Tour & Outing Events Coordinator – Contact Margaret Ayre
Thank you to everyone who came on the SCG tour. From your feedback you all had a great day out.
Considering the weather, we managed to stay dry. The rain stopped so we could have morning tea outdoors in Centennial Park, then our driver John took us on a tour around the park. One forgets just how big the parklands are.
Ron and Jim, our tour guides did a great job relating all the history of the SCG. The 90-minute tour turned into over 2 hours; these men were so passionate about their cricket ground. We even got to step onto Hallowed ground.
The meals at the Paddington RSL were delicious and then onto the fish markets to buy tasty fresh produce.
I sent off Thank You notes to both On Course and the SCG. I received a Thank You from Gail SCG Tours and mentioned the club may like to do a tour of the Alliance Stadium at later date.
Tulip Tops Tour
2 -3 October 2024.
FULLY BOOKED and final payment is due no later than 31 August.
Total cost $590 pp twin share $100.00 pp single supplement & $100.00 per person deposit DUE NOW
See brochure included in the June Newsletter for more information including costs.
Don’t forget your medical cards 2nd -3rd October 2024. On- Course Coach Tours have reserved 20 rooms at the Briars Country Lodge Burradoo for Wednesday, 2 October 2024.
At present we have the 20 rooms fully booked, and already have names on the waiting list.
For more information, please see flyer in the June Newsletter or ask me. I do have copies of the itinerary.
Tulip Top Gardens
Magnificent Tulip Top gardens capturing the essence of tulips, flowers, fauna and surrounding landscape whilst classical music plays ambient in the background.
Facilities are excellent with clean accessible bathrooms. Plenty of comfortable seating throughout the gardens that are well spaced. Activities include famous artists as well as great musicians. A wonderful atmosphere for families, couples and elderly persons. Thank you to all involved in the creation of the Tulip Top Gardens as you create magic through flowers.
Corbett Gardens will be closed as from the 30th September. There will still be lots more to see.
Retford Park Historical Home
Retford Park is located on Gundungurra Country and has a European history extending back to land grants made to Edward Riley Snr by Governor Macquarie in 1821. The grand house was built in 1887 by merchant and stockbreeder, Samuel Hordern and his wife Jane nee Booth, and designed by Sydney architect, Albert Bond.
In 1964, James Fairfax AC, former chairman of John Fairfax Ltd (later known as Fairfax Media), bought Retford Park and transformed the agricultural property into a gentleman’s estate. Mr Fairfax was a well-known champion of the arts and generous philanthropist. He always believed that Retford Park should be preserved for the enjoyment and benefit of future generations and in 2016 he gifted his historic home and its magnificent gardens to the National Trust (NSW).
Any members having a National Trust membership please bring your card on the day for free admission.
Banana Cabana Primate Sanctuary
Thursday, 5 December 2024
Cost $60.00 per person. Pay by 31 October. (Limited to 30-40 people)
This is a three hour car share tour of the sanctuary including High Tea.
“For 40 years Banana Cabana has been home to many monkeys retiring from Fauna Parks, Circus’s, Research Facilities and private ownership.
We hope visitors to our Sanctuary will understand our residents may not be overly active, or looking quite as good as they did in their younger years, but they have done their bit in their former careers to educate and entertain us and can now sit back and enjoy retirement in a tranquil and peaceful environment.
At Banana Cabana we do not breed or trade animals, nor do we purposely seek to acquire monkeys of a different species to enhance our collection. Our monkeys stay with us for the rest of their lives, and we commit to providing the ultimate for each of them as an individual.
In consideration of our monkeys, we limit the days and times our Sanctuary accepts guests, and every guest is accompanied by a qualified keeper at all times.
Your support in visiting our Sanctuary is truly, sincerely, appreciated, and enables us to continue to care for our beautiful residents.
Visitors experience a fully escorted keeper tour and personal introduction to each of our residents. Keepers provide guests with information about each monkey’s unique history, the natural history and current conservation status of the particular species and the extraordinary ethnoornithological connection between human and non-human primates. Visitors can hand feed some of the monkeys through the wire and are invited after the tour to relax with complementary light refreshments (tea/coffee/soft drinks/biscuits/scones etc.) overlooking the Sanctuary and gardens.”
Proposed outings & tours for 2025:
Sydney GPO Martin Place
6 February 2025 at 11.45 am
Tour cost $20.00 pp Limit of 15 persons per tour. Followed by lunch PAYG
(Tours are available Tuesday through Saturday at 11:45AM)
Discover the rich history of the former Sydney General Post Office building with our resident guide on the GPO Heritage Tour.
The Sydney General Post Office (GPO) was constructed in two stages, beginning in 1866 and designed under the guidance of colonial architect James Barnet. It was regarded as a building which would come to symbolise Sydney in the same way the Houses of Parliament in Westminster represent London and the Eiffel Tower, Paris.
On September 1, 1874, the first stage of the GPO was opened, and Sydney was mesmerised by the first major building development in Sydney. In 1891, the clock tower was finally completed, and the bells rang out across Sydney for the first time.
Delve into the vibrant history and culture of Sydney’s former GPO and let our resident tour guide bring you on a journey through time on the GPO Heritage Tour, to discover the stories, tales and legends of the city’s iconic Grand Dame.
Meeting Point
The Fullerton Hotel Sydney – Concierge
Timing
Tuesday through Saturday at 11:45AM
The tour duration is 90 minutes. The tour takes approximately 2,327 steps to complete.
Please note that the Heritage Tours do not include access to the GPO Clock Tower.
Tour cost $20.00 pp Limit of 15 persons per tour. Followed by lunch PAYG
Please don’t be put off by the number of steps, when we did the cricket ground tour we walked about the same number of steps, and you are not aware at the time of how many you have done.
Purified Recycled Water Discovery Centre
Thursday, 6 March 2025
This outing will be confirmed later in the year
The Purified Recycled Water Discovery Centre is located next to the Quakers Hill Water Resource Recovery Facility (previously known as Wastewater Treatment Plant). Here, wastewater is tertiary treated before it is returned to the environment or enters the Discovery Centre.
The Discovery Centre opened to the community for tours in 2024.
What to wear and bring
You must wear sturdy, fully enclosed, flat soled shoes (no open toes shoes such as sandals, thongs, ballet flats, or heels). Long pants are preferred.
Safety glasses will be provided for a section of the tour, if you have your own you may wish to bring them.
Please bring a bottle of water with you. You can refill this on site.
How to get there
Address: 240 Quakers Road, Quakers Hill
Continue straight to Gate 1 ‘Welcome to the Purified Recyled Water Discovery Centre’.
Press and hold the intercom button located on the right side of the road and a Community Education Officer will open the gate.
Enter through the gate and park in the first car park on the right, opposite the Purified Recycled Water Discovery Centre.