Canberra NGA Botticelli to Van Gogh & gardens of the Monaro

Detailed Itinerary

Monday March 22

Make your way to Canberra and check in to our hotel from 2pm. This afternoon Robert Veel gives two detailed lectures, one on the collection history of the National Gallery, London, the second exploring the fascinating history of artists’ materials and pigments with reference to the works exhibited in Canberra. In the evening we gather at one of Canberra’s fine restaurants, for a celebratory meal. (D)

Tuesday March 23

We spend the entire morning at the National Gallery of Australia in the company of Robert, exploring the seven key themes of this landmark exhibition. There is wonderful scope here, from the Italian Renaissance to Dutch and Spanish Golden Age painting, the Grand Tour and the birth of landscape and modern art – all exemplified by masters such as Titian, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Velázquez, Goya, Turner and Cézanne. This afternoon we travel out of Canberra to the National Arboretum, where we enjoy a packed lunch prior to a tour. Opened in 2013, the Arboretum occupies a huge 250-hectare (618 acre) site and is one of one of the world’s largest living collections of rare, endangered and significant trees. The Arboretum is organized into 44 ‘forests’ with over 44,000 trees, some of them more than 100 years old, and has a delightful Bonsai collection. (B, L)

Wednesday March 24

Today we venture to the foothills of the Snowy Mountains in the company of an Academy Tour Manager, exploring three magnificent private gardens with their owners. All the gardens are located on historic pastoral properties, where sheep and cattle graze over the extensive Monaro plains. At altitudes of around 1000mtrs, the gardens are ‘cold climate’ with four distinct seasons. After travelling to Cooma, our first stop is Hazeldean, a sheep property and well-known Angus stud that has been run by the Litchfield family since the 1850s. After a morning tea in the 1907 homestead, our host Libby Litchfield shows us the extensive gardens, well established with mature trees and traditional plantings. We then head for Curry Flat Station, established in 1846 by William Jardine. The current owners, Sue and Jim Jardine, have done extensive work on the garden surrounding the 1890 house, planting avenues of trees and herbaceous plants chosen for the cold climate. After lunch at Curry Flat we continue to Shirley, where the six acres of gardens at Shirley have been recently redesigned by renowned landscape architect Paul Bangay. The garden features expansive lawns, mature trees and a private lake. March is perhaps the best time to visit these gardens, the roses are still out and some of the trees already have their vibrant autumn colour. The large European trees are still in full leaf, the days are still and most of the perennial flowers are still flowering – catmint, swathes of lavender, sedums, Agastache, Japanese windflowers- to name a few! (B, L)

Thursday March 25

We conclude our tour with a visit to the National Portrait Gallery and its growing collection of representations of the individuals who have shaped Australian identity, history and culture. After coffee in the gallery café, we depart for the hotel for check out. (B)