TOUR LEADER SANDRA ROSS

Sandra is an enthusiastic communicator and gardener. She has been travelling the world for 37 years and loves sharing her experience. She is very excited about this brand new itinerary and keen to introduce you to her friends in New England NSW.

+ Enjoy twilight drinks in Carolyn Robinson’s Eagles Bluff in its remote valley outside Tenterfield

+ Hear the stirring words of Sir Henry Parkes’ famous 1889 Tenterfield Oration at our ‘Re-enactment’ Dinner

+ Stroll through Uralla’s preserved heritage with fifty glorious buildings within the township

+ Meet Aussie plant expert Maria Hitchcock and learn about her passion for wattles, Waratahs and Flannel Flowers

+ Travel in a small group and make new friends

+ Relax – we’ll take care of everything!

For a detailed itinerary, please visit :www.rosstours.com/newengland

HIGHLIGHTS

SYDNEY

Walcha

ArmidaleUralla

Tenterfield

Hunter Valley

NSW

Let us take you to the most beautiful places in the world.

Another fantastic new tour of the New England High Country with incredible hospitality that only country folk can do. Gardens include some from the early days of settlement; others are brand new contemporary gardens. But its so much more… Sir Henry Parkes will be watching with interest.

Graham Ross, Founder

TO BOOK PLEASE CONTACT ROYCE OR ROSLYN

Visit our website www.rosstours.com

travel@rosstours.com1300 233 200

An exciting new tour of the high country of New England

NSW, based in Armidale, then travelling across this

high plateau to Tenterfield. Gates to a special selection

of private gardens are open wide with welcoming

hospitality from friends of tour leader Sandra Ross.

12 - 19 NOVEMBER 2018

GARDENS OF

NEW ENGLANDLet us take you to the most

beautiful places in the world.

DAY 1 MON 12 NOVHOME TO ARMIDALEMeet up with your Ross Tour Leader, Sandra Ross at Central Station, Coach Terminal, Sydney for the drive to Armidale following the scenic Bucketts Way and Thunderbolts Way. Lunch stop in Stroud. Dinner is included tonight in the hotel restaurant.

DAY 2 TUE 13 NOVARMIDALE Spend this day in and around Armidale visiting one town and one country garden with fabulous hospitality. This pretty regional city is our base to explore the New England High Country. We’ll meet Aussie plant expert Maria Hitchcock and learn about some of the best native plants.

DAY 3 WED 14 NOVWALCHA First stop this morning is the New England Regional Art Museum, built in 1983 specifically to exhibit the Howard Hinton Collection, an iconic collection of Australian Art. NERAM hosts changing exhibitions with works from its own collections, travelling exhibitions and works from leading regional artists. Next

stop is Walcha where we will visit two country gardens and enjoy the hospitality of the locals at lunch. Free evening in Armidale.

DAY 4 THU 15 NOVURALLAUralla is a treasure trove of heritage listed buildings: 50 buildings of historical significance, several date from the 1860s when ‘gentleman bushranger’, Captain Thunderbolt ruled the local highways and byways. We’ll stroll around the town, learning its history and we’ll visit a superb town garden. Free time for lunch and to browse the shops and galleries then travel back to Armidale with a stop at Saumarez Homestead with its Edwardian mansion, charming cottage garden, picking garden and heritage rose garden.

DAY 5 FRI 16 NOVARMIDALE TO TENTERFIELDWe’ll sing along to Peter Allen’s Tenterfield Saddler as we make our way across the verdant ‘high country’ to Tenterfield. First stop is historic Ollera Station, settled in 1838 and still in family hands with its own church (St Bartholomew’s Church of England), cemetery,

general store, blacksmith shop and restored slab huts. So much early Australian history here! Australian Standing Stones at Glen Innes is our lunch stop today, a tribute to the Celtic heritage of the early European settlers to this district and a cultural gathering place for people from the Celtic communities; the Irish, Welsh, Cornish, Scottish, Manx and Bretons. An elegant garden in Glen Innes this afternoon, Brandon, defined by hedges, in place for 28 years and maturing gracefully. Settle into our hotel The Henry Parkes Tenterfield, then stroll around town to get our bearings. Dinner is included tonight.

DAY 6 SAT 17 NOVTENTERFIELDWe are in for a treat today; two enchanting private gardens, both beautifully designed and planted. We’ll have morning tea in the soft morning light at Glenrock, and twilight drinks in the receding light at Eagles Bluff. These gardens rarely open to the public. There are lots of lessons here ... mesmerising! Lunch in Mandy Reid’s garden Oakland in Tenterfield township with time to browse her nursery. ‘Re-enactment’ Dinner tonight in the Banquet Hall

of the Sir Henry Parkes School of Arts; a ‘re-enactment’ of Sir Henry Parkes’ famous 1889 speech, known as the Tenterfield Oration.

DAY 7 SUN 18 NOVTENTERFIELD TO POKOLBINOn the road again today travelling to Pokolbin with two interesting stops along the way … Robyn Jackson’s Kooralbyn in Guyra and Charles Hanna’s Colly Creek at Willow Tree. It will be a fascinating journey down the New England Highway into the Hunter Valley. Check into Mercure Resort Hunter Valley Gardens with our Farewell Dinner tonight in the restaurant.

DAY 8 MON 19 NOVPOKOLBIN TO HOMEWe’ll take the train around the 12 hectares of Hunter Valley Gardens this morning as an introduction. Then we’ll have free time to wander through the ten horticulturally themed spaces. Free time to browse the Shopping Village and have lunch. Mid-afternoon arrive back to Sydney Central.

TOUR DETAILS

+ OUR TOUR INCLUDES

° Best available accommodation for 7 nights

° Full breakfast every day, 6 lunches and 4 dinners

° Air-conditioned coach throughout the tour

° Entrance fees to all gardens and sightseeing including

Eynsford, Auchinlea, Fangorn, Nevin garden, New England

Regional Art Museum, Prairie Fields, Branga Plains, Old

Bank Uralla, Saumarez Homestead, Ollera Station, Brandon,

Glenrock, Oakland, Eagles Bluff, Sir Henry Parkes School of Arts,

Kooralbyn, Colly Creek and Hunter Valley Gardens.

° Fully Escorted by Sandra Ross

+ OUR TOUR COSTS

° Twin Share per person, land only $3,295

° Single Supplement $650

+ FITNESS LEVEL

° This tour requires a moderate level of fitness

+ DISCOUNTS

° Early Bird $150 per person (Pay in full by 6/7/18)

° Previous Traveller $50

° Garden Clinic Member $50

All prices in Australian Dollars. Price based on minimum 15 passengers. Departure from Sydney. Price from other Australian ports and New Zealand available on application. Group meals do not include beverages. Please refer to Ross Garden Tours standard terms & conditions. Ask us about other sightseeing and travel arrangements including pre and post tour accommodation, transfers, stopovers and other tours.

ITINERARY