English Language Study Tours

Avondale's English Language Centre operates an impressive range of study tours for international groups from:

• Primary Schools
• Middle Schools
• Upper Schools
• University
• Corporations

Study tours are a highly enjoyable learning experience in which students gain confidence and learn quickly because they are immersed in a totally English-speaking environment.

Tour programs are tailor made to each group but all include classroom English instruction and fascinating cultural excursions during which students put their new found language skills into practice.

Students will:

• pat a koala
• spend several days in Sydney
• see the Opera House
• visit an Australian beach
• go shopping
• walk among kangaroos
• visit a dairy farm

And have the choice of visiting

• the Gold Coast
• Canberra - the National Capital
• the famous Blue Mountains

Location

The tour is based at the Avondale campus in a beautiful rural environment in the City of Lake Macquarie. It is approximately one hour from Sydney by road or rail. The nearest town is Cooranbong, a pleasant village situated close to Lake Macquarie and the Watagan Mountains.

Avondale College offers beautiful and safe surroundings in a small friendly community. City-lovers will enjoy frequent excursions to Sydney and Newcastle.

Accommodation and Meals

• Home-stay, twin-share with caring, hospitable families in the nearby region, or
• Twin share accommodation on campus, mixing with English-speaking students.
• Food is largely Australian although students can expect to have familiar national dishes several times each week and on a daily basis on some tours.
• Younger children will be given priority for Homestay options.
• Homestay is not always available throughout the year.
• Campus accommodation has been a popular choice by some groups.

Study Features

• Classes are fun and informative with an emphasis on conversational English.
• No class has more that 15 students ensuring a high level of support and attention.
• Teachers are kind, caring, professionally qualified
• Classes are generally held from 9.00 am until 3.00 pm, 5 days per week with suitable intervals for meals and rest periods and excursions.
• Students have frequent opportunities to speak English through varied activities in class and in the community.
• Students mature when exposed to cultural differences. The tour helps each one to learn more about Australia, its geography, people, animals and history

Excursions

Excursions are full and half days each week.

Regular features

Sydney sight-seeing:

• Darling Harbour
• China Town
• Paddy’s Markets (cheapest souvenirs)
• Queen Victoria building
• Opera House
• Sydney Harbour Bridge View
• Ride the monorail
• Harbour ferry ride to and from Manly beach.

Most tours include

Newcastle sight-seeing: surfing beaches and light-house, Lunch at Blackbutt Wildlife Reserve (koalas, emus, exotic Australian birds and kangaroos), and shopping at Newcastle’s largest shopping mall, Charlestown Square. Christchurch Cathedral and panoramic view of city. Sight-seeing tram ride.

Central Coast Options

Australian Reptile Park: pat koalas, feed kangaroos, see and hear dingoes, watch snakes and spiders, find wombats, eye-ball emus, be terrified of the Tasmanian Devils, watch the playful platypus, be the envy of Eric the crocodile and a whole lot more!

Week Long Excursions

A typical three or four week tour will include one week off campus. This could include one of the following packages

Blue Mountains/Canberra Option

• Jenolan Caves, chairlift, Aboriginal display
• Parliament House, Australian Mint, War Memorial
• Cruise on Lake Burley Griffin, Embassies drive-by or visit
• Australian Institute of Sport
• Space Centre
• Mini village
• Telstra tower view

Brisbane/Gold Coast/Sunshine Coast Option

• Brisbane City sight-seeing and river cruise, shopping
• Gold Coast – Dreamworld/Seaworld/Movieworld
• Currumbin Bird Sanctuary/Sea World
• Sunshine coast – Aussie World,
• The Big Pineapple, The Ginger Factory,
• Caloundra and beaches
• The Glass-House Mountains, picnic, forest walk and waterfalls

When Are Tours Scheduled?

Tours are scheduled at any time during the year to suit each group.

• 2-4 weeks or longer by arrangement
• at a time to suit your academic year.
• remember that summer in Australia is from December to February and winter is from June to August.
• Homestay accommodation is only available during some months

Hong Kong Tour Report

Forty plus students from the Sam Yuk schools in Hong Kong spent two great weeks at the Avondale English Language Centre with many excursions and activities to nearby attractions.

Click here to download report. Please be patient as it is a large file.

Costs and Enquiries

For prices and further information contact

The Study Tour Coordinator

The Avondale Enquiry Centre

Telephone 61 2 49 802 277
Email:studytour@avondale.edu.au