Wine and High Country Info
Introduction
When most people think of Australia, imposing mountains, ski resorts and tons of snow fun is probably not the first series of thoughts to come to their mind: most foreigners associate this massive island nation with the great Outback, and with beach and water fun, with great surfing conditions. But the reality is that Australia has got a bit of everything in its line up of excellent, world class destinations, and the Legends Wine & High Country is an ideal location for folks visiting the continent to experience some altitude—and some exceptional wines and other local produce. Nestled in the scenic mountains and rolling hills of the southern state of Victoria, this area of Australia is an alpine dream come true, and is conveniently located only a short drive from the capital city of Melbourne.
Visiting Wine & High Country
The area is rather large, but there are parts that are no more than a half hour drive from Melbourne, which makes this destination very popular and highly visited. Thankfully, it is fully equipped with all sorts of lodging facilities of varying degrees of comfort and pampering, from economical hostels for the more rugged and intrepid voyagers, to more elegant and prim resort suites and furnished apartment complexes. Whatever a visitor's tastes and likes, there will be something in Legends Wine & High Country to fit the bill. During the winter months of June through October (the dead of winter for the southern hemisphere) massive crowds of people swarm to the area to get a little skiing, snowboarding, and other snow sports in: no other spot on the continent offers comparable conditions for winter sports. In fact, the “powder capital” of Australia is located here, at the Falls Creek resort, and is full of beautiful and scenic routes to wander through, just like the equally impressive destinations of Mt. Baw Baw and Mt. Buffalo. In addition to skiing one's time away, there are tons of other outdoor activities to keep people entertained in Legends Wine & High Country, such as going on a leisurely horse ride through the pine forests or—a little more daring—going hang gliding or paragliding off one of the many cliffs that dominate the view (and what a view it is!). Then, as the name implies, there are excellent wineries like Auldstone Cellars, which is one of the more historic and celebrated wineries in the area. The topography and climate of this area is simply ideal for creating excellent wines, with an obvious slant toward cool-climate wines, which are very mellow in the mouth and pleasing to the pallet...a crime to miss no matter where a visitor hails from!
History of Wine & High Country
There are a few interesting ways to discover this area's proud and rich history, and like everything in this outdoorsy country, the best way always involve getting a little exercise in and absorbing the fantastic countryside. The Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail is an exceptionally designed trail, suitable for biking or going on foot, that runs many (over 90) kilometers crisscrossing the Legends Wine & High Country taking visitors through several interesting, characteristic towns that bring to light many different moments of the history of this corner of the continent—the heady times of the gold rush, the presence of Chinese immigrants, the beginnings of settled and organized agriculture in the area, the tobacco industry and tobacco kilns that still today attract many curious tourists. Through the stunning forests, climbing up large mountains and descending into fertile and verdant valleys, this adventure is an absolute must when visiting the area. Also, there are plenty of fascinating museums to be seen, such as the Benalla Costume and Pioneer Museum, the Wangaratta Museum and the Beechworth Gallery, all of which are proud examples of local architectural styles and allow people discovering the region to learn a little more about where they are and the impact of this area on the history of the proud and prosperous Australian nation. Since the locals are among the most hospitable and generous folks to be found in Australia (you might even say the world), continuing a long tradition of openness and friendliness that has given this corner of Victoria quite some renown, there is nothing but good times to be had when visiting!