SYDNEY, NSW TO ADELAIDE, SA
ROADIE
APRIL 2023
A brood of three in a Kia Carnival, we began our road trip on an unusually warm April day in Sydney. No sooner had we hit the Blue Mountains, the temperature dropped dramatically and we welcomed a slight sprinkling of rain.
First stop was Bilpin for some delicious apples. We unfortunately didn't have time to follow Bilpin's Apple Pie Trail, however we did purchase a kilo of apples which stayed with us until the South Australian border.
Considered the first true country town west of Sydney, Lithgow is situated in the centre of a coal mining district. Being a Sunday, the shops were closed and main street desolated with a freezing cold wind blowing. Fortunately, we had booked lunch at the very popular Tin Shed, with is welcoming fire and delicious food. A good way to start our culinary journey.
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| The Lithgow Tin Shed - Bookings Recommended |
Heading towards Orange, we detoured off the main highway to Blayney and then on to the heritage listed town of Millthorpe. Millthorpe is a step back in time and a great place to wander through the antique stores and old hotels. We stopped for afternoon tea at the Millthorpe Chocolates Cafe, however Millthorpe is also home to the very popular restaurant Tonic, the Millthorpe Providore and the Slow Wine Co.
ORANGE
It's been a few years since we have been to Orange. It is such a beautiful town and we have always enjoyed our visits. It is the perfect size with great food and wine, boutique hotels, shops and public facilities. Being so close to Sydney (254km), Orange is a great weekend destination and since Covid, the town has seen a record number of visitors. It is recommended that popular hotels, such as the Byng Street Hotel and Steve Cordony's Rosedale Farm are booked well in advance. We stayed at the de Russie Boutique Hotel.
Up early, we took advantage of the local aquatic centre to keep on top of all the eating and drinking we were doing. Fortunately, the outdoor 50m pool was heated to 25℃ as the outside temperature was only 5℃. We were also lucky that the weather had taken a turn for the better, so we picked up some breakfast supplies from the Racine Bakery and headed to Cook Park.
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| A delicious French bakery |
Cook Park is home one of many German Field Guns captured and brought back to Australia after WWI. It is also home to one of the Cannons used to defend Sydney Harbour and was obtained from Sydney City Council in 1870.
During the 1930's depression a number of relief projects were undertaken in Orange for the unemployed. One such project was the building of the Blowes Conservatory. Completed in 1934, the growing of Tuberous Begonias began. Today there are over 90 varieties of Tuberous Begonias and are on display between March are May each year.
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| Blowes Conservatory |
Commercial grape vines were first planted in the Orange region in 1980 and since then Orange has fast become known for its cool-climate wines with the highest vineyards around a chilly 1000 metres above sea-level.
Borrodell Estate boasts spectacular views across the Towac Valley and Orange. The Skybar is the perfect place to start your wine tasting journey or you may prefer lunch at the Sisters Rock Restaurant or even stay amongst the vines in one of their self-contained cottages.
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| Borrodell Estate Skybar |
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| Skybar cellar door |
If you prefer to visit all the vineyards in one spot, then try the Ferment Wine Centre and Store.
The Agrestic Grocer can be found a little out of town on the A32 highway. Open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offering live entertainment on Tuesday evenings, you will be sorry to miss this place.
The historic village of Carcoar is the original home of Australian Paralympian Kurt Fearnley and has been the backdrop to many Australian films such as Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door and Bryce Courtenay's Jessica with Sam Neill. Not unlike Millthrope, the main street includes Georgean style terrace shops, a mid-Victorian era court house and the 1849 convict built Stoke Stable Museum.
Anyone visiting Orange will no doubt dine at the Union Bank. Located on Summer Street, you can dine inside at the Schoolhouse restaurant or sit and have a casual meal or drink in the stunning courtyard.
COWRA
During WWII, Cowra was the site of a POW camp. Mostly Japanese prisoners, in August 1944 at least 545 Japanese POWs attempted a mass breakout. At the same time, other Japanese prisoners committed suicide or were killed by their countrymen inside the camp. The POW Hologram Theatre, located inside the Cowra Visitors Centre, tells the story of The Cowra Breakout. Even if you are just passing through, the 9-minute presentation is worth a look.
GUNDAGAI
Stopping in Gundagai for a night we stayed at Kimo Estate in one of their very comfortable farm cottages. The fresh country air and animal noises, along with a magical sunset made our evening perfect.
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| Windies Cottage |
HOLBROOK
Affectionately known as 'Submarine Town', Holbrook is named after the first submariner to receive the Victoria Cross, Lieutenant Norman Holbrook. Located just off the Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne, the town is a popular stop for travellers. The life-sized submarine in the park can't be missed, nor can the Holbrook Submarine Museum located next to it.
The Holbrook Bakery is very popular and displays signed paper bags of celebrities who have passed through.
Further down the main street is the Woolpack Inn Museum. A fascinating look at Holbrooks pioneering history.
ALBURY
At Albury we hit Australia's longest river the Mighty Murray and the border between NSW and VIC. Briefly stopping to step back in time at the newly renovated Astor Hotel, we then headed west and had lunch at the Corowa Distilling Co. Located in the old flour mill, the whisky and chocolate distillery is the place to be seen for functions, lunches and tastings.
Crossing the border into Victoria we visited Byramine Homestead and Brewery. The homestead was built in 1842 by explorer Hamilton Hume for his sister-in-law, Elizabeth and her nine children after her husband was murdered by Bushrangers. Today, it is on the National Trust register for its unique design. A self-guided tour of the homestead is available from Wednesday to Sunday which includes a free tasting in the brewery.
BENDIGO
What's not to love about Bendigo? Located approximately 150km from Melbourne, Bendigo offers up incredible arts and culture, world-class food and drink experiences and an amazing history. The discovery of gold in Bendigo in 1851 transformed the area from a sheep station into one of Australia's largest boomtowns. Still today, Bendigo is one of the fastest growing regional centers in Victoria.
We stayed at the refurbished Bendigo Ernest Hotel. Built in 1864, the building was originally the oldest bank in Bendigo. It is close to the Bendigo Art Gallery and backs onto the Rosalind Park and Conservatory Gardens - home to up to 30,000 grey-headed flying foxes.
Named after a popular schoolteacher, Ms Batterhams, located in the Mackenzie Quarters, is not to be missed. Make sure you book a table and enjoy delicious food and wine served on local Bendigo Pottery.
From 1850 to 1954, over 700,000kg of gold was found on the Bendigo Goldfields, making Bendigo, at the time, the richest goldfield in the world. Once a working mine, the Central Deborah Gold Mine is one of Bendigo's most popular tourist attractions. Tours take you underground to explore the hidden tunnels and learn about what it was like to be a miner in the 1900s gold rush boom.
Trams were introduced to Bendigo in 1890. After a couple of initial hiccups, the trams were a popular addition to the city with commuters standing in the aisles, doorways and even on the outside running boards. The trams were also used for the delivery of parcels, newspapers and mail bags sent from outlying post offices to the central GPO.
The Bendigo Tramways' Vintage Talking Tram begins at the Central Deborah Gold Mine and runs through the city to the Joss House Temple. The return trip takes around 45 minutes; however, a day ticket allows you to hop-on-hop-off the tram and discover the city at your own pace.
In the mid-1800s, 20 percent of Bendigo's population was from China. Working as miners and merchants, they introduced their customs and cultures to the goldfields. You can discover Bendigo's Chinese past at the Golden Dragon Museum which also houses the longest Golden Dragon in the world - Dai Gum Loong. At 125m long it is covered in more than 7000 handmade scales.
Between Pall Mall and Hargreaves Streets you will discover Chancery Lane. Mimicking the wall art and buzz of a Melbourne Laneway, this is where you will find venues for food, fashion, lifestyle and art. Chancery Lane is also home to one of Bendigo's best eateries The Dispensary. If you want to get a view from above, head to the Nimbus Rooftop Bar.
BENDIGO TO MILDURA
Heading North again the topography changes to very flat river land country and the road is lined with fruit and nut orchards and grape plantings. Just an hour and a half from Bendigo, step back in time at the historic town of Kerang and walk or drive the self-guided tour.
If you blink, you will miss Lake Boga. We just happened to see the sign for the Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum and made a detour to see what it was all about. After the attacks on Broome, Western Australia in 1942 where 16 flying boats (Catalinas) were destroyed, the Australian Government set out to find a secure location for the maintenance of flying boats and amphibious aircraft. Lake Boga was chosen for is circular shape and free of obstructions. In the five years the Depot operated, more than 1050 aircraft arrived and departed and an estimated 800 test flights conducted.
The museum has an assembled PBY5 Flying Boat on display and over 500 items of WWII memorabilia, including interactive and audio presentations. Make plans to spend some quality time here, it is one of the best museums I've seen.
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| Over 1050 aircraft arrived/departed from Lake Boga |
Swan Hill was originally one of the major trading ports along the Murray River. It was also a stopping point for the Burke and Wills expedition from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1860. Today, the Swan Hill Pioneer Village takes you back to that era displaying real life buildings, tractors and engines that were used throughout Victoria. Other attractions include Jimmy Long's Bakery, the Lolly Shop, the Blacksmith, Woodturners and old church. Horse, car and paddle steamer rides are also included in your entry ticket.
We had lunch at the Federal Hotel on the banks of the Murray.
Criss-crossing from NSW to VIC over the Murray River we arrived at Mildura. Popular for houseboats and holidaymakers, there is so much to do, you can see why it is a popular destination. We stayed at the Quest and had dinner at 400 Gradi. Stefano's served up a delicious breakfast and the best milkshake! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to stay for a little longer.
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| The flood marker at Lock 11 |
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| Houseboating on the Murray River is very popular |
MILDURA TO ADELAIDE
Our final day driving took us from Mildura to the Barossa Valley. Crossing into South Australia, our clocks automatically converted to Central Australian time, giving us an extra thirty minutes to visit the Pioneering town of Loxton. Not unlike Swan Hill, Loxton also has an Historical Village and heaps of hidden gems to explore.
More than half of Australia's wine is produced in South Australia and as soon as you cross the border, the kilometers of vineyards begin. Our first wine tasting destination was Banrock Station. Located adjacent to the Murray River, Banrock's wetlands have been permanently flooded since the early 20th century. Promoting ecologically sustainable land use practices, the wetlands provide a habitat for several nationally threatened fauna and flora and many species of migratory waterbirds. There are many ways to explore and enjoy your visit to Banrock. Just make sure you don't miss it.
From Banrock Station, the Barossa Valley is a two-hour drive. Comprising of the towns of Nuriootpa, Tanunda and Angaston, the Barossa Valley is the perfect escape for a food and wine adventure. The weekend we were in the Barossa happened to be the annual Barossa Valley Vintage Festival where more than just wine and picturesque views are showcased.
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| The Scarecrow Scatter |
There is a good selection of accommodation, ranging from hotel, resorts, Airbnb's and bed and breakfasts. We enjoyed meals at Ferment Asian and Bar Musque in Tanunda. However, the highlight was a Sunday stroll through impressive Angaston visiting the Angaston Blacksmith Shop and Museum and stopping for a delicious lunch and wine tasting at Otherness.
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| The Chapel, Tanunda |
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| Angaston Blacksmith Shop and Museum |
Our farewell brunch was at Bloom in Adelaide before heading to the airport and returning home. All up we drove over 2,300km. What an incredible country we live in and to have so much opportunity and produce in our own backyard.
You can follow this trip on Wanderlog
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