Ian Fennelly Sketching Tour in Australia 2026

Ian will be hosting TWO tours: each is 7 nights (Monday February 9-16, or Tuesday February 17 - 24 in 2026 )  in  the historic township of Maldon, Victoria, Australia staying in a charming hotel with boutique ensuite accommodation, private terraces and a swimming pool.
Daily excursions to local sites in the area for sketching and visiting.

MALDON  is a tiny township that was crowned Australia's First Notable Town by the National Trust and is preserved from  the 19th century during the famous Victorian Goldrush era of  the 1850's. 
It makes for wonderful sketching opportunities and is a great place to enjoy tranquillity and space as a sketching tour group.

Expect to see kangaroos at times  and the birdlife is delightful - and vociferous! too. Magpies, kookaburras, parrots, galahs, cockatoos.

Accommodation is in a renovated, atmospheric hotel in the heart of heritage Maldon.
Your hotel has quiet comfortable air-conditioned rooms with ensuite bathrooms, your own private terrace, a shaded rose garden for relaxing in and a lovely mineral swimming pool for cooling off in at the end of the day!
Your host is a chef and can provide lovely meals for you each night upon request or you can explore the little town and maybe listen to a band at the bar in the main street.

You will be looked after from the moment you arrive until we set you on your way back to Melbourne - or elsewhere - at the end.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime to experience rural Australia in Summer in comfortable conditions with such a renowned artist.

This is a fully-escorted tour with your experienced tour manager and guide Kate Stedman .
Kate is an historian, art lover and avid sketcher and she will take you to her favourite spots and regale you with fun facts and historic gems each day as well. 

ABOUT IAN FENNELLY
Ian studied painting at Wimbledon School of Art and gained a 1st Class Honours degree, is a professional artist whose artwork sells worldwide, has over 100,000 followers on Instagram and is a qualified teacher as well as a senior instructor for Urban Sketchers. See more of his unique pen and watercolour artwork on Instagram at @ianfennelly

TOUR ONE DATES IN 2026:  starts  MONDAY FEB 9 in the afternoon. Tour ends after breakfast FEB 16 (so you can depart post breakfast) 

TOUR TWO DATES:  starts TUESDAY FEB 17 in the afternoon for dinner. Tour ends after breakfast FEB 24  (so you can depart post breakfast) NOW FULLY BOOKED

Each tour starts at your hotel in Maldon on the late afternoon  with a group dinner and meet and greet.

Daily workshops with Ian on location and in our own dedicated indoor work/art studio, sketching the historic buildings and sights around heritage listed Maldon (Victoria's First Notable Town by the National Trust)  and satellite towns 

The itinerary will be rich and varied as Ian teaches us to sketch and paint houses, pubs, shops, views, vistas, animals and people this week.

By the end you will have 6-10  FABULOUS sketches of iconic rural Australia to hang on your walls.

GETTING TO MALDON:

We recommend for overseas  travellers they fly into Melbourne and then catch the airport skybus direct up to HARCOURT on Feb 9 or Feb 17 where we will organise a pickup for you to take you to our centrally located delightful hotel in Maldon.
You can then take the train at the end of your tour down to Melbourne or catch the AIRPORT BUS (Bendigo Airport Bus - see link below) from Harcourt directly back to the airport again. 
https://bendigoairportservice.com.au/

We can help you with all travel arrangements.

NB: (interstate travellers could fly into Bendigo airport too and get a cab to Maldon)  

People from Australia can of course drive (it is 1 hour and 4o mins from Melbourne) themselves if they like as there is individual parking available at our accommodation.

Transport back to Castlemaine train station will be provided by us on your departure day for those who need it.

You will be paying for your tour in AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS as we are an Australian tour company.

PRICE INCLUDES
-All 3+ star “charme” accommodation with ensuite bathrooms whilst on tour * (we have negotiated a special rate for you at this hotel)
-Swimming pool in hotel 
-All daily breakfasts
-2 dinners
-6 lunches
-All entries
-All transport on tour in private bus

- Bus transfer to Castlemaine train station on last morning for your departure to Melbourne

Your Tour Manager's services throughout the tour
-6 + demos & workshops with IAN FENNELLY

TOUR COST:   based on TWO people sharing a room
$2,995 AUD per person 
( go to www.xe.com to see an approximate tour cost based on TODAY’s exchange rate  in your currency)

TOUR COST SOLO TRAVELLER in own room: 
$3,650 AUD per person
( go to www.xe.com to see an approximate tour cost based on TODAY’s exchange rate in your currency)

Non-sketcher cost (must be sharing a room with a sketcher) is $1,850 AUD

DEPOSIT AMOUNT of $1,000 AUD per person to secure your reservation. 

Final tour payment is due 120 days before travel. We will invoice you at the time this is due for the amount to pay in AUD 

PRICE EXCLUDES

• Any flights, trains and transfers TO Maldon on Day 1 of the tour
• 5 dinners (your hotel provides dinners upon request as the owner is a chef)
• Any travel insurance (which is mandatory for non-Australian travellers)