By Rama Gaind.
Go to Balgownie Estate Bendigo’s onsite restaurant for lunch or dinner to enjoy an indulgent meal.
Find gold, in its many forms – and it will glitter – in Bendigo, Victoria, but if you want to find the precious metal, you’ve got to love the process of digging.
If lodging and recreation is more to your liking, then you’ve come to the right spot so you can stay at the award-winning winery and resort – Balgownie Estate Bendigo.
This Estate is Bendigo’s oldest working winery – 33-hectares overlooking Myer’s Creek at Maiden Gully – established in 1969 and home of boutique Balgownie wines. It is a two-hour drive from Melbourne CBD and 10-minutes from central Bendigo.
To celebrate the beginning of harvest, it has released an attractive autumn harvest package for the perfect regional Victoria escape. There’s glamping – where serene bushland meets the vines – and modern homestead accommodation. Take it easy under a canopy of stars. Relax with upscale dining in the restaurant and accommodation overlooking the vines.
This package – starting from $299 per night (mid-week Bell Tent Glamping accommodation rate) is available until 31 May 2023. It includes:
- Overnight accommodation
- A bottle of Balgownie Estate’s 2020 Black Label Shiraz and a cheese platter to enjoy in your room on arrival
- Breakfast for two at Balgownie Estate Bendigo’s onsite restaurant.
Opt for a unique experience in one of the luxurious, fully equipped glamping tents at Balgownie Estate Bendigo.
In addition to the free breakfast provided in the package, guests can visit Balgownie Estate’s onsite restaurant for lunch or dinner to enjoy an indulgent meal with a seasonal menu showcasing the region’s fresh produce, along with Balgownie’s award-winning wines to complement the meal.
As the only winery within the Bendigo region to achieve ‘5 Red Stars’ from the Halliday Wine Companion – no visit would be complete without a trip to the winery’s new cellar door.
Historic find
A perfect getaway this autumn that will offer more than majestic vistas and comfortable accommodation. Bendigo has grown into a thriving cultural, wine and food producing district. Discover the vibrant regional town.
Bendigo in the 1880s was deemed the richest city in the world, with more gold found there between 1850 and 1900 than anywhere in the world. Grand buildings and monuments from the golden past line the main streets offering an ever-present reminder of the riches from the gold fields. It’s said Bendigo’s gold rush not only shaped Bendigo, but Melbourne and the state of Victoria as a whole.
What’s more, finding gold is still a regular occurrence in the Loddon Valley. While most keep their lucky strikes secret, some people still make a living from the valley diggings.
Even though gold prospecting is permitted throughout most areas of the Greater Bendigo National Park/Bendigo Regional Park, with only a few areas off limits. However, a current Miner’s Right must be held at all times while gold prospecting.
Partake of Balgownie Estate’s seasonal menu showcasing the region’s fresh produce, along with Balgownie’s award-winning wines.
You can learn about Bendigo’s unique geology on an underground tour at Central Deborah Gold Mine, a real gold mine that operated during the gold rush.
Known as the Ceramic Centre of Victoria, Bendigo is also famous for its potteries, dating from the 1850s with the famous Bendigo Pottery being established in 1858.
While Balgownie Estate’s well-furnished homestead accommodation offers country hospitality, it is coupled with contemporary and luxurious style. Alternatively, you can opt for a unique experience in one of well-appointed glamping tents fully equipped with blankets, cushions and a split-system heater to take the regional Victoria chill away.
When you stay at Balgownie Estate Bendigo, you will do more than just wine, dine and stay amongst a vast backdrop of vineyards and bushland!
FACT BOX
Balgownie Estate Bendigo
www.balgownie.com/bendigo
