Art, Gardens and Heritage Homes of South Australia: From the Clare Valley to the Coorong 2024
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18 Oct – 28 Oct 2024
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Art, Gardens and Heritage Homes of South Australia: From the Clare Valley to the Coorong 2024
Tour Highlights
Travel with Richard and Margaret Heathcote as they share with you some of their favourite destinations in their home state. Benefit from their local knowledge and vast network of connections as they take you on a journey from the William Morris collections in Adelaide’s museums and churches, to historic townships, beautiful homesteads and tranquil gardens.
- Visit some of the city’s landmark cathedrals and churches. Admire the soaring architecture, beautiful interiors and glorious stained glass windows, many designed by Arts and Crafts masters William Morris and Sir Edward Burne-Jones.
- Tour Fermoy House in North Adelaide, with exquisite interiors displaying the collections built up over decades by David Roche.
- Visit Art Gallery of South Australia, home to a significant collection of William Morris furnishings, and an ever-growing permanent collection. In 2024 the gallery will unveil its newest acquisition, The Swing by Chris Ofili.
- A special day has been arranged at Carrick Hill, the home of Sir Edward “Bill” Hayward and his wife Lady Ursula. Enjoy a talk on William Morris, a private tour of the house, and a presentation of the Morris collection.
- Experience life at Bungaree Station, a traditional sheep station at the northern end of the Clare Valley. Still an active farming property, this historic homestead was once a village unto itself, with a store, church and houses for the station workers and their families.
- In the Adelaide Hills visit The Cedars, the home and studio of Hans Heysen and his daughter Nora Heysen. Tour the house and stroll through the gardens and landscapes that provided inspiration to this family of artists.
- Visit some of South Australia’s premier gardens, each designed to flourish within the climactic condition of its region including Urrbrae House Garden in Adelaide, Anlaby Station in Hamilton and several private gardens in the Adelaide Hills.
- Tour Jurlique Farm and learn about the organic and biodynamic approach to growing the botanicals for this renowned skincare range.
- Visit South Australia’s premier wineries – Seppeltfield in the Barossa and Coriole Vineyard in McLaren Vale. Enjoy lunch at the renown ‘Star of Greece’ restaurant on the Fleurieu Peninsula and dine in style at a private members club.
- Cruise the Coorong, the setting of Colin Thiele’s Storm Boy, where the Murray River meets the Southern Ocean. This RAMSAR-listed wetland is home to vast colonies of birds, most famously the pelican, as well as migratory wading birds.
Overnight Adelaide (3 nights) • Bungaree Station (2 nights) • Mt Lofty (2 nights) • Victor Harbor (2 nights) • Adelaide (1 night)
Itinerary
The daily activities described in this itinerary may change or be rotated and/or modified in order to accommodate alterations in opening hours, flight schedules and confirmation of private visits. Participants will receive a final itinerary, together with their tour documents, prior to departure. The tour includes meals indicated in the detailed itinerary where: B=breakfast, L=lunch and D=dinner.
Adelaide - 3 nights
Day 1: Friday 18 October, Arrive Adelaide
- Welcome Meeting
- Victoria Square Walking Tour: old Treasury Building, Secretary’s Building, St Francis Xavier Catholic Cathedral, Adelaide Town Hall, Law Courts, former Adelaide General Post Office
- Welcome Dinner
Meeting Point: The foyer of The Majestic Roof Garden Hotel at 1.00 pm.
After a brief welcome meeting, our visit to Adelaide begins with a walking tour. We view some of the city’s finest 19th-century architecture whose style is distinctive, quite unlike the colonial architecture of Sydney and Melbourne. Many buildings are notable for their fine architectural detailing and high quality masonry.
This evening we enjoy a welcome dinner at a private members club on North Terrace. (Overnight Adelaide) D
Day 2: Saturday 19 October, Adelaide
- The David Roche Foundation: tour of House and Collection
- St Peters Anglican Cathedral, North Adelaide
- Friends Meeting House, North Adelaide
- St Andrews Church, Walkerville
- All Souls Church, St Peters
Adelaide is a city of fine houses and churches. We begin by visiting the Friends Meeting House. This simple, wooden prefabricated building from London that sits in the shadow of St Peters Cathedral, reflects the history of the Quakers in Adelaide. We next visit the adjacent cathedral that was originally designed by the famous English Gothic Revival architect, William Butterfield. It has a very rich interior with a splendid stained-glass rose window of the Arts and Crafts movement.
We then walk to Fermoy House, run by the David Roche Foundation. David Roche amassed one of Australia’s greatest private decorative arts collections, which are housed in the house’s opulent interior and in an adjoining gallery.
After lunchtime at leisure we visit two nearby churches with magnificent stained-glass windows – St Andrews Church in Walkerville and All Souls Church, St Peters. These fine buildings are illuminated by beautiful windows by the great Pre-Raphaelite master, Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833 – 1898) and from the workshop of Morris and Co. (Overnight Adelaide) BL
Day 3: Sunday 20 October, Adelaide – Carrick Hill, Springfield – Adelaide
- Urrbrae House Garden
- Guided tour of Carrick Hill House & Garden
- ‘William Morris’ talk and special viewing of the William Morris collection
- Lunch at Carrick Hill
- Adelaide Botanic Gardens, and the Museum of Economic Botany
Our first visit this morning is to Urrbrae House, a beautiful two-story house completed in 1891 as the home of Peter and Matilda Waite. Our attention will be on the gardens – restored in the 1990s, these have retained elements of the original plantings and layout, whole also introducing new elements. Peter Waite bequeathed the Urrbrae estate to the University of Adelaide and today it is the historic and cultural heart of the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus.
We continue on to Australia’s most important 20th-century heritage homestead, Carrick Hill, set on the edge of the Adelaide Hills. Built in the style of an English Manor by Sir Edward ‘Bill’ Hayward and his wife Lady Ursula between 1937 and 1939, the house is decorated for English country life living and includes some interesting furnishings designed by William Morris. It also holds the couple’s magnificent art collection. Our visit will include a tour the house and lovely gardens with Richard Heathcote who is the former director of Carrick Hill.
We shall return to the city centre where we visit the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, including the extraordinary Santos Museum of Economic Botany – the last museum of its kind in the world. Much of the museum’s collection dates back over 130 years and showcases countless plants and their various uses. Papier-mâché models of fruit, cabinets of curiosities and even displays of model fungi are displayed in the museum’s lovely original (restored) classical building. (Overnight Adelaide) BL
Bungaree Station - 2 nights
Day 4: Monday 21 October, Adelaide – Bungaree Station
- North Terrace
- Art Gallery of South Australia
This morning we take a morning stroll along North Terrace, Adelaide’s grand boulevard, paying a quick visit to the State Library and finishing at the Art Gallery of South Australia. We shall begin with a tour of the gallery’s highlights and be introduced to the William Morris collection. There will be time to further explore this, one of Australia’s largest and finest collections.
In the mid-afternoon we drive north to Bungaree Station situated in the Clare Valley. We shall stay at this marvellous property, first established in 1841, for the next two nights. After check-in and time to freshen up, we shall enjoy a BBQ dinner at the Station. (Overnight Bungaree Station) BD
Day 5: Tuesday 22 October, Bungaree Station – Burra – Mintaro – Bungaree Station
- Burra Mine Open Air Museum
- Historic Township of Burra
- Martindale Hall, Mintaro
- Bungaree Station Tour
We spend the morning at the Historic township of Burra, famous for its copper mines and heritage architecture. Burra is so important to our architectural heritage that Australia’s major conservation charter, based upon the Venice Charter, was named after the town.
Cornwall had been a major exporter of tin to Europe and the Middle East since antiquity, when it was a vital ingredient of bronze. It is understandable that Cornish miners should migrate to work South Australia’s rich mineral deposits. Margaret Heathcote, a conservation architect, will introduce the architecture of mining and that of this historic town.
After lunchtime at leisure in Burra, we drive to Mintaro where we visit the historic mansion, Martindale Hall. This fine Georgian-style home is of great heritage value to the state. Built for the wealthy pastoralist Edmund Bowman Jr, the 32 room mansion was design by Ebenezer Gregg and completed in 1840 for the vast sum of £30,000. The hall may be familiar to you – it appeared as ‘Appleyard College’ in the 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock.
We shall return by coach to Bungaree Station, where we shall enjoy a tour of this fascinating working station, followed by a group meal that celebrates the marvellous local produce of the region. (Overnight Bungaree Station) BD
Mount Lofty - 2 nights
Day 6: Wednesday 23 October, Bungaree Station – Hamilton – Seppeltsfield – Mount Lofty
- Anlaby Station House and Garden, Hamilton (by special appointment)
- Lunch at ‘Fino’ Restaurant, Seppeltsfield Winery
- Dinner at Mount Lofty House
Today we drive south through the Adelaide Hills to Mount Lofty. Our first stop along the way is Anlaby Station. Founded in 1839, this is the oldest Merino stud in South Australia. The grand old homestead is surrounded by 10 acres of gardens that are at present being restored. We shall tour the house and its lovely gardens and then drive to Seppeltsfield winery. Founded in 1851, this is one of Australia’s oldest and most famous wineries. We shall eat lunch at Seppelstfield’s Fino Restaurant before driving south through the Adelaide Hills to Mount Lofty House, built in 1852 as a grand summer residence. After check-in and time to enjoy this boutique hotel and its lovely grounds, we shall enjoy a group meal. (Overnight Mount Lofty) BLD
Day 7: Thursday 24 October, Mount Lofty – Hahndorf – Stirling – Mount Lofty
- The Cedars, Hahndorf: House and Studio of Hans and Nora Heysen
- Hahndorf township
- St Vigeans, Stirling (private garden, by special appointment)
- Magnolias Garden, Stirling (private garden, by special appointment subject to confirmation)
- Dinner at Mount Lofty House
This morning we drive to Hans Heysen’s family home and studio, ’The Cedars’. From 1912, this renowned landscape painter and his large family lived here. We shall visit Heysen’s studio and the family house which retains its original furniture and displays some 200 works by the artist and his famous daughter, Nora. After our tour we drive to the nearby historic town of Hahndorf where there will be time at leisure for lunch.
In the afternoon, we shall visit two fine private gardens, St Vigeans House and Garden and Magnolias garden owned by the Heathcotes’ friends, the Kennedys. St Vigeans was built in the early 1880s by Dr Edward Charles Stirling, a fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society of London. He developed its fine 6.5-acre garden where he grew South Australia’s first rhododendrons. We then visit the Kennedy’s lakeside garden, finishing the day with a convivial glass of local wine before returning to Mount Lofty House for dinner. (Overnight Mount Lofty) BD
Victor Harbor - 2 nights
Day 8: Friday 25 October, Mount Lofty – Biggs Flat – Mount Barker – Victor Harbor
- Jurlique Farm, Biggs Flat
- Auchendarroch House, Mount Barker
- Ukaria Culture Centre Garden
Our first visit today is to the biodynamic farm where the ingredients of South Australia’s famous natural Jurlique skin care products are grown. A tour will identify for you the plants that are used to create different skin products. We next drive a very short distance to Auchendarroch House in Mount Barker. Built in 1860 by Scottish immigrant, Lachlan McFarlane, the house was originally the Oakfield Hotel until 1878 when Robert Barr Smith, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, bought it and converted it to a summer residence. He had his house extensively decorated in the Arts and Crafts style; all wallpapers, fabrics, furnishing and carpets were bought from Morris & Co. The original hand-blocked ‘Spring Thicket’ wallpaper still adorns its Ballroom. Its name ‘Auchendarroch’ in Scottish-Gaelic means ‘holy place of the oaks’.
We shall eat a light lunch at the Ukaria Cultural Centre. Ukaria is both a performance and art hub, with a special auditorium for chamber music. Ulrike Klein from Jurlique Farm commissioned the particularly fine garden that surrounds the building that focuses on honing your senses as you stroll around its winding paths.
We then make the scenic drive to Victor Harbor stopping at Lake Alexandrina along the way. (Overnight Victor Harbor) B
Day 9: Saturday 26 October, Victor Harbor – Goolwa – The Coorong – Victor Harbor
- Encounter Bay
- Cockle Train Victor harbor to Goolwa
- Goolwa township
- Afternoon Coorong Discovery Cruise (3.5 hours)
We begin today by driving to Encounter Bay, at the mouth of the Murray River. The bay was named by Matthew Flinders after his encounter on 8 April 1802 with the great French explorer, Nicolas Baudin. We take the historic Cockle Train around the coastline to Goolwa where we shall explore the town’s picturesque Wharf Precinct, including the Signal Point Gallery that exhibits contemporary artists from across the region.
This afternoon we embark on a cruise of the Coorong, the RAMSAR-listed wetland that provided the setting for Colin Thiele’s classic Storm Boy. It is home to vast colonies of birds, most famously the pelican, as well as migratory wading birds, and you may also spot fur-seals as the boat meanders along the waterways of the Coorong National Park, following the last kilometres of the Murray River to the river’s mouth. (Overnight Victor Harbor) BL
Adelaide - 1 night
Day 10: Sunday 27 October, Victor Harbor – Willunga – Port Willunga – McLaren Vale – Adelaide
- Willunga township heritage walking tour
- Farewell Lunch at ‘Star of Greece’ Restaurant, Port Willunga
- Coriole Vineyard, McLaren Vale
We journey back to Adelaide today, via the heritage town of Willunga, which is famous for its slate architecture. We shall participate in a heritage walk in this fascinating town before driving to Port Willunga with its caves carved out by fishermen to store their boats and nets. We shall lunch at Port Willunga’s excellent Star of Greece restaurant that overlooks the sea. We continue to McLaren Vale to enjoy a wine tasting at the Lloyd family’s 50-year-old Coriole Vineyard, and we will take a tour of the heritage buildings and handsome gardens of the estate. (Overnight Adelaide) BL
Day 11: Monday 28 October, Depart Adelaide
- SAMSTAG Contemporary Art Galley, University of South Australia
- The Jam Factory and Design Gallery
This morning we visit the University of South Australia, a hub of award-winning contemporary architecture, including the SAMSTAG Contemporary Art Museum. Named in honour of Anne & Gordon Samstag, American benefactors whose generous bequest provides opportunities for Australian artists to study overseas, the museum is renowned for its temporary exhibitions.
We visit the nearby Jam Factory Workshops and Design Gallery. For almost 50 years, the Jam Factory has supported and promoted innovative craft and design through its studios, galleries and shops. It runs four studios: Ceramics, Glass, Furniture, and Jewellery and Metal. There are also independent studio spaces for some of Australia’s best emerging creative talent.
The tour finishes at the hotel at 1230hrs. B
Accommodation
All hotels provide rooms with private facilities. Accommodation at Bungaree Station is in several renovated historic homes with shared bathroom facilities and lounge areas. A hotel list will be given to all participants prior to departure, in the meantime a summary is given below:
- Adelaide (3 nights): 4.5-star Majestic Roof Garden Hotel – a spacious and modern hotel located in Adelaide’s CBD within easy walking distance to restaurants and shops, museums and galleries. www.roofgardenhotel.com.au
- Bungaree (2 nights): Bungaree Station – situated in the picturesque Clare Valley, this historic station is still a working family-owned farm. Guests are accommodated in a series of cottages that once housed the property employees. bungareestation.com.au
- Mt Lofty (2 nights): 5-star Mount Lofty House Hotel – a boutique hotel in a lovely historic house with expansive grounds and a renowned restaurant. www.mtloftyhouse.com.au
- Victor Harbor (2 nights): 3-star Hotel Victor – located on the Esplanade with views to the Warland Reserve and Encounter Bay, the hotel offers spacious contemporary rooms. www.hotelvictor.com.au
- Adelaide (1 night): 4.5-star Majestic Roof Garden Hotel – as above.
Note: Hotels are subject to change, in which case a hotel of similar standard will be provided.
Single Supplement
Payment of this supplement will ensure accommodation in a double/twin room for single occupancy throughout the tour. People wishing to take this supplement are therefore advised to book well in advance.
How to Book
ASA RESERVATION APPLICATION FORM
Please complete the ASA RESERVATION APPLICATION and send it to Australians Studying Abroad together with your non-refundable deposit of AUD $500.00 per person payable to Australians Studying Abroad.
Practical Information
The number of flags is a guide to the degree of difficulty of ASA tours relative to each other (not to those of other tour companies). It is neither absolute nor literal. One flag is given to the least taxing tours, seven to the most. Flags are allocated, above all, according to the amount of walking and standing each tour involves. Nevertheless all ASA tours require that participants have a good degree of fitness enabling 2-3 hours walking or 1-1.5 hours standing still on any given site visit or excursion. Many sites are accessed by climbing slopes or steps and have uneven terrain.
This 11-day Cultural Tour of South Australia involves:
- A moderate amount of walking mainly during outdoor site visits, often up and down hills and/or flights of stairs and uneven terrain.
- A moderate amount of coach travel, several on winding mountainous roads
- The daily schedule generally involves an morning departure (between 8.30-9.00am), concluding in the late afternoon (between 5.00-5.30pm).
- 3- to 5-star hotels with 4 hotel changes
- You must be able to carry your own hand-luggage. Hotel porterage only includes 1 piece of luggage per person.
It is important to remember that ASA programs are group tours, and slow walkers affect everyone in the group. As the group must move at the speed of the slowest member, the amount of time spent at a site may be reduced if group members cannot maintain a moderate walking pace. ASA tours should not present any problem for active people who can manage day-to-day walking and stair-climbing. However, if you have any doubts about your ability to manage on a program, please ask your ASA travel consultant whether this is a suitable tour for you.
Please note: it is a condition of travel that all participants agree to accept ASA’s directions in relation to their suitability to participate in activities undertaken on the tour, and that ASA retains the sole discretion to direct a tour participant to refrain from a particular activity on part of the tour. For further information please refer to the ASA Reservation Application Form.
Tour Price & Inclusions
AUD $7780.00 Land Content Only
AUD $1280.00 Single Supplement
Tour Price (Land Content Only) includes:
- Accommodation in twin-share rooms with private facilities in 3- to 5-star hotels (shared bathrooms in the historic cottages at Bungaree Station)
- Meals as indicated in the tour itinerary where: B=breakfast, L=lunch & D=dinner
- Drinks at welcome and farewell meals. Other meals may not have drinks included.
- Transportation by air-conditioned coach
- Porterage of one piece of luggage per person at hotels (where available)
- Lecture and site-visit program
- Entrance fees
- Use of audio headsets for site excursions
- Tips for the coach driver, local guides and restaurants for included meals
Tour Price (Land Content Only) does not include:
- Airfare to Adelaide
- Personal spending money
- Airport-hotel transfers
- Luggage in excess of 20 kg (44 lbs)
- Travel insurance
Tour Map
Gallery
Deposits
A non-refundable deposit of $500.00 AUD per person is required to reserve a place on an ASA tour.
Cancellation Fees
If you decide to cancel your booking the following charges apply:
- More than 75 days before departure: your initial deposit of $500.00 is non-refundable**
- 75-31 days prior 50% of total amount due
- 30-0 days prior 100% of total amount due
**$250.00 of this amount (ie 50% of your deposit) may be credited to another ASA tour departing within 12 months of the original tour you booked. We regret, in this case early-bird discounts will not apply.
We take the day on which you cancel as being that on which we receive written confirmation of cancellation.
Unused Portions of the Tour
We regret that refunds will not be given for any unused portions or services of the tour, such as meals, entry fees, accommodation, flights or transfers.
Will the Tour Price or Itinerary Change?
If the number of participants on a tour is significantly less than budgeted, or if there is a significant change in exchange rates ASA reserves the right to amend the advertised price. We shall, however, do all in our power to maintain the published price. Occasionally circumstances beyond the control of ASA make it necessary to change airline, hotel or to make amendments to itineraries. We will inform you of any changes in due course.
Travel Insurance
ASA requires all participants to obtain comprehensive travel insurance. A copy of your travel insurance certificate and the reverse charge emergency contact phone number must be received by ASA no later than 75 days prior to the commencement of the tour.
Final Payment
The balance of the tour price will be due 75 days prior to the tour commencement date.
Limitation of Liability
ASA is not a carrier, event or tourist attraction host, accommodation or dining service provider. All bookings made and tickets or coupons issued by ASA for transport, event, accommodation, dining and the like are issued as an agent for various service providers and are subject to the terms and conditions and limitations of liability imposed by each service provider. ASA is not responsible for their products, services, terms and conditions. If a service provider cancels or does not deliver the product or service for which you have contracted, and does not give a refund, your remedy lies with the service provider, not ASA.
ASA will not be liable for any claim (e.g. sickness, injury, death, damage or loss) arising from any change, delay, detention, breakdown, border closures, cancellation, failure, accident, act, omission or negligence of any tour service provider or authority however caused (contingencies). You must take out such travel insurance as is available against such contingencies.
ASA’s liability in respect of any tour cancelled or changed will be limited to the partial refund of amounts you have paid, less an administration fee of $500 and other costs and charges of third party service providers. No compensation will be payable to you by ASA where ASA cancels or changes a tour, or any part of a tour.
ASA reserves the sole discretion to cancel any tour or to modify itineraries in any way it considers appropriate and in the best interests of health, safety and wellbeing of tour participants. Tour costs may be revised, subject to unexpected price increases or exchange rate fluctuations.
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