Macedon Ranges

OUR HISTORY

Burke and Wills passed through in 1860 on their ill-fated journey north, a legacy being the Burke and Wills Track road-name used to this day. In that same year small vineyards and wineries sprang up around Riddells Creek, Carlsruhe and Darraweit Guim.

The Darraweit Guim and Riddells Creek plantings were in the 1840’s and 1850’s by the Jackson Brothers and by William and Walter Clarke of Clarkefield.  Vineyards in the Sunbury region to the south were also established at this time.

The Riddells Creek plantings were made by Henry and Robert Foreman who planted vines along the Sandy Creek at Holyrood in the 1850’s and by George Knight who planted 10 acres at Beulah’s in 1889

It is believed that the extensive plantings at Riddells Creek were abandoned because of the 1890’s recession, the cooler climate compared with Sunbury and the loss of English markets.

Viticulture was revived in the area in the late 1960’s with plantings at Virgin Hills by Tom Lazar and by Gordon Knight (Granite Hills) at Baynton in 1971.  This was followed in 1977 by Gordon Cope-Williams plantings at Romsey, Bob Nixon’s planting of Gisborne Peak Winery in Gisborne South in 1978 and the establishment of Hanging Rock, Rochford, Portree and Roseberry Hill in 1983.  Since then winemaking and grapegrowing has continued to expand, with Cleveland established in 1984, Cobaw Ridge and Mt Gisborne in 1985, Mt William and Bindi in 1987, Mt Macedon in 1989, and Curly Flat, Braewattie and Stonemont in 1993.

Wine Tasting in the Macedon Ranges

Did you know there are 27 cellar doors regularly open in the Macedon Ranges to explore?

Most of our producers are boutique and family owned. As a result, visitors are offered a unique, personalised experience to learn firsthand from some of Victoria’s best artisans of wine.

A cellar door adventure in the Macedon Ranges usually means you’ll be talking directly with the people who grow the grapes and make the wine.

Watch this short video to get a feel for what a Macedon Ranges wine tasting experience is all about…

Design Your Own Wine Tasting Trail

Macedon Ranges Wines has teamed up with clever app Twenty Five Doors so you can create your very own customised wine tasting itinerary.

Your personal itinerary is 100% free and gives you a mapped guide of cellar doors you’ll love, its rating, and a little bit of information to help you have a great time there. Simple!

https://www.macedonrangeswine.com.au/about/about-macedon-ranges

https://www.visitmacedonranges.com/eat-drink/wineries/