Golfing, Camping, Wineries in Australia

A fantastic route from Melbourne where you can get a bit of everything.

• Leave Melbourne and head past Yarra Glen to De Bortoli. Here you taste cheeses with your wines. Try the garlic goat cheese, yum! Don’t forget to experience the Sparkling Shiraz (yes red champagne!)
• Then to Yering Station Winery. Not only does this have a beautiful setting but they have a few good reds to try.
• Time for lunch? Train Trak is a fantastic place for gourmet pizzas, gnocchi and many other Italian dishes. While you wait for your food, head into the barn for wine tasting and don’t forget to ask where the moose came from?!
• Depending on how many more you can manage, there are quite a few on your way to Healesville but whatever you do, don’t forget Riverstone and Rochford on your way back to Melbourne. Riverstone is perched on a hill over looking the valley with a beautiful stone home and has a couple of great reds and awesome Tokay.
• Lastly, Rochford where you can taste some local fudge after sipping a number of their wines. Rochford also hosts outdoor concerts in the spring and summer.

Others to consider:

Stone Ridge – beautiful view; the ten-year aged Tokay is my favourite! They also have great-looking pies in the window but I haven’t tasted them (yet).

TarraWarra/Tin Cows – rolling up this leafy drive, you’ll see the tin cow sculptures responsible for this shared vineyard’s name. TarraWarra is in Victoria’s ‘hills’, near the Healesville golf course (a guest/business centre which is not quite completed yet, but looks like it will be awesome). This vineyard has the most famous Victorian vineyard view—it is one you will see in all the Tourist mags. They also have an art gallery on site, quite cleverly. On a Saturday, lunch is $55 for 2 courses…