Hop on and hop off at some of Canberra’s best wineries.
Looking for a new wine region to explore? Forget South Australia, heck, you can even forget the Hunter Valley and Mudgee in New South Wales. Canberra’s wine region is booming, and a new Wine Hopper Tour is making it easier than ever to get around.
What began in the 70s, after some CSIRO scientists decided to take advantage of the region’s cool climate and soil types, is now a thriving wine region with plenty of incredible wineries to fill up a weekend.
Hop your way around Canberra’s wine region.
The problem? As with all wine regions, it so often means someone in the group has to play designated driver. This is where the new Wine Hopper tour comes in. It’s a hop-on, hop-off service from 10am to 5pm on weekends that follows a route around Canberra’s most celebrated wineries. So, unlike other wine tours, it means you can set your own pace and path (and they promise there’s enough time to visit three to four places in a day, before making your way back to the Canberra CBD).
Visit up to four wineries in one day.
Stops include the likes of boutique McKellar Ridge Wines with their award-winning handcrafted wines, the family-owned Clonakilla with gorgeous vineyard views from the tasting patio and the award-winning wines and carefully curated experiences of Shaw Estate .
Tickets start from $89 per person and include round-trip transport from Canberra with expert driver-hosts, a route map, winery guide and unlimited hops throughout the day.
Sign us up.
Taste the wines of picturesque Clonakilla. (Image: Destination NSW)
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.
Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.
Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.
Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.
Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.
Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.
Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms
Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.
On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.
Sleep beneath the stars.
Style and character
When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.
Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.
Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining
‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.
Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.
Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities
While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.
Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences
No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.
Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.
Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.
Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.
Paddle into peace.
The details
A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.
Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.
