Arrive in Melbourne on suggested Qantas flights and make your way to the hotel. Check-in is available from 2.00pm.

Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private transfer to the hotel, pre-tour accommodation and a room category upgrade.

At 5:00pm, meet tour leader Julie Kinney and join fellow travellers for a welcome briefing before dinner at a nearby restaurant.

(D)

This morning, transfer to Bickleigh Vale Village. Upon arrival, enjoy morning tea followed by a private, guided tour of a selection of private gardens originally created by renowned landscape designer Edna Walling in the 1920s. Bickleigh Vale was conceived as a model village blending English country aesthetics with the natural Australian landscape, and can be considered a window into the past. Walling’s vision was to create a cohesive community where architecture and nature harmoniously coexist.

Enjoy lunch under the trees in the garden of one of the homes in Bickleigh Vale, before returning to the hotel in the mid-afternoon.

The evening is at leisure.

(BL)

Enjoy two full days at the Melbourne Garden DesignFest, a biennial event featuring the work of professional garden designers in an open garden format. Visit around a dozen gardens designed by some of Australia’s best garden designers while gaining insights into the latest trends and techniques in garden design.

The evenings are at leisure.

(BL)

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer to the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne and wander through the Australian Garden, a space carefully curated to reflect diverse landscapes and flora from across the continent.

After lunch, visit Cruden Farm, the idyllic gardens of the late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. Revel in the glorious colour of spring blooms and take a private, guided tour of the estate, admiring the large variety of styles and plantings scattered throughout.

Later, continue to Sorrento on the southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula and check in to the hotel. Enjoy dinner at the hotel.

(BLD)

Begin the day with a private, guided tour of Beleura House, a historic mansion renowned for its heritage and cultural significance. Built in 1863 for merchant and politician James Butchart, Beleura is an exquisite example of Italianate architecture, featuring elegant gardens and richly furnished interiors. The house hosts an extensive collection of art, furnishings and personal artifacts, reflecting the opulent lifestyle of its former inhabitants.

Then, transfer to the township of Mornington, a charming coastal town known for its picturesque setting. The village offers a mix of boutique shops, cafés and restaurants.

(BD)

In the morning, depart on a guided walking tour of the so-called ‘Millionaire’s Row’ and visit a number of gardens along the way. This clifftop walk has historic significance as it was the first time the Union Jack was used to claim possession of Australia. Obtain an insight into how Melbourne’s elite spend time at their summer mansions. Millionaire’s Row forms a small segment of the Sorrento Portsea Artists’ Trail, encompassing four of its fourteen sites. Admire the paintings by Sir Arthur Streeton, Arthur Boyd and Ray Hodgkinson displayed along the walk.

This evening, enjoy a special farewell dinner with Julie and fellow travellers at a local restaurant in Sorrento.

(BD)

This morning, after breakfast, transfer by coach to Melbourne Tullamarine airport for flights departing from 2.00pm. Tour arrangements conclude upon arrival at Melbourne airport. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including any additional nights’ accommodation, either before or after the tour.

(B)