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4 spots around Victoria set to be the next big thing

Want to dig deeper into your holiday destination to uncover the stories it can tell? Staying at these Lancemore properties in Victoria opens up the essence of each location.

Wandering through a vineyard, tasting the best regional produce – think rich King Valley cheese, handmade chocolate or fresh pastries – Victoria offers extraordinary experiences. Whether it’s the bustle of Melbourne’s laneway district or an escape into an indulgent foodie fantasy, staying at the hand-picked Lancemore Victoria locations ensures a personal connection with the region you are visiting.

Find a new corner of Victoria to explore, with these locations set to be the next big thing.

1. Milawa

Farm gates, cellar doors and gourmet specialty stores abound in the Milawa gourmet region, in the north-east’s High Country. Wine and dine to your heart’s content, then gather your choice of local produce to take back to your home-away-from-home, Lancemore Milawa.

Where to stay

Recently emerging from a multimillion-dollar refurbishment, the beautiful 40-room Lancemore Milawa invites guests to unwind in boutique luxury. Styled with gentle allusions to a modern Mediterranean and Moorish aesthetic, the palette is soothing and muted, blending with the beautiful landscape of merlot grapevines and distant peaks beyond. Manicured gardens enclose the two-storey hotel, where guests can lounge on the terrace, slip into the pool or savour a glass of red by the fireplace.

Lancemore Milawa lounge room
Stay in the beautiful King Valley.

Where to eat

Lancemore Milawa’s onsite Merlot Restaurant Bar sets the scene for elevated but relaxed dining overlooking the sun-drenched merlot vines beyond. From breakfast to dinner it’s a paddock-to-plate affair, where produce is sourced from the local region.

The King Valley is renowned for the world-class wines available at its many cellar doors including Sam Miranda Winery, Woodpark Wines and Indigo Vineyard Wines. But there is so much more for gourmands to discover. Gin lovers should head to the quaint family-owned Hurdle Creek Distillery or Barking Owl Distilling Co., which also produces liqueurs. Then there are the artisan cheeses, seasonal mustard, local honey and an array of baked goods to sample.

Lancemore Milawa
Enjoy locally inspired meals at Restaurant Merlot.

Top things to do

Hire an e-bike at Lancemore, or lace up your walking boots, and spend time exploring a short stretch of the scenic Murray to Mountains Rail Trail.  Just five kilometres will bring you to the quaint town of Oxley. Along the way, stop to admire the historic red-brick Oxley Flour Mill, built in 1868. There are lovely picnic spots at Memorial Park and beside the King River in Stan Allen Reserve.

cycling through the Milawa Rail Trail
Cycle the Milawa Rail Trail.

2. Red Hill

Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula is just an hour from Melbourne, and this charming wine-producing region is a popular place to give everyday life the slip. Proliferated with gourmet finds, cellar doors and dreamy beaches, it’s a must-visit on any Victorian escape.

Where to stay

Set on 34 acres of gorgeous gardens and vines, Lancemore Lindenderry is in the heart of Red Hill. Revel in landscapes of rolling green hills and coastal views, all just minutes from excellent cool climate wineries. A home base from which to explore the local vineyards or wander barefoot on nearby beaches, Lindenderry’s tranquil setting among 34 acres of gardens and vines allows guests to truly exhale. Book into one of 40 elegant guest rooms surrounded by European-style gardens.

Lancemore Lindenderry garden
Spend your afternoon wandering the beautiful gardens

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Where to eat

With Lancemore’s hatted The Dining Room on the property, you needn’t travel far to sample the region’s incredible local fare. The a la carte menu is set to the rhythm of the seasons and is complemented with a sensational wine list from Lindenderry and beyond.

Elsewhere, savour the flavour of the peninsula by indulging in wine tastings or pairings at local wineries Avani, Ocean Eight or Mont Rouge Estate. Or enjoy a cheese tasting at BoatShed Cheese Co. For those with a sweet tooth, there are chocolatiers to discover and the lure of Pure Peninsula Honey in all its forms.

Lancemore Lindenderry restaurant the dining room
Taste two-hatted meals at The Dining Room.

Top things to do

Make a restorative visit to the soothing waters at Peninsula Hot Springs. For lovers of good produce, be sure to sniff out a truffle hunt, and visit the local cherry and strawberry farms. The local golf courses will appeal to those who love a spin around the green.

The Sculpture Park at Pt Leo Estate offers a visual feast. Wander through this amazing outdoor gallery – set within the over 133-hectare estate that also encompasses rolling vineyards and grazing cattle – to marvel at 60 mostly large-scale works by Australian and international artists. Then explore the cellar door and restaurant.

the sculpture garden at Pt. Leo Estate, Mornington Peninsula
Wander the sculpture garden at Pt. Leo Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria)

3. Werribee Park

Starting life as a 93,000-acre sheep station, today the Werribee Park precinct encompasses a range of experiences. Explore heritage-listed Werribee Mansion, enjoy a picnic on the beautiful grounds or watch the land burst with colour when 5000 roses bloom in the Victoria State Rose Garden.

Once the working heart of the Werribee Park estate, the remaining bluestone outbuildings of the farmyard provide a stark contrast to the elaborate craftsmanship of the Chirnside Mansion. Wander down to the heritage orchard and see the work the community and Parks Victoria have put in to preserve and restore the fruit orchard originally planted by the Chirnside family in the late 1800s.

Where to stay

The multi-award-winning Lancemore Mansion Hotel Werribee Park offers an escape into history, food and immersive cultural experiences. Just a 30-minute drive from Melbourne, book one of 91 guest rooms in what is, literally, one of the grandest hotels in Australia. Truly, this hotel alone is enough of a reason to visit.

Add to the luxury of this noble 19th-century estate a striking 10 acres of formal English gardens and renowned service from the hotel’s staff. Despite its history, the five-star hotel offers contemporary sophistication and amenities. Sit down to a tasty meal, relax with a spa treatment or stroll the grounds at a leisurely pace.

Lancemore Mansion Hotel Werribee Park
Stay at the grand Lancemore Mansion Hotel Werribee Park.

Where to eat

Relax with garden views at Lancemore Mansion Hotel Werribee Park’s onsite restaurant, Joseph’s Dining. Stop in for a cocktail at the bar, or savour an award-winning modern European menu featuring fresh, seasonal produce (some of it even grown on the Mansion grounds) while taking in vistas of Werribee Gardens. Every weekend. treat yourself to lavish high tea of sweet and savoury treats – not to mention free flowing Prosecco.

A light stroll away, Shadowfax Winery is known for its handcrafted wines and seasonal, locally sourced cuisine. After lunch, indulge in a wine-tasting session where you’ll experience a variety of Shadowfax’s finest wines.

a meal at Joseph's Dining, Lancemore Mansion Hotel Werribee Park
Indulge in award-winning fare at Joseph’s Dining.

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Top things to do

For total indulgence, stay at your hotel and experience the Hammam at L.M. Spa, one of Melbourne’s most exclusive day spas, a luxurious steam bath in the tradition of the Middle East. Book a private Hammam steam room, apply a body scrub and mud mask, lie back and breathe. Add on a unique and specialised treatment, like an indulgent facial that has been custom-made for the harsh Australian climate, or an ancient practice for cleansing the body and mind.

For a change of pace, step back in time at the grand Werribee Park Mansion, built in 1877 for the Chirnside family and featured in a number of films and TV productions, including Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.

Elsewhere, go wild at Werribee Open Range Zoo on the banks of the picturesque Werribee River. Ride the safari bus to spot rhinos, giraffes, zebra, camels, bison, antelope and more for an adventure that offers a captivating glimpse into the animal kingdom.

Werribee Open Range Zoo
Take in a safari at Werribee Open Range Zoo.

4. Melbourne

Vibrant and rich with culture, Melbourne is a dynamic city that offers everything from hip enclaves to world-class dining and entertainment, incredible galleries and natural riverside beauty. The truly cosmopolitan city spills creativity into every nook and cranny, from the CBD laneways to the Yarra’s bends, making it the perfect minibreak destination.

Where to stay

Positioned at the Paris end of Bourke Street, Lancemore Crossley St is an elegant boutique stay in the heart of the city, and deftly encapsulates Melbourne’s gritty and glam persona. Poised to take in the best restaurants, the theatre district and luxe shopping, the 113 rooms are soothingly contemporary and adorned with covetable artworks.

Lancemore Crossley St guest room
Enjoy sweeping city views of Melbourne.

Where to eat

Grab a pre-dinner drink at Lancemore Crossley St’s Rooftop Terrace or Lobby Bar. Then indulge in dumplings in nearby Chinatown, sip espresso at a hidden laneway cafe, taste Spanish tapas at a cantina, or enjoy fine dining at restaurants like Gimlet, Cumulus, Maison Batard and Grossi Florentino. The choices are endless.

Lancemore Crossley St rooftop bar
Take in a tipple on Lancemore Crossley St Rooftop Bar.

Top things to do

Lancemore Crossley St is a stone’s throw from the best of Melbourne. Wander through Hosier Lane’s street art, discover hole-in-the-wall bars, or hit the shops in the gorgeous historic Block Arcade and Royal Arcade. Immerse yourself in the arts at blockbuster shows at Her Majesty’s Theatre or the Princess Theatre. Or go for a giggle at the Comedy Theatre. Stroll across Princes Bridge to soak up the latest exhibitions at the National Gallery of Victoria.

a couple admiring street art along Hosier Lane
Admire the street art of Melbourne on Hosier Lane. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Start planning your Victorian getaway at lancemore.com.au.

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Lee Mylne
Lee Mylne is an award-winning Brisbane-based freelance travel writer who has visited more than 60 countries, but still loves writing about the places closest to her. She has a strong interest in people, history, culture and nature and will go anywhere for a good story.
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Farm fresh produce to a trail of lights: the ultimate guide to Mildura

    Rachel Lay Rachel Lay
    The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

    From the moment you arrive in Mildura, the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

    Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura.
    Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

    Taste Mildura’s produce

    It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

    Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey. Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

    Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers, a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

    Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

    Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

    Hatted dining & Italian history

    Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

    To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s. Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

    Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel.
    Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

    Discover a thriving culture scene

    The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

    The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

    Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project. Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

    Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

    Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery.
    Find culture around every corner.

    Wonder at ancient landscapes

    The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

    The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

    Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

    Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park. Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

    Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity.
    Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

    Meet your home away from home

    On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

    Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama. A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

    When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats. Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

    A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura.
    Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

    Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com.

    4 Lancemore Victoria hotels set to be the next big thing