Just off the Maroondah Highway, tucked up against the Warramate Hills, sits the winery, restaurant and cellar door of Medhurst Wines. The long driveway winds up the hill, past the red shed on the dam, past significant sculptures perched elegantly on the lawn, to the architecturally designed building which overlooks the picturesque close view. This part of the experience alone is worth the trip.
Medurst is the ‘retirement project’ (if you could call such hard work retirement) of ex Southcorp CEO Ross Wilson and his wife Robyn. It’s a family business, executed in a thoroughly professional manner. Every detail on the property is carefully considered: from the wave of the vast front glass on the cellar door, to the way a winery of considerable size is perfectly nestled into the hillside.
Speaking of detail, winemaker Simon Steele is all about the details. The Yarra Valley Pinot Noir is a fine expression of the fruit; bright cherry balanced with weight and complex spice notes. The Rosé, a perennial fave and often on the ‘Pink List’ at the Healesville Hotel, is dry, savoury and so so drinkable.
With the newly renovated kitchen and dining area comes a new chef. Robin Sutcliffe brings his quiet, uncompromising passion for doing simple things right to Medhurst. The pickles, which provide a delicate acidic balance on platters and other dishes, are all made by him in-house. Simple dishes like arancini are elevated with his deft touch. Grazing food, dishes of deliciousness, and damn fine wines mean that a long slow lunch under the shade, overlooking the vines, makes so much sense.
Michael Kennedy and Kylie Balharrie have made something of a foodie haven precinct in Healesville. It’s anchored by the lasting favourite, Healesville Hotel, with food by Chris Twogood still kicking goals as he continues experiments with local produce and cooking with fire. (Hint: weekend BBQ – get on it!)
The headline here, though, is the recently renovated alleyway and new wine bar. Harvest Coffee serves Genovese coffee at the hole-in-the-wall counter from 8am every day. The selection of house-made pastries, toasties, cakes and slices is simple, and everything is made to be delicious, first and foremost. If you want lunch, don’t fret: the entire Healesville Hotel lunch menu is available to order from the hole in the wall, too. The poached chicken Asian salad is a standout for the health-conscious, and the seasonal beetroot and lentil dish is an earthy bomb of beautiful flavours.
The Cellars are a new venture. Michael says it’s a mix of local and imported wine, and even some of his own cellar stocks. We spotted some rare gems like a vintage bottle of Wantirna Estate chardonnay on the shelf. You can order by the glass; or, for a corkage fee, take a retail-priced bottle and a couple of glasses into the garden for a lazy afternoon in the shade. There are some true undiscovered winners in the extensive wine selection. Three standouts would have to be the Scope Fiano (light, bright, zingy: summer in a glass), Aller Trop skin-contact pinot gris (the ideal rosé that isn’t rosé), and One Block chardonnay (funky and interesting, by Jayden Ong). Of course, by the time you read this, these wines might not be on the list anymore. That’s the joy of a boutique cellar like this one – wines come and go, and there’s always something new.
There’s plenty of room for you and your friends, and dogs are welcomed on-lead in the garden. There are choices for non-meat-eaters, as well as the food that comes off that stunning wood-fired BBQ. On weekends the garden caravan bar opens up too, and with three places to place your order, it’s never a long queue at the bar for a beverage.
As autumn paints Victoria crimson, Sovereign Hill invites you to a weekend where the past meets the present.
The Heritage Harvest Weekend on Saturday, 25 May and Sunday, 26 May is a journey back in time – celebrating rustic food and traditions brought to the goldfields from around the globe.
With a vibrant blend of history, gastronomy and community spirit, this festival is a must-visit for anyone looking to experience Australia’s rich culinary heritage. Here’s how you can make the most out of your visit.
Culinary stars take the stage
Prepare to be dazzled by some of the brightest Australian chefs – Julie Goodwin, Darren Purchese and Tim Bone. Exclusive meet-and-greets aside, these kitchen virtuosos will grace the festival across the weekend in several engaging events.
Ballarat local and host of Good Chef/Bad Chef Tim Bone will be cooking up a hearty dish inspired by the Gold Rush era. Using simple yet flavourful ingredients, Tim’s cooking is a modern twist on the rugged gold miner grub in the Heritage Market Village.
The Great Bake Off’s Darren Purchese will share his handy tips and insights into creating delicious, sweet treats this autumn. And Julie Goodwin, the inaugural winner of MasterChef Australia, will lift the lid on preparing the ultimate family feast in a live demonstration.
‘I’m delighted to be doing cooking demos at Sovereign Hill’s Heritage Harvest Weekend, sharing my passion for delicious, seasonal dishes,’ says Goodwin. ‘Our food traditions are such an important part of who we are and where we come from.’
Plus, under the moderation of Kara Monseen, Herald Sun’s food and wine editor, you’re in for a treat as these chefs share their passion for delicious, seasonal dishes and sweet treats in an interactive Q&A session.
A community of flavours
The festival proudly showcases over 30 producers and artisans, turning Sovereign Hill into a paradise for food lovers.
Wander through the village market to find quality locally made wares, watch live demonstrations of traditional crafts and cooking along Main Street, and let the kids explore their culinary creativity with special activities.
Highlights include Sweet Sage Farm – full of traditional homemade condiments, gourmet salts and natural herbal balms; Mrs Brown Bakes, selling delicious treats like cookies and their famous Brownie Boys; and The Cottage Herbalist will bring a selection of award-winning tea and herbal tisanes to the Heritage Harvest Market.
And don’t miss the cooking and craft sessions hosted by the esteemed Country Women’s Association, celebrating the essence of community and shared knowledge.
More than just taste
Heritage Harvest Weekend offers more than just a taste of the past. You can join in various rare trade activities that celebrate the goldfields’ cultural diversity and rich history.
From gold panning, coach rides and candle dipping to butter-churning and damper-making, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Just ensure you wear comfortable clothes to make the most of the fun!
And if you’re ready to stock up on handcrafted wares? Stop by the Botanical Bar, where longstanding potter Tony Barnes will be throwing clay at the wheel and selling his fine porcelain stoneware in copper red, cobalt blue, rutile and celadon glazes.
Another must-see for lovers of old-fashioned gems is the Basketmakers of Victoria stand. Weavers will be on hand to sell their sustainable, natural handmade baskets – and demonstrate their handiwork, skills and materials.
To keep the weekend’s activities buzzing, local bands The Valentines and Morrigan & Wilding will provide a jazzy, folk-filled backdrop.
And for the little explorers
In true Sovereign Hill style, the Heritage Harvest Weekend has plenty for the little ones.
Kids can get up close, say hello, and learn more about their favourite animals at the Fun Farm2U petting station. Or get their hands dirty in the Little Green Thumbs garden – where they can plant seedlings to take home. Plus, lawn games, face-painting and other interactive activities are guided throughout the day.
The Little Explorers Refreshment Hub offers the perfect break for families. While the kids navigate the straw maze, parents can relax with a Gilded Grog cocktail and a famous chicken sandwich, enjoying a pause in your day of festival exploration.
This hub is located at the Hotel Parade Ground, ensuring that kids and adults alike can recharge with some delicious food and drink.
Tickets and timing
The festival is accessible with the standard Sovereign Hill ticket, ensuring you can experience the entire immersive weekend.
Running from 10 am to 5 pm on both the 25 and 26 May, make sure to book your tickets in advance to secure your spot in this celebration of heritage, harvest and community.
Planning your visit
Before you head out, check the event program online to plan your day. With activities and sessions throughout the weekend, a little planning can go a long way in ensuring you don’t miss out on your favourite parts of the festival.
Remember, some experiences require separate bookings, so it’s best to look into these details beforehand.
Whether you’re a foodie, history buff, or simply searching for a unique weekend out, head to the Heritage Harvest Weekend this May.
We could tell you the facts about the Sandra Bardas Gallery – the opening times, the address, the fact that there is the most amazing collection of indigenous Australian artwork from both well known artists and up-coming students from Worowa Aboriginal College. We could say that it’s only five minutes out of Healesville, that the view to the nearby ranges is stunning, and that the people are amazingly friendly, knowledgable, and helpful. We could say it is named for Sandra Bardas OAM, who worked with the College founder in the establishment of Victoria’s only Aboriginal school.
We could write all these things, and we’d only be touching on the full story. It’s not just the fact that we’d have failed to describe the astonishing food experience we had, nor the amazing learning experience we had courtesy of staff and students from Worowa College. We’d have failed to convey the significance of this place.
We were welcomed on to the land that was part of the Coranderrk Aboriginal Reserve, honouring the ancestors and all who have walked the land.
We were told the story of this place. It is Coranderrk. It is home to peoples of the Kulin nation, who sought a safe place to live when European colonisation threatened to end their civilisations. It was where governments herded groups of indigenous people from all over central Victoria. It was the home of Simon Wonga, who was the ngurunggaeta of his clan, a title which passed to his cousin William Barak. That huge face rendered in wobbly stripes on the side of the building on the old CUB site in the city – that’s William Barak. You need to come here, to be part of this place, to begin to understand why he’s on that building, why he’s so important.
Come here to see part of the story of the people of this land, to immerse yourself in the experience of the land, culture, art, and food, learn from the people of this land, and begin to understand.
Warragul is home to Frankie’s, a stylish cafe serving tasty food and great coffee. They’re open for breakfast and lunch, although the three happiest words on the menu might well be ‘All Day Breakfast’.
Frankie’s does this ‘get your day cranking’ concept well. The portions are generous and the dishes are well thought through. Produce is local where possible, and seasonal by preference. The baristas are kept busy, especially at peak times, and the coffee is a traditional Italian-style roast which is dark and rich.
Frankie’s is justifiably proud of its rapid growth. Since opening a 40-square metre shop, by the time you read this they will be operating out of a space 10 times that size. There’s a hunger (pardon the pun) for good simple food with a bit of style, and clearly Frankie’s is providing for it.
Here at OHO, we don’t like to play favourites or single out any particular experience. Foxey’s Hangout at Red Hill is our favourite, and a singularly fabulous experience. Hey – rules are made to be broken, right?
Owner Tony says that he ‘didn’t come here to run a restaurant’, and it follows that the combination of cellar door and food service is fun and unique. It’s compact and casual, and the menu is an exercise in minimalist attention to detail. It’s a bit like great minimalist architecture: if you’re going to put up super-simple dishes, they have to be precise and perfect. Tick. The quail, for instance, is simple pan-fried legs, made for picking up and sucking the meat off the bones. They are cooked to perfection, unsullied by technique, and addictively delicious.
Tony is rigid and focussed in his approach to Foxey’s Hangout. You can’t book a group, he doesn’t do events. It’s for casual dropping in and hanging out, and it’s all the better for this simplicity.
Foxey’s Hangout wines continue this focussed approach. Nothing is rushed. You can learn this at one of their sparkling wine–making workshops. The DIY approach to things like bottling means that it can take time to get the job done, but Tony’s not worried. It’s a ‘nicer time’ than running about madly for a day with an industrial portable bottling line contractor. But let’s face it, we don’t really care about the bottling. We care about what’s in the bottle. Sauvignon blanc drinkers will love the pinot gris. Anyone will love the Kentucky pinot noir.
The Healesville Hotel is placed right in the middle of the town, built in Edwardian style c1920 and refurbished in the late 1990’s, it is a real social hub for the local town folk and a popular watering hole for visitors to the Yarra Valley.
Head chef Chris Toogood grew up on a sheep farm in SA and this background shows in the way he seeks out quality local produce. Timbarra chicken, O’Connors Gippsland beef and pork are cooked over red gum with simple garnishes and light sauces that allow the natural flavours to take a front seat.
The beer garden has got to be one of the best in the state; the dining room: dark, warm and filled with nostalgia. The original front bar is perfect for sampling subregional Valley wines in front of a warming fire.
No matter where you take a table, it’s about relaxed dining, not fussy, just sharing dishes, swapping sides, stealing chips — while in the background the kitchen staff pick herbs from the garden and keep the coals burning under the wood-fire grill.
Sitting down with four glasses of wine, each matched to the perfect food companion, might be the new definition of awesome. This is the Fowles Wines ‘Gamekeeper’s Lunch’. You get the impression that there is a tweed-wearing employee out the back who’s handy with a 12-gauge shotgun and skilled in the art of delicate food preparation.
Smoked eel has one of those flavours that when you speak of it, your memory plays tricks and you feel as though you’re tasting it. The fellow out back has paired it with a riesling which is focused and acidic, with balanced fruit. Rabbit rillette is meaty and flavoursome, matched to a fresh zippy chardonnay.
Duck and pinot noir are best friends – maybe even lovers. In this pairing the confit duck is crispy and full of flavour, and the pinot is elegant, savoury and beautifully rounded.
The finale is beetroot chutney and kangaroo. It’s the OMG moment. Earthy, sticky, charred and delicious. The shiraz is jammy and generous to match.
We love a good bromance at One Hour Out, and nothing spells bromance better than two mates making beer in a shed. Aaron and Ben (ex-White Rabbit) and their families have built a brand new brewery in Healesville’s industrial estate, a literal stones-throw from Four Pillars Gin. The place has a funky industrial chic thing going on, with green velour couches, mismatched decor (in a good way) and a kind of a share-house lounge room vibe. The shiny new brewery is a dominant feature of the backdrop, and the sound system pumps out the kind of music I’d want at my parties – it’s a Beiber-free zone.
The beers by Aaron and Ben are worth travelling for. If you love Bridge Road Brewers, you’ll love these too. It’s a smaller range and a smaller scale, but we loved that about them too. My personal fave is the IPA – I’m a sucker for hoppy beers that are light on the malt. For the non-beer drinkers, theres a select range of stellar local wines by the glass. My drinking buddy had a chardonnay from Tarrawarra Estate.
Keep an eye on the social media pages for these guys – they pop up at all sorts of events, and are not averse to hosting a big southern beer and bbq event at the shed.
‘Where did you get the name?’ The first and most obvious question about Bill and Beat’s has the most wonderful answer. Owner Jenna’s grandparents, William and Beatrice, were an inspiration for hospitality. The shed was always open for beers, and the kitchen was always open for food. Yay for Bill and Beat – what a great tradition to pass on!
The coffee here is a standout. OHO’s old friends at Mansfield Coffee Merchant supply the sacred beans, and they’re handled with a care and consistency that makes us smile.
Don’t be fooled by the small shopfront. Bill and Beat’s is big enough to do three- to four-hundred covers on a Sunday. There’s a big room out back with a kind of communal beer-hall vibe that’s heaps of fun, and a function room upstairs.
All the cakes are made in house; if you’re lunching, try the house-made gnocchi with its little bit of crunch from finishing in the pan with butter.
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Prepare to be dazzled by some of the brightest Australian chefs – Julie Goodwin, Darren Purchese and Tim Bone. Exclusive meet-and-greets aside, these kitchen virtuosos will grace the festival across the weekend in several engaging events.
The festival proudly showcases over 30 producers and artisans, turning Sovereign Hill into a paradise for food lovers.
Heritage Harvest Weekend offers more than just a taste of the past. You can join in various rare trade activities that celebrate the goldfields’ cultural diversity and rich history.
In true Sovereign Hill style, the Heritage Harvest Weekend has plenty for the little ones.
