Clonakilla, MurrumbatemanCredit: Destination NSW
Aerial overlooking Clonakilla vineyard, Murrumbateman.
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Expand your winery horizons on a vineyard-focused adventure to the Canberra District, a three-hour drive southwest of Sydney. With vines first planted in the 1970s, the region is relatively young but is now home to more than 140 vineyards and over 40 wineries to choose from, so pinpoint your new favourite drop while sampling your way around this cool-climate district stretching across the towns of Murrumbateman, Gundaroo, Yass, Wallaroo and Bungendore.
Take your first sip in Murrumbateman
Feel enlivened by the fresh air and fabulous views as you cycle — or drive with the windows down — around the picturesque wineries of Murrumbateman, which sits at the heart of the Canberra District. Uncover an exciting mix of traditional styles and new blends, with specialties including an elegant Rhône-style shiraz, shiraz viognier blends and crisp riesling. Other successful styles include chardonnay, pinot noir, tempranillo, sangiovese and more.
Begin your Canberra District wine adventure where it all started at Clonakilla, where the region’s first grapes were planted by Dr John Kirk in 1971. Learn the secrets behind its outstanding shiraz viognier at its friendly cellar door. Then task your taste buds with determining how its wines translate into chocolate at Robyn Rowe Chocolates, which features a tasty hand-crafted morsel infused with Clonakilla muscat mousse.
Connect with another early pioneer of the Canberra District at Helm Wines, where the cellar door occupies a storied 1888 heritage-listed Toual schoolhouse. Feel time slip away as you’re regaled by winemaker and expert storyteller Ken Helm’s tales of the region while sipping his excellent riesling.
Step into the future at Shaw Wines, admiring the striking architectural lines of the modern winery as you cruise up Isabel Drive. Take a seat for a sampling in the tasting room, soak up vineyard views from the lounge, or succumb to the temptation to linger in the art gallery and the exceptional onsite restaurant, Olleyville.
When it’s time to move on, take your cues from the regulars at Four Winds Vineyard and order a wood-fired potato and gorgonzola pizza to nibble while you work your way through a four-wine flight — choose from whites, reds or a mixed selection. You can also take your pick of wines by the glass, along with craft brews (with and without alcohol) from the surrounding region.
Make room for more gourmet food and wine at Poachers Pantry, located on a working farm 20 minutes’ drive from Murrumbateman. Take an invigorating walk through the vineyards before visiting its cellar door, farm shop or Smokehouse Restaurant, or opt for a picnic hamper filled with smoked meats, wine and other treats to enjoy at your leisure outdoors. Surrender to the romance as you retreat for the evening to the pet-friendly Abode Murrumbateman and tuck in against a backdrop of vineyards and rolling hills.
Clonakilla, Murrumbateman Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a wine tasting experience at Clonakilla Wines, Murrumbateman.
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Clonakilla, Murrumbateman Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a wine tasting experience at Clonakilla Wines, Murrumbateman.
Robyn Rowe Chocolates, Murrumbateman Credit: Destination NSW
Boutique handmade chocolates available for purchase at Robyn Rowe Chocolates, Murrumbateman.
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Robyn Rowe Chocolates, Murrumbateman Credit: Destination NSW
Boutique handmade chocolates available for purchase at Robyn Rowe Chocolates, Murrumbateman.
Graduate to the wineries of Gundaroo and Lake George
Prep your palate for your next destination on the short drive to the beautifully preserved heritage village of Gundaroo. At small, family-owned Tallagandra Hill, you can pop in for a quick wine tasting of its award-winning single-vineyard wines spanning sparkling viognier to shiraz; settle in for a cheese and charcuterie platter, or pair your passion for with a love of live music, with past shows featuring the likes of celebrated Australian artists Mahalia Barnes, Cate Ceberano and Josh Cunningham. And with three charming cottages on the property, there’s no need to toss a coin for designated driver.
Find yourself fully immersed in the vineyards at Lake George Winery, just off the Federal Highway opposite its namesake lake, where the cellar door nestles in the middle of the 150-hectare property. Be captivated by the family-owned winery’s story on a Vine to Wine tour hosted by award-winning owner/operator Sarah McDougall, who will lead you on a fascinating journey through the vineyard and winery that culminates in an intimate wine-tasting experience. Here you can also book a tasting at the cellar door, or feast on homegrown ingredients from the winery gardens at the onsite Westering restaurant, where you can be wowed by wines thoughtfully selected to pair with every dish from entrée through to dessert. Toast to the day sitting fireside under a canopy of twinkling stars at one of three eco-friendly tiny houses dotted across the property.
Get personal in Yass
Make like a Canberra District local on a morning pilgrimage to the peaceful town of Yass to stock up on artisan pastry treats from Clementine Bakery before another day of wine tasting. Feel like a VIP at centrally located Crowe Wines, where this winery founded in 2018 offers tastings by appointment. Specialising in small-batch wines including riesling, shiraz and grüner veltliner, a dry white rarely grown outside Austria, its vintages are in such hot demand you’ll need to be quick before they sell out.
Set your watch to wine time in Wallaroo
Prepare to uncover more cool-climate gems in the stunning surrounds of Wallaroo on the Canberra District’s southwestern fringe. Sip award-winning sangiovese at Brindabella Hills before heading to Pankhurst Wines to learn how the terroir lends itself to producing some of the most lip-smacking marsanne and arneis outside of Europe.
Embrace the sisterhood at Surveyors Hill, where women run the show at this rustic winery named for the picturesque hill overlooked by its cellar door and bistro. Pop in for a tasting or stay for lunch, knowing your meal was crafted with the freshest seasonal ingredients that dictate the weekly-changing menu. Make a night of it and bed down in the onsite cabin, which can be booked as a two- or three-bedroom space. Or splash out on a luxury stay at Wallaroo Estate, just a few minutes up the road. The winery isn’t open to the public, but you can gaze out over the vineyards while staying at its Georgian-style homestead, which can sleep 10 guests.
Mix it up in Bungendore
Take an unexpected detour to the Deep South, via Bungendore, to chow down on Texas-style 12-hour smoked brisket while enjoying a wine at Norton Road Wines. Or bypass its Biggies BBQ restaurant and head straight to the cellar door to taste the love that goes into its wines, which are not only hand-picked but also hand-pressed through a traditional basket press.
Finish the weekend by relaxing in the jasmine-perfumed courtyard of nearby Lark Hill winery and soak up the country ambience as you treat yourself to a curated flight of vintages. Spilling out into the vineyard, Lark Hill’s freshly refurbished restaurant tempts you to linger longer.
Lake George Winery, Lake George Credit: Destination NSW
Sarah McDougall, Owner and operator of Lake George Winery in the vineyard with her family.
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Lake George Winery, Lake George Credit: Destination NSW
Sarah McDougall, Owner and operator of Lake George Winery in the vineyard with her family.
Sunset, Yass River Credit: Destination NSW
Sun sets over the Yass River and the old railway bridge.
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Sunset, Yass River Credit: Destination NSW
Sun sets over the Yass River and the old railway bridge.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
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Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
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The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
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Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
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Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.