2024 Silo & Tower Art Trail of Southern NSW and ACT – Bookings now open!

On arrival into Sydney, you will make your own way to the Ibis World Square for overnight accommodation including breakfast.  Late this afternoon you will meet the rest of the group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Depart your hotel for an unforgettable Panoramic Sydney half day city sights tour. On tour you will visit the historic Rocks area and hear of early convict history.  We continue through the financially focused Central Business District and Macquarie Street. Marvel at 19th century sandstone architecture such as NSW Parliament House, Rum Hospital, Hyde Park Barracks and St Mary’s Cathedral. We will continue to Mrs Macquarie’s Point, to enjoy magnificent views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.  We then continue through Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, home to the rich and famous.  Travelling along the coves and shores of one of the world’s most impressive harbours, we will take a few stops for photo opportunities, including a panoramic photo of Sydney skyline. You will pass through areas such as Kings Cross, Double Bay, Rose Bay before arriving at Watsons Bay, passengers will have the option a short coastal walk with views of the South Pacific Ocean and the entrance to Sydney harbour.  Travel on to famous Bondi Beach for a 30-minute stop. Visit the beachfront promenade and perhaps put your toes in the sand. See bronzed Aussie lifesavers and surfers riding the waves of Bondi.  Re-board your bus and continue to Tamarama and Bronte beaches before returning to the city via Centennial Park and Paddington, a trendy district with its elegant terrace houses and boutique shops along Oxford Street. Final stop of the day is Darling Harbour where the tour will conclude and the rest of the afternoon is yours at leisure.

Today is yours to relax or explore Sydney at leisure.  You might explore the beautiful 19^th century Queen Victoria Building with its inner glass dome and stunning stained-glass window or a sail on Sydney Harbour.

Departing Sydney, we travel about half an hour to the Western Sydney suburb of Panania for the first of our murals, “A Story of Water”, is a visual tale that conveys the significance of water in our lives. The mural is divided into three distinct themes, each representing a different facet of water’s role in our world.  Continuing a further 15 minutes is the next mural at Barden Ridge, a collection of 5 water towers, recently completed in January 2023, showcasing the diverse Australian native flora and fauna.  Travel through the Royal National Park, the world’s second oldest National Park and

home to stunning coastal beaches and native bush landscape. Take in the amazing views of the Pacific Ocean as we journey Grand Pacific Drive and Sea Cliff Bridge, as we make our way to Kiama Blowhole. Early lunch at a seaside restaurant.

We will then head inland via the Kangaroo Valley for our third mural of the day, features the endangered Brush-Tailed Rock Wallaby as its central subject and incorporates native plants such as the Golden Pea and Mountain Devil Flower, which are specific to the Kangaroo Valley region, completed in June 2023 before arriving at a local winery for wine tasting and lunch.  We then travel on to our nation’s capital, Canberra for two nights.  Dinner tonight in a Local Restaurant.

Spend the Day exploring Canberra. The beautiful Lake Burley Griffin, a huge manmade lake that wraps around the Capitol buildings.  Visit to the Australian Parliament House, and an informative tour through the building. Parliament House is a striking modern building on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.  On this tour you will be introduced to the architecture, visit one of the chambers and be informed of political events highlights at Parliament House.  Enjoy lunch at a local café / restaurant before driving Embassy Row. Canberra is home to nearly 80 embassies and high commissions. Most are in the suburb of Yarralumla, and we will take a leisurely drive to see traditional and modern architecture from many countries. Time permitting, we will visit another striking and modern building, the Australian National Museum, which highlights more than 50,000 years of Aboriginal History as well as some of the more recent iconic Australian events and history.  Visit the International award-winning Australian War Memorial, which combines a shrine, a world class interactive museum and an extensive archive. The War Memorial Shrine is a beautiful building that commemorates the sacrifice of Australian Veterans. The museum is packed with exhibits including numerous restored aircraft, tanks, and naval equipment. There is a fully interactive WWII flight simulator and other interactive exhibits. Today we will also see two more painted water towers at One Tree Hill and Narrabundah and lunch at a local café.

After breakfast, visit Cockington Green Gardens.  Departing Canberra is a short 45-minute drive to Murrumbateman to see a painted water tower depicting endangered flora and fauna, such as Yellow Box Gum, Common Fringe Lily, Chocolate Lily, Golden Moth Orchid. Featured are the vulnerable male and female Golden Sun Moth and a magnificent, endangered male and female Gang Gang Cockatoo.

We continue to Murrumburrah to see our next painted silo, about rural Australia, and the involvement of children in the work carried out on family farms. This is one of only a few in Australia painted all the way around.  Travelling on through Junee we visit the chocolate and liquorice factory. Lunch in Junee.  Continue on to Narrandera to see the painted water tower depicting all the significant icons of the local area, including the Bearded Dragon, Koala, Tiger Moth Airplane and the Murrumbidgee River and Paddlesteamers.  Dinner tonight in a Local Restaurant / Country Pub.

A 1-hour drive north is the town of Weethalle, and the first painted silo in NSW. Built in 1930, capable of storing 2400 tonne of grain. The mural is a tribute to agricultural heritage of the small community and surrounding areas. Continue to Griffith and explore the rich agricultural and farming area. Spend time visiting local growers, and producers and taste your way around on a gastronomical experience.

A 1.5-hour drive west will take us to the riverside town of Hay to see the water tower mural completed in 2020. This mural is a magnificent tribute to the servicemen and women of Australia emerged on the Hay landscape and a lasting memorial to the contribution of the people of Hay to the World Wars.  Crossing the Murrumbidgee River, we now head south to the town of Deniliquin for another painted water tower, standing a whopping 23 metres tall, portrays two kookaburras resting on gum tree branches. The mural transitions from day into a starry night sky.

At the base of the starry night is a welcoming campfire fire.  Overnight in Deniliquin.

We begin our journey Eastwards now.

Today we will see an astonishing number of water tower art.  At least 5 water towers located at Lockhart, Milbrulong, Yerong Creek, Uranquinty and Collingullie.

Overnight in Wagga Wagga.  Dinner tonight in a Local Restaurant / Country Pub.

There are two more water tower art sites to see in Wagga Wagga this morning, before to begin the final day back to Sydney.  A 45-minute drive out of Wagga Wagga is the town of Tarcutta, where we will stop for a look at the smallest of the painted water towers, and depicts Aboriginal artwork, and the connection to the land.  We then return via Goulburn for lunch, before returning to Sydney approximately 4pm. Tonight we will meet for our farewell dinner to reflect on our wonderful New South Wales adventure and newfound friends.

Depart for home.