The Milawa Gourmet Region is an absolute foodie heaven! From cheeses, wine, gin and local produce, this little corner of the world has it all. Nestled right in the middle, Milawa is perfect for a gourmet weekend escape. Come and explore these 3 wonderful places and enjoy some delicious locally made treats.
Where is the Milawa Gourmet Region
The Milawa Gourmet Region encompasses the regional towns of Milawa, Oxley, Tarrawingee, Whorouly, Markwood, located in the north – east of Melbourne, Victoria.
The town of Milawa itself is just under 3 hours drive from Melbourne and nestled within the King Valley Wine Region & Milawa Gourmet Region. The closest largest town is Wangaratta, about 18 km away from Milawa.
The centre of Milawa is quite small and easy to miss actually – it just has your essentials like a general store, the bakery & the hotel. But don’t be fooled, have a little drive around and you will come across so many local producers and you will love the variety of foods & wineries they have on offer.
Just around the corner from the main street is Brown Brothers Winery – and that is a huge establishment with a gorgeous restaurant & cellar door.
TIP: If you like to ride, take your bike with you! Once you have settled into Milawa – you can ride to nearby Exley in the popular Milawa Gourmet Ride.
You can do a few (or many) stops along your pedal and have some delicious food or a wine tasting. Or, you can also join one of the many Pedal to Produce Tours available in the area.
Where to stay in Milawa
We were staying in nearby Whorouly for a week long country getaway and Milawa was our daily stop, only 15 minutes drive away to pick up some delicious food supplies.
There are many great options located in Milawa and in nearby towns, from cozy B&Bs to Motels, caravan parks & AirBNBs, there are lots of options for a weekend getaway.
My top pick if you want somewhere amazing is Lancemore Milawa. It has recently had a renovation and it is just a stunning property. You can check prices for Lancemore Milawa on Expedia HERE.
3 Must do stops in the Milawa Gourmet Region
Hurdle Creek Still – small batch gin distillery
When to visit: Open 10 am to 5 pm, Thursdays to Mondays (Closed Tuesday & Wednesday)
I had to stop here as I’m a big fan of gin and this was just too good to miss. The distillery is about 6 km out of town and well worth going!
This unassuming looking shed, is a rustic gin distillery that only produce in very small batches, using juniper and a special combination of botanicals that are vapour infused into the spirit.
You can have a tasting for a small charge (or free if you make a purchase) and the owner will happily take through the process on how the gin is made. They have a great selections of gins for sale as well as other spirits they make like a zingy Japanese style Yuzu and a decadent Dark Cacao liqueur. A must see stop in the Milawa Gourmet Region.
Milawa Cheese Company
When to visit: Open 9 am to 5 pm, Everyday
This is a cheese lovers paradise – they have a wonderful array of cheeses and you can do a tasting. There is usually a board up saying which ones are on offer on a particular day.
They have a vast selection and they focus a lot on locally made bries, camemberts and different varieties of blue and goat cheeses too. I’m a big fan of camembert and I very much enjoy the Milawa Camembert, it’s creamy with a buttery, rich flavour.
In the store they also sell lots of other produce and chutneys, honey, crackers, jams.. you could very much make up your own nice picnic basket! There is also an adjoining café next door,
Milawa Bread and Kitchen, is open for breakfast and lunch and makes a beautiful array of fresh breads, that again you can enjoy with the cheeses.
Milawa Mustards
When to visit: Open 10 am to 4.30 pm, Everyday
This little place is a hidden gem. From outside, it’s a little house, but once you walk in I can guarantee you won’t be leaving without a few of these little jars of deliciousness.
This is another place that produces only small batches, made locally and onsite. If you are lucky enough to find all the mustard types in stock -they have 7 varieties, from the Classic Honey Mustard to French. My favourites, are the Bourbon & Green Peppercorn Mustards and they are excellent on some beef or pork.
This gorgeous little shop doesn’t just sell mustards either, they also have jam, dressings and chutneys. The Homemade Tomato Chutney, is another one I recommend adding to your basket – it’s perfectly spiced with oranges & ginger. You can get in in a mild or hot version and goes just so well with some cheese and bread.
Now, If anyone is going to Milawa soon, can you pick me up a jar??
Want to discover more of Regional Victoria, in Australia? Check out my other post on the Grampians.
Book
To check out some great accommodation deals in the Milawa Gourmet Region check out Expedia and AirBnB.