thredbo for chairlift views across Kosciuszko National Park and Lake Jindabyne before returning to Cooma.
Day 11. Cooma to Canberra, then Perth (BL)
Travel to Canberra to visit the Australian War Memorial for poignant exhibits and the Roll of Honour. Enjoy a light lunch at the Queens Terrace Café before your evening flights via Sydney to Perth, where home transfers conclude your tour.
Itinerary is subject to change. Terms and conditions apply. Call 08 9754 2026 for details.
Guide: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
eg. BLD indicates three meals included on that day of the itinerary.
PPTW is per person twinshare accommodation.
Image Credit: Visit Victoria
Dates & Pricing
$6,725pptw
$905 single option
Highlights
• The Long Tunnel Extended Mine reveals a world underground rich in gold-rush history
• A ride on the Walhalla Goldfields Railway showcases forested gorges and autumn colours
• Classic machines and memorabilia gleam at the Gippsland Vehicle Collection
• Time drifts gently on the Port of Sale Heritage Cruise
• The Great Alpine Road winds across mountains and valleys with sweeping views
• Mount Beauty offers pristine scenery and High Country heritage
• Beechworth Gaol holds the legends of Ned Kelly
• At Holbrook, an inland submarine museum fascinates and surprises
• The Pioneer Women’s Hut honours resilience in rural Australia
• Scenic vistas line the Snowy Mountains Highway
• Panoramic views of Thredbo and Lake Jindabyne unfold from the chairlift
• The Australian War Memorial invites reflection and remembrance
Inclusions
• Pre/post tour transfers (ex Perth, WA)
• Airfares and taxes (ex Perth, WA)
• 25 meals – 10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 10 dinners
• 10 nights’ accommodation
• Tours and attractions
• Professional Villa Tour Leader
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Dates & Pricing
Duration: 11 Days
Dates: 9 to 19 April 2026
Activity Level: Active
$6,725pptw
$905 single option
Earn: 135 villabucks
Highlights
• The Long Tunnel Extended Mine reveals a world underground rich in gold-rush history
• A ride on the Walhalla Goldfields Railway showcases forested gorges and autumn colours
• Classic machines and memorabilia gleam at the Gippsland Vehicle Collection
• Time drifts gently on the Port of Sale Heritage Cruise
• The Great Alpine Road winds across mountains and valleys with sweeping views
• Mount Beauty offers pristine scenery and High Country heritage
• Beechworth Gaol holds the legends of Ned Kelly
• At Holbrook, an inland submarine museum fascinates and surprises
• The Pioneer Women’s Hut honours resilience in rural Australia
• Scenic vistas line the Snowy Mountains Highway
• Panoramic views of Thredbo and Lake Jindabyne unfold from the chairlift
• The Australian War Memorial invites reflection and remembrance
Inclusions
• Pre/post tour transfers (ex Perth, WA)
• Airfares and taxes (ex Perth, WA)
• 25 meals – 10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 10 dinners
• 10 nights’ accommodation
• Tours and attractions
• Professional Villa Tour Leader
Itinerary
Day 1. Perth to Gippsland (D)
Fly from Perth to Melbourne then travel into Central Gippsland. Settle into Warragul and meet your fellow travellers over dinner as the adventure begins.
Accommodation: Mercure Warragul
Day 2. Central Gippsland and Port of Sale Cruise (BLD)
Call at the ANZAC Lookout and Gippsland Immigration Wall before Maffra’s Gippsland Vehicle Collection, a treasure of rotating classic cars and memorabilia. After lunch at a local brewery, step aboard a heritage wooden vessel in the Port of Sale and cruise the canal and river while hearing stories of early settlement and trade.
2 nights at M Hotel, Sale
Day 3. Walhalla Mountain Village (BLD)
Wind into the ranges to Walhalla, once one of the richest gold towns in the world. Explore the Corner Store Museum, then go beneath the mountain on a guided Long Tunnel Extended Mine tour. After lunch, ride the Walhalla Goldfields Railway through dramatic forested gorges and autumn hues. Return to Sale for dinner.
Day 4. Great Alpine Road: Sale to Bright (BD)
Travel via Bairnsdale to admire St Mary’s celebrated murals, then follow gold rush history through Omeo. Climb to Mt Hotham and Dinner Plain for sweeping alpine vistas before descending into the Ovens Valley and the charming town of Bright.
3 nights at Riverbank Park Motel, Bright
Day 5. Beautiful Bright at Leisure (BD)
Enjoy Bright in autumn with free time to wander tree-lined streets, visit boutiques and galleries, and sample local produce. Choose to call at Nightingale Bros orchard for tastings or relax by the Ovens River before a convivial dinner.
Day 6. Mount Beauty and High Plains Views (BD)
Call at scenic lookouts en route to Mount Beauty. Learn about the valley’s First Peoples and High Plains huts at the visitor centre. Continue to the historic streets of Yackandandah for lunch at leisure, then take in grand views around Mount Buffalo before returning to Bright.
Day 7. Beechworth Gold History (BD)
Arrive in beautifully preserved Beechworth for a guided tour of the Historic and Cultural Precinct. Taste at Beechworth Honey, then step inside the Old Beechworth Gaol to hear tales of notorious inmates including the Kelly gang.
1 night at The Grands Oaks Resort, Beechworth
Pass the famed Ettamogah Pub as you continue north to Holbrook to explore the Submarine Museum and its remarkable inland submarine. At the Pioneer Women’s Hut, discover resourceful stories from rural Australia over a light lunch before reaching Tumut.
1 night at Tumut Valley Motel, Tumut
Day 9. Snowy Mountains Drive to Cooma (BD)
Follow the Snowy Mountains Highway through rolling hills and alpine country. Pause in Adaminaby, then explore the Snowy Scheme Museum’s exhibits on one of Australia’s greatest engineering feats. Continue to Cooma and settle in for dinner.
2 nights at Redhill Cooma Motor Inn, Cooma
Day 10. Jindabyne, Wildbrumby and Thredbo Views (BLD)
Begin with the Charles Davis Photography Gallery, showcasing alpine wildlife and landscapes. Visit Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery for tastings and lunch among sculpture gardens. Continue to Thredbo for chairlift views across Kosciuszko National Park and Lake Jindabyne before returning to Cooma.
Day 11. Cooma to Canberra, then Perth (BL)
Travel to Canberra to visit the Australian War Memorial for poignant exhibits and the Roll of Honour. Enjoy a light lunch at the Queens Terrace Café before your evening flights via Sydney to Perth, where home transfers conclude your tour.
Itinerary is subject to change. Terms and conditions apply. Call 08 9754 2026 for details.
Image Credit: Visit VictoriaNew Paragraph
Guide:
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
eg. BLD indicates three meals included on that day of the itinerary.
PPTW is per person twinshare accommodation.
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Tour Activity Levels
With such a diverse collection of travel options, we want to ensure you choose the right holiday for you.
Our tour activity levels are a guide to the required fitness level for each of our holidays.
Look out for the feet when reading about a tour!
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Relaxed
Suitable for travellers with lower mobility.
You will be required to embark/disembark coaches, trains and other transport via steps unaided. You must be able to carry your own luggage and walk short distances. Stairs may need to be negotiated at times. Travellers with walking aids (sticks and walkers) are welcome and those requiring accompanying assistance and/or carer may consider these holidays.
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Moderate
Required to walk confidently and unaided.
Expect guided walking tours of attractions with occasional inclines and stair climbs, some long days and multiple hotel changes during the holiday. Your accommodation may require access via stairs, a short walk to reach hotel facilities and have showers over baths. Travellers with walking sticks are welcome unless there is overnight rail or overnight cruising - please check with staff.
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Active
Requires some fitness. Involves longer days filled with activities, excursions requiring standing and walking for extended periods of time and nature-based activities. You will be required to walk confidently over uneven ground and surfactant at a timely pace.
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Highly Active
Requires good general fitness. Excursions will be over more difficult terrain and require a certain level of agility. You will be required to walk confidently for up to 3 hours over uneven surfaces including soft sand, rocky surfaces and creek crossing. Some itineraries will explore remote locations. No walkers allowed.
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Challenging
A high level of fitness is required. Tours have an emphasis on active pursuits and often explore remote locations which are challenging to access. You will be required to walk confidently for up to 6 or more hours per day and have experience in outdoor pursuits. No walkers allowed.
Your health, wellbeing and enjoyment of the holiday is very important to us. In order to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff and suppliers, electric scooters and buggies are not permitted on Villa tours.
Anyone providing care or assistance to others must be fit and able to provide the required support and care.