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Depart from Portland, flying to Adelaide. (We lose a couple of days due to length of the flight and crossing the International Dateline.)
Arrive Adelaide -- Approximately 11:00am - 1:00 pm
Transfer from Adelaide International Airport to the Ibis Adelaide Hotel with Meet & Greet by local Guide.
Accommodation: Ibis Adelaide x 3 nights. Free afternoon.
Full breakfast at hotel.
Free day to decompress, enjoy the city, shop, or visit the beach.
Full breakfast at hotel.
Early morning departure by private motorcoaches to the staging area for the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant Parade.
Full breakfast at hotel.
Departure by private coach for Adelaide Domestic Airport. Fly from Adelaide to Melbourne.
On arrival at Melbourne Domestic Airport, depart on a half day city tour finishing at our acommodation at Batman's Hill on Collins, Melbourne with Meet & Greet by local Guide.
Accommodation: Batman's Hill on Collins, Melbourne x 2 nights
Full breakfast at hotel.
This afternoon we depart our hotel and travel to Phillip Island to experience some of Australia's most popular attractions. First, we visit the Koala Conservation Centre, ecountering koalas close-up from elevated boardwalks. Stroll through bushland and experience koalas in their natural habitat. Meet koalas "face to face" on our treetop boardwalks. Enjoy the colourful birdlife and true Aussie atmosphere before we travel on to Phillip Island.
At Phillip Island we see the world's smallest penguin in its natural habitat from viewing stands and boardwalks. Enjoy interactive and educational displays in the visitor's centre and spectacular coastal scenery. Each night at sunset Fairy Penguins return ashore after a day's fishing. Tiered seating provides a 180 degree elevated view of the Fairy Penguins arriving at sunset and waddling across the beach to their sand dune burrows. The Penguin Parade is sure to be a highlight of our visit.
Dinner is included this evening.
Full breakfast at hotel.
Depart by private coach for Melbourne Domestic Airport. Fly from Melbourne to Sydney
On arrival at Sydney Domestic Airport depart on a half-day city tour finishing at our accommodation at Vibe Hotel Sydney with Meet & Greet by local Guide.
Accommodation: Vibe Hotel Sydney x 3 nights
Full breakfast at hotel.
Today explore Sydney the way the locals do and travel on the harbour highway with your Sydney Harbour Hop-On Hop-Off Ferry pass, included with your tour. Hop-On Hop-Off rocket ferries depart the main tourist precincts of Circular Quay and Darling Harbour every 30-45 minutes. Take a 60 to 90 minute cruise around the harbour with a choice of up to 9 stopovers along the way.
We are working to arrange a standstill outside the Sydney Opera House in the afternoon.
Full breakfast at hotel.
This morning we depart our hotel by coach with our local guide for our full day Blue Mountains excursion. Travel to the Featherdale Wildlife Park, handfeed kangaroos, see koalas, wombats, emus, dingoes (the native Australian dog), plus crocodiles, owls, and more.
Depart the Park, then continue onward to discover the remarkable beauty of Blue Mountains National Park. In the quaint village of Leura we motor around scenic Cliff Drive to Katoomba, where you will find yourself looking out over the magnificent Jamieson Valley (Australia's Grand Canyon) and the Three Sisters.
After lunch on your own, ride on the Scenic Railway or Sceniscender down into the rainforest. Our tickets entitle us to one-way Scenic Railway and one-way Sceniscender. From there we can enjoy a walk in the forest and views of the beautiful Three Sisters.
On our way back to the city we will go via Sydney Olympic Park to view Stadium Australia, site of the 2000 Olympic Games. Over 100,000 people packed the Stadium to watch the Opening Ceremonies (complete with the world's largest marching band) as well as Cathy Freeman's historic Gold Medal run in the 400 metres. From here we travel back to our hotel.