Kangaroo Tour: 27 Jan – 02 Feb. This tour offers some of the cultural and tree fruit highlights of Sydney and Adelaide as well as witnessing the spectacular scenery of the Great Ocean Road before the Koala Tour (see description below & included in the Kangaroo price) merges with us to complete the mainland tour. Upon arrival in Sydney, participants will enjoy an afternoon cruise of the harbor and tour the Sydney Opera House. In Adelaide, tree people will witness the end of the cherry harvest, apple orchards, and on-going research at Lenswood Station. Companions will enjoy a pleasant mix of tours to Hahnberg, Hans Heysen home, the beach, around Adelaide, and free time. (NOTE: click on tour name for a PowerPoint slide preview of tour.)

Koala Tour: 31 Jan – 02 Feb. The Koala Tour utilizes Melbourne as our base and offers tours for tree people to the Goulburn and Yarra Valleys to see orchards, training systems, and marketing strategies as well as visit with our Young Farmer hosts in Shepparton. Everyone will enjoy tours of the Healesville Animal Sanctuary, Footscray and Queen Victoria Markets. Companions have much to enjoy with lobster dinner, Fairy Penguins, gardens, cathedrals, and a plethora of shopping opportunities. (NOTE: click on tour name for a short PowerPoint slide preview of tour.)

50th Annual Conference: 03 Feb – 07 Feb. 

  • Saturday 03 Feb - Experience the world-famous Salamanca market on Saturday morning and then join IFTA friends and colleagues for tree fruit tours in the Coal and Derwent Valleys followed by a very special reception at the Governor's Mansion. 
  • Sunday 04 Feb is a free day to explore.  Suggestions will be available at the registration desk.  The Conference Opening session begins at 7:00pm in the event. 
  • Monday 05 Feb is the first day of educational sessions.  Working lunch provided for all conference registrants.  Evening gala celebration of IFTA's 50th Birthday will feature fancy banquet and dancing to a live band.
  • Tuesday 06 Feb - The tree people will be visiting orchard and packing facilities.  Companions will get to cruise the river, visit some beautiful gardens, and enjoy lunch at a winery.  In the late afternoon, everyone will meet to go through Geevestown, the Tahune Forest Air Walk (including a catered barbeque).  All of these activities are included in the conference registration (or may be purchased individually)
  • Wednesday 07 Feb is the final date of educational sessions.  Lunch and refreshments are included for all conference registrants.  Dinner is on your own in the evening.  (note: Kakapo/Kiwi tour members will have an early evening flight to Melbourne.)

Kakapo Tour: 08 Feb – 13 Feb. This tour on the South Island of New Zealand offers a full range of experiences for both tree fruit people and companions. Queenstown and Nelson respectively will serve as our base as we learn about a number of orchard business structures, catch the tail end of cherry and first part of apple harvest in the Central Otago and Nelson regions, experience an all-day tour and cruise on the Milford Sound, ride the Skyline Gondola, and participate in a traditional Maori Kiwi Haka concert/dinner. Nelson is also noted as home for over 350 artists – highlighting pottery.

Kiwi Tour: 14 Feb – 16 Feb. This three-day extension of the Kakapo Tour offers participants an intensive opportunity to visit New Zealand’s primary tree fruit growing region on the North Island as well as meet colleagues involved in the integrated efforts for new variety development (consumer, physiology, genetics, and marketing research). A visit to the Hort Research Sensory Lab outside of Auckland will mark the finale.

Please click HERE for Tour Brochure and preliminary Conference Information (in pdf format).

Please click HERE for downloadable registration form that may be faxed or mailed to the IFTA office (in pdf format).

 

Note: It is possible to join in a pre- or post-conference tour by meeting up with us at the primary departure city: Sydney (Kangaroo Tour) or Melbourne (Koala Tour) in Australia and Queenstown (Kakapo Tour) or Napier (Kiwi  Tour) in New Zealand.  It is also possible to travel to the conference independently (i.e. not part of any of the tours listed above by making your own travel and accommodation arrangements.