Travel Specialists with over 250 years Combined Travel Experience

East Burwood Travel (EBT) started 30 years ago – by Cliff and Roz Harding. EBT has remained independent and is now one of the largest independent retail travel agencies in Victoria with 6 specialists with over 250 years Combined Travel Experience.

Independence gives EBT the freedom to choose the best airlines and travel wholesalers for our clients needs. This means we are better placed to tailor make your holiday. We do not have the large franchise fees and restrictions of
other agency groups resulting in better prices and service for our customers.

EBT are members of AFTA (Australian Federation of Travel Agents) and IATA (International Air Transport Association) and access the Magellan buying group which is one of the largest in Australia. We also have consultants who specialise in cruising and have accreditation from the ICCA (International Cruise Council Australia).

The agency was recently purchased by Sharon and Brian Leeson who bring with them over 50 years of Travel Experience. Brian has extensive experience with airlines and tour wholeslaers and was General Manager NZ for Trafalgar Tours and Uniworld River Cruises. Sharon has airline experience and has worked for travel agencies in Eltham, Lower Templestowe and Toorak.

Together with our wonderful experienced staff; most of whom have worked for EBT for over 10 years, we would love to organise your next dream holiday; or make your business travel streamlined and easier.

EBT also operate our EXCLUSIVE range of Fully escorted Tours – “MAGIC CARPET TOURS” – where you are escorted right from Melbourne by one of our experienced team.

Thank you to all our clients for their support over the last 30 years; we appreciate your continued business. We also look forward to assisting new clients to make their travel dreams a reality.

Our range of travel services include:

  • International and Domestic Airfares
  • Accommodation
  • River and Ocean Cruises
  • Package Holidays
  • Business Travel
  • Ski
  • Car Hire
  • Rail and Coach Holidays
  • Specialist Holidays
  • Travel Insurance
  • “Magic Carpet” Fully Escorted Group Tours
    and more!

Our team

Sharon Leeson

Director of East Burwood Travel since 2013. Sharon has over 25 years of Travel experience – in Australia and New Zealand. After years consulting with major travel agencies like Traveland and American Express, Sharon worked at Air New Zealand head office in Auckland, New Zealand.

Travelled to: USA, Hawaii, Canada, Alaska, UK and Europe, South Africa, Maldives, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Bali, Fiji, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Australia and South America.

Favourite or unique destination: Favourite places are Vancouver and Hawaii, my top experience was canoeing down the Zambezi River & canoeing through ice to an Alaskan Glacier.

Brian Leeson

Travel is in his blood!!! Over the last 35 years, Brian has gained experience with Venture Holidays, Creative Holidays and most recently the General Manager of Trafalgar Tours and Uniworld River Cruise based in Auckland New Zealand. He escorted his first group tour in 1981 and has not looked back!

Travelled to: Too many places to name

Favourite or unique destination: Loved Lucerne and Paris but the most interesting place i’ve been to would be Town Square in Marrakesh, Morrocco

Perfect type of holiday: A nice beach destination, even though I am not a fan of the sand I love the sound of waves. Somewhere in Fiji or Maui.

Claire Duband

Member of East Burwood Travel since the beginning…1983

Travelled to: Most of the world including South America, Europe Africa, Australasia, Canada, UK and America

Favourite or unique destination: The places i won’t forget in a hurry are Easter Island, Great Wall of China, Aitutaki, Iguassu Falls and Victoria Falls.

Perfect type of holiday: Somewhere adventurous with plenty of walking trails and sightseeing

Travel tip: Plan well in advance, research destination well, pack light and take a drink bottle on the aircraft.

Diane Miller

Member of East Burwood Travel since 1993

Travelled to: Most of the world

Favourite or unique destination: My two favourite places were South America and Russia

Perfect type of holiday: Somewhere relaxing with a few sightseeing tours.

Travel tip: When packing you should lay out what you think you want to take, then cut it in half.

Megan Costello

Member of East Burwood Travel since 1989

Travelled to: Europe, America, Canada, Africa and Australasia and Mauritius

Favourite or unique destination: Egypt and Nepal

Perfect type of holiday: Anywhere relaxing for the whole family

Travel tip: Research where you are going so you get the most out of your holiday and won’t feel like you’ve missed anything when you return home..

Margaret Costello

Member of East Burwood Travel: Over 30 years now, although i have been in the industry since 1980

Travelled to: Most of the world

Favourite or unique destination: Iguassu Falls, Taj Mahal

Perfect type of holiday: Somewhere full of culture

Travel tip: When packing use the travel pods! Makes things easy to find

Alison Lund

Member of East Burwood Travel since February 2018. Alison has been in the travel industry for over 30 years, having worked for airlines, wholesalers, independent as well as chain travel agencies and some tour escorting.

Travelled to: Europe extensively, United States including Hawaii, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangkok and Hong Kong, Kenya, Tanzania, Morocco, Australia and cruises to the Pacific. Some of my favourite memories: camping in the Serengeti, hiking in Switzerland, fog in Venice, a local running of the bulls in southern France, the fisherman at Inle Lake in Myanmar, the Trans Siberian Railway across Russia. Perfect type of holiday: Amazing scenery, history or sights and meeting the locals.

Travel tip: save time and money by organising your accommodation and sightseeing before you go so you can spend your holiday enjoying the sights and relaxing and not waste time organising things when you are there.