Great Barrier Reef & Down Under Cruise Tour

A city of stunning natural beauty, Auckland blends the best of the modern cosmopolitan world with that of a Polynesian paradise. Nestled between two beautiful harbors, this marine playground offers breathtaking views and more than 1,000 bays and beaches. Shop the colorful Victorian Park Market or the charming boutiques of Parnell Village. Explore museums brimming with artifacts of the Maori culture. Or enjoy the natural splandor of the city, from English-style rose gardens to extinct volcanic sites. Popular landmarks are One Tree Hill and Mount Eden.

The Great Barrier Reef curves close to the coast and meets the rain forest at Cairns, the gateway to Australia’s “Deep North.” Explore the reef up close via catamaran, or choose from a host of excursions the lush tropical forests, picturesque towns and homesteads that surround the city. The nearby town of Kuranda has a butterfly farm and a great street market on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Panoramic views of twisting Otago Harbour await you in Dunedin, a Victoria enclave in the South Pacific. Steeped in history, the city has maintained the Scottish character of its founders, and has a rugged shoreline to match. The tranquility of the past is everywhere, from the oft mist-draped tower of Larnach Castle to the ancient English oaks of Glenfalloch Garden. The undulating volcanic landscape provides sanctuary to colonies of yellow-eyed penguin and royal albatross, the world’s largest sea bird.

Hobart, capital and chief port of Tasmania, SE Australia. Its harbor is one of the world’s finest. Manufactures include processed food, textiles, chemicals, and glass. Founded in 1804, it is the site of the Hobart Theatre Royal (1836), Australia’s oldest major theater.

Melbourne, (mèl´bern) city (1991 est. pop. 3,153,500), capital of Victoria, SE Australia, on Port Phillip Bay, at the mouth of the Yarra R. Australia’s second largest city, it is a commercial and industrial center with such manufactures as ships, automobiles, farm machinery, textiles, and electrical equipment. The city was settled in 1835 and named (1837) for the British prime minister, Lord Melbourne. It was the seat of the Australian federal government (1901-27). The population,
once primarily British, has changed since World War II with immigration from E and S Europe. Melbourne was the site of the 1956 Olympic games. The Melbourne Cup Race is run annually.

The region surrounding Rotorua offers both thermal features and insights into Maori culture. Trout fishing is abundant
as well as golfing at the famed Mount Maunganui.