NEWCASTLE / HUNTER VALLEY
HISTORY AND CHANGE WITH ED TONKS
THE PERFECT SPRING EXCURSION FOR A FEW DAYS AWAY
Short or
One-day Trip
Join us for a one or three-day tour to Newcastle, Maitland and the Lower Hunter with Ed Tonks, noted historian, author, educator and Novocastrian. We’ll explore Newcastle city and foreshore, cruise on Newcastle Harbour, learn of the old pubs of the Lower Hunter coalfields, enjoy a quality winery visit and dinner, and more.
Date : Monday 14 to Wednesday 16 November 2016
(with one day Monday 14 November 2016 option)
Day 1
Mon 14 Nov
Depart from Sydney’s Central Station at 7.15am, picking up at Strathfield at 7.28am, Eastwood 7.37am,
Epping 7.40am or Hornsby 7.52am for our journey north to Broadmeadow.
On arrival we join our private coach for sightseeing around Newcastle city and along the harbour foreshore.
Board a ferry for a two hour harbour cruise, then luncheon. Visit Newcastle’s Maritime Museum, Fort Scratchley, and a scenic drive through Carrington to appreciate its historic nature.
Those returning to Sydney on the one day option leave us at Hamilton for a train to Sydney, arriving at 7.10pm.
We head to Maitland and our overnight accommodation at the Monte Pio Motel – after check-in we enjoy a quality two course evening meal in the hotel’s restaurant. Overnight Monte Pio, Rutherford. (Day 1 - MR/MT/L/D)
Day 2
Tue 15 Nov
After a hearty breakfast we explore the South Maitland Railways and coalfields, and visit some of their historic hotels – a short ‘pits and pubs’ tour of the lower Hunter, with a simple luncheon at the Neath Hotel.
We then visit a brewery for a short beer tasting, and then Bimbadgen Estate for a wine tasting and three course gourmet dinner. (Day 2 - B/MT/L/D)
Day 3
Wed 16 Nov
After breakfast we explore the area around the lower Hunter and Maitland - Luskintyre with its extraordinary bridge across the Hunter, Bolwarra and its flood mitigation infrastructure, Morpeth with its now disused rail station and attractive main street, and the historic Walka Water Works at Oakhampton. There is free time to explore in Morpeth and enjoy lunch at one of the cafes, hotels or famed Morpeth Bakery.
In the mid-afternoon we return to Hamilton and join our intercity rail service back to Sydney, with stops at Hornsby at 6.20pm, Epping 6.33pm, Eastwood 6.33pm Strathfield, 6.43pm and Sydney Terminal at 6.56pm. We’ll serve a light refreshment aboard the return rail journey. (Day 3 - B/MT/AR)
Refreshments and luncheon
The tour includes refreshments on the forward and return train journeys (not return of one day tour), luncheon and dinner on Monday, breakfast at the motel, luncheon and dinner Tuesday, (drinks with meals at own expense), and on the three day tour, overnight accommodation – and your SJR friends.
FARES
Three-day tour (Mon 14 to Wed 16 Nov 2016)
$ 995 Adult
$ 965 Concessions*
$ 150 Single Hotel Supplement
One day tour (Mon 14 Nov 2016)
$ 140 Adult
$ 125 Concessions*
* Concession fares apply to those who can travel for $2.50 with their own Gold Opal Card.
For booking, any further details or information,
use the "BOOKING AND ENQUIRY" buttoms above or call us on
+61 418 585 838
or email at
