TENTERFIELD, GLEN INNES, INVERELL, MOREE & GOONDIWINDI

DAY 1: TENTERFIELD

Tenterfield is known as The Birthplace of Our Nation - it's where Sir Henry Parkes gave his famous Federation Speech on 24 Oct 1889 that lead to the federation of all Australian States into the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. We visit Historic Stannum House for a tour and lunch followed by a visit to Ballandean Estate Wines, Queensland's oldest family owned and operated winery.

DAY 2: TENTERFIELD TO ARMIDALE

We travel the New England Highway to Glen Innes, 'the land of the Beardies" settled by Scots and regards itself as the Celtic Capital of New England. The town built a stone monument to the early settlers of Celtic origin who helped build the Australian Nation. Glen Innes had the distinction of being chosen for the site of the Australian Standing Stones - the only standing stones to be erected in the last 3000 years. This afternoon we continue through to Armidale.

DAY 3: ARMIDALE

We wake up in the fresh New England air of Armidale, with its magnificent buildings Armidale is located in the middle of the country's richest wool producing districts. We visit the National Trust classified Saumarez Homestead. The property is an imposing house with a proud place in New England and Australian heritage. We enjoy morning tea and an interesting guided tour, learning about its early history. We continue to Inverell, a talk at the Visitor Information Centre reveals Inverell to be the centre of rich grazing, grain growing and mining.

DAY 4: INVERELL TO MOREE

We travel west through Delungra and Warialda along the Gwydir Highway, to Moree located in the Gwydir Valley which has some of the richest and most productive agricultural country Australia. Moree is also famous for its Hot Mineral Baths which originated in 1895. Many people believe in the healing powers of the Artesian mineral waters. There are two large hot public pools in Moree with temperatures ranging from 39 to 41 degrees.

DAY 5: MOREE

'Moree' in the local Kamilaroi means 'the long waterhole' and Moree today is the centrepiece of a thriving cotton industry. The Moree Plains represent the richest agricultural producing shire in Australia and serves as the economic and cultural focus of North Western New South Wales. We enjoy free time to explore - perhaps visit the Moree Plains Gallery or The Max Centre, craft centres and galleries, historical buildings and the Tourist Information Centre.

DAY 6: MOREE TO GOONDIWINDI

We drive north to Goondiwindi - "Gundy" ! where we meet our local guide for an introduction of town. Apart from being right on the Queensland/NSW Border it's also the hometown of a reasonably successful race horse - Gunsynd - the Goondiwindi grey! There is a memorial here to this great horse which we will see. Our tour also includes a visit to Customs House Museum, a border customs point before Federation.