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www.travelmemo.co.nzThere’s no place like it

PART TWO

T: +64 9 3077040

E: tnsw@tnswnz.co.nz

Australian Wild Escapes has been operating luxury 4WD and smallgroup Eco Tours for the past 20 years. The company is family ownedand operated and offers guests a genuine 5 star experience.The average FIT group size is less than ten, and Australian Wild Escapesspoils its guests with home prepared morning teas and a gourmet stylelunch served with wine. Their guides are very knowledgeable and theitineraries unique. Travel, of course, is in small, luxury vehicles.

The company also has a PremiumRange of products availablethrough its Australian LuxuryEscapes brand.These are a range of privatelyguided and fully customiseditineraries that are perfect forcouples, families, groups of friendstravelling together or those justwanting a private experience.

Rainforest & Northern Rivers Tour

Australian Wild Escapes’ newest tour operatesdaily from Tweed Heads/Coolangatta throughthe Mt Warning Caldera region.

Pick Up: 8.30am Drop Off: 5.00pm Minimum 2 pax

Head south to the charming town of Uki,famed for its arts and crafts, for home-made morning tea at the Uki Café.Stop next at Brays Creek and MebbinNational Park for walk with informativeguide through rainforest, passing anancient stand of Giant Fig trees, with achance of spotting the elusive Lyre Bird.The tour continues, stopping frequently totake in views of local landmark, thePinnacle, before arriving in Tyalgum, for aclassic country pub lunch.

Famous Bucks Banana Cabana to checkout the amazing array of organicallygrown local fruit and vegetables, andperhaps sample a frozen chocolatebanana.Continue north through the NuminbahValley, crossing the border from NewSouth Wales into Queensland.Take a short walk in the SpringbrookNational Park to view the Natural Bridge,one of the region’s stunning rockformations, and pass underneath awaterfall into a glowworm cave.

Travel deeper into the park, through a2,000-year-old stand of Antarctic Beechtrees, for stunning views of the Gold Coastfrom the “best lookout of all”, beforemeandering back to the Tweed viaMudgeeraba.

Depart Tweed Heads and head inland viaMurwillimbah alongside the Tweed River.Travel through rich volcanic pastures andmagnificent escarpments before enteringthe Mt Warning National Park.Mt Warning is the ancient core of thelargest and best preserved extinct shieldvolcano on Earth. The World Heritage Parkfeatures rich rainforest and abundantwildlife.Travel to the base of the mountain andstroll along an elevated walkway to amagical viewing platform. Head north to Chillingham and the World

Inclusions: Hotel pick up and drop off;highly qualified and knowledgeableguide; travel by luxury air-conditionedvehicle; home made morning teas;traditional Aussie pub lunch; all parkentry fees; comprehensive commentary.

www.australianwildescapes.com

ROMANTIC SPA GETAWAY / MASSAGE PACKAGE

A$765.00 total2 nights accommodation for 2 people.

o Queen Spa Roomo In-room Massage for two x one hour eacho Dolphin Cruise for two on Jervis Bayo Wine and cheese plate on arrival.o Full hearty but healthy breakfast each morning

Dolphin Sands has five guest rooms

with private facilities, exclusively for

five couples.

Hosts Wayne and Beatrice serve a

daily hearty-and-healthy breakfast.

There are also two luxury self-con-

tained and self-catering cottages

adjacent to the property, suitable for

families or groups.

All are just four minutes walk to the

clear blue waters of Jervis Bay, so

guests can throw away the car keys

and relax.

Dolphin Sands has created special

packages for spa and massage serv-

ices, as well as dolphin and whale-

watching cruises.

Dolphin Sands atHuskisson is a tranquilretreat for couples, justminutes away from thewhite sands of Jervis Bay.

www.dolphinsands.com

The Rocks Pub TourLength: 2 Hours A$39Discover the alleyways of the Rocks, sample someof Australia’s finest beer in atmospheric pubs, findyour own local in Sydney, and get a history lessonwhile exploring Sydney’s oldest area.

Sydney Explorer Bike TourLength: 3.5 Hours A$75Coast alongside the sparkling harbour, pedalthrough the historic Rocks, admire the iconicHarbour Bridge, peruse the expressionistarchitecture of the Opera House, breeze through thelush Royal Botanical Gardens, be entertained bystreet performers in Darling Harbour, and unwindwith a cool drink at an Aussie pub.

Sydney Harbour WalkLength: 2.5 Hours A$36Experience the Sydney icons from a differentperspective, enjoy a leisurely stroll around Sydney’sstunning harbour foreshore, your own local guide toshare the secrets of Sydney with you.

Rocks, Bridge & Bay Bike TourLength: 3 Hours A$65Enjoy this gently paced cycle around Sydney andexperience the icons-including the Rocks andSydney Opera House. Ride across the HarbourBridge to the North Shore and see where the PrimeMinister lives. Stop for a coffee on the idyllicharbourfront at Lavender Bay and enjoy thisunique perspective of the famous harbour city.

Sydney Harbour SecretsLength: 3 Hours A$55Experiences a scenic bush walk around shorefrontof Sydney Harbour’s North Shore and experiencethe city skyline as you never have before.Continue your walk to one of Sydney’s hiddengems, Balmoral Beach, and soak up theatmosphere of this idyllic harbour beach retreat.

Bondi BeachAdventureLength: 6 Hours A$185Take a guided walkalong the Bronte toBondi walk, and take asurfing lesson on thefamous beach or enjoyfish and chips on thesand.

Manly Beach& HarbourAdventureLength: 4.5 Hours A$75A guided morning strollalong the stunning Spit toManly walk to soak upthe atmosphere at ManlyBeach, with free time toexplore Manly’s Corso.

Sydney HeadsAdventureLength: 4.5 Hours A$65A return ferry to the stunningHarbour suburb of Watson’s Bay,a guided walk along South Head,relax with a drink at the localfavourite Watson’s Bay Hotel.

Harbour Island AdventureLength: 1 Day A$195Imagine camping overnight on Cockatoo Island inSydney Harbour. The former convict prison isnowadays a national park and sometime film set.Includes a guided tour, BBQ.

www.sydneyurbanadventures.com

Sydney Urban Adventures unlocks the hidden secrets in andaround one of the world’s favourite cities.Its tours are sustainable and authentic - they aim to give theguests a local’s perspective, but with lots of factual informationto help “get under the skin” of Sydney.As part of its philosophy of responsible tourism each SydneyUrban Adventure uses only walking, bike or public transportwith the aim of minimising its carbon footprint and increasingthe environmental sustainability of tourism in Sydney.Tours are suited to leisure groups and FITs, corporateincentives and team building. They can be tailored to suit andthe range of tours is growing all the time.Sydney Urban Adventures has a team of 15 of Sydney’s besttour guides. Their passion for Sydney coupled with their friendlypersonalities and extensive local knowledge makes them afantastic asset.

Don’t just visit Sydney ... live it!

www.boutiquetoursaustralia.com.au

Introducing Boutique Tours AustraliaBoutique Tours Australia offers exceptional small-group tours uncovering the best of Australia onSydney’s doorstep. The emphasis is on providingflexible itineraries that allow travellers to immersethemselves in the best a region has to offer, in arelaxed, informed environment.

Boutique Mountain Tours

Boutique Wildlife ToursFor the ultimate in Australian wildlifeexperience, Boutique Tours puts the‘wild’ back into wildlife. They taketravellers in search of Australia’s iconicwildlife in a noon until evening day-and-night spotting tour. See koalas,

Boutique Bespoke ToursFor those seeking a completely private and tailored experience.From couples to family groups, honeymooners to business colleagues,Boutique Bespoke is designed for those wanting a truly personalised,luxury experience in a day that encapsulates the best Australianexperiences, with superlative guides on hand to lead the way.

Boutique Wine ToursJoin a multi-award winning wine tourto the Hunter Valley, departingSydney daily. A focus on theboutique wineries offers apersonalised experience, including abehind the scenes tour.Enthusiastic, informative guides andluxury Mercedes vehicles create the

From A$105 Max 14 pax.Hunter’s most personalised tour. Best Tour, Hunter Valley 2007 and 2008;

Winner 2008 NSW State Tourism Award.

Explore Sydney’s spectacularBlue Mountains with theregion’s most focusedaboriginal culture, nature andwildlife tour. Avoid the crowdsto enjoy the Mountains as theyshould be seen – fromsecluded lookouts, short rainforest walks and pristine valleys. Seekangaroos in the wild, and lunch in secluded Megalong Valley.A$140 Max 14 in Mercedes vehicles.

kangaroos, platypus, emus, wombats and more. Travelling incustomised luxury 4WDs with Naturalist guide. A$250 Max 7 pax.

Southern SwanSouthern Swan is a classic barquentine, typical of ships tradingalong the Australian coast from the 1840s to the 1920s.

The mission of Sydney Harbour Tall Ships is to transport everyoneback in time to 1858, when Sydney was still an infant colony.Its jolly crew set sails to glide through the “finest harbour in the world”.But even the Governor didn’t dine this well; each day, the chefprepares a delicious Aussie barbecue lunch and dinner - including freshseafood - for all to enjoy with a complementary drink.This is a real sailing experience, and passengers can participate inhoisting the sails or can sit back, relax and enjoy the entertainmentprovided by the friendly crew. Hear amazing stories about the harbourand discover the ship’s history.

Carries: 10 crew + 100 paxLength Overall: 41mMast: 24mDisplacement: 220 tonnes

Southern Swan sails the harbour up to three timesa day, providing unique and fantastic adventures.

Watch the sunset over the harbourduring the Twilight BBQ Dinner Cruise.

5.30pm to 7.30pm daily. A$89

Learn the ropes and discover SydneyHarbour on the BBQ Lunch Cruise.

1.30pm to 3.30pm daily. A$89

Dress up andenjoy a fun day on the

BBQ Family Pirate Cruise.11am to 1pm selected Sundays. www.sydneytallships.com.au

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She was the last of an era; built in Denmark as a three masted schoonerin 1922 and named Mathilde, she mostly carried grain across the NorthAtlantic to Greenland for the Tuborg Beer Company.

In 1987 she joined the eleven tall ships participating in the AustralianBicentennial First Fleet Re-Enactment. The eight month voyagetook her from London to Portsmouth, Tenerife, Rio, Cape Town,Mauritius, Fremantle and finally to Sydney, arriving on 26 January1988.

www.jenolancaves.org.au

Jenolan Cavesexplore marvel stay

A dazzling natural phenomenon, open daily,Jenolan is amongst the world’s oldest cave systems,

and is considered Australia’s most outstanding.

Eleven spectacular show caves,

pure underground rivers and awe-inspiring

crystal limestone formations

- a dreamscape you must see to believe.

Explore the vast underworldon tours geared to all agesand fitness levels, led byfriendly guides.Secure walkways and subtletechnology enhance yourshow cave experience.The self-guided Nettle Cavetour, packed with fascinatinginformation, is available infive languages.Step outside your comfortzone on challengingAdventure Caving - squeeze,crawl and climb with only aheadlamp to light your way.By torchlight, experiencespine-chilling ghost tours.Immerse your senses in livemusic, deep underground.

Jenolan is nestled in asecluded valley in the BlueMountains World Heritagearea. Coaches connect atKatoomba with trains fromSydney.Stroll along bush trails, litfor romantic evenings, andmarvel at the impossiblyBlue Lake.In the early morning and atdusk, glimpse nativeanimals, includingkangaroos and platypus.Facilities include a licensedcafe, gift shop, magnificentrestaurant and excellentaccommodation - fromgrand suites to backpackerlodge.

Rates from A$200 B&B Rates from A$140 B&BGarden View EnsuiteHarbour View Ensuite

Experience the magic of Sydney Harbour from the privacy of your own room. Wake up to thetranquil, wild beauty of Sydney Harbour National Park. Visualise a rich past while enjoying thecomfort of contemporary conveniences.

www.qstation.com.au

Leave thehectic behind.

Q Station Retreat’s premier accommodation optionis the ultimate way to experience the mostbeautiful harbour in the world - everything youcould want in a getaway.Q Station’s Manly accommodation options all offerprivacy, contemporary comfort and a truly uniquesetting to facilitate your complete experience ofrelaxation and rejuvenation. Choose from roomswith panoramic views of Sydney’s incredibleharbour, the beautiful Sydney Harbour NationalPark or the historic buildings of Q Station.Enjoy weekday breakfast at Views, Q Station’sguest restaurant. There’s also the option of having awhole building to yourself; total privacy, with yourown chef, butler service and private dining room.

All Q Station Guestrooms offer:Comfortable queen sized beds

Furnished veranda area

Flat screen TV

Video on demand

High-speed internet access

Telephone

Clothes hanger or wardrobe

Tea and coffee making facilities

From the 1830s to 1984 migrant ships arrivingin Sydney with suspected contagious diseaseoff-loaded passengers and crew at theQuarantine Station just inside the harbour’sNorth Head to protect local residents frombecoming sick. After an average time of 40days, most passengers were released to settleas Australian residents.

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Stay right on the beach at Byron!

Located absolute beachfront, thisluxury boutique property is unique. Itfeatures just 19 suites and its warmand experienced staff make it bothexclusive and personal.

The setting on Byron’s exclusive mainbeach tempts guests to stroll along tothe resort’s eclectic boutiques andgalleries, to sample the cuisine at themany cafes and restaurants, or tosimply relax on the white sands right onthe doorstep.

The 19 spacious, newly refurbishedand well-appointed king size suites atFriday on the Beach face north andeast, with views over the beautiful blueocean from the huge wrap aroundbalcony. Upper Ocean Front Suitesfeature private decks.

www.fridayonthebeach.com.au

White sands and blue waters greet guestsat the four-star Friday on the Beach,

located in the heart of Byron Bay

Low Season: from A$180 to A$290 weekdays and A$270 to A$380 weekends.

Australian Eco Adventures has

been providing complete luxury

small group touring packages

across New South Wales for over

18 years.

The Diamond Series range of

touring specialises in

premium, luxury charters

tailored for clients wishing to

experience the best Australia

has to offer. These private

experiences are the ultimate

in first class touring.

www.ozeco.com.au

It was one of the first special

interest nature based operators in

Australia, emphasising

experiences and factual

interpretations in flora, fauna and

culture.

The company has continually set

the benchmark for first class

itineraries, guides and vehicle

comfort.

Australian Eco Adventures tours,

from Sydney to the Blue

Mountains, Hunter Valley, Port

Stephens and the New South Wales

Outback, include a range of day

tours and extended itineraries.

The tours are targeted at many

markets including FIT, groups,

corporate, shipping and

incentives.

Additionally, Australian Eco

Adventures also operates a

wide range of extended

Outback tours throughout the

year to many off the beaten

track destinations in Australia.

These accommodated small

group tours visit National

Parks and areas that are only

accessible with custom made

vehicles, offering a complete

experience in total comfort.