Melbourne Food & Wine Festival hits the road to regional Victoria

It’s been a long-time in the making for the first proper Melbourne Food & Wine Festival –  Regional Edition.

We got our first taste of MFWF in regional Victoria way back in March 2019 when the tiny Gippsland dairy-farming town of Jindivic was taken over for The Village Feast.

This time around, we see the return of The Village Feast to Gippsland added to a large number of events across the state to become MFWF’s Regional Edition running from 18 to 27 November.

As an added bonus, you can receive 25% off your tickets as part of the Victorian Government Dining and Entertainment Program (T&C’s apply).

Victoria’s High Country Crawl and Bite

MFWF Regional VictoriaMFWF devotees will be happy to know that the much loved Crawl and Bite event will be relocated to Victoria’s High Country with the progressive food adventures moving across venues in the towns of Beechworth, Bright and Rutherglen.

More details here.

The Village Feast

MFWF Regional EditionThe Village Feast will see the picturesque town of Thorpdale turned into a souped-up country fair for the weekend. Gippsland producers will set up alongside pop-up food outlets from local and interstate chefs, with a live music program brought to you by Always Live.

Find out more here.

Signature Escapes

Regional Victoria MFWFDeep dive into regional Victoria with unique itineraries developed by the state’s top chefs, producers and hoteliers. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Yarra Valley with a local winemaker, discover the producers of Victoria’s High Country with Michael Ryan (Provenance) and take a luxurious culinary tour of western Victoria.

Take a look here.

Ballarat Unlocked

Regional Victoria MFWFBallarat will be home to a number of quirky foodie occasions, unlocking hidden locations across the city. Find street food and DJs in an old laneway, an Italian fiesta in a former drive-through and a five-course degustation menu served in the basement of the Mechanics’ Institute.

Find all the details here.

 

 


THE DETAILS

What: MFWF Regional Edition
When: November 18-27
Where: Around regional Victoria
More Info: MFWF Regional Edition

We wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

All Aboard: Sleep in a Converted 1930s Melbourne Tram

Words by Gwen O'Toole
Images supplied

A few years ago, the Victorian Government decided to find homes for 134 1930s – style retired tram cars, decommissioned in the 90s. Two of these went to the Big4 Yarra Valley Park Lane in Healesville and have since undergone a super luxe transformation to become some pretty swish accommodation for up to eight.

Each tram offers a king-sized bedroom, a double bedroom, and bunk beds all with their own private ensuites, a full kitchen and a luxury private spa bath.

Shaking off the dated childhood memories of old-school caravan parks, the two new additions are now accepting bookings. Big4 Yarra Valley Park Lane has made a lot of changes including upgrades to facilities to include tiny-house style glamping pods, glammed-up luxury cabins with gas fireplaces and these luxury refurbished tramcars to appeal to a whole new style of traveller.

“Many people have no idea the extent of our options for their next trip,” said Big4 Yarra Valley’s operations manager Michael Boyd.

“We have everything from glamping pods to superior cabins to our new tram accommodation and can find something to suit just about any holiday need.”

We love seeing people rediscover holiday parks and learn to expect the unexpected from their next visit.

The retro beauties are perfect for families with teens and children or a group of friends and include a full kitchen, lounge with 75″ TV, included laundry facilities as well as an outdoor deck with BBQ, a private outdoor wood-fired hot tub as well as access to all the amenities within the park such as games rooms, playgrounds with skate ramp, a firepit, swimming pool, tennis court and more.

Healesville also offers a huge range of options for enjoying an incredible stay in the Yarra Valley.


THE DETAILS

What: Caravan & Accommodation options
Where: BIG4 Yarra Valley Park Lane Holiday Park, 419 Don Road, Healesville
When: Now
More Info: Big4 Yarra Valley Park Lane

We wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

A new tiny off-grid house lands in regional Victoria this Spring

Words by Della Vreeland
Images Supplied

A limited-edition tiny home will be heading to three regional Victorian centres from spring, providing holidaymakers with the perfect escape under the stars.

Stella the Stargazer is an off-the-grid accommodation experience which pays homage to the Aussie shed. Crafted from the bones of a large farming shed near Warrnambool, the shack will set up base for eight weeks each in Gippsland, the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians with guests able to enjoy a bespoke roll-out sleeping platform for stargazing.

Brought to life with tonnes of salvaged and re-purposed aged steel and timber, the unique house is fitted with everything one seeks in a relaxing and luxurious getaway, boasting up-cycled and hand-made materials that provide a distinctly Victorian aesthetic.

Stella’s first stop in October will be amongst Gippsland’s gently rolling hills at Blue Gables Vineyard, where she will settle above the stunning Newry Flats just a short stroll from the vineyard’s cellar door and a stone’s throw from one of the region’s most celebrated culinary destinations – the Tinamba Hotel.

In the summertime, travellers will find Stella along the Great Ocean Road, where some of the state’s most iconic landmarks abound. Get up close and personal to the native wildlife, soak up the iconic surf breaks, savour the pristine rainforest and misty waterfalls, and feast on the spectacular views and local fare.

Stella’s final stop in the autumn will be in the bushy farmland of the majestic Grampians region. Head out on walking tracks that lead to dazzling waterfalls, wildlife and awe-inspiring lookouts, savour a sublime meal at surrounding restaurants, and take in extraordinary art, old and new, in galleries indoors and out.

Every stay will include carefully prepared breakfast provisions by chef Alejandro Saravia of the renowned Farmer’s Daughters restaurant, who has met with locals and sourced the best produce to welcome guests on arrival.

For those wanting something extra special, Alejandro will also prepare a dinner menu highlighting the seasonal produce of the region, bringing guests closer to the land.

Stella is indeed a unique accommodation experience set to connect guests to nature and have them embrace the elements.


THE DETAILS:

WHAT: Stella the Stargazer
WHEN: From October
FIND OUT MORE: Stella the Stargazer

We wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Almost Summer Music Festival is kicking off summer festivities in Bendigo

Words by Tehya Nicholas
Images Supplied

As the state begins to peel back their layers of duffel down, cast aside the woolly hats, and reveal their vitamin-D deficient skin to the sun, so too is the planning for warmer days ramping up. Musical festivals are often the first cab off the rank in the booking-up of sunshine months and Bendigo has gifted us a new ripper: Almost Summer Music Festival.

The regional festival is exploding into its inaugural year with a huge lineup of local and national acts. Its headliners include Kardajala Kirridarra—the incredible all-female First Nations act from the Red Centre—singer-songwriter extraordinaire Gabriella Cohen, and critically acclaimed Melbourne five-piece Bananagun. Punters can also expect to catch a range of other artists across almost every musical genre: Geoffrey O’Connor, Pookie, PhoebeGo, Cool Sounds, Greatest Hits, Sunfruits, Freeds, Suzi, Carissa Nyalu, Nadia Phillips, Flora, and Aplegate all feature. To keep you dancing into the night, DJs Joey Lightbulb and DJ Friday are on deck with their original mixes of disco, house, funk, and more.

All acts will take to the one outdoor stage, located right beside historic Capital Theatre, across three days. The event is family-friendly and has been curated by experts to keep the vibes high. Plenty of locally sourced food and drinks are available for a pitstop in between boogies, and Bendigo Vinyl will host a pop-up record store throughout the event if you’re hoping to add to your record collection.

Creative Director of Hear Them Holler, the independent agency behind Almost Summer, Lior Albeck-Ripka says, “Curating Almost Summer Music Festival has been a dream come true. We’re getting to put on a festival that we want to go to! We’re beyond excited to have booked Kardajala Kirridarra — a band I’ve personally fawned over and who haven’t played in Victoria for over four years. Whilst we’re all experiencing one of the coldest winters ever in Victoria, we are busy planning this super fun all-inclusive festival of great music and food. We want the experience to be easy, relaxed and fun, and we’re thinking of all the things audiences will want so we have them on the ground ready to go.”

Almost Summer is a part of Victoria’s celebrated new statewide Always Live program centred on bringing world-class live music events to hungry gig-goers. Other acts include Dua Lipa at the Palais Theatre (sold out), Toro Y Moi at Northcote Town Hall, and many more.

Tickets to Almost Summer are limited to 500 per day to keep the shows intimate and to ensure plenty of dancing room. Punters can choose to purchase a pass for the entire three-day event or to pop in on individual days/nights. The full timeline of acts can be found on the Almost Summer website linked below. Tickets are available now.


THE DETAILS

WHAT: Almost Summer Music Festival
WHERE: View St, Bendigo VIC
WHEN: November 25-27 2022
MORE INFO: Almost Summer Music Festival

We wish to acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

New Hepburn Treehouse a magical “haven in the hills”

Words by Della Vreeland
Images Supplied

Early this year, Australian actor Hannah Fredericksen decided to purchase her very own slice of heaven nestled in the hills of Hepburn Springs.

Performing six nights a week as part of Harry Potter & The Cursed Child (for those well-acquainted with the production, her roles include Moaning Myrtle, Polly Chapman, Fleur and Lily Potter Snr) she was seeking her own magical space where she could escape the hustle and bustle of city life and reconnect with nature.

‘I think having this beautiful refuge is game-changing for me in that it gives me a space to properly recharge, which does wonders for creativity,’ Hannah says.

‘There is something about arriving in the air out there that really forces you to slow down.’

Aptly dubbed The Hepburn Treehouse, Hannah made her newly-adopted home into an accommodation offering at the end of July, allowing travellers to also find repose within its walls.

‘I figured if I couldn’t be out there enjoying it myself, someone else should,’ she says. ‘I always wanted the space to be an escape for both me and others.

‘I think we all need a chance to run away from the city after the past two years and I couldn’t think of a better spot to take a breath.’

Peacefully tucked away in the hills and with Hepburn’s finest food and wine at your fingertips, Hannah describes The Treehouse as her ‘haven in the hills’.

Boasting floor-to-ceiling walls, a spa bath overlooking the lush outdoor landscape, and soaring A-frame ceilings, the home combines mid-century design with that of a Swiss-style chalet – creating a stay that is calm, rejuvenating and truly mesmerising.

‘My vision was a warm and inviting space which satisfied the eyes and the heart. Somewhere you felt relaxed and comfortable enough to sit on the couch in front of the fire with your feet up and a glass of wine in-hand, but also appreciate those finer comforts,’ Hannah says.

‘I’ll definitely be escaping out there between acting jobs and I’m really excited that I get to share it with other special guests too.’


THE DETAILS:

WHAT: The Hepburn Treehouse
WHERE: Hepburn Springs, Victoria
FIND OUT MORE:  The Hepburn Treehouse

We wish to acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung  people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

The Continental launches stunning new accommodation options

Built by 1800s businessman and comic performer George Coppin, the four-story building was hewn from local rock and has been a local institution for locals and visitors for generations.

The latest addition to the multimillion dollar makeover of ‘The Continental’ is a Victorian era inspired seaside resort from architecture studio Woods Bagot.

The accommodation options include an array of luxuriously appointed rooms or one-and-two-bedroom suites, located either in the original 1875 limestone building or within the recently added wing. High-end penthouses will be made available by the end of 2022.

Guests will have access to the Mediterranean-style poolside deck, replete with cabanas, poolside chaises and a view across Port Phillip Bay. For those with a little more energy, there is a fully-fitted gym with 24-hour access.

Chef Scott Pickett and his team are looking after food and beverage across the different bars, restaurants, and room service. Spend the day at the beach, fishing or exploring Point Nepean then head to the public bar in your board shorts for a beer. Or you could dress up and head upstairs to Audrey.

This is a beautiful upmarket restaurant with velvet banquettes, bespoke hand-woven carpets and exquisite commissioned still-life floral photographs by a Japanese photographer. The room looks out over the palm trees, the Sorrento ferry jetty and across the azure blue waters of Port Phillip.

The set menu is seafood focused with little dishes of spanner crab in rich pastry tartlets, a crumpet topped with creamy whipped cod roe, oysters, yellowfin tuna, and local line-caught squid. The brand new rooms offer five-star luxury including top-of-the-range two-level penthouse suites offering a private rooftop terrace, private plunge pool, and separate lounge and dining area.


THE DETAILS

WHAT: InterContinental Sorrento Mornington Peninsula
WHEN: Open Now
WHERE: 23 Constitution Hill Road, Sorrento
MORE INFO: Accommodation bookings.

We wish to acknowledge the Bunurong people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Victoria’s best pub stays

Words by Richard Cornish
Images Supplied

Once upon a time, a community couldn’t call itself a town unless it had a church, a school and a pub. During the Victorian era, the fashion was to build grand buildings with large dining rooms to feed travellers during the day and evening and then accommodate them in rooms at night. The countryside is dotted with these beautiful old boozers. Some are falling into ruin, some are now private homes while, thankfully, some still offer excellent meals and a comfortable bed for the night. Here are five of Victoria’s best old pubs with great food and good rooms.

The Alexandra Hotel

Victoria Pubs The Alexandra Hotel sits in the heart of the beautiful little town of Alexandra 70km north of Healesville, just west of Lake Eildon. This classic old pub was built in 1903 in the late Victorian style and was given a lot of love and a sympathetic makeover in recent years. For some, it’s the night’s stop after a hard day on the Great Victorian Rail Trail, but for an increasing number of food lovers, the pub’s a destination in itself.

Co-owner and head Chef is Patrick Browning, formerly with the Melbourne Wine Room under Karen Martini. He takes local produce and turns it into satisfying dishes such as house-smoked pumpkin served on his own sourdough with poached eggs, cashews, avocado and dukkah for the weekend brunch menu.

It’s worth staying the night and grabbing a table by the fire, taking a seat in the upholstered carved chairs and getting head down into some Loddon Estate free-range chicken with potato and pancetta terrine or an 800g chargrilled Sabre Pastoral grass-fed ribeye. With a beautiful wine list supporting many local wineries, and superb countryside nearby, it’s worth booking one of the well-appointed ensuite bedrooms with views out over the balcony and the bustling township below for a weekend in the country.

More details here.

Harvest Home Hotel, Avenel

Regional Pubs VictoriaWhen Ned Kelly was a boy he saved the life of another lad from drowning in Hughes Creek on the outskirts of his hometown called Avenel, just north of Seymour. It’s a beautiful historic little town with one of the state’s best butcher shops and a swathe of wineries nearby in Nagambie and Strathbogie Ranges. The train running between Southern Cross and Wodonga pulls in several times a day to the station, a short walk to the 1870 Harvest Home Hotel.

With its broad verandahs, wine cellar and semicircular brass topped bar this old boozer is now a boutique hotel and restaurant. The six rooms upstairs offer charming old-world accommodation with antique chairs and sideboards mixed with state-of-the-art bedding, ensuites, heating and cooling. The dining room captures the height of Victorian pomp with carved balloon-backed chairs, parlour plants, and open fireplaces.

Outside in the large sprawling garden are fun, funky bohemian chic dining spaces and towering trees. Chef Martin Golding makes the most of his kitchen garden in dishes like twice-baked Gruyere souffle with freshly picked garden salad and potato and leek soup. While the eye fillet is as great, it is the mashed potato with two-day reduced jus that makes it the reason to drive up the Hume Hwy. Together with dishes like confit duck and roast chicken with Israeli cous cous, and a focus on regional wines, The Harvest Home Hotel has become a popular destination for couples and friends to come for the weekend.

More information here.

Criterion Hotel, Sale

Victoria PubsThis part of Gippsland, between the 90 Mile Beach, the Macalister and Thomson Rivers and ranges beyond, is becoming very popular with fishers, hunters and bike riders. Art lovers are coming to town for the ever-changing exhibitions at Gippsland Art Gallery. A good hub is the Criterion Hotel on Macalister street, a historic pub making a name for its great grub.

Built-in the 1880s, The Criterion has been given a modern, rustic makeover that blends fencing wire lampshades with faux library wallpaper and clean white lines in the main dining room. The food is a good step up from pub grub steering into gastro-pub turf with starters such as a soft, sweet, sticky, peanuty eggplant bao or a plate of fried tiny baby squid with a good dollop of aioli and fresh sharp chimichurri. Mains might include a 350g free-range Gippsland porterhouse with jus, salad and fries or a fat, juicy chicken schnitzel topped with Napoli sauce and tangy Maffra cheddar.

Upstairs the rooms are spacious, modern, and well appointed, each with its own ensuite. Some look out onto the iron lacework of the balcony and beyond. While the location is in the heart of town it is a good point to kick off to explore this beautiful region.

Find out more here.

The Continental Hotel, Sorrento

Pubs Mornington PeninsulaSince 1875 the limestone tower of the Continental Hotel has stood sentinel over Sorrento’s sand dunes, looking out over the azure blue waters of Port Phillip. Built by 1800s businessman and comic performer George Coppin, the four-story building was hewn from local rock and has been a local institution for locals and visitors for generations.

After a recent multimillion makeover, the Intercontinental Hotel is managing the 108 luxurious rooms while chef Scott Pickett and his team are looking after food and beverage across the different bars, restaurants, and room service. Spend the day at the beach, fishing or exploring Point Nepean then head to the public bar in your board shorts for a beer. Or you could dress up and head upstairs to Audrey.

This is a beautiful upmarket restaurant with velvet banquettes, bespoke hand-woven carpets and exquisite commissioned still-life floral photographs by a Japanese photographer. The room looks out over the palm trees, the Sorrento ferry jetty and across the azure blue waters of Port Phillip. The set menu is seafood focused with little dishes of spanner crab in rich pastry tartlets, a crumpet topped with creamy whipped cod roe, oysters, yellowfin tuna, and local line-caught squid. The brand new rooms offer five-star luxury including top-of-the-range two-level penthouse suites offering a private rooftop terrace, private plunge pool, and separate lounge and dining area.

Take a look here.

Bunyip Hotel, Cavendish

Bunjip HotelOut west of the Grampians/Garwiwerd, where the river red gums grow old and gnarled is a little pub by the banks of the Wannon River on the corner of the Henty Highway. This is The Bunyip, a community-owned hotel built in the 1840s and remodelled in the 1930s.

This is sheep grazing country where the locals wear big hats, drive big utes, and have big appetites. Chef James ‘Jimmy’ Campbell knows this as he is a local, there is even a Campbells Road off the highway, and his serves are big.

He cut his teeth at Movida in the early days and ended up running their Sydney restaurant. He’s back home cooking up mutton, duck, and free-range chook using the skill and technique he learned over the years. A classic is the sticky, chewy Koroit French fries topped with a free-range egg and dusted with paprika. Move to hogget skewers with whipped cod roe or house-made black pudding with green tomato pickle. Charcuterie is tops, the shanks, schnitty, steak, and pork are some of the best cooking in the state.

The rooms out the back have been renovated and are comfortable, clean, modern, and very reasonable at $120 a night. The only drawback is the shared bathroom. On warm nights sit out under the stars with a bottle of local wine, such as a Crawford River Riesling, and watch the free light show under the Milky Way. The Bunyip is one of the last great old pubs in the nation and the value is exceptional.

Details here.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Ballarat’s Underbar moves, Pencilmark Wine Room opens

Ballarat’s culinary pride and joy, the hatted restaurant that is Underbar (oon-de-bar), is set to move to a brand new wonder locale of its own.

Owned by Ballarat locals Chef Derek Boath and partner Lucy Taylor, the award-winning restaurant is moving to a purpose-built dining space located within the up-and-coming luxe accommodation offering Hotel Vera.

The Swedish adjective for divine, gorgeous, lovely, marvellous, and wonderful, Underbar will officially open its doors in spring and will continue to offer a totally unique dining experience to guests on Friday and Saturday evenings, with a tailored wine pairing to accompany its ever-evolving tasting menu.

According to Derek, the past five years has seen increasing numbers of visitors seek out the Underbar experience from out of town, particularly weekend visitors from Melbourne and regional Victoria.

‘With this trend in mind, we saw a perfect synergy in working with Martin Shew and David Cook-Doulton of Hotel Vera to offer a holistic culinary and luxury accommodation experience,’ he says.

The sleek new purpose-built restaurant space will be inspired by the colour palette of Ballarat and surrounds and will boast a beautiful private dining room seating up to 14 guests.

Situated on the site of a mid-1880s gold rush era premium medical building – Hotel Vera will provide guests with a personalised lifestyle experience to delight all senses, making for a getaway characterised by history, charm, warmth and poise. It too is set to open its doors in spring this year.

Coinciding with Underbar’s move, Derek and resident wine expert Anthony Schuurs will open up Pencilmark Wine Room in its wake – a relaxed and fun space to enjoy good tunes and fine nibbles, while drinking interesting and delicious wines.

Located in Underbar’s current premises, the Wine Room’s food offering will be curated by Derek and follow the Underbar ethos of sourcing high quality ingredients while keeping intervention low, with the team working with both local and not-so-local purveyors to keep the food simple and complement the wine room’s ever evolving wine list.


THE DETAILS

WHAT: Underbar and Pencilmark Wine Room
WHERE: Hotel Vera and 3 Doveton St N, Ballarat Central
WHEN: Spring 2022
FIND OUT MORE: underbar.com.au

Bendigo expands its accommodation offering with Ernest Hotel

 Images by Leon Schoots

Bendigo’s accommodation scene is set to elevate to a whole new level with the opening of the suave new Bendigo Ernest Hotel.

Previously known as the Fountain View Suites, the space has been transformed from a Victorian aesthetic to a boutique accommodation offering that combines historic grandeur with modern features.

The project is led by David Cook-Doulton and Martin Shew – the visionaries behind Ballarat’s soon-to-be luxury offering Hotel Vera.

Situated in the heart of the CBD, and a stone’s throw from the city’s coveted eateries and the renowned Bendigo Art Gallery, the accommodation space has been dubbed a ‘requisite destination for the discerning traveler’.

‘As soon as we saw the building up for sale, we knew it had the potential to become a grand hotel which stayed true to its incredible history while also showcasing the marvels of today.’ David says.

Housed in the oldest bank in Bendigo, the hotel retains some of the original features of the 1860s building, including its underground cellar and bank vault – which have been repurposed into an expanded hotel lounge.

Each of the 10 individualised suites will be adorned with alluring Australian art and swept with contemporary aesthetics, luxurious bedding, and designer furnishings.

According to Martin, the hotel is founded on the ethos that holiday-makers should be afforded ultimate comfort.

‘Our team has created a special accommodation offering that is luxurious, accessible and, most importantly, stylish,’ he says.

Our hope is to provide a tactile and memorable experience that lingers long after our guests’ departure.

The hotel’s central location makes it easy for guests to take a leisurely stroll down the city’s main street for a warming coffee and scrumptious brunch; dine at one of Bendigo’s award-winning eateries or; pack a picnic and bask in the summer sun at the adjoining Rosalind Park. There is also car parking available on-site, adding further convenience to one’s stay.

‘We have tried to create a space that can act as the perfect home base during one’s Bendigo getaway,’ Martin says.

‘As is the case with all our projects, we want our guests to be immersed in a calming space where they can relax and rejuvenate.’


THE DETAILS

WHAT: Bendigo Ernest Hotel
WHEN: January 2022
WHERE: 10–12 View St, Bendigo
FIND OUT MORE: hotelbendigo.com.au

 

We wish to acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Visitation surge a beacon of light for Cape Nelson

Word by Della Vreeland
Images Supplied

What used to be simply a stopover hotel has now turned into a destination in and of itself following two years of restrictions and lockdowns.

Portland’s stunning Cape Nelson Lighthouse is seeing a surge in post-COVID visitation as more holiday-makers seek a remote escape by the seaside.

Lighthouse general manager Debra Craib says business has gone ‘gangbusters’ since restrictions eased.

‘We’ve always had a good occupancy rate, but since COVID we’ve seen a change in the length of night stays,” Debra says.

People want to go somewhere which is a bit more remote, so they have discovered us. We have had a lot of people saying they never realised we were here.

The Cape Nelson Lighthouse is one of Portland’s most popular attractions and also offers an accompanying suite of charming cottages all located on the Great South West Walk.

The Lighthouse itself remains operational by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, with its white group light flashing four times every twenty seconds and ensuring the safety of the seas.

The old on-site stables have been renovated into an eclectic cafe so visitors can soak up the serenity while enjoying some coffee, cake or a gourmet meal.

The Lighthouse also offers tours and ‘spectacular’ sunset views, with groups flocking to the area for whale watching, cycling tours, and to venture along the many seaside walks – further enriching the site’s allure.

While Debra says the Lighthouse has seen a decrease in interstate visitation as well as international travellers – which accounted for much of their business – she says holidaymakers from regional Victoria have loved discovering the cottages and the town of Portland.

‘We are only 70 kilometres from the border, so normally we would get a lot of visitors from South Australia, with our biggest clientele coming from overseas. They would do the Great Ocean Road, stay overnight and move onto Robe and Adelaide,’ she says.

‘But we very quickly welcomed Victorians who would travel the whole of the state, come in and stay longer.

‘In November, once Melbourne was set free, it was like a tsunami of visitors from the city.’

Cape Nelson Lighthouse is comprised of five two-bedroom cottages which have been refurbished to maintain their history, and styled with dabs of modern comfort.

Self-contained, the cottages sit brightly along the rugged cliffs of Cape Nelson and are overlooked by the towering Lighthouse.

Boasting a whole range of amenities and luxuries, guests can expect to stay in a quaint house aptly-doused with light and set to perfectly round off one’s beachside stay.

Debra says the property lease was taken over about 10 years ago, at which point the buildings were abandoned and derelict.

She says it was a long and arduous process to restore the cottages to their current state, but well worth the effort.

‘We went from being a backpacker’s hotel to winning the Victorian Tourism bronze medal for deluxe accommodation,’ she proudly exclaims.

Despite the recent surge of business, Debra says the road to post-pandemic recovery remains long.

But with bookings filling up fast next year, the future does not look so bleak.


THE DETAILS

WHAT: Cape Nelson Lighthouse
WHERE: Cape Nelson Lighthouse Road, Portland West
FIND OUT MORE: capenelsonlighthouse.com.au

We wish to acknowledge the Gunditj Mirring people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.