Five Easy Wine Drives from Capital Cities

Distance: 3.5 hours

With some 65 vineyards and 40 cellar doors, Mudgee has significant viticulture credentials – but that doesn’t mean it takes itself too seriously. This is a charmingly relaxed country town where you’ll meet winery owners at the cellar door and there’s no pressure to read the tasting notes. Visit Moothi Estate to admire the view (and pick your own cherries in summer); First Ridge to pick up some Italian varietals; Burnbrae Wines for pizza-on-the-lawn Sundays (with onsite accommodation) and Robert Stein Winery’s Pipeclay Pumphouse for a produce-driven fine-dining experience. The drive home offers plenty of worthy detours: pay a visit to the beautiful historic town of Rylstone, take a scenic walk in the nearby Wollemi National Park, or spend a day browsing boutiques and cafe-hopping in the Blue Mountains.

Distance: 1 hour

Aptly described as a place where European traditions meet Australian landscapes, the Barossa Valley is home to the world’s oldest continuously producing shiraz, grenache and cabernet sauvignon vines. These rich red wines, along with winemakers such as Jacob’s Creek, Penfolds and Henschke, have become some of the country’s most famous exports, but there’s plenty of smaller winemakers to discover too, as well as gourmet markets, food festivals and farm shops. History buffs should also investigate the Barossa Heritage Drive, a 100-kilometre self-guided trail that tours historic sites and reveals stories of both First Nations and European settlement.

Distance: 3 hours

There is so much to see and do in the Margaret River region – and getting there is half the fun. To make the most of the trip down the coast, you could pick up a coffee in Fremantle, venture to Penguin Island, see the thrombolites in Yalgorup National Park, admire the weird and wonderful Gnomesville, check out the street art in Bunbury or walk on the Southern Hemisphere’s longest timber-piled jetty in Busselton.

Of course, if it’s wine you’re after then you won’t be disappointed. Wineries including Leeuwin Estate

, Cullen Wines

and Howard Park host premium cellar door experiences, while destinations such as Aravina Estate and Swings and Roundabouts offer relaxed, family-friendly vibes.

Distance: 1 hour

Just a short distance from Melbourne, the Yarra Valley has a rich winemaking history dating back to 1838, when the first vines were planted at Yering Station. Victoria’s first vineyard is still a popular destination, home to a heritage-listed cellar door, manicured gardens and a panoramic fine-dining restaurant. Other iconic vineyards include Coldstream Hills, founded by James Halliday in 1985; Seville Estate

, renowned for its unexpected success with shiraz grapes; and TarraWarra, whose founders also established the TarraWarra Museum of Art.

To piece it all together, follow the Yarra Valley Loop Drive, starting at Lilydale and stopping at Yarra Glen, Healesville, Marysville and Warburton, before circling back to Lilydale. The section between Healesville and Marysville is particularly beautiful, with winding roads shaded by towering trees and lush fern gullies, while the route from Marysville to Warburton (via Reefton) travels through the heart of the mountainous Yarra Ranges National Park.

Distance: 3 hours

Beginning just outside Launceston, the Tamar Valley Wine Trail traces both banks of the pristine Tamar River, passing charming towns, orchards, forests and fields. The region is known for its cool-climate sparkling and pinot noir wines, as well as its epicurean delights.

Here you’ll discover some 60 food operators – from gourmet retail stores to farm doors – offering everything from cherries and berries to olive oil and truffles. The vineyards on the east side of the river largely specialise in sparkling wines: there’s Jansz, the region’s first producer to use the traditional méthode champenoise, and Clover Hill, winner of the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Wine Best Cellar Door Award.

On the west bank you’ll find Holm Oak Vineyards, renowned for pinot noir and chardonnay; Stoney Rise wine company with its new, architecturally designed tasting room; and Swinging Gate Vineyard, where you can glamp in eco-domes (complete with ensuites) and admire the vines by starlight.