TIF Itinerary A 30 minute comprehensive "Effects of Controls" one-on-one training room briefing with your personal Instructor. Familiarisation session with your helicopter and "pre-flight inspection". Pre-flight planning including weigh-in, fuel calculations, C of G calculations and weather report. Instructor demonstration of helicopter startup procedures. A 30 minute flight with you at the controls and your instructor in the co-pilot seat. In flight demonstration of use of pedals, cyclic and collective. Handover of controls to student for level flight, banking and turning, and increase and decrease of altitude. Instructor demonstration of hovering within ground effect. Instructor demonstration of take-off and landing. Photo opportunity with your instructor. Post flight debriefing and Question and Answer session
Additional Info Safety is paramount. All safety processes and procedures as required by Touchdown Helicopters and the governments Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) are strictly adhered to in all aspects of conducting this training flight. Headsets are available for students inside the helicopter for clear and concise communication between instructor and student at all times. Student should allow 90 minutes in total for the whole experience including check-in, briefing, flight planning, post flight briefing and photo opportunity. Free tea and coffee facilities, as well as a comfortable viewing lounge overlooking the helipad, is available for the student as well as for all family and friends spectating on the ground.
Safety is paramount. All safety processes and procedures as required by Touchdown Helicopters and the governments Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) are strictly adhered to in all aspects of conducting this scenic flight.
Detailed Experience Description

A Trial Introductory Flight (TIF) can either be a one-off flight experience for some or a "taste test" for a future career for others. Whatever your reason for wanting to sit in and take control of a helicopter, it is the experience of a lifetime.
Upon arrival at Touchdown Helicopters the experience begins. Feel free to make yourself a tea or a coffee and bring it with you to our student classroom for your "Effects of Controls" instructor led briefing. This briefing and flight exercise are both actually a part of the formal syllabus required to be completed for either your Private Pilots License PPL(H) or your Commercial Pilots License CPL(H). So if you do eventually continue with your flight training this 30 minute flight will contribute to the total hourly requirement for your course.
The classroom briefing will cover all aspects of the helicopter controls and how they are used for straight and level flight, for banking and turning, and for increase and decrease of altitude. This briefing will also introduce some of the very basic aerodynamic concepts that effect the helicopter while it is flying.
Once the theory has been introduced in the classroom, it will be time to go out and put into practice what you have learnt. Before sitting in the pilots seat though, the instructor will take you through all the pre-flight preparation that is required for any helicopter flight. First you and the instructor will be weighed and the fuel requirements for the flight calculated. Using those vital pieces of information, the instructor will then show you how to calculate the Centre of Gravity (CofG) to ensure the aircraft is within its weight and balance limits.
Weather conditions are vitally important when flying. The instructor will show you how to produce and interpret a weather report which can then be used to determine whether the flight should continue and if so what weather related restrictions may apply.
With all the flight administration taken care of, it is now time to go to the helicopter for its pre-flight inspection which includes making sure the required amount of fuel is physically on board as well as also making sure that all mechanical components and systems are fully operational.
Finally, it is time to board. Sitting in the command seat your instructor will now show you the remaining pre-flight checks which are required leading up to the engine start.
Once airborne and established in the airport circuit, the instructor will lead you through the controls of the helicopter as per the classroom briefing. The instructor will then say “You have the controls” to which you will respond “I have the controls” and at that stage … you will be flying the helicopter yourself with the instructor as your passenger. Take the time to look up, look out and have a good think about where you are and what you are doing… You are flying a helicopter!!
Once back on the ground, the instructor will brief you on the flight. This is also your chance to ask him any questions you may have about the helicopter, the flight and whether you’d like to continue with flying lessons.
Before you leave, we’d love you to bring friends and family out to the helicopter for a photo opportunity with the aircraft and/or the instructor. No need to rush off afterwards either. Maybe grab a tea or a coffee and sit back and relax in our viewing area to watch the helicopters flying to and from our base.

Tour Highlights From Kiama to Gerringong and then Silos Estate for lunch. Return from Silo's via the mountains, waterfalls and gorges of the Great Dividing Range A packed 45 minute flying schedule of spectacular mountain and ocean views Experience the unique thrill of a helicopter take-off and landing Only minutes flying time from base to the golden beaches and rugged mountains of the Illawarra Keep a lookout for whales and dolphins Informed commentary from your friendly pilot A comfortable helipad viewing lounge for all your family and friends Free tea and coffee before and after your experience
Tour Itinerary
Kiama Blowhole Gerringong Berry Silos' Estate Restaurant Kangaroo Valley Carrington Falls
Additional Info Headsets are available for all passengers inside the helicopter so that they can talk to eachother and share the experience while flying. Feel free to engage your friendly pilot for his informed narrative and commentary Customers should allow 3.5 hours in total for the whole experience including check-in, safety briefing, photo opportunity around the helicopters, boarding, flight time and then disembarking after flight.
Free tea and coffee facilities, as well as a comfortable viewing lounge overlooking the helipad, is available for all passengers as well as for family and friends spectating on the ground.
Detailed Tour Description

Our outbound route toward the renowed Silo's working vineyard and restaurant is via the scenic coastline of the Illawarra's south coast. We'll join the coastline at Kiama where you’ll have a birds-eye view of the famous blowhole and fishing harbour. The coastline south of Kiama, as we track towards Gerringong, is as spectacular as it is dramatic. Having seen the meandering, rolling, Kiama to Gerringong walking track from the air, you'll want to make that the next item you tick off your bucket list. The architectural masterpieces built as homes in some of the hill and valleys just off the coast are a sight to behold and a dream residence for most.

Soon we turn towards the picturesque village of Berry. Famous for its arts and crafts shops and its cafes, Berry is also home to the famous Silo's Vineyard and Restaurant. Its hard to resist the temptation to look down but every now and then make sure you take a look up and out to capture the full panorama of the mountains and rolling foothills in which Berry was originally settled back in 1822. This is some of the most beautiful countryside in Australia and a real treasure to behold. Before long we are on final approach for Silo's, established way back in 1870, long before a helicopter was ever considered in the minds of rational people, but now a means of transport to bring guests to sample their "honest and fresh, farm style food" and their selection of wines fermented from grape vines hand pruned and picked on the premises.
After a couple of hours for lunch, wine tasting and a relaxing walk around the grounds, it is time to head home. But its not as if the adventure is over. As we fly back over the mountains and valleys of the Great Dividing Range, the evergreen Kangaroo Valley spreads out before us. The entryway to the quaint, historical Kangaroo Valley village is the mighty old Hampden Bridge, a wooden and iron suspension bridge opened for traffic way back in 1898. An aerial view provides a much better platform to appreciate the extent its span.
Keep a lookout for the lakes of the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir and Wingecarribee Reservoir, spectacular engineering feats in their own right but all part of the greater engineering marvel that connects these valuable water resources to the Avon, Nepean and Warragamba Dams via huge networks of underground pipelines and pumping stations. You'll see the incredible man-made gorge feeding Fitzroy Reservoir to the Kangaroo Valley Pumping and Power Station. Next on the itinerary are the magnificent waterfalls and gorges of Carrington Falls, a well known treasure to locals and a fantastic sight to witness from the air.

As we track homeward bound and back over the escarpment of the Great Dividing Range, keep a lookout for the tree top walking platform and viewing tower of the Illawarra Fly. Give a wave to the tourists as you fly over the mountain ridgeline and down into the Illawarra coastal plains. This is an ideal time to look up and take in the full majesty of the Illawarra Region, a land caught between the mountains and the sea.
And all too soon you are back at base, with a mind full of memories and a camera full of images to reminisce over until ... next time!

Tour Highlights Only minutes flying time from base to the cliff faces of the mountain escarpment. A packed 45 minute schedule of spectacular mountain and ocean views. Rainforest, cliff faces, gorges and chasms of the Great Dividing Range. Spectacular Carrington, Gerringong, Fitzroy and Belmore Falls. Lush mountain foothills and the quaint country villages of Jamberoo and Kangaroo Valley. Views of Lake Illawarra and the beaches of the South Coast. The unique thrill of a helicopter take-off and landing.
Itinerary Illawarra Fly Jamberoo Mountain Barren Grounds Nature Reserve Gerringong Falls Budderoo National Park Carrington Falls Upper Kangaroo Valley Hampden Bridge Fitzroy Falls Belmore Falls Macquarie Pass Calderwood Valley
Additional Info Headsets are available for all passengers inside the helicopter so that they can talk to eachother and share the experience while flying. Feel free to engage your friendly pilot for his informed narrative and commentary. Customers should allow 1 hour and 15 mins in total for the whole experience including check-in, safety briefing, photo opportunity around the helicopters, boarding, flight time and then disembarking after flight. Free tea and coffee facilities as well as a comfortable viewing lounge overlooking the helipad is available for all passengers as well as for family and friends spectating on the ground. Safety is paramount. All safety processes and procedures as required by Touchdown Helicopters and the governments Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) are strictly adhered to in all aspects of conducting this scenic flight.
Detailed Tour Description
After take off from the Illawarra Regional Airport and as we track towards the escarpment of the Great Dividing Range, keep a lookout for the tree top walking platform and viewing tower of the Illawarra Fly. Give a wave to the tourists as you rise up and over the escarpment ridgeline to reveal the mountain top plateau of the Budderoo National Park.
Its worth taking a look toward the coastline at this point. The ocean and beaches provide a stunning backdrop contrasting in mood and colour when compared to the infinite expanse of eucalyptus stretching out below. Turning south we continue to follow the rocky cliff edges of the Great Dividing Range towards Jamberoo mountain and the ancient bushlands of Barren Grounds Nature Reserve.
Flying over Cooks Nose walking track, next on the itinerary is the beautiful Gerringong Falls, a 180m vertical drop as the Gerringong Creek plummets over the cliff edge and down onto the rocky riverbed below. Visiting the falls is a must for the avid and intrepid hiker. But if you want to venture to the valley below the falls then be prepared for a long day out trying to find the "secret passage" to the bottom. Much better to sit back in your seat in the comfort of your helicopter and take some photo's from overhead instead.
From Gerringong Falls we fly direct over the historic settlement of Carrington Falls to the actual falls themselves. The area was significant l ocally as part of the early timber industry with hardwood such as eucalyptus felled and used for building houses in the area.
From the air, Carrington Falls is formidable. The top is about 550 meters above sea level and the pool at the base is 160m below. The dramatic chasm the falls has created is very narrow with sheer cliff walls on either side. Whether standing on the ground at the lookout overlooking the falls or sitting in your helicopter seat, looking down from the air you'll be impressed by one of natures marvels.
The area is popular with tourists, well known not only for the twin streams that tumble over its precipice to make Carrington Falls, but also for the swimming lagoons a couple of hundred meters upstream. The Blue Pool particularly, is very popular in the summer months for locals wanting to cool off. The creek changes levels at this point creating a 5 meter high waterfall which is perfect to stand under on a hot day.
From Carrington Falls we then follow the Upper Kangaroo Valley River, tracking south towards the village of Kangaroo Valley. From the base of the falls, the narrow gorge widens into a lush green valley with rolling foothills and open fields. The Upper Kangaroo Valley area is home to historic homesteads and communities and also includes the award winning Yarrawa Estate Vineyard. No stopping for a tipple today though.
Formerly know as Osborne, Kangaroo Valley village was first settled in 1817. The first recorded sighting of the valley - other than by the aboriginal Wodi Wodi tribe who trod the tracks of the valley for at least 20 thousand years previously - was by the surveyor/explorer George Evans in 1812 who declared the valley as a sight that "no painter could beautify."
The felling and exporting of cedar trees quickly became the main industry in Kangaroo Valley but in modern times it is a quaint village renowned for its arts and craft shops, coffee, devonshire teas and for lunch and liquid refreshment in the grounds of the Friendly Inn pub. We'll be observing from above on this trip though, but on another day and another occasion, we'd be happy to land at the Friendly Inn to partake of their excellent lunch menu.
As the helicopter tracks towards Fitzroy Falls, keep a lookout for Kangaroo Valleys most iconic tourist attraction; the Hampden Bridge. Popular to swim under in the summer months and the starting point for kayak adventures up and down the Kangaroo River, the bridge is a 77m long iron and wooden suspension bridge opened to traffic back in 1898 and named after Lord Hampden - Governer of NSW at the time.
Fitzroy Falls is the centrepiece attraction of Morton National Park. At the head of Yarrunga Creek, it is a plunge waterfall of 80m in height. The panoramic views of the endless miles of eucalyptus stretching out to the southern horizon, and the mountain escarpment and cliff faces as we approach the falls from its river valley, are all truly spectacular and well worth the anticipation. We hope you brought your camera along for the flight. An hours drive from Wollongong but only 20 minutes by helicopter, by far the best view of the falls is from the air.
The water flowing into the Yarrunga Creek is now controlled by the engineering marvel of the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir. As you rise up and over Fitzroy Falls you'll see it's huge expanse as well as the incredible man-made canals feeding water off and down to the bottom of the mountain range to the Bendeela and Kangaroo Valley Power Stations. The Reservoir also connects to the Wingecarribee Reservoir and then onto the Avon, Nepean and Warragamba dams to supply fresh water to Sydney and its surrounds.
As we leave Fitzroy Falls and Fitzroy Reservoir behind the next location on our "full to the brim" itinerary is Belmore Falls. Meanwhile, from your viewpoint up and above the Southern Highlands of NSW, you can see to the horizon in every direction; endless aussie bush in one direction, green rolling fields in the other and all the while the ever present coastline where the Illawarra meets with the Pacific Ocean.
As we approach Belmore Falls, you will see that it is quite different in that it is a 3 tiered waterfall. The height of the falls ranges from 77m to 130m in height as the Barrengarry Creek tumbles over each precipice. There is actually a river ford for motor vehicles to cross at the top and a lookout right at the waterfalls lip, but approaching from the air, along the gorge and up to the falls is definitely the rock star way to see this spectacular natural wonder.
From Belmore Falls we start to meander back towards base taking a diversion over Macquarie Pass National Park. The pass itself is one of the few traffic routes connecting inland NSW to the Illawarra. It is believed the pass was created based on an old traditional tribal path used by
the local Wodi Wodi aborigines. The mountain pass cuts through ancient rainforest and in many locations, after seasonal rainfalls, the waterfalls and flowing creeks consume the mountain pass making it very hard and dangerous to drive through. All part of the fun for life in the Illawarra.
As you fly overhead the national park, just about visible amongst the rainforrest, the eucalyptus trees, the kapoks and the strangler figs is the tumbling Macquarie Rivulet. There are some glorious waterholes found here which have been carved into the sandstone by the waterfalls over hundreds and thousands of years. Not that well known, even amongst the locals, the area is becoming increasingly popular due to the canyoning tours which occasionally swim, float and jump their way down the pools, chasms and waterfalls.
As we continue back to base overflying Calderwood Valley and Marcshall Mount the full majesty of the Illawarra again stretches out before us. A land trapped between the mountains and the sea and home to those of us lucky enough to live here.

Tour Highlights From Kiama to The Seacliff Bridge and all the beautiful beaches in-between. Spectacular cliff Views A packed 45 minute schedule of spectacular mountain and ocean views Experience the unique thrill of a helicopter take-off and landing Only minutes flying time from base to the golden beaches of the Illawarra Keep a lookout for whales and dolphins
Itinerary
Kiama Blowhole Bass Point Marine Reserve Lake Illawarra Hill 60 and the Five Islands
Port Kembla WIN Stadium Wollongong Harbour Thirroul and Austimer Beaches
Headland Scarbourough Pub Seacliff Bridge
Additional Info Headsets are available for all passengers inside the helicopter so that they can talk to each other and share the experience while flying. Feel free to engage your friendly pilot for his informed narrative and commentary. Customers should allow 1 hour and 15 mins in total for the whole experience including check-in, safety briefing, photo opportunity around the helicopters, boarding, flight time and then disembarking after flight. Free tea and coffee facilities as well as a comfortable viewing lounge overlooking the helipad is available for all passengers as well as for family and friends spectating on the ground. Safety is paramount. All safety processes and procedures as required by Touchdown Helicopters and the governments Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) are strictly adhered to in all aspects of conducting this scenic flight.
Detailed Tour Description
If you haven’t experienced the unique thrill of a helicopter ride you’re in for a treat. As you rise slowly up off the ground into the hover, you’re flying but you’re not going anywhere!!. And then ever so gently the pilot pushes forward on his controls and forward you go and up you come.
As you take-off from Wollongong Airport, make sure you have your camera at the ready to capture the panoramic views of both the mountains and the sea as they unfold before you. Keep your camera switched on though, it’s about to get a serious workout.
Your coastal flight begins at Kiama where you’ll have a birds-eye view of the famous blowhole and fishing harbour. From there you’ll be flying northwards hugging the coastline for some great views of the golden suntanned beaches and aquamarine waters of the Illawarra.
Make sure you look up every now and then though. As you fly toward The Seacliff Bridge, the mountains of the Great Dividing Range converge on the Pacific coastline creating opportunities to capture some truly breathtaking photographs.
Keep a lookout for those at work and play both in the ocean and on the shoreline. From swimmers on Port Kembla Beach to surfers at Killelea, sailing yachts and fishing trawlers and even dolphins and whales. The Illawarra is teaming with visitors from far and wide who just can’t get enough of our beautiful coastline.
With so much to see make sure you are ready for the amazing Seacliff Bridge. Gaining international recognition as one of the drawcard attractions for visitors to the area, its expanse can only truly be appreciated from the air.
But its not all over yet. The return flight to base, flying over Lake Illawarra on final approach, will provide some breathtaking views of the mountains and the homesteads in their foothills. And then touchdown!!

Tour Highlights A coastal flight from Kiama to Jervis Bay and then Silos Estate for lunch. Hyams Beach - The finest, whitest sands in Australia. Return from Silo's via the mountains, waterfalls and gorges of the Great Dividing Range A packed 60 minute flying schedule of spectacular mountain and ocean views Experience the unique thrill of a helicopter take-off and landing Only minutes flying time from base to the golden beaches and rugged mountains of the Illawarra

Itinerary Kiama Blowhole Gerringong and Gerroa Seven Mile Beach Shark Hatching Ground Callala Bay & Huskisson Hyams Beach Silos' Estate Restaurant Carrington Falls Macquarie Pass

Additional Info Headsets are available for all passengers inside the helicopter so that they can talk to eachother and share the experience while flying. Feel free to engage your friendly pilot for his informed narrative and commentary Customers should allow 4 hours in total for the whole experience including check-in, safety briefing, photo opportunity around the helicopters, boarding, flight time and then disembarking after flight. Free tea and coffee facilities as well as a comfortable viewing lounge overlooking the helipad is available for all passengers as well as for family and friends spectating on the ground Safety is paramount. All safety processes and procedures as required by Touchdown Helicopters and the governments Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) are strictly adhered to in all aspects of conducting this scenic flight.

Detailed Tour Description

Departing from Illawarra Regional Airport, we'll join the coastline over Kiama where you’ll have a birds-eye view of the famous blowhole and fishing harbour. From the air you'll see all the little bays, beaches and coastal walking tracks that make Kiama a popular tourist spot throughout the year.

The coastline south of Kiama, as we track towards Gerringong, is as spectacular as it is dramatic. Having seen the meandering, rolling, Kiama to Gerringong walking track from the air, you'll want to make that the next item you tick off your bucket list. The architectural masterpieces built as homes in some of the hills and valleys just off the coast are a sight to behold and a dream residence for most.

Gerringong itself is home to two award winning vineyards; Crooked River and Roselea Vineyards. But Werri Beach is the main attraction, especially amongst surfers who get to choose which of the two point breaks located at either end of the beach to surf.
As we continue down the coast, the view ahead is consumed by Seven Mile Beach stretching out into the distance. Back in 1933 Sir Charles Kingsford Smith used the beach as a runway for the first commercial aeroplane flight from Australia to New Zealand. These days the avid beachgoers don't have to worry about low flying aircraft churning up the sand while they are sunbathing. If you look down below you will see the local surf school trying to teach students the noble art of balancing on a surfboard.
As we continue along Seven Mile Beach, approaching the town of Shoalhaven, you will begin to make out Jervis Bay in the distance. Looking inland you can see the standalone Coolangatta Mountain - home to the popular Coolangatta Estate - which is believed to be an old volcano but is actually just a product of the natural erosion of sandstone in the area. Casting your gaze across the plains beyond Coolangatta Mountain, as the foothills rise up to meet the Great Dividing Range, you will be able to spot the location for Cambewarra Mountain Tearooms and Lookout at the base of the TV, radio and mobile phone antenna.
Just south of Comerong Island, which sits in the estuary of the Shoalhaven River, the picturesque Culburra Beach sweeps passed on the way to Currarong. But we will divert into Jervis Bay overhead the shark breeding ground of Cararma Creek which spills into Jervis Bay at Hare Point. During the breeding season you will see between 50 to 100 baby Bronze Whaler Sharks slowly navigating the waters of the creek.
Following the shoreline of Jervis Bay the pure white sands contrast with the golden sand of the ocean coastline. Together with the transparent, tranqil, aquamarine waters of the bay these are the most beautiful beaches on the planet. After Callala Beach, next on the itinerary is Huskisson, home to the famous Huskisson Pub and home port for both whale watching and dolphin watching cruises.
By far the most well known beach in Jervis Bay and particularly well known for its blinding white talcum powder sands is Hyams Beach. The colour of the sand is due to the pure quartz mineral composition. Your photo's of the clear aquamarine waters gently lapping at the sands of the beach could easily fool people into thinking you have been whisked away by helicopter to the Caribbean.
Having overwhelmed your visual senses its is time to turn towards the quaint little village of Berry for lunch at Silo's resturant, where your taste sensations are next in line for a thorough workout. Your flight path will take you over some beautiful rolling, patchwork, countryside and foothills tucked under the ever watchful gaze of the mountains of the Great Dividing Range.
Before long we are on final approach for Silo's Restaurant, established way back in 1870, long before a helicopter was ever considered in the minds of rational people, but now an everyday means of transport to bring guests to sample their "honest and fresh, farm style food" and their selection of wines fermented from grape vines, hand pruned and picked on the premises.
After a couple of hours for lunch, wine tasting, contemplation and a relaxing walk around the grounds, it is time to head home. But the adventure is not quite over yet. You've seen the coast now to capture a brief look at the dramatic canyons, gorges and waterfalls of the Illawarra Escarpment.
As we depart from Silo's we turn to fly over the centre of the picturesque village of Berry. Famous for its arts and crafts shops and its cafes, you can look down to see the swarms of people milling around, walking the streets, browsing the shops and enjoying this warm, welcoming countryside village. Every now and then make sure you take a look up and out to capture the full panorama of the mountains and rolling foothills in which Berry was originally settled way back in 1822.
As the helicopter continues to rise up leaving Berry and Silo's behind, you will be able to catch glimpses of the distant Kangaroo Valley as well as the Fitzroy and Wingecarribee Reservoirs out to the west. To the north you will see the whole of the Illawarra laid out before you with Lake Illawarra at its centre. Strain your eyes some more and you might just be able to make out the distant jagged skyline of Sydney over a 100 km's away. And passing underneath is some of the most beautiful green, lush, countryside Australia has to offer, sitting side-by-side with ancient rainforest, tucked underneath the sandstone cliff faces of the Great Dividing Range.
As we track homeward bound and back over the Illawarra Escarpment, keep a lookout for the tree top walking platform and viewing tower of the Illawarra Fly. Give a wave to the tourists as you fly over the mountain ridge line and down into the Illawarra coastal plains. This is an ideal time to look up and take in the full majesty of the Illawarra Region, a land caught between the mountains and the sea.

Tour Highlights Rock star entrance to three superb culinary and wine and beer locations The mountains, waterfalls and gorges of the Great Dividing Range A packed hour long flying schedule amongst spectacular natural scenery Experience the unique thrill of a helicopter take-off and landing Only minutes flying time until you are immersed in the natural habitat of the Illawarra's mountain environment.

Itinerary Jamberoo Barren Grounds in Budderoo National Park Landing at Silo's Winery at Berry Landing at Friendly Inn at Kangaroo Valley Hampden Iron and Wood suspension bridge Fitzroy Falls Southern Highlands Bowral Landing at Centennial Vineyard at Bowral Wingecarribee Reservoir Macquarie Pass
Additional Info Headsets are available for all passengers inside the helicopter so that they can talk to eachother and share the experience while flying. Feel free to engage your friendly pilot for his informed narrative and commentary Customers should allow 6 hours in total for the whole experience including check-in, safety briefing, photo opportunity around the helicopters, boarding, flight time and then disembarking after flight. Free tea and coffee facilities as well as a comfortable viewing lounge overlooking the helipad is available for all passengers as well as for family and friends spectating on the ground

Detailed Tour Description

This full day itinerary of food, wine, beer, helicopters, mountains and waterfalls is a guaranteed sensory delight. From the top of your head to the tips of your toes, you're in for a real treat.
As you depart Illawarra Regional Airport your first destination is Silos Restaurant for a spot of wine tasting. But don't let the thought of Silos Estate Wild Ferment Chardonnay distract you from the spectacular views. Within minutes of departure the cliff faces of the Great Dividing Range feel close enough to touch and the foothills of Jamberoo Valley are rolling beneath you.
Soon we are traversing the Barren Grounds Reserve and preparing to descend down into the valley and over the picturesque village of Berry. Berry was originally settled back in 1822 amongst some of the most beautiful countryside in Australia and a real treasure to behold. Famous for its arts and crafts shops and its cafes, Berry is also home to the famous Silo's Vineyard and Restaurant.
Before long we are on final approach for Silo's, established way back in 1870, famous for their "honest and fresh, farm style food" and their selection of wines fermented from grape vines hand pruned and picked on the premises. After an hour of wine tasting and a relaxing walk around the grounds, it is time to move on to the next destination on the itinerary.
Departing from Berry, as we fly over the mountains and valleys of the Great Dividing Range, the evergreen Kangaroo Valley spreads out before us. Formerly know as Osborne, Kangaroo Valley village was first settled in 1817. The first recorded sighting of the valley - other than by the aboriginal Wodi Wodi tribe who trod the tracks of the valley for at least 20 thousand years previously - was by the surveyor/explorer George Evans in 1812 who declared the valley as a sight that "no painter could beautify."
The Friendly Inn is at the heart of Kangaroo Valley Village. Built in 1871 it was a brick and stone construction with 17 rooms. Today it provides for the quintessential Australian country pub experience. Great food and drink, warm friendly locals and spectacular views from the beer garden that make you thankful you decided to drop in and say hello. From our landing spot at the end of the beer garden, you won't have to walk too far to board for the next leg of your tour.
As we bank and turn over the village, climbing out for Centennial Vineyard, keep an eye out for the mighty old Hampden Bridge; a wooden and iron suspension bridge opened for traffic way back in 1898. An aerial view provides a much better platform to appreciate the extent of its span as well as the sandy "beach" below it; a cooling off spot for tourists and locals alike throughout the summer.
Our flight path out of Kangaroo Valley takes us over the absolutely stunning scenery of Morton National Park. The sandstone cliffs of the escarpment and the seemingly endless Aussie bush are reminiscent of the walls of the Grand Canyon and the jungles of South America. As we approach and rise up and over Fitzroy Falls you'll see the immense expanse of Fiztroy Reservoir, as well as the incredible man-made canals feeding water off and down to the bottom of the mountain range to the Bendeela and Kangaroo Valley Power Stations.
The remainder of the journey towards Centennial Vineyards is across the beautfiful rolling landscape of the Southern Highlands; an internationally recognised award winning wine region offering strong competition to other Australian wine producing areas such as the Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley and Margaret River. Looking across the undulating patchwork of farmland stretching out below, you will also notice the highest point in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands region - Bells Hill - standing proud at 803m above sea level.
As we land amongst the manicured grounds of Centennial Estate the anticipation of great food, great wine and great views is palpable. A three course meal washed down with perhaps a shiraz or a chardonnay beckons. Take your time, relax and enjoy the surrounding gardens. And then you're ready your helicopter awaits to take you back to base.