26 of the best Mornington Peninsula wineries to raise a glass at

We guarantee you’ll love these wineries on the Mornington Peninsula. The hardest part will be narrowing down which ones to visit.

Just over an hour from Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is one of the hottest destinations in the country for a road trip incorporating vineyard visits. With Western Port Bay on one side and Port Phillip Bay on the other, the peninsula has a unique maritime landscape and cool climate that lends itself to excellent grapes, particularly of the chardonnay and pinot noir persuasion.

There are more than 200 vineyards, 60 wineries and at least 50 cellar doors here. Most are concentrated around Red Hill, Red Hill South and Main Ridge, with clusters at Moorooduc and Tuerong in the north, and Balnarring and Merricks towards Western Port Bay. Remember: many smaller cellar doors are only open on weekends and public holidays, so check opening hours before heading off. If you have your heart set on a guided tasting at a specific cellar door, book in advance. Many outfits now have the option on their websites.

Here are some of the must-visit wineries Mornington Peninsula has to offer (in no particular order).

1. Montalto

the Montalto vineyard in Mornington Peninsula — Montalto fosters one of the finest vineyards in the Mornington Peninsula. (Image: Tourism Australia/Visit Victoria)

With its fine-dining restaurant, wood-fired pizza oven and sculpture walk, there are plenty of reasons to spend the afternoon at Montalto . Perhaps the most unique experience (and a decadent way to sample its wines in the warmer months) is by booking its private picnic experience. It starts with a hosted wine tasting in the cellar before you move to one of six secluded spots on the property. Here, at a beautifully set table, enjoy a three-course menu starring local produce and a bottle of wine. Montalto also does a great behind-the-scenes wine tour aimed at those keen to learn more about the process.

Address: 33 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South, Mornington Peninsula

2. Pt. Leo Estate

The Gandel family, who owns Pt. Leo Estate , has invested more than $50 million in the 135-hectare  property near Merricks – and it shows. The sprawling estate includes an incredible sculpture park overlooking Western Port Bay, a beautiful cellar door space and three dining spaces, including fine dining restaurant Laura. Make sure you leave plenty of time to do a self-guided tour of the sculpture walk – it’s breathtaking – then taste the vineyard’s highly acclaimed chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris and rosé at the cellar door.

Address: 3649 Frankston–Flinders Road, Merricks, Mornington Peninsula

3. Merricks Store

the cellar door at Merricks General Store, Mornington Peninsula — Stop in for the wine, stay for breakfast or pick up some produce. (Image: Supplied)

Merricks Store is one of the highlights of a Melbourne to Mornington Peninsula road trip. The rustic store has sourced local wines from Elgee Park and Baillieu Vineyard, as well as a selected range of friends’ and neighbours’ wines, to sample and enjoy at the cellar door. Not only that, but there’s also a great provedore and lifestyle store – perfect for picking up some treats to take home – and a bistro doing some of the best breakfasts on the peninsula.

Address: 3460 Frankston– Flinders Road, Merricks, Mornington Peninsula

4. LL Vineyard

hands raising wine glasses at Rare Hare, Willow Creek Vineyard — Sip on pinot noir and chardonnay at Rare Hare.

You’ve probably seen photos or read our review of Jackalope – when the new luxury accommodation opened in 2017, it won a slew of awards and landed a place on Condé Nast Traveller’s Hot List. The jaw-dropping digs overlook LL Vineyard, which produces just pinot noir and chardonnay. You can taste them, as well as other wines made from carefully selected grapes, by Geraldine McFaul, at the cellar door at Rare Hare , the hotel’s casual bistro. If you’re super keen, book a wine exploration, which starts with a tour of the Jackalope art collection, followed by a tasting of back vintages at hotel bar Flaggerdoot, and ends with a wine lunch at Rare Hare.

Address: 166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North, Mornington Peninsula

5. Many Little Bar & Dining

It’s not technically a winery, but Many Little , owned by the folks behind Polperro Winery and Even Keel, is a great spot if you want to relax and try a broad variety of local food and wine in one spot. Located in Red Hill’s cluster of shops, it’s the place to go to rub shoulders with the locals, who have made this hub their adopted home, and sample the owner’s favourite wines, beers and ciders from the region. The food is a big drawcard, with chef Gayan Pieris creating a menu of Sri Lankan-inspired dishes ranging from snacks to a five-course chef’s menu.

Address: 2–5/159 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South, Mornington Peninsula 

6. Ten Minutes by Tractor

Rosé available at the 10 minutes by Tractor cellar door, Mornington Peninsula — Sample delicious rosé Ten Minutes by Tractor. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

The winemakers at Ten Minutes by Tractor have a low-intervention, sustainable approach to their craft, earning their wines rave reviews from critics. The slick, architecturally designed cellar is a relaxed space where guests can taste a drop or two and chat with the staff about what they’re drinking.

Hungry? There are two options: Allis Wine Bar Bistro and the acclaimed upmarket eponymous restaurant. Each takes ingredients from the property’s regenerative farm and the wider region to create seasonal, sustainable dishes. The first offers an innovative à la carte menu, while the latter has two set menus of between eight and 12 courses.

Address: 1333 Mornington–Flinders Road, Main Ridge, Mornington Peninsula 

7. Foxeys Hangout

Set overlooking vineyards and surrounding bushland, Foxeys Hangout is the perfect place to while away a few hours. The vibe is wonderfully relaxed in the cellar door, where you can taste Foxey’s sparkling rosé, chardonnay and more. Chef Bernard McCarthy oversees regularly changing share plates – dishes like spiced meatballs with yoghurt dip and piquillo peppers with black barley might be on the menu – in the bustling restaurant that spills over onto a sunny terrace.

Address: 795 White Hill Road, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula

8. Paringa Estate

a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting the Paringa Estate vineyard — The restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lush landscape. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

Those who know Mornington Peninsula wines rave about the pinot noir, but Lindsay McCall, the winemaker at Paringa Estate , has managed to produce excellent, complex shiraz. At the cellar door, taste the different series of wine – Peninsula, Estate and Single Vineyard – and talk through each one’s qualities with the staff members.

If you feel like a casual meal, Paringa Garden serves seasonal dishes in the warmer months and cheese and charcuterie when it’s cooler. Make an occasion of it at the light and bright restaurant, with the vineyard just beyond its floor-to-ceiling windows. Here, you can hand the decisions to the chef with a four-course menu or choose from the à la carte offerings.

Address: 44 Paringa Road, Red Hill South, Mornington Peninsula 

9. Main Ridge Estate

This winery is a little more off the beaten track but is well worth discovering. Main Ridge Estate was the peninsula’s first registered commercial winery and the first to have a license for its cellar door. The decision to make wine only from grapes grown onsite results in a limited number of barrels that truly express the season and the site. If you want to go beyond a taste at the cellar door, pair your wine with a casual lunch, taking in views of the quiet, bush valley from the sundeck. In the cooler months, you can sit by the fire in the working winery.

Address: 80 William Road, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula

10. Dromana Estate

outdoor dining at Dromana Estate, Mornington Peninsula — Snag a seat in the garden for arvo wine tastings.

For the past decade, winemaker Peter Bauer has been applying his skills to the peninsula’s noted varietals, chardonnay and pinot noir, as well as many other cool-climate wines. Dromana Estate has three labels – Dromana Estate, Tuerong Park and Mornington Estate – each of which is estate-grown and made. The cellar door is set in a heritage-listed homestead with tastings led by experienced hosts. There’s also a restaurant serving Italian-inspired dishes and a kids’ menu.

Address: 555 Old Moorooduc Road, Tuerong, Mornington Peninsula

11. Polperro

Polperro is a premium, single vineyard label specialising in pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot gris. With luxury accommodation, an intimate cellar door and a cracking restaurant, this winery is a great place to relax and unwind. Surrounded by sweeping lawns, the restaurant has a fabulous atmosphere – enjoy a long lunch in summer on the sun-drenched deck or cosy up near the fire when the weather cools.

Address: 150 Red Hill Road, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula

12. Crittenden

lakeside villas at Crittenden Estate, Mornington Peninsula — The winery’s luxury lakeside villas are the perfect place to base yourself. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

Garry Crittenden is a legend in the industry – literally. He was given the title by the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival back in 2012. He planted two hectares of grapes here in 1982 and has gone on to create something of an empire, with son Rollo now running the show. Crittenden ‘s wine centre is one of the largest on the Mornington Peninsula and has two tasting options: a bespoke tasting with a focus on estate wines and Italian and Spanish varieties, with the opportunity to add a supplementary single vineyard tasting. Splash out on a bottle from the Cri De Couer premium range to lie down for a special occasion, then buy a few bottles of Los Hermanos Tempranillo or Peninsula Pinot Noir to drink now. The property also has three fully self-contained luxury lakeside villas if you want to stay longer.

Address: 25 Harrisons Road, Dromana, Mornington Peninsula

13. Rahona Valley

wine tasting in the cellar door filled with barrels at Rahona Valley, Mornington Peninsula — Barrel-aged wines are available to sip and savour. (Image: ©CMcConville/DromanaHabitat)

Toby Pieters and Dianne Gardiner started with a little more than a hectare of vines, but now source grapes from five premium vineyards across the peninsula. Rahona Valley specialises in premium sparkling wines made using methode traditionnelle techniques, although there’s also a selection of cool-climate table wines. In 2020, Toby and Dianne opened the Australian Cuvee Centre in Dromana, where you can taste their wines as well as those from other producers. Make a booking to sip on a sparkling wine flight or do a matched tasting with either cheese or chocolate.

Address: 3/48 Collins Road, Dromana, Mornington Peninsula

14. Avani Wines

the vineyard at Avani Wines — The Red Hill South vineyard is where the Syrah grapes are grown. (Image: Parker Blain)

Family-owned Avani Wines has vineyards spread across five small sites on the Mornington Peninsula and nearby Gippsland, with winemaker Sashi Singh focusing on syrah, pinot noir and chardonnay. The small cellar door, open each weekend, overlooks the Red Hill South vineyard (where the syrah grapes are grown). In November 2024, Avani Wines opened its Cellar Kitchen, where siblings Retu Kaskana and Rohit Singh have worked with chef Deepak Mishra on a wine-friendly Indian menu featuring some of their dad Devendra’s favourite dishes from his hometown of Lucknow.

Address: 98 Stanleys Road, Red Hill South, Mornington Peninsula

15. Mantons Creek Estate

an alfresco dining setup at Mantons Creek Estate — Dine al fresco and take in the beauty of the lush landscape. (Image: Mantons Creek Estate)

The pretty cellar door, with its green ceramic tiles and gold chandeliers, offers seated tastings of the vineyard’s eight estate-grown varieties. Originally an orchard and herb farm, Mantons Creek Estate was planted with vines in 1994, and even today, they are hand-pruned and harvested. Springtime is gorgeous here, with the white roses planted at the end of the rows of vines blooming. They also surround the terrace at restaurant Quattro, where you can feast on fine Italian classics.

Address: 240 Tucks Road, Shoreham, Mornington Peninsula

16. T’Gallant Vineyard

a scenic view of the T’Gallant Vineyard, Mornington Peninsula — T’Gallant Vineyard is a prime setting for a relaxed afternoon. (Image: Kate Shanasy)

In 1994, an apple orchard was replaced with four hectares of pinot gris vines – unheard of on the Mornington Peninsula at the time – and T’Gallant was born. Following Italian principles, the winemakers now create fresh, food-friendly wines in different varieties, including pinot noir. Taste the wines at the cellar door, then enjoy an Italian-inspired feast of shared plates, pasta and pizza at the restaurant that combines rustic charm and contemporary elegance. You can also choose to sit on the deck overlooking the vineyards.

Address: 1385 Mornington–Flinders Road, Main Ridge, Mornington Peninsula

17. Elan Vineyard

It’s all about relaxing at this small family-run winery. Sit under the rotunda at Elan Vineyard and taste the estate-grown, small-batch shiraz, gamay, chardonnay, cabernet merlot, blanc de blanc and pinot noir. Feel free to bring the kids who can enjoy themselves in the playground. On the weekend, there may be simple food coming off the barbecue, although you should also feel free to use the picnic and barbecue facilities.

Address: 17 Turners Road, Balnarring, Mornington Peninsula

18. Mont Rouge Estate

the dining space at Mont Rouge Estate, Mornington Peninsula — Grab a snack or light lunch at Mont Rouge Estate. (Image: Supplied)

The cellar door and – wait for it – chocolaterie at Mont Rouge Estate look as though they’ve dropped straight out of a fairytale. The turreted homestead, surrounded by vines, is where you can taste the single-vineyard chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir and shiraz. During the week, grab a snack or light lunch from the garden menu; on the weekend, it’s shared plates served on a three-tiered platter. Even if you don’t stop to eat, you’ll want to grab a treat for the road. Onsite Cocoa Rouge Chocolaterie showcases local produce and fine French and Belgian chocolate in handmade artisanal sweets, as well as ice cream made on the premises.

Address: 232 Red Hill Road, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula

19. Phaedrus Estate

the wine at Phaedrus Estate, Mornington Peninsula — Their chardonnay has lime and pineapple aromas. (Image: Supplied)

The lawn between the cellar door and the vines is a popular spot on sunny weekends. People find a table beneath the trees at Phaedrus Estate or spread picnic blankets to catch a few rays. When you arrive, start with a tasting of the different varietals that have been grown here for more than a quarter of a century – fiano and fumé blanc are two of the more unusual, but there’s also pinot noir and chardonnay – then order a bottle and cheese platter to enjoy while taking in beautiful views.

Address: 220 Mornington–Tyabb Road, Moorooduc, Mornington Peninsula

20. Quealy

two men walking along the vineyard at Quealy, Mornington Peninsula — The organic vineyard grows the peninsula’s best single-vineyard pinot noirs. (Image: Abi Varni)

Kathleen Quealy and Kevin McCarthy were responsible for, almost exclusively, igniting Australians’ love for pinot gris/grigio back in the 1990s. Now, Quealy winemaker Tom McCarthy has taken the organic vineyard and focuses much of his attention on growing the peninsula’s best single-vineyard pinot noirs (if you can, grab a bottle of Seventeen Rows Pinot Noir produced from wide-spaced, zero-irrigation vines planted in 1982). Lovers of Italian varietals will also find friulano, malvasia and ribolla gialla (2021 was the first vintage for this grape in Australia) at the cellar door, where you can book a guided tasting and linger over a cheese board.

Address: 62 Bittern–Dromana Road, Balnarring, Mornington Peninsula

21. Portsea Estate

This appointment-only cellar door comes complete with views of the Point Nepean National Park and the ocean beyond. Owned and operated by the Ross family since 1956, Portsea Estate offers three premium experiences for guests: a tasting of five wines guided by a family member, a tour of the winery and vineyard followed by a seated tasting, and a deeper look at the winery and estate, with tastings taking place at scenic sites across the property. The farm uses regenerative agriculture to look after the land, also producing its own olive oil and honey.

Address: 183 Hotham Road, Portsea, Mornington Peninsula

22. Red Hill Estate

the lush vineyard at Red Hill Estate, Mornington Peninsula — Take in the tranquil vineyard views at Red Hill Estate. (Image: Supplied/CMcConville)

It’s all about Italy at Red Hill Estate . Book a standard or premium wine experience, which is a hosted tasting of six wines, or one that matches wines with handcrafted chocolates or selected bites from the Italian restaurant. These experiences are held in the onsite Italian restaurant, which was transformed in 2024 to resemble a Tuscan farmhouse. All the dishes on the restaurant menu are designed for sharing, just as you would at Nonna’s house.

Address: 1208 Mornington–Flinders Road, Main Ridge, Mornington Peninsula

23. Yal Yal Estate

Expect a boutique experience at Yal Yal Estate . Simon and Liz Gillies added the sleek cellar door as an extension of their house, and now just 20 guests at a time can sip on their estate-grown wines while enjoying a platter of local produce on the deck. The Gillies work with winemaker Rollo Crittenden to ensure their chardonnay, rosé and pinot noir reflect the estate’s terroir, while they buy carefully selected fruit from nearby vineyards to produce pinot gris. Bookings are essential.

Address: 21 Yal Yal Road, Merricks, Mornington Peninsula

24. Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill

the Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill accommodation — The luxe hotel is tucked in the heart of Red Hill among stunning gardens. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Better known as a luxury boutique hotel, Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill also has a five-star James Halliday-rated cellar door. Winemaker Barnaby Flanders creates estate pinot noir and chardonnay from the grapes grown on the property, but also selects fine fruit from other parts of Victoria – pinot noir for rosé and pinot gris from a sister property in the Macedon Ranges, and shiraz from the Grampians – to create a small but perfectly formed portfolio. Much of the cellar door is located outside, but the firepits are lit during winter to keep things cosy.

Address: 142 Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula

25. Trofeo Estate

the restaurant at Trofeo Estate, Mornington Peninsula — The restaurant’s menu celebrates the region’s local and seasonal produce. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The fruit grown in the organic vineyards at Trofeo Estate is finished a little differently than most. After researching different methods, owner Jim Manolios and winemaker Richard Darby decided to use modern terracotta amphorae to ferment and mature their wines. Today, Trofeo is the largest producer of amphora wine in the southern hemisphere. If you want to find out more, head to the cellar door for a tasting and to quiz the team about the estate’s history (it was once a passionfruit cannery) and methods. There are cheese plates available throughout the week, and from Wednesday to Sunday, you can dine in the restaurant from the excellent menu of farmhouse dishes made using local produce.

Address: 85 Harrisons Road, Dromana, Mornington Peninsula

26. Hinkinbotham of Dromana

Hinkinbotham of Dromana vineyard at sunset — Relax over a glass or two at sunset. (Image: Supplied)

Not only can you taste some cracking Mornington Peninsula wines at Hinkinbotham of Dromana , but there’s also a microbrewery creating award-winning pilsener, pale ale, brown and Irish stout. Perfect if you’ve tasted enough wine for one weekend. The cellar door is open on weekends, and there’s live music if you want to relax over a glass or two. The vineyard’s Mintaro Restaurant is open Wednesday to Sunday. Here, the chefs utilise produce from the property’s herb and vegetable garden, as well as that from surrounding farms, to create a crowd-pleasing menu of classic dishes.

Address: 194 Nepean Highway, Dromana, Mornington Peninsula

Need somewhere to stay? Check out our guide to the best Mornington Peninsula accommodation.

Originally written by Simone Mitchell with updates by Carrie Hutchinson

Video credit: Visit Victoria/Tourism Australia

The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

There are no kangaroos back in Chicago: they’re all here in the Grampians/Gariwerd . In the heart of the Grampians National Park’s main gateway town, Halls Gap, pods of eastern greys are eating grass beside my parked rental car beneath the stars. Next morning, when I see the backyard of my rented villa on the edge of town for the first time, there are kangaroos feeding beside a slow-moving creek, lined with river red gums.

Five hundred metres up the road, 50 or so of them are eating by the side of the road in a paddock. I pull over to watch and spot three emus. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos fly overhead towards the tall green mountains just beyond town.

‘Kee-ow, keee-oww’… their calls fuse with the maniacal cackle of a kookaburra (or 10). Gawd, how I’ve missed the sound of them. Far above, a wedge-tailed eagle watches, and there you go: the ‘great birds of Australia’ trifecta, all half a kay from the town limits.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

kangaroos near Halls Gap, Grampians National Park — The park is renowned for its significant diversity of native fauna species. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

I’ve come to the Grampians to disconnect, but the bush offers a connection of its own. This isn’t just any bush, mind you. The Grampians National Park is iconic for many reasons, mostly for its striking sandstone mountains – five ridges run north to south, with abrupt, orange slopes which tumble right into Halls Gap – and for the fact there’s 20,000 years of traditional rock art. Across these mountains there are more than 200 recorded sites to see, created by the Djab Wurrung, Jardwadjali and Gunditjmara peoples. It’s just like our outback… but three hours from Melbourne.

I’ve come here for a chance at renewal after the chaos of my life in America’s third-largest city, Chicago, where I live for now, at the whim of a relative’s cancer journey. Flying into Melbourne’s airport, it only takes an hour’s drive to feel far away from any concept of suburbia. When I arrive in Halls Gap two hours later, the restaurant I’m eating at clears out entirely by 7:45pm; Chicago already feels a lifetime ago.

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

sunrise at Grampians National Park /Gariwerd — Grampians National Park /Gariwerd covers almost 2000 square kilometres. (Image: Ben Savage)

Though the national park covers almost 2000 square kilometres, its best-known landmarks are remarkably easy to access. From my carpark here, among the cockatoos and kangaroos on the fringe of Halls Gap, it only takes 60 seconds’ driving time before I’m winding my way up a steep road through rainforest, deep into the mountains.

Then it’s five minutes more to a carpark that serves as a trailhead for a hike to one of the park’s best vantage points, The Pinnacles . I walk for an hour or so, reacquainting myself with the smells and the sounds of the Aussie bush, before I reach it: a sheer cliff’s edge lookout 500 metres up above Halls Gap.

walking through a cave, Hollow Mountain — Overlooking the vast Grampians landscape from Hollow Mountain. (Image: Robert Blackburn)

There are hikes and there are lookouts and waterfalls all across this part of the park near town. Some are a short stroll from a carpark; others involve long, arduous hikes through forest. The longest is the Grampians Peaks Trail , Victoria’s newest and longest iconic walk, which runs 160 kilometres – the entire length of Grampians National Park.

Local activities operator Absolute Outdoors shows me glimpses of the trail. The company’s owner, Adrian Manikas, says it’s the best walk he’s done in Australia. He says he’s worked in national parks across the world, but this was the one he wanted to bring his children up in.

“There’s something about the Grampians,” he says, as he leads me up a path to where there’s wooden platforms for tents, beside a hut looking straight out across western Victoria from a kilometre up in the sky (these are part of the guided hiking options for the trail). “There are things out here that you won’t see anywhere else in Australia.” Last summer, 80 per cent of the park was damaged by bushfire, but Manikas shows me its regrowth, and tells me of the manic effort put in by volunteers from town – with firefighters from all over Australia – to help save Halls Gap.

wildflowers in Grampians National Park — Spot wildflowers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

We drive back down to Halls Gap at dusk to abseil down a mountain under the stars, a few minutes’ walk off the main road into town. We have headlamps, but a full moon is enough to light my way down. It takes blind faith to walk backwards down a mountain into a black void, though the upside is I can’t see the extent of my descent.

Grampians National Park at sunset. (Image: Wine Australian)

The stargazing is ruined by the moon, of course, but you should see how its glow lights up the orange of the sandstone, like in a theme park. When I’m done, I stand on a rocky plateau drinking hot chocolate and listening to the Aussie animals who prefer nighttime. I can see the streets of Halls Gap off in the distance on this Friday night. The restaurants may stay open until 8pm tonight.

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

a boat travelling along the Wimmera River inDimboola — Travelling along the Wimmera River in Dimboola. (Image: Chris McConville)

You’ll find all sorts of adventures out here – from rock climbing to canoeing to hiking – but there’s more to the Grampians than a couple of thousand square kilometres of trees and mountains. Halls Gap may be known to most people, but what of Pomonal, and Dimboola, and Horsham? Here in the shadow of those big sandstone mountains there are towns and communities most of us don’t know to visit.

And who knew that the Grampians is home to Victoria’s most underrated wine region ? My disconnection this morning comes not in a forest, but in the tasting rooms and winery restaurants of the district. Like Pomonal Estate, barely 10 minutes’ drive east of Halls Gap, where UK-born chef Dean Sibthorp prepares a locally caught barramundi with lentil, pumpkin and finger lime in a restaurant beside the vines at the base of the Grampians. Husband-and-wife team Pep and Adam Atchison tell me stories as they pour their prize wines (shiraz is the hero in these parts).

dining at Pomonal Estate — Dine in a restaurant beside vines at Pomonal Estate. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Three minutes’ drive back down the road, long-time mates Hadyn Black and Darcy Naunton run an eclectic cellar door out of a corrugated iron shed, near downtown Pomonal. The Christmas before last, half the houses in Pomonal burnt down in a bushfire, but these locals are a resilient lot.

The fires also didn’t stop the construction of the first art centre in Australia dedicated to environmental art in a nature-based precinct a little further down the road (that’s Wama – the National Centre for Environmental Arts), which opened in July. And some of the world’s oldest and rarest grape vines have survived 160 years at Best’s Wines, outside the heritage town of Great Western. There’s plantings here from the year 1868, and there’s wines stored in century-old barrels within 150-year-old tunnels beneath the tasting room. On the other side of town, Seppelt Wines’ roots go back to 1865. They’re both only a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap.

Salingers of Great Western — Great Western is a charming heritage town. (Image: Griffin Simm)

There’s more to explore yet; I drive through tiny historic towns that barely make the map. Still part of the Grampians, they’re as pretty as the mountains behind them: full of late 19th-century/early 20th-century post offices, government offices and bank buildings, converted now to all manner of bric-a-brac stores and cafes.

The Imaginarium is one, in quirky Dimboola, where I sleep in the manager’s residence of an old National Australia Bank after a gourmet dinner at the local golf club, run by noted chef and teacher, Cat Clarke – a pioneer of modern Indigenous Australian cooking. Just south, I spend an entire afternoon at a winery, Norton Estate Wines, set on rolling calico-coloured hills that make me think of Tuscany, chit-chatting with owners Chris and Sam Spence.

Being here takes me back two decades, when I lived here for a time. It had all seemed as foreign as if I’d driven to another planet back then (from Sydney/Warrane), but there seemed something inherently and immediately good about this place, like I’d lived here before.

And it’s the Australian small-town familiarity of the Grampians that offers me connection back to my own country. Even in the better-known Halls Gap, Liz from Kerrie’s Creations knows I like my lattes with soy milk and one sugar. And while I never do get the name of the lady at the local Ampol station, I sure know a lot about her life.

Kookaburras on a tree — Kookaburras are one of some 230 bird species. (Image: Darren Donlen)

You can be a local here in a day; how good is that? In Chicago, I don’t even know who my neighbour is. Though each day at dusk – when the kangaroos gather outside my villa, and the kookaburras and the black cockatoos shout out loud before settling in to sleep – I prefer the quieter connection I get out there in the bush, beneath these orange mountains.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Sleep beside the wildlife on the edge of Halls Gap at Serenity .

Playing there

abseiling down Hollow Mountain — Hollow Mountain is a popular abseiling site.

Go abseiling under the stars or join a guided hike with Absolute Outdoors . Visit Wama , Australia’s first environmental art centre. Check out Dimboola’s eccentric Imaginarium .

Eating there

steak, naan bread and beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap serves a great steak on naan bread.

Eat world-class cuisine at Pomonal Estate . Dine and stay at much-revered icon Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld. The ‘steak on naan’ at Halls Gap brewhouse Paper Scissors Rock , can’t be beat.

Dunkeld Arboretum in Grampians National Park — The serene Dunkeld Arboretum.

For Halls Gap’s best breakfasts head to Livefast Cafe . Sip local wines at Great Western’s historic wineries, Best’s Wines , Seppelt Wines and Norton Estate Wines .

two glasses of beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Sink a cold one at Paper Scissors Rock.