Your Ultimate Guide to Victoria’s Grampians, From Wineries to Wind-down Time

Head to Victoria’s Grampians region for heritage vines, inventive producers and charming country towns.

At the southern extreme of the Great Dividing Range, the sandstone mountains of the Grampians – Gariwerd to the Djab Wurrung and Jadawadjali peoples – are best known for wildflowers, waterfalls and hiking trails. But this region, about three hours’ drive north-west of Melbourne (Naarm), also produces exceptional wines nurtured from some of the country’s oldest vines. You’ll find first-rate shiraz and riesling alongside new-wave styles by next-gen winemakers – all paired with good food and the great outdoors.

Where to drink in the Grampians

Best’s Great Western

The Nursery Block at Best’s Wines in the town of Great Western contains more than 40 varieties planted in the 1860s that still produce uniquely delicious drops. Taste the history in Best’s Concongella Blanc, the cult Old Vine pinot meunier and the prestigious Thomson Family shiraz – just some of the 20-plus vintages served at the 19th-century cellar door. Seated wine tastings within the original red-gum stables and self-guided tours of the underground cellars are a must.

Grampians Wine Cellar

Less than half of the Grampians winemakers have cellar doors but this one in Halls Gap, from British-born sommelier Simon Freeman, gathers the region’s output in one spot. You’ll find all the top shiraz and riesling producers, as well as more surprising varietals such as nebbiolo and gewurztraminer, plus a selection of Freeman’s favourite bottles from around Australia and beyond. He pours about two dozen labels by the glass, best enjoyed on the deck as the sun sets over the mountains while kangaroos, emus and the occasional deer graze nearby.

Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co.

On the main street of Halls Gap, craft brewery Paper Scissors Rock was started five years ago by beer-loving mates Pat Calvird, Marty Schoo and Will Hudson. Now the beating heart of the town, the brewpub ticks off all the hopster trends. Try Stone Cold Hazy, My Idaho (a single-hop IPA) and the Dark Vader stout. Quirky ferments? How do stomped shiraz grapes, fig and feijoa sound? The beer-friendly menu includes crisp-fried buttermilk wings, barra bites and pulled barbecue pork on naan.

Where to eat in the Grampians

The Bunyip Hotel Cavendish

This 1842-built riverside pub looked set to close in the early 2000s until a bunch of locals pooled their funds and bought it. Co-owner and chef James Campbell is ex-Movida in Melbourne, which helps explain the Med-accented menu of his housemade black pudding, ham and cheese croquettes and Basque cheesecake. Ingredients are sourced locally (residents often drop off excess produce at the pub) and wines are mostly western Victorian. Prepare to be charmed.

Where to stay in the Grampians

Royal Mail Hotel

For a small town, Dunkeld – population 688 – dreams big. Its mainstay is the Royal Mail Hotel, which offers rooms ranging from mountain-view apartments to a 12-person homestead. The pick are the 1850s bluestone shearers’ quarters restyled as sophisticated retreats with firelit lounges, king beds, point-blank views of Mount Sturgeon (Wurgarri) and direct access to wilderness walks. The hotel’s ecosystem extends to its two-hat restaurant, Wickens, for five- or eight-course dégustations of home-grown and regional ingredients (expect snacks such as a truffle-rich mille-feuille and rabbit rillettes spiked with wattleseed). Don’t miss the lively bistro offshoot, Parker St Project (where chips with chicken salt and café de Paris butter are a must-have), next-level wine tastings and tours of the kitchen garden and Mount Sturgeon Biodiversity Reserve, home to fat-tailed dunnarts and sugar gliders.

SEE ALSO: The 9 Best Country Towns Near Melbourne for Your Next Staycation