Take a bite out of Melbourne and Brisbane

Morning
Start your day with a moveable feast at the Queen Victoria Market. During a two-hour Ultimate Foodie Tour, you’ll meet the bakers, cheesemakers and producers who call this historic market home. This guided walking tour includes samples of chocolate, cheese, meat and seafood from the stallholders, and concludes with a freshly made coffee. Private tours are available for groups of 10 or more.

Afternoon
Make your way to Flinders Lane – a 10-minute journey by road – where you’ll find one of Melbourne’s most popular eateries, Cumulus Inc. Enjoy a lunch of contemporary Australian dishes served in the Cumulus Upstairs dining space, which can accommodate 50 people for seated events during the day, or the adjoining Arc One Gallery, which can host sit-down functions for up to 70. Next, explore Melbourne’s graffiti-lined laneways with Melbourne Street Art Tours, followed by a street art stencil workshop at The Blender Studios in Docklands. 

Evening
Enjoy an intimate evening at the highly rated Rockpool Bar & Grill, which overlooks the Yarra River  and the city at Crown Towers Melbourne. Book the elegant Highland dining room for up to 40 guests seated. After dinner, move to the restaurant’s bar, where you can  explore the extensive wine list.

Morning
After breakfast at your hotel, depart for the Yarra Valley wine region, an hour’s drive northeast of the city. Visit Oakridge in Coldstream for a range of vineyard activities, including wine-tasting masterclasses, blending sessions and winery tours. Next, visit Rochford Wines just down the road for traditional grape stomping, followed by a Segway tour of the estate and a guided tasting at the cellar door.

Afternoon
Travel 25 minutes by road to Sir Paz Estate. Begin with a wine tasting and cellar door tour, before sitting down to a casual lunch of Mediterranean platters on the patio, or a catered cocktail event for up to 100 people in the grounds. Afterwards, return to Melbourne for a 45-minute Melbourne Central Unlocked Tour with local author and historian Dale Campisi, or venture to Collins Street and Little Collins Street to shop for high-end and hip labels. 

Evening
Put on your comfortable shoes for a Progressive Degustation Walking Tour with Hidden Secrets Tours. During this three-hour feast, you will visit three of the city’s hidden gems, enjoying three signature dishes with paired wines at each restaurant.

Morning
Make your way to the Melbourne Helipad at Batman Park on the edge of the Yarra River, where your helicopter awaits. Journey southwest to the Great Ocean Road, where you’ll touch down at the Twelve Apostles visitors centre. Take a stroll to the viewing platform, then continue by road to Loch Ard Gorge, where you can dip your toes into the Southern Ocean. Visit the beachside town of Port Campbell, before travelling an hour and 45 minutes by road toward the Grampians, stopping en route in Dunkeld.

Afternoon
Visit the Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld for a tour of the kitchen garden and award-winning wine cellar, followed by lunch from esteemed chef Robin Wickens. This flexible venue offers an exceptional food and wine experience for groups of up to 150 people. After lunch, see ancient Aboriginal rock art and native animals as you take a walk with Grampians Eco Tours. Then it’s back to Melbourne – by road (three hours) or helicopter (one hour and 15 minutes).

Evening
For your final night in Melbourne, host a gala dinner at the National Gallery of Victoria. Begin the evening with sparkling wine and a private tour of the gallery’s exhibitions, before sitting down to a banquet in the Great Hall, home to the world’s largest stained-glass ceiling. This grand space can host 750 people for a banquet function or up to 1,400 for a cocktail function.

Morning
After breakfast, transfer to Melbourne Airport, a 30-minute drive west of the city, for your two-hour flight to Brisbane. Head straight to the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in South Bank, a 15-minute drive from the airport. There you’ll join a guided tour of the gallery’s exhibitions, which include significant Indigenous works and contemporary pieces. QAGOMA offers a range of event spaces, including the River Room, which has seating for 250 people, and the Roof Terrace, which can accommodate 180 seated. Dine on a tasting menu of native Australian ingredients. 

Afternoon
Explore the city with a Brisbane Greeters tour of South Bank, taking in the restaurants, bars and parks of this dynamic destination. After you check in to your hotel, travel 20 minutes by road to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The country’s largest koala sanctuary, Lone Pine is home to 130 of these furry marsupials, plus 150 free-ranging kangaroos and wallabies. Choose from a selection of wildlife encounters, including getting up close with koalas, kangaroos and wallabies, holding a snake or giant bird of prey or taking a dingo for a walk. 

Evening
Return to the city for a dinner cruise on the Brisbane River. Or, for a fresh perspective on the city, book a Twilight Kayak and Grazing board experience with Riverlife. As the sun begins to set, board an illuminated kayak at Kangaroo Point for a 90-minute cruise along the Brisbane River, gliding past the restaurants of Eagle Street Pier and South Bank. After your paddle, enjoy a relaxed marquee dinner of fresh prawns or a gourmet barbecue, paired with Australian wine, beer and cider. Riverlife’s night kayaking tours can accommodate up to 96 people, and can be tailored for groups of eight or more.

Morning
Just a 20-minute drive from the city centre, board a River to Bay cruise setting sail from Northshore Harbour, Hamilton. Prepare for a day of fun, adventure and excitement on board the ‘Best of Moreton Bay’ tour where you will have the opportunity to snorkel the Tangalooma Wrecks, see spectacular marine wildlife including dolphins, dugongs and turtles. Depending on the month you visit, you may be lucky enough to see a humpback whale.  

Afternoon
After a snorkelling session, it’s back on the boat to cruise over to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) to enjoy a relaxed island lunch. After lunch the boat will take you on a scenic tour of the surrounding islands to explore and learn about the rich history and culture of this region. 

Evening
Once back on dry land, kick off your night with pre-dinner drinks at Cloudland in Fortitude Valley. Reserve the VIP booths for groups of eight to 70, or hire the Madame Hedges garden bar for up to 500 people. Then head on to Agnes for a woodfired menu of seafood, wagyu, beef or duck paired with exceptional wines. A modernised brick warehouse, book the whole restaurant exclusively for up to 60 guests giving you full use of the restaurant, private dining room, terrace and wine bar. Complete your Brisbane experience with a nightcap at The Gresham. This heritage bar can hold 140 people for cocktail events. You can also book the cosy lounge and take a spirits masterclass for 15 to 40 guests.