Melbourne Flower Show Tour 2027

Our tour commences today with a transfer from Hamilton to Auckland International Airport for our mid-afternoon flight to Melbourne.  

Upon arrival in Melbourne, we board a private coach for the transfer to our accommodation. Settle into the boutique charm of the Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders, beautifully inspired by the creative energy and heritage of the surrounding Flinders Lane neighbourhood. 

With our later arrival, we have a light dinner at our hotel this evening.  

Accommodation: Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders – 5 nights 

This morning we embark on a sightseeing tour around central Melbourne. Within the parks and gardens around the city centre are many gracious buildings, such as the Old Treasury Building, the Exhibition Building, Parliament House, Town Hall and the State Library of Victoria. Mid-morning we arrive at the Melbourne Botanic Gardens for a guided tour followed by some free time to look around the gardens and the Shrine of Remembrance.  

Our afternoon is free, then it is a short transfer from the hotel to the Melbourne SkyDeck in the Southbank precinct. Ride the high-speed elevator to Melbourne SkyDeck for sweeping panoramic views, before walking up a set of stairs to Eureka89 – Melbourne’s tallest restaurant – for a sensational three-course dinner showcasing seasonal, local produce high above the glittering city lights. 

Today is festival day! We head to the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, set against the stunning backdrop of the world heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building and the picturesque Carlton Gardens. Recognised as the largest horticultural and floral exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere, this prestigious event boasts over 300 exhibits that showcase the very best in horticulture, nurseries, landscape design, gardening, floristry and cut flowers, alongside a wide array of related products and services – a comprehensive celebration of all things green and beautiful. 

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or simply a lover of nature’s beauty, the show promises an inspiring and enriching experience for all. Your general admission ticket is included, with any additional show experiences at extra cost. 

Enjoy ample time to explore at your leisure before meeting the coach at a designated time for our transfer back to the hotel, where we’ll come together again for dinner at our hotel. 

Today our travels take us to Geelong on the Bellarine Peninsula. Situated on Corio Bay, Geelong for most of its history has been one of the great wool cities of Australia and the nearly 200 buildings in the area, classified by the National Trust, keep residents and visitors mindful of the city’s heritage. A local guide joins us on the coach for a tour of the area before visiting the National Wool Museum for a self-guided tour followed by an included light lunch. The afternoon is spent in nearby Werribee at the Werribee Park Mansion and Gardens. The mansion has long been regarded as Victoria’s finest rural homestead. Completed in 1877, it was built in the Italianate style by pioneering pastoralists, the Chirnside brothers from Scotland. We take a self-guided tour, then look through the Victorian State Rose Garden before heading back to Melbourne. 

This evening is at leisure, giving you the perfect opportunity to sample some of the excellent dining establishments on our doorstep. From acclaimed cafés to award-winning fine dining, the vibrant Flinders Lane precinct is widely regarded as one of Melbourne’s premier dining strips, offering something to suit every taste.

This morning’s highlight is a unique train ride through the lush mountainside of the Dandenong Ranges on the historic Puffing Billy Railway. Built in 1900 to serve the local communities that lived in the hills, carrying anything from passengers to timber, livestock, potatoes and plants, the railway is now a major heritage tourist attraction that invites visitors to come and experience a century-old tradition. The journey commences in Belgrave and concludes at the Lakeside Visitor Centre where there is a small museum to look through.  

We then head to Tesselaar Farm for the incredible Kabloom Festival where we will be treated to a visual spectacle with sensational fields and colourful blooms. Breathtaking views and photo opportunities abound in the fields with delightful Delphiniums, fascinating Foxgloves, super Snap Dragons, beautiful Begonias, zingy Zinnia, heart-warming Hollyhocks, sizzling Salvia, darling Dahlias, cool Cosmos and plenty more! Back in Melbourne, enjoy a farewell dinner at Berth Restaurant overlooking the Melbourne Docklands. 

Breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant. With our bags packed full of wonderful memories, we head to Melbourne Airport for our midday flight back to Auckland, arriving into Auckland in the early evening.