Australian Open Tennis + Tasmania

Flights Included from Los Angeles - Melbourne - Hobart - Los Angeles.  Ask for a quote from your home town.

Day 1 

Melbourne  

There is a lot to love about Melbourne - just ask the locals. This sophisticated world city in the south-east corner of mainland Australia inspires a deep passion in those who live there. Ranked as one of the world’s most liveable cities, Melbourne is famous for its vibrant energy, restaurants, fashion boutiques, café filled laneways, cool bars, unbeatable galleries, spacious parks and village-like inner suburbs, each with its own special character. Melbourne is less than 200 years old and never sits still. Modern, cutting-edge designs add to the fascinating mix of heritage architecture and ensure the skyline is constantly changing. 

Private Car/Driver International Airport (Tullamarine) to Hotel 

Accommodation at Crown Metropol Melbourne 

4 Nights  

This property is located in Southbank, 950 meters from Eureka Skydeck and 1.4 kilometers from Federation Square. It is 300 meters from the Crown Entertainment Complex. This hotel features a uniquely designed reception area a stunning infinity swimming pool. Each spacious room features stylish modern décor and spectacular views. The bathroom includes an oversized shower, large vanity and a privacy screen.

This afternoon is at leisure to relax and explore on your own.  

Day 2 

Melbourne  

Morning Lanes and Arcades Tour Including Lunch 

Have you ever been to a city and wondered what all the fuss was about? Or wasted time trying to find that cool cafe you were told of and ended up missing everything? Join this indulgent morning 3 hour walk through Melbourne's beautiful back streets and get orientated in the life of the city that locals love. Discover local designers and speciality retailers that often are only found in the city. Some of the quirkiest cafes, independent designers, street art, architecture and historical tales are found in these walkways. There is something for everyone. See over 30 stores on this casual stroll and return to those you like best in the afternoon. At the conclusion of your tour, enjoy your unaccompanied lunch with a glass of wine and then leisurely make your own way back to your accommodation.  Please note: If you anticipate running late, please call 0447 868 788 to plan where to meet the tour. 

This afternoon is at leisure to relax and explore on your own.  

Day 3 

Melbourne

Australian Open Tennis  

Springboard Vacations is an Official Ticket Seller for the Australian Open so we can add in any ticket types and dining options that you wish to include - additional cost).

Day 4 

Melbourne  

Full Day Great Ocean Road Tour with Lunch 

Your 11 hour tour provides you with the opportunity to experience this majestic coastal drive in style, with time to relax and fully appreciate the wonders of this world famous route. Stay on the lookout for some very special animals including whales, dolphins, echidnas and bandicoots. Stop at Apollo Bay, a tranquil seaside town set amongst the soft rolling hills for lunch. Enjoy a walk in the forest of the Otway Ranges. A truly unique day out, capped off by a visit to the ancient rock formations of the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge. Return to Melbourne, where you will be transferred to your Melbourne accommodation.  

Day 5 

Melbourne to Hobart  

Private Car/Driver City Hotel to Airport (Tullamarine) 

Hobart  

With the River Derwent at its heart and Mount Wellington rising above it, in Hobart the tranquility of a city from a bygone era coexists with the vibrancy of a pocket-sized modern metropolis. The city's European beginnings are evident everywhere, from quaint settlers' cottages to the lofty porches of colonial mansions. Once bustling with whalers and entrepreneurs, 19th-century sandstone warehouses now serve as dockside cafes, artist’s studios and restaurants, where visitors can enjoy excellent cuisine and fine wines. The nearby Port Arthur Historic Site, the rugged island beauty of Bruny Island, and the amazing vistas from the summit of Mount Wellington form some of the city’s key attractions. 

Accommodation at The Henry Jones Art Hotel 

2 Nights  

Includes:    Full Breakfast daily  

This is an art deco hotel, located on Hobart’s waterfront on the site of an old jam factory which dates back to 1804. The hotel is furnished with over 300 artworks and an ever changing exhibition, created to present itself as a fusion of art, heritage, tradition and nature. The hotel houses rooms and suites all uniquely different and furnished with the hotel’s history and contemporary art as the forefront of each space. 

Hobart 4 hour Charter – Transfer to/from Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary 

On this 2.5 hour tour, you will enter the animals world and experience hand-feeding weird and wonderful creatures like Eastern quolls, tawny frog mouths and sugar gliders. You will also be able to have a ‘tug of war’ with the Tassie devils for their dinner. In fact, you are going to help feed almost all of the animals. First it’s dinner time for the daylight dwellers and then the nocturnal animals get their breakfast. A special highlight is meeting the mob of friendly Forester kangaroos. You are also going to meet some incredible survivors as many of the animals are recovering from injury or are orphans. They will show you how you are helping them back into the wild. It’s going to be a journey of incredible (and often very moving) fun. At the end of the tour, please make your way back to your accommodation. 

Day 6 

Hobart  

Full Day Tour with Port Arthur Historic Site 

Spend your day enjoying this 10.25 hour tour of the Tasman Peninsula. Enjoy a 3 hour Wilderness Cruise, where you will cruise beneath the highest sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere, explore the deep sea caves and archways along the coast. Come face to face with wildlife including seals, dolphins, whales and sea birds. After the cruise, you will enjoy 3 hours at the Port Arthur Historic Site.  

Day 7 

Hobart to Freycinet National Park  

Today collect your rental vehicle from Avis Australia 

Freycinet National Park, Tasmania  Freycinet National Park is home to dramatic mountains, secluded bays, white sandy beaches and abundant birdlife. The Park occupies most of the Freycinet Peninsula and looks out to the Tasman Sea from the eastern side and back towards the Tasmanian coastline from the west. Freycinet National Park is loaded with natural assets, including the pink granite peaks of the Hazards Range that dominate the Peninsula and the iconic Wineglass Bay. The short trek to Wineglass Bay lookout is a bit of a scramble but it's well worth it for one of Tasmania's most photographed views. 

Accommodation at Freycinet Lodge 

2 Nights  

Includes:    Full Breakfast daily. 

With a spectacular waterfront location at the foot of the Hazards, just inside Freycinet National Park, this property is a superb base for exploring the Freycinet peninsula. A world of hidden comfort, the lodge is living proof that communing with nature does not have to mean roughing it. It's a place to relax and rejuvenate. To experience nature's wild harmony without sacrificing your creature comforts. Stylish yet simple, the cabins are designed to impart welcoming familiarity and warmth without the intrusion of telephones or television. 

 Day 8 

Freycinet National Park, Tasmania  

Today is free to relax and explore on your own.    

Day 9 

Freycinet National Park to Hobart  

Drive Freycinet Lodge to Hobart Airport  180 kms/112 miles (2 hours and 30 minutes non-stop driving time)  

Travel north on Coles Bay Road to Coles Bay, which sits beneath sheer pink granite mountains on the edge of Oyster Bay. Travel along Coles Bay Road (C302) and then turn onto the Tasman Highway (A3) towards Swansea, a seaside village overlooking Great Oyster Bay. The town is surrounded by beautiful beaches with the Freycinet Peninsula in the distance.  

In Swansea, take a look at the Bark Mill and Tavern - Australia's only restored black wattle bark mill. You can inspect the steam driven engine once used to milk the bark of wattle trees before returning to the present day for lunch at the mill bakery. Local cafes and restaurants serve Swansea’s fresh harvests including the town’s famous oysters. At Kate’s Berry Farm you can enjoy fresh berries, ice cream, jams and berry wines. Visit the quirky Spiky Bridge, constructed by convicts using field stones laid without mortar or cement. Travel southwest along the Tasman Highway (A3) towards Orford.  

If time permits, stop in Buckland which was settled in 1820 and originally known as Prosser Plains, Buckland is best known for the historic Church of St John the Baptist. Convict built in 1846; the church was constructed as a replica of the church at Cookham Dean in Sussex and is famous for its 14th Century-stained glass window. This stunning window is thought to have been originally designed for the Battle Abbey in England and was brought to Buckland by the Reverend F. H. Cox, Rector of the church from 1846-48.  

Orford was first established as a mainland port for the convict settlement on Maria Island – you can still visit, via ferry, the remains of the Darlington Convict Settlement dating back to 1825. Orford is a popular holiday destination for locals with popular beaches close to town including Raspins, Shelley and Spring Beach. Take an easy 2 kms cliff top walk from East Shelly to Spring Beach for superb sea and ocean views and includes the 19th century sandstone quarry that provided the hand-hewn stone used in Melbourne’s Law Courts.  

Continue along the Tasman Highway towards Sorell. Stop in Sorell, one of Tasmania’s oldest farming towns and the last major town on the way to the Tasman Peninsula. A walk around town reveals pieces of history on and off the main street, with impressive historic churches like St George’s and Sorell’s oldest building, the Sorell Barracks, now colonial accommodation.   

Stop at the Sorell Fruit Farm, where you will have the opportunity to pick strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, boysenberries, loganberries, and blackcurrants. From November to May at least a couple of berries are in season, ready for you to pick your own. December and January are the time for picking super-sized sweet cherries. But at different times during the warmer months, you can pick apricots, nectarines, peaches, apples, pears, nashi, broad beans and sweet corn. All the fruits and vegetables can be picked at ground level. Enjoy a free self-guided tour of the diverse farm and then stop at the cafe for a Devonshire tea, gourmet lunch or berry ice cream.   

Travel southwest along the Tasman Highway (A3) to the Hobart International Airport, turning left onto Holyman Avenue.   

End of your arrangements