This Wine Hopper tour is Canberra’s coolest new wine experience

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.

wine hopper tour canberra bus — 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).

Clonakilla Winery vines canberra — 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.

Clonakilla Winery canberra — Taste the wines of picturesque Clonakilla. (Image: Destination NSW)

Let everyone enjoy their wine and try booking Wine Hopper, but first, read more about our top Canberra winery picks, and discover some other lesser-known wine region gems.

From natural wonders to historical sites, we’ve rounded up Victoria’s most epic icons that deserve a place on your itinerary.

Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park

From towering mountains to crystal cascades and ancient rock art sites, the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park is a playground for both outdoor adventurers and nature lovers. Don’t miss the views from the highest peak Mount William or the iconic Pinnacle.

Murray River

A paddle steamer down the Murray in Echuca — The wonders of the Murray are best experienced on board a paddle steamer. (Image: Visit Victoria)

A natural icon of majestic proportions, the Murray River flows for a staggering 2700 kilometres, making it one of the world’s longest navigable rivers. Meandering through Victoria before flowing out to sea at Goolwa in South Australia, the river is home to diverse wildlife, picturesque towns and secluded creeks and beaches.

Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell

the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road — The Twelve Apostles are a star attraction on the Great Ocean Road. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

These limestone sea stacks are arguably Victoria’s most famous icon. After an $8-million upgrade to its lookout, The Blowhole near Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool (meaning breath of the whale) has recently reopened. A brand-new Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre, complete with rooftop lookout, will open in 2026.

You Yangs, Geelong

kangaroos in You Yangs — Kangaroos enjoy dusk in the You Yangs. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Rising 300-plus metres from the flat volcanic plains between Melbourne/Naarm and Geelong, the You Yangs are massive granite boulders named for the local Wadawurrung word ‘Youang’, meaning ‘big hills’. Hiking, biking, rock climbing and horse-riding are popular within this regional park.

Redwood Forest, Yarra Valley

Near the town of Warburton, an extraordinary forest of some 1500 Californian Redwoods stands among native orchids, eucalypt trees and rich birdlife. Planted in the 1930s, these 55-metre-plus trees can live for 2000 years and will grow to be some of the world’s tallest.

Wilsons Promontory, Gippsland

the Wilsons Promontory — Wilsons Promontory is home to the incredible Skull Rock formation. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The Prom, as it’s known locally, is the southernmost tip of mainland Australia. This 50,000-hectare reserve comprises granite mountains and forest, fringed by sandy beaches and surrounded by a marine park rich in marine biodiversity. It’s also home to the incredible and imposing Skull Rock formation.

Hanging Rock Reserve, Macedon Ranges

This six-million-year-old volcanic rock was thrown into the national spotlight thanks to the 1967 novel and consequent 1975 film based on the fictional disappearance of schoolgirls in 1901. Mystery aside, visitors can walk the steep 105-metre summit, fish for trout and go twitching.

Sovereign Hill, Ballarat

exploring Sovereign Hill — Step back in time at Sovereign Hill. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Cry ‘eureka!’ at Sovereign Hill, a living museum to the prosperous Gold Rush era of the 1850s, during which Ballarat produced the most gold in the world. Visitors to this much-loved attraction can walk historic  streets, enter a gold mine and try panning for the good stuff, too.

The Great Stupa, Bendigo

Who’d have thought the largest Buddhist temple in the Western world would be tucked away in Bendigo’s bushland? Welcoming visitors to explore, this sacred Buddhist pagoda is an epicentre for Tibetan culture, architecture, art and interfaith harmony.

Cape Schanck Lighthouse, Mornington Peninsula

the Cape Schanck Lighthouse from above — Heritage-listed Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

Ensuring the safe passage of ships in the notoriously treacherous Bass Strait since 1859, this heritage-listed lighthouse overlooks dramatic volcanic coast and wild beaches. The surrounding reserve is home to a plethora of wildlife including little penguins, seals and echidnas.

Canberra’s cool new wine experience doesn’t need a designated driver