The Best Family Friendly Wineries Around Australia

Family holidays don’t have to be all about the kids. Set your sights on wineries where the kids are welcome so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

You’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to choose between family time and wine time on your next holiday. Here is a round-up of the best wineries and cellar doors to keep the little ones entertained while you’re otherwise occupied.

1. Green Olive, Red Hill, Vic

Address: 1180 Mornington-Flinders Rd, Main Ridge, Vic

Green Olive serves some of the best views in the Mornington Peninsula.

This cool-climate vineyard serves some of the best afternoon views on the Mornington Peninsula. Come for the all-day tapas menu and stay for the sparkling, pinot grigio, chardonnay, rose, pinot noir and shiraz. A hops paddock has recently been planted, so expect to see locally brewed beer added to the Green Olive repertoire in the near future.

Shopping is also on the agenda here, with olives, oils, chutneys, relishes, jams, sauces and natural body products available, all made from produce harvested at the farm. You can also partake in a cooking class, food and wine experience, picnic or sustainable farm tour.

Parents will love: the tasting paddle with four wines, including a side of olives.
Kids will love: the expansive veggie patch and adjoining farm complete with a Shetland pony, chickens, sheep and resident ducks. There’s also an in-ground, Olympic-sized trampoline you’ll probably have to pry them off.

2. Montalto Wines, Vic

Address: 33 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South, Vic

Although Montalto ’s cool-climate wines are no less than exceptional, those who make the journey are rewarded with more than a drink. This is a true wine-lover’s playground, where you can (and should) dine at the much-lauded restaurant, which has been awarded 21 Good Food Chef’s Hats since opening in 2002. You should also make time to stroll the onsite olive grove and sculpture garden and take a behind-the-scenes winery tour.

Parents will love: the private picnic experience. There are 10 secluded spots on the property that you can reserve for two to eight people, with beautifully set tables and a menu starring local produce.
Kids will love: the one-kilometre sculpture trail that cuts through grassy lawns, vines and wetlands. There are more than 30 permanent sculptures that are featured along the self-guided walk.

3. Mount Langi Ghiran Vineyard, Grampians, Vic

Address: 80 Vine Rd, Bayindeen, Vic

Heritage Estate Wines, Granite Belt — The Mount Langi Ghiran vineyard is truly unique.

The Mount Langi Ghiran vineyard is truly unique in that it has vines planted across 70 hectares of land and is one of the most isolated vineyards in Australia. The raw elements of climate, soil and vine combine to create the ‘Old Block,’ which produces one of the most distinctive and distinguished wines in the country, the Langi shiraz.

A selection of local cheese and charcuterie produce is available to enjoy with a glass of your favourite wine, or allow the vineyard to curate a matched flight to your taste.

Parents will love: the $10 self-catered picnic experience. Spend the day enjoying a picnic feast (BYO or purchased onsite), magnificent views and sensational wine amongst the vines. Select your favourite wine by the glass or purchase a bottle to enjoy together.
Kids will love: The hectares of vines to explore on foot or the expansive property via bicycle.

4. Kimbolton Wines, Fleurieu Peninsula, SA

Address: 29 Burleigh St, Langhorne Creek, SA

Kimbolton Wines is located just under an hour’s drive from Adelaide, and its idyllic surroundings and top-notch drops affirm its claim to being one of the best family-friendly wineries in the region. The architecturally designed cellar door is made from re-purposed shopping containers, modern ply and recycled timber and is nestled snuggly among gum trees.

Visit to enjoy a carefully curated selection of seasonal wine and cheese flights, showcasing four local artisan cheeses, meticulously paired to suit four of the Kimbolton wines.

Parents will love: the rooftop deck with views across Langhorne Creek’s vineyards.
Kids will love: tasting their way through a cheese and cordial flight, served in pint-sized plates with a set of colouring pencils and activity sheet.

5. Woodstock Wines, McLaren Vale. SA

Address: 215 Douglas Gully Rd, McLaren Flat, SA

You know you’ve hit the parent jackpot when a winery comes, complete with an onsite wildlife sanctuary. Woodstock Wines are as sturdy as the stocks they were named after; the team here have been committed to bottling the essence of their regional home since 1973.

Parents will love: the Woodstock Tasting Room, which breaks down the barriers of your traditional cellar door experience. Built for banter and wine tasting, wrapped in history, but both modern and comfortable.
Kids will love: spotting the long-nosed potoroos, brush-tailed bettongs, red-necked wallabies, swamp wallabies, Tamar wallabies, emus and the kangaroos – and bottle-feeding the ‘roos on weekends. They might even catch a glimpse of rehabilitated koalas that are released onsite by conservationists.

6. Z WINE, Barossa Valley, SA

Address: 109-111 Murray St, Tanunda, SA

Z Wines, Barossa Valley — Kids will love tucking into their own tasting plank.

Z WINE is seriously dedicated to making some of Barossa Valley’s best wine. The owners, Janelle and Kristen Zerk, are fifth-generation Barossans and the only sister duo in the Barossa Valley who produce, own and operate their business. Their ancestors were one of the pioneering families of Barossa Valley back in 1846 and are also the inspiration behind the name – the Z is for Zerk.

Their cellar door and wine bar on the main street of Tanunda is popular with locals and visitors alike, offering regional produce and live music to accompany the selection of distinct wines.

Parents will love: the urban setting and convenience of plonking yourself at a winery right in the centre of town.
Kids will love: tucking into their own tasting plank featuring local produce (smoked fritz and fairy bread on Apex Bakery bread) served with juice, milk and water.

7. Aravina Estate, Margaret River, WA

Address: 61 Thornton Rd, Yallingup, WA

Aravina Estate plays host to the WA surf museum.

The picturesque grounds of Aravina Estate set the scene for a feast of the senses. The winery plays host to the cellar door and restaurant, a homewares and produce shop, plus a surfing gallery.

Relax and let one of the experienced staff guide you through the award-winning range of wines. Choose from a structured tasting or a five-course degustation lunch.

Parents will love: the covered outdoor dining terrace. It offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy the expansive vineyards set among natural bushland.
Kids will love: the WA Surf Gallery . This is the first and only official collection of surfing memorabilia in Western Australia, ideally located in one of the nation’s most iconic surfing spots.

8. Glenarty Road, Margaret River, WA

Address: 70 Glenarty Rd, Karridale, WA

Glenarty Road has been in the family for five generations. The little patch of land has been through quite the evolution over the years, from native bushland to a sheep farm, then a vineyard with a farm shop and a cellar door.

This place embodies the very essence of Margaret River hospitality, welcoming a plethora of different age groups who need multiple vibes fulfilled. Tables here are set under the shade of the surrounding trees with working vegetable patches in sight – providing the ingredients for the meal set on the plate before you.

Parents will love: the Sunday lunch at Glenarty Road’s is considered a local favourite.
Kids will love: the junior farm feast – a three-course meal made to inspire the next generation of farmers. Kids will indulge in a farm-to-table feast that reflects wholesome and honest flavours.

9. Scarborough Wine Co., Hunter Valley, NSW

Address: 179 Gillards Rd, Pokolbin, NSW

Scarborough Wine Co. is a family-owned heavy-hitter loved for its range of exceptional wines and effusive hospitality. Here, winemaking is a way of life; the family turned out their first vintage in 1987 from the garage, where the cellar door still stands today.

Come sample each of the Scarborough Wine Co. wines – including semillon, verdelho, vermentino, chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz – under the guidance of the very knowledgeable cellar door staff.

Parents will love: the complimentary cheese plate with your wine tasting.
Kids will love: the dedicated kids’ zone, equipped with hoola hoops, skipping ropes, Jenga and more.

10. Heifer Station Wines, Orange, NSW

Address: 1034 The Escort Way, Orange, NSW

Heifer Station, Orange — Make friends at Heifer Station

In a wine region where altitude is everything, Heifer Station enjoys a nice balance of elevation and sunshine, the perfect conditions for producing cool climate wines starring chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris, merlot and shiraz.

Heifer Station Wines runs its cellar door out of an old woolshed. It’s a proud family business and one that plays a big role in the local community.

Parents will love: A Day on the Green, which is held on the property.
Kids will love: the onsite petting zoo and farm that’s home to a small herd of alpacas, highland cattle, goats and Tilly the mini Shetland pony.

11. Bago Maze and Winery, Port Macquarie, NSW

Address: Milligans Rd, Wauchope, NSW

Nestled in a picturesque valley, surrounded by towering eucalyptus trees, rolling countryside and acres of vines, Bago Maze and Winery is an ideal spot to sit and take in the Port Macquarie scenery.

Enjoy a wine tasting and then relax with a glass of wine or coffee, or indulge in a cheese/meat platter offering local produce from around the region. Follow it up with an adventure into the Bago Maze.

Parents will love: the selection of chocolates from Baba Lila, manufactured onsite at Bago Maze and winery.
Kids will love: the two kilometres of pathways and bridges within one of the world’s largest hedge mazes.

12. Holm Oak Vineyards, Tamar Valley, Tas

Address: 11 W Bay Rd, Rowella, Tas

Holm Oak Vineyards has a real point of difference from other wineries in the Tamar Valley. This small boutique winery located just outside of Launceston is known for producing arneis – a wine made from an Italian white grape that is native to the Piedmont Region. Holm Oak is the only winery in the state to grow this vine, so be sure to sample a glass… or two.

Parents will love: the seclusion. From the moment you pull into the driveway, you’ll feel like you have discovered your own secret winery.
Kids will love: Pinot Junior the Pig. Kids can grab a bag of apples and feed him while they’re there.

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.

The 12 best family-friendly wineries around Australia