LODDON VALLEY

The Loddon Valley offers a variety of tours varying in duration depending on the needs of your group. Our most popular extended tour is our four day, three night tour which explores our whole region. Suitably named our ‘Unearth Loddon Valley’ tour, you experience our main attractions across six different townships.

Beginning the trip is a day tour of Pyramid Hill. Highlights of the day include lunch at the Victoria Hotel, visiting the Pyramid Hill Historical Society and Museum and a scenic drive out to the ‘Hill’ – the famous spot where Major Mitchell climbed to survey the landscape.

Day two the tour will head North to the Boort District – a beautiful town surrounded by open lakes. While you are in the area you will visit Simply Tomatoes and Aussie Wool Quilts to view their creativity and innovation – you may even get a show from ‘Cheeky Boy’ the cockatiel.

Continue on to Salute Oliva. Here you will experience some of their first class award winning table olives and olive oil, followed by a tour of their farm to view how the climatic conditions are perfect for their olive grove.

Finish the day off by visiting the famous Star Spanner Sculpture Garden owned by John and Sonia Piccoli. These giant spanner sculptures are created by John himself which is quite the achievement for the wheelchair-bound artist.  The garden features giant horses, bulls, fish and mermaids. Another feature of the garden is John’s collection of exotic birds housed throughout the property.

The third day of the tour is designed to experience the wonders of the Blue Mallee Eucalyptus. Starting in Wedderburn at the Hard Hill Tourist Reserve you will experience the process of eucalyptus oil being stewed in a traditional eucalyptus ‘Stew Pot’ – don’t forget to smell the beautiful essence of the True Blue Mallee Eucalyptus oil. Proceed onto trying your luck at gold with a detector demonstration. Step back in time at Wedderburn’s Coach House Gallery and General Store Museum, where they showcase preserved products from the 60’s and earlier, a Blacksmith forge and local artwork.

Spend the afternoon at the historic Inglewood – a town that has heritage over 150 years old. The famous Brooke Street is filled with a generous amount of antique shops all offering something unique.  While you are there, you will visit the Inglewood Eucalyptus Distillery Museum. Here you will discover the history of the ‘Blue Eucy’ in the region and view a working eucalyptus model. Finish the day with a court hearing re-enactment from the 1870’s at the Inglewood Courthouse.

History, art and culture is the focus of the final day of your tour. Beginning the day out at Murphy’s Creek you will have a tour of the Rostrata Country House Farm Stay. This is a tranquil secluded setting overlooking the dead log creek. Originally built in 1904 the house has been enjoyed by five generations. Moving on to Tarnagulla you will have a tour of this gold mining town. In 1861 the original Tarnagulla Victoria Hotel and Theatre was opened and played host to Lola Montz and Dame Nellie Melba.

The last stop for the tour is Bridgewater on Loddon. Stop at the women’s art and craft gallery called Secret Platypus – specialising in hand screen printed fabrics using Women’s Aboriginal Art designed both locally and in the Northern Territory. Also explore Arts of Olde, an art gallery showcasing local artists in various mediums including: handmade handbags, jewellery, candles, silk scarves, cards, pottery, metal garden art and shabby chic furniture. Finish off the trip at the Bridgewater hotel where we say our goodbyes before you head home.

The accommodation for the tour will be at the Wedderburn Goldseeker Motel, where they will provide you with breakfast and dinner each day.

When en route to and from a destination, Loddon Valley can provide that break; this can be either for a morning or afternoon tea, lunch or a visit to one of our high quality attractions. Loddon Valley is en route to Mildura, Swan Hill, Echuca and Kerang. When your holiday destination is Bendigo, Ballarat, Swan Hill, Echuca or Kerang, Loddon Valley is a fabulous option for a day tour. Loddon Valley is also one of the gate ways to the Mallee Silo Art Trail.