MIND THE GAP

Three hours away from Melbourne, steeped in gold rush history and made strong by a combination of traditional industries and a thriving visitor economy, the Grampians region stretches from the western edge of Melbourne to the South Australian border. The Grampians National Park, with its sprawling vistas and verdant forests, is a nature lover’s delight.

On a rainy Melbourne morning, I found myself in a bus, taking in the views of undulating hills and extensive meadows. A smooth ride later — three hours in the relatively traffic-free highways Down Under whizz by in a Melbourne minute — I found myself in the quaint town of Halls Gap. Nestled at the foothills of the Grampians Peaks, the town, a prime example of #slowlife, offers a multitude of accommodations and activities. The area is renowned for spectacular hiking, stunning views and a plethora of wildlife, including kangaroos, emus, wallabies and many kinds of birds.

I was nursing an injured ligament and had an ankle cast strapped on, but one look at the majestic Grampians and I was game enough to scale at least a small part of it. The spectacular Grampians Peaks Trail, a whopping 164km trek, is a challenging 13-day/12-night hiking experience through a variety of terrain. Starting at Mt Zero in the north and heading south, the trail passes over the summit of Gar (Mt Difficult), continues through Halls Gap with hiking highlights including Redman Bluff, Mount William, Major Mitchell Plateau, Signal Peak, Mt Abrupt, Mt Sturgeon (and more) before reaching Dunkeld in the south.

At the Grampians, kangaroos are always just a few feet away

Along the way, one can stay at hike-in campgrounds along the trail, climb dramatic mountain peaks with panoramic views and hike along rugged rocky ridgelines. A rich diversity of plants and animals and the ancient Aboriginal culture of Gariwerd are up for soaking in as part of the experience. The trail caters to a variety of hiking styles, from self-guided walkers and groups to school groups and fully-facilitated hikes.

Staying overnight at Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park — where I sipped on wine with kangaroos at an arm’s distance and enjoyed a barbeque under the clear night skies — left me fresh to start on my hike the next morning. The distance I covered — given my foot — was a humble 3km — but the view from the top, as I munched on some traditional Australian lamingtons and sipped delicious coffee, was beyond description. Time stood still for a long time as I took in the view below, and this is an experience that I would suggest everyone try once, whether you are an enthusiastic hiker or not. I am a bit of a convert now.

Barbecuing on a chilly evening at the Halls Gap Lakeside Retreat in the Grampians hits different

Looking for a luxurious stay while in the vicinity of the Grampians? My second night in the area was spent in the stately Mount William Station. The homestead is a heritage property with refurbished 19th-century buildings set amongst a picturesque five-acre garden. This place soothes the soul, giving one a taste of travelling back in time.

HELICOPTERING TO WINE COUNTRY

A large part of Australia is know for its rich and diverse wine country. On my previous visits, I have hopped, skipped, jumped and gone hic-hic at quite a few, especially in Western and South Australia. But Yarra Valley in Victoria is uniquely beautiful in many ways, dotted as it is with over 80 wineries. The Yarra Valley is Australia’s premier cool-climate region and is renowned for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and méthode traditionnelle sparkling.

The fact that it is only an hour away from Melbourne by road also makes it easy to fit in a trip within a day. Which is exactly what I did. I just chose to do it a little differently. My ride to Yarra — a blazing red helicopter — took right off from the middle of Melbourne’s busy CBD (Central Business District) and an eye-popping 15-minute ride later, I was at De Bortoli Wines, one of Australia’s largest family-owned wine companies.

A walkthrough of a part of the picturesque estate, made all the more beautiful by a burst of autumn rain, included a look at De Bortoli’s wine-making process. The winery, which also houses a contemporary Italian- style restaurant, is the perfect destination to host a dreamy wedding. If that seems too extravagant, one can always plan a visit with family and friends. The estate’s gardens are beautifully landscaped with picnic facilities and a children’s playground.

The 'Pinot Noir' I 'whipped up'

My favourite part of my half-day trip to De Bortoli was getting to make my own wine! An hour was spent measuring, calculating, poring over test tubes, grabbing at funnels and a lot of sipping and slurping before I came up with my own version of a Pinot Noir. I hadn’t done as much math since leaving school and ‘my wine’ tasted a lot like cough syrup. But hey, A+ for effort!

MUSSELS ON BOARD!

On a chilly autumn afternoon, I found myself hopping onto a pristine white 40-year-old Huon Pine vessel for a unique ocean-to-plate experience. Portarlington, located about 100km away from Melbourne, is a coastal township on the Bellarine Peninsula and is known as the ‘mussel capital of Victoria’. Not only does this town harvest a whopping 60 per cent of Australia’s mussels, the quality is exceptional, thanks to the cool depths of Port Philip Bay.

Known for its rich history, Portarlington serves up beautiful sights wherever you choose to place your camera, but none more picturesque than its famous pier.

I had a bellyful of lunch and wine inside me, but like it is with dessert, there is always space for seafood! Especially when you know it is going to be fished, prepped, cooked and placed on your plate right there and then. I had signed up with the good folks at Portarlington Mussel Tours and there was never a dull moment. From spotting the sights and sounds of Port Philip Bay to watching mussels — the speciality of the region — being harvested (I tried my hand at cutting open a few) this was quite an out-of-the-box experience. I took it all in, from seeing the mussel ropes pulled from the water, picking magnificent fresh molluscs off the lines and learning enthusiastically about the cleaning process and various stages of mussel farming.

A pool under a canopy of stars at Alba

When in that part of the world, this boutique and intimate tour — which is a far cry from run-of-the-mill tourism — is strongly recommended. A FROW seat to the mussel farming process and a cooking demonstration later, I was ready to dig into the haul of the day. Mussels have never tasted better. The experience left me inspired enough to wolf down a few oysters, something that I am otherwise not too fond of. And nothing can really beat chilling on the deck with a flute of champagne and having the wind play with my hair. Those few hours remain indelibly etched in memory.

BATHING UNDER THE STARS

What can be more relaxing than a dip in the pool? And if that happens to be in a thermal pool under a canopy of stars with nothing but the sounds of nature as you sip on some champagne, then the experience is heightened many times over. A wellness destination in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, the Alba Thermal Springs is just what my world-weary soul and body needed. Positioned in beautiful landscaped gardens, Alba offers contemporary bathing, including a rain pool, botanical pools, forest pools, a sunset pool, and private pools. I could have lived there forever. But then, life called.