Tours

 

AVA Canberra and Beyond Tour

Friday 25 May 2012 – 10am-4pm


Join us on exclusive AVA 2012 Conference tour of the highlights of Canberra and a taste of what is beyond.  

The tour will start with a drive around Canberra City including a visit to Mt Ainslie for a perfect view of Canberra’s unique layout.   We will meander around Lake Burley Griffin as we drive past Old and New Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, National Library, Questacon, the Portrait and National Gallery.  You can even wave hello to the Prime Minster as we pass The Lodge.


We will then head towards the foothills of the Brindabella Ranges and step back in time at one of Australia’s premier historic properties, Lanyon Homestead.    Built in the 1850’s and nestled within a landscape of great natural beauty.  Sheep, cattle and horses still graze on the timbered hills and fertile banks of the Murrumbidgee river.   


We will stop for a gourmet boxed lunch at Tidbinbilla Sanctuary, a large wetlands ecosystem surrounded by bushland where you can linger at the lookouts, search for platypus from the boardwalks, observe the resident and migratory bird life, and get up close to reptiles.  

Our final stop is The Canberra Space Centre located on the grounds of the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex.   The Centre offers visitors the chance to learn about the role that Australia plays in the exploration of space. You can take in magnificent views of the largest antenna complex in the southern hemisphere, see a piece of the Moon that's over 3.8 billion years old, see the latest images from across the Solar System and beyond and check out spacecraft models, plus flown space hardware and memorabilia. Discover the foods that astronauts eat on the space shuttle and space station, watch a video on the history and future of space exploration, take a hands-on trip around the Solar System or across the galaxy, or just sit back and relax in the Moon Rock Café.

$90 per person including a gourmet boxed lunch, coach and tour guide.  Morning and afternoon teas are not included.  Please bring a jacket and walking shoes.  Coach departs from National Convention Centre Canberra, 31 Constitution Avenue, Canberra.  Please arrive by 9.30am.   Numbers are limited.

If you have already registered for the 2012 AVA Annual Conference and would like to book the Canberra and Beyond Tour please give the registration office a call on 02 9211 7343 or send an email to ava [at] infosalons [dot] com [dot] au (subject: Canberra%20and%20Beyond%20Tour) to arrange this.

 

AVA Canberra Ghost and History Tour with Tim the Yowie Man

Tuesday 22 May 7.30pm-10.30pm

Something different for AVA conference delegates! This is the history they don’t put in the guide books, this is a tour that shines a spotlight into the hidden underbelly of the nation’s capital.

A unique, three hour experience visiting sites of crimes, hauntings and murder in Australia's national capital. Visit the darker side of Canberra's past. Hear tales of:

  • The Canberra funeral parlour that was once a hot bed of espionage activity.
  • A poltergeist that regularly wreaks havoc in the War Memorial.
  • Which Canberra church used to be a train station at Sydney’s Rookwood Necropolis (City of the Dead)?
  • An Australian Prime Minister who haunts a popular Canberra hotel.
  • Why some security guards refuse to work at Old Parliament House.
  • The truth behind tunnels linking the Lodge and Parliament House.
  • A $10,000 piece of art buried deep beneath Commonwealth Park.
  • The diplomat who was turned into a pin cushion by blood thirsty murderers.
  • Missing coffins in Lake Burley Griffin.
  • The embassy plagued by screams from the past.
  • An old homestead that makes people’s noses bleed.
  • The hidden treasure yet to be discovered in Yarralumla.
  • A visit to the very spooky Air Disaster Me morial.

Wearing of fancy dress or just plain black is encouraged!

Cost:   $79 per person including light refreshments
Meet outside the National Convention Centre Canberra at 7.15pm

Tour bookings close on Monday, 7 May and the tour needs minimum numbers to proceed.   To book email: allan [at] destinytours [dot] com [dot] au or call + 61 (02) 9487 2895 or 0414 232 244.

 

allan [at] destinytours [dot] com [dot] au (subject: Canberra%20Ghost%20and%20History%20Tour%20-%2022%20May%202012) ()

 

Balloon Aloft Canberra


20% saving for 2012 AVA Conference delegates


Your flight experience begins early in the morning at the Hyatt Hotel, centrally located on Commonwealth Ave, a two minute walk from Parliament House.

We meet just before dawn as this is the best time to fly.  From the Hyatt you are taken in our vehicles to the launch site.  It takes around 20-25 minutes for the balloon to be inflated and standing upright ready for boarding. You are welcome to help with the setup of the balloon or simply stand back and take photos as your aircraft takes shape and comes to life.


Dawn lift-off!  As the new day dawns, you will ascend into the sky in your colourful balloon as you  float gently along the breeze.  Photography from the balloon is encouraged and you will be rewarded with stunning shots of Canberra, providing you with years of fond memories.

Passengers are served Australian sparkling “champagne” and presented with a commemorative flight certificate as part of our traditional ballooning celebration.  

Start time:   Meeting time at the Hyatt is 6.30 am at the Hyatt, or pick up from local hotels approx. 6.15am (pick up time advised at time of booking)


Duration:     Total tour time 2 ½ to 3 hours, flight time approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Cost:            $230 per person weekdays, $270 per person weekends

A full buffet gourmet breakfast is available at the Hyatt’s Promenade Café after the flight for $40 per person.