With another state done and dusted, we are getting much close to home as we cross the border into Victoria and visit Lakes Entrance. We’d been pre-warned the wind around that way came from the Antarctic and that definitely was the case. Wow, talk about cold. We stopped here for a few days as there were some nice drives and walks that we did with so many lakes around the area which allowed us to spot heaps of birdlife.
Heading out of Lakes Entrance, we briefly stopped at Bairnsdale, skirted around the outside of Melbourne, and next stayed on the outer edge of the Yarra Valley at Warburton. What a beaut drive. Whilst driving on what seemed like many backroads, Warburton is very much “timber country”, and the narrow roads leading into the town with towering eucalypts and fern trees made our drive most enjoyable. Our stay included crisp, cool morning walks next to the flowing river which ran through the town, with the smell of fresh air and freshly cut timber being exhilarating, and the quaint town still displayed elements of its history through the many old buildings which lined the streets.
Selecting two wineries to visit on the southern end of the Yarra Valley, we chose Seville Hill and Seville Estate. Both having fairly extensive wine lists, we limited ourselves to a couple of whites and reds, and even liked the Cherry liqueur which was on offer at Seville Hill. Back on the move again, we made our way into Melbourne for an appointment. It was only a brief visit, and before long, we were packed up and this time heading up to an area neither of us had visited before, Rutherglen.
Being another old Australian wine region, we had heard so many good reports about their Tokay and Muscats, that we couldn’t resist coming all this way without calling in. And we’re very glad that we did! Visiting a couple of the local wineries (St Leonards and All Saints Estate), we tasted some really good Durif (a wine that the area is renowned for), tasty Marsanne, and a range of Tokay and Muscats aged from 2 years to 20+ years. We also included a quick trip back over the border into NSW (crossing the mighty Murray River) and visited Corowa before heading back to the park in Rutherglen.
As much as we could have stayed longer, it was time to move. A brief stop at Beechworth to the “best bakery in Australia” for a morning coffee and yes ok, something sweet (yummo), we had a great drive on to Bright. A pretty town based in the snowfields district, we stayed for a few days and had a great time doing a few walks around the town mixed in with a day trip through the ski villages of Falls Creek and Mount Hotham.
Looking more like ghost towns in the warmer months, the villages were empty, but the surrounding scenery was pretty, with a small amount of snow still yet to be melted in the cool, but sunny days here.
Stay safe,
Grant & Linda.
| Kms Travelled Total 37,239 |