Long Lunch in Orange

Departing from Bankstown Airport, you will be met and escorted to your Piper Chieftain plane. After a briefing, it is time to hit the skies and enjoy a short flight (approx. 45mins) to Orange, world renowned for its gourmet wineries and award-winning restaurants, rolling countryside and heritage towns and villages.

You will be met on arrival and drive to Orange via the village of Lucknow, a historic gold mining village. Lucknow lies in Wiradjuri country. Established in 1863 after the New South Wales gold rush began in the 1850s.

Upon reaching the beautiful town of Orange, enjoy a historic drive past impressive federation houses as well as Duntryleague, a heritage-listed former residential estate, which is regarded by many as the most elegant landmark in Orange.

It is then time to head into the centre of town where you will meet Gerald, our Indigenous guide, who will introduce you to Indigenous food and share a yarn or two over a morning tea of lemon myrtle tea with damper and homemade slices/biscuits with indigenous flavours.

After hearing of Gerald’s fascinating story and learning about Australian ‘bush tucker,’ it is time to get hands on! Head to a local cherry farm, where you will have the opportunity to pick cherries straight from the tree and meet the local farmer. Have you ever tasted cherries this fresh? Support the locals and why not purchase what you pick to take home!

Continuing, it is time to visit an impressive art deco style building for a local gin tasting. Enjoy tasting this premium gin with an array of flavours and blends produced from local ingredients grown in the volcanic soils surrounding Orange.

It is then time for a long table lunch nestled between the vineyards at Printhie Wines. Printhie Wines is a family-owned premium award-winning cool-climate vineyard and a five star rated Halliday winery and cellar door. Enjoy platters of local produce with a glass of wine as you soak in the stunning surrounds complemented by your dancing palate.

Once lunch has settled, it is time to move to a beautiful waterfront location where you will meet the winemaker for an exclusive tasting of four methodé traditionnelle sparklings paired with half a dozen fresh oysters per person, straight from Batemans Bay and shucked on site – the ultimate slurp and sip experience!

Swift Sparkling is made from the highest vineyards in New South Wales on the slopes of the extinct volcano, Mt Canobolas and was acclaimed by Australia’s Champagne expert, Tyson Stelzer, as ‘the best sparkling wine brand in New South Wales,’ and was inducted into his Sparkling Hall of Fame in 2016. Currently, it’s the best sparkling in New South Wales having been awarded Best Sparkling at the New South Wales Wine awards for the last two years running.

Now that your taste buds are satisfied, it is time to head back to the airport where you will farewell your guide as you squeeze in one last gourmet surprise – a locally made lemon meringue pie to enjoy on the flight home! Fly from Orange back to Bankstown (flight time approx. 45mins).