Unlike other tours, this took us through multiple national parks, through scenic outlooks, to a delicious beachside lunch (not just pub food!!) and to an animal habitat that allowed us to get up close and personal to koalas and feed kangaroos out of our hands! Other places you can only feed them through the fences!! Our tour guide Steve was friendly, knowledgeable, punctual, and really went out of his way to give us a great experience. Definitely recommend!!
This is the most amazing experience and must do. We had the most knowledgeable and friendly guide, Steve. Even though it was cold and windy, Steve took our minds off of the cold with all the info and awesome and beautiful sites. The food and wine was delicious and the cliff side view serene. We made new friends. Our most favorite part was meeting and playing with the koalas, wallabies, and kangaroos. If you can only do one tour this is it!
There are no words for he experience you were able to give us
Beautiful trip with a wonderful guide! Much recommend for curious and wandering souls looking for a worthwhile experience!
A WONDERFUL day out! When I heard about this tour I wanted to join it one day, as we hadn't done the Grand Pacific Drive with the Sea Cliff Bridge and having a driver for a winery visit was another draw card! I didn't expect to be delighted by other aspects of the trip because I've seen Australian native animals before, eaten by the beach regularly and visited Fitzroy Falls previously. To my surprise I enjoyed the little things that were unexpected. The drive through the southern suburbs beyond Sydney Airport and onward through the Royal National Park was a learning experience - Steve is a font of information! The microphone speaker system in the minivan wasn't working on our trip, but as it was a small 9 seater we could hear Steve clearly in the back seat (except over a couple of roughly surfaced roads). It was lovely to enjoy the passing scenery and not have to worry about watching the road! Our first stop at Bald Hill Headland Reserve was well timed at about an hour out of Sydney. The coffee was good, the toilets talked to you (fully automated) and the three passing whales were a fantastic bonus. The views of the coastline were spectacular and we could see the Sea Cliff Bridge in the distance. Everyone made the most of this photo opportunity. Unfortunately there were no hang gliders launching from the Headland today as the wind was still. Back in the comfortable minivan, we headed to our second stop at Symbio Wildlife Park. This turned out to be the highlight of the day for me, as I'd never had the chance to be up close enough to a koala to pat it and have a photo taken. Harry the koala was very cooperative and slept through the group's excitement and private keeper talk! Hand feeding the kangaroos and wallabies followed and this was very special, particularly when they gently held onto your hand to keep it close to their face. There was time to explore and enjoy the other animal enclosures before putting the cameras away and returning to the minivan. Underway again, we headed down towards the coast and the Grand Pacific Drive with the Sea Cliff Bridge. Steve gave us lots of information in response to the questions asked by his guests, as we travelled along the coast road. He found room to pull over at the end of the spectacular bridge so we could make the most of this photo opportunity! Luckily he also had a couple of phone charging cables in the van, as my compulsive photo taking had run my battery down! Photos done, we drove through some beautiful, small, coastal, cliffside towns as we made our way to Bulli Beach Cafe for lunch with gorgeous beach and ocean views. Steve had called ahead with our orders while we were at Symbio Wildlife Park, so our table was reserved and our meals promptly served. The menu offered something for everyone including gluten free options for one of his guests. My husband had a delicious salad with a grilled chicken breast and I opted for fish 'n' chips with salad as we were by the sea. We all enjoyed our meals with a glass of wine or a freshly made juice for our fellow teenage day tripper. Well fed and relaxed we took more photos by the beach before heading for the hills. The Macquarie Pass provided our way from the beach up the escarpment to the country town of Robertson. The surrounding farmland was beautiful as we drove through it towards Fitzroy Falls. Once at the Fitzroy Falls Visitors Centre we had an opportunity to buy a coffee or use the bathrooms before taking a short walk through the bush on marked pathways to the first of several lookouts. The view over the valley and towards Fitzroy Falls was amazing but I'd seen it before- I hadn't however seen four wild female lyrebirds going about their business, oblivious to us silly humans scrambling to capture the moment on our cameras! Steve took our group off the main trail into the bush where we could listen in silence to the melodious call of the male lyrebird who managed to win the game of hide and seek that we played with him! A few more fabulous lookouts before the sound of thunder hurried our return to the minivan for the final leg of our tour. The overseas members of our group were treated to a glimpse of our Southern Highlands winter weather, when the thunder clouds overhead dropped a small amount of snow/sleet as we made our way towards Bendooley Estate at Berrima. We arrived at the winery to discover an amazing bookstore/art gallery with a massive roaring fireplace was also located onsite. The grounds and buildings were picturesque but unfortunately a new staff member had failed to let Steve know that there was a midweek wedding scheduled that day, and wine tastings would be unavailable in the afternoon. Luckily there's more than one winery in the area and we were quickly transferred to Centennial Vineyards for a wine tasting beside their welcoming fireplace. The wines were lovely and we were glad that the minivan had room at the back for a few cases of 'grape juice'!! The sun was setting as we departed the Southern Highlands for our return to Sydney. We were a little behind the planned schedule due to the variation with the vineyard visit, but Steve had checked with everyone to make sure that nobody would miss their appointments or travel arrangements. The return trip via the main highway gave us a good, smooth run back into the city. Everyone relaxed or slept to the chill out tracks playing in the minivan. The overseas guests had thoroughly enjoyed their day out, but so had we, as greater Sydney locals! I can thoroughly recommend this Wildlife Waterfalls and Wine Tour as great day out for both visitors and locals alike! Well done Steve - you really are a fantastic Local Travel Planner!!!
Hi! I did not know what to expect when we booked this experience, but it was definitely worth it. Us only staying in Sydney for a few days made this a great way to see local culture as well as learning a lot about different suburbs, cities, historical happenings and cultural norms. Meeting Harry, the koala, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, something I consider the best part of this experience. Steve was kind and had an enormous amount of information about all he places we visited, and he seemed almost more engaged than us in what we were seeing! Definitely recommend this for both tourists and locals. I takes almost a full day, and even a short trip needs to have this in it's plan. We also liked the stop at the lunch cafe by the beach and the views, of course.
Steve is a wonderful host who took me to one of Australia's most scenic and spectacular sights. We drove through the rainforest, coastal cities, and townships. The scenic coastal drive was very special. Steve is a very good listener as well as a good conversationalist. He engaged and stimulated the talk throughout the trip about Australia's flora and fauna. I learned many things about Australia from this trip covered in one day. The trip is very well-organized, which includes food and wine. From watching and patting the Koalas and Kangaroos to seeing and listening to the mimicry sounds of the Superb Lyrebird in the Morton National Park this trip has immensely enriched my experience in Australia. Steve takes care of everything. I highly recommend going for this tour for experiencing a good slice of Australia. It's a five-star experience.
Steve is an extremely intelligent man! All day he was able to explain all types of vegetation, birds, and other animals. He knows the best scenic route to the destinations and holds conversations very well! Also a very safe driver!!! We were inclining on an extremely curvy road and it was raining. There was a pretty bad car accident on this narrow road that happens right before we turned the corner. He got us through safe and sound! Exceptional guide!
What a fantastic day! Steve has a wealth of knowledge of his home country. The tour felt like a private tour with all the amenities included. We highly recommend his experience if you’re looking to find everything you want to see in Southern Australia in just one day. 10/10!
THE BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!!!! Steve was kind, knowledgeable and patient. I seriously had such a blast words cannot describe how fun this was!! I took so many pictures and videos. I was fortunate enough to be his only guest and I felt completely comfortable. I got awesome pictures of animals and wildlife because Steve knows where to take you to get great shots and have a really fun time. Hands down I will book with Steve again if I come back to Sydney. His knowledge of animals, parks and wildlife is off the charts. DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY!!! BOOK ASAP!!
It was really good experience. Host has well knowledged and supportive and being a really good tour guide. Everything was on time and also we learned so much in 1day about Australian wild life. Thank you so much for the experience. We definitely recommend here to my friends.
An excellent way to escape from Sydney and experience the Australian countryside! It was a full day delivered at a relaxed and leisurely pace. I absolutely loved meeting my new koala friend Harry, and feeding the kangaroos and wallabies! Steve is truly an incredible guide, and an expert on the area. I really appreciated the facts about Australian history as we headed out of the city, and loved learning about the different trees and animals on our bushwalk. Excellent job finding the superb lyrebird! I highly recommend this tour to visitors and locals looking to do it all in just one day. Thanks Steve!
Steve is super friendly and knowledgeable. You will never get bored in his tour.
I enjoyed the day trip down from Sydney and it was a super easy way to check out the beauty of the National parks and surroundings, along with petting koalas and Roos and even a wine tasting. We never felt rushed and it was a good variety of things that we did. Steve was really friendly and informative and made sure to cater to the different dietary and drink requests from our group.
This trip was a truly full day out, where we got to experience the great variety of scenery and sights that can be found a short drive south from Sydney. Highlights for me were getting up close to a koala, a superb lunch at a stunning beachside cafe, the road that climbs up to the Southern Highlands and the awesome Fitzroy Falls. Steve was an excellent guide who showed a depth of knowledge on many subjects but was never intrusive. We’ll be looking out for any other tours he does next time we’re here!
Awesome day out of the beaten tracks and away from the crowds. LOVED IT!! Steven is is a local guide, relax, accomodating, super friendly & veeery knowledgeable on all things Sydney & more. Groups are small. Day is full on but at a relax pace. Lunch is yummy and with a view. I got to to pat a koala 🐨 and the day ends tasting wine... Wildlife, Beach, Bush, Views, Vino & Laughs... Ticks all my boxes!
As a grump,it's not hard for me to criticize people around me or experience that I had, but this one day tour is definitely a challenge. Lovely koala and kangaroo, great ocean view, and a glass of wine in a vintage winery... just what I'd expect. If I have to find something to complain about...well, I would say our tour guide of this trip. Why? How could a person be so nice,funny and thoughtful all day long? I've met quite a few guides in my life and Steve is something else! So is his tour! Highly recommended!!
This was a great day out south of Sydney. Steve provided lots of information but we were not overwhelmed with facts. There were 6 stops on the course of the day so no long stretches of driving. All stops provided something of interest from great views of the coast, the stunning escarpment and valley at Fitzroy Falls, koalas and many other animals at the wildlife park, to a very tasty lunch at a beachside cafe and then on the last stop a wine tasting at Bendooley complete with a great bookshop - simply a great day out and the lyrebirds at the Falls were the icing on the cake. I thoroughly recommend this trip which has something for everyone of all ages.
This tour has been a great day out exploring the south of Sydney. Everytime I had visitors we always chose the Blue Mountains to explore, but I am glad we decided to explore this part of the state this time. The tour is really well organized, with a great variety of landscapes along the southern Highlands, really interesting information and the Koala encounter was a total highlight of the tour.
Great knowledgeable guide, rainforest and waterfalls, Australian wildlife (we saw a LYREBIRD), breathtaking cliff formation, spectacular coast line, up close and personal encounter with a koala - endless selfies and cuddles, lunch with a sea view and samples of great Australian Boutique Wine. Wow! What a fantastic experience.
Expect a slice of Sydney with a little bit of everything for everyone, Steve was SUPER knowledgeable about almost everything, and really friendly as well as made the whole trip easy. I just jumped in the car, and off we went! The Wildlife experience was excellent, getting to see the koalas up close and personal, as well as a drive up the coast, the GORGEOUS waterfalls, and a perfect ending was the wine tasting. All in all, I definitely felt like I didn't get your usual run of the mill tour! Highly recommend!