Dear Oliver
And just like that it''s autumn. ?? ?? The vintage is being bought in from the vineyards and the orchards, crispy apples, sun-warmed peaches, nectarines and sweet apricots fill your baskets and your tummies. Shop from the farm gate and live like a local in our delicious region.
Plan a mid-week visit and you''ll have the place to yourself. That means less crowds at our most popular destinations such as Four Pillars Gin and Domaine Chandon and the opportunity to discover the brand new Matilda Bay Brewery before everyone else does.
It''s a stunning time of the year for scenery and perfect conditions for a hot air balloon flight. Experience a wander in an orchard and visit the villages in the hills .
Share your awesome autumn pics on your Insta account with the hashtags: #HolidayHereThisYear #VisitVictoria #FindYourSelf #SharingIsCaring for us - and the world - to see.
The March festival calendar is as abundant as our lifestyle and it just so happens this weekend is a long weekend so there''s even more time to settle in and enjoy food, wine, nature and life.
It all happens - with you - in March in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.
COMING UP
- Wine Down at a Pop Up Hotel
- Yarra Valley Herb and Chilli Festival
- Wine & Stories dinner series
- Nillumbik Open Farms
- Harvest happenings
- Eat, Play and Stay
- More to enjoy
- Yarra Valley Writers Festival Program release
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WINE DOWN AT A POP UP HOTEL
For one month only from 28 February to 28 March, Wine Down Pop Up is a limited-time vineyard escape that sees upcycled containers set up at Seville Estate in the Yarra Valley (followed by two other locations) in Victoria.
The rooms feature high-end finishes, a luxury bathroom, a minibar with a selection of great produce from the local region, breakfast hamper, bed with luxuriously soft linens, Australian made toiletries, a private deck, and an electric BMW i3 to explore the region.
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YARRA VALLEY HERB AND CHILLI FESTIVAL
14&15 MARCH
Enjoys the good things in life on the weekend of 14-15 March in Wandin. Herb and Chilli Festival is a two-day celebration of herbs and chillis in food, drinks, sauces, plants and the cultures associated with cuisines that focus on spice and flavour. There are 90 vendors selling dishes from over 15 cuisines, stages with cooking, music, cultural dance troupes, a competition stage with a Hellfire Chicken Wing Challenge, Captain Chilli plus more and the Australian Chilli Cook-off with public tastings and voting.
A range of boutique beer, local wine, excellent coffee, the world''s hottest dimmies plus Australia''s best hot sauce companies. There are spice blends, jams, jerky, chocolate, desserts, nuts, fresh fruit ice cream and lots more. Children under 14 are free.
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WINE & STORIES - Monthly Dinner Series
Chateau Yering invites you to open your minds and palates for these evenings of grit, grace and gratitude with wine makers, brand ambassadors and passionate people representing generations of Yarra Valley wine making.
Through a series of monthly dinners, each winery will present their unique place of family, vines and wines in what has become Australia''s pinnacle cool climate wine region. Engage their unique stories of land through love and passion for grapes. Coming up March to June - see below. (For Wine & Stories dinners July to November click here.)
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NILLUMBIK OPEN FARMS - MARCH 22
Nillumbik is home to a diverse mix of farms including fruit and veggie farms, livestock and animal farms, orchards and vineyards. Open Farm Day allows visitors to choose the farms they want to visit to make their own trail including: Farm tours, demonstrations, farm animals, product tastings and more.?
?New for 2020 is the Open Farm Day Camp Out. Enjoy an evening in the great outdoors and experience the mystery and beauty of Hurstbridge, by camping out in the paddock on Saturday 21 March. Camping fees are $50 for a family of 5, $25 for couples and $10 for additional adult. Book your campsite here.
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HARVEST HAPPENINGS IN THE VALLEY AND RANGES
Learn from Len at Rayners Orchards with the return of his popular "Growing Fruit Trees" workshop series. Get hands on and learn about soil prep, planting, fertilising, watering, pruning and planting for fruit every day of the year. (Follow up classes will cover fruit preserving, bottling, drying and eating.)
Enjoy some farm baked pies in the cafe (Len recommends the Peach and Blueberry), house churned ice-cream, and hometown honey. In season right now are plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and mini pumpkins...and it''s apple season-grown without any chemicals one bite and you''ll realise what the fuss is all about. Check website for season updates and workshop details.
Celebrate Autumn Harvest at Alowyn Gardens on March 28 with Giant Atlantic Pumpkins (guess the weight competition), Pumpkin displays (40+ types on show), local art & craft display, produce prizes, and 30 market stalls including hot food, vegan options and local wines/beers.
Sanders Apples in Gladysdale is ripe with Kanzi apples from mid-March (and other varieties throughout April). A fabulous afternoon out for U-Pick and a picnic - take a tractor ride and enjoy the scenery and the fruits of these third-generation apple farmers first hand. Check website for season updates.
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CULTURE TRACKS
The Culture Tracks 2020 program is full of performances, events, music and more. Make your trip a mini-stay and enjoy a unique arts experience.
Catch the upcoming performance of Kristian Chong and Daniel Dodds: Mustonen and Brahms on March 22 in Healesville.
MORE PROGRAM INFO
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WARRANDYTE FESTIVAL 20-22 March
Warrandyte Festival is held at Stiggants Reserve. Bright with artistic endeavours, it is a champion of "homegrown" and "hand made". The festival is all about family fun: concerts and camel rides, waterslides, whacky races, billy cart derby, kids' market, battle of the bands, a film feast, Rotary Art Show, and more.
And it''s FREE to all.
MORE INFO
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CELEBRATE MOOROOLBARK - 20&21 MARCH
Celebrate Mooroolbark presents Red Earth Awakened 40 years on. From retro rides to futuristic imaginings, Celebrate Mooroolbark 2020 is going to be a party like no other. There will be festivities street parades and more. Free.
MORE INFO
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TARRAWARRA OPEN WEEKEND - 21&22 MARCH
Free Museum entry, a major installation by artist Minna Gilligan, a free printmaking tote bag workshop, live music, sketching, food trucks, pop-up tours and more. Inspired by the exhibition Making Her Mark, works by leading women artists.
MORE INFO
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KABLOOM - FROM 28 MARCH - 19 APRIL
Visit Tesselaar KaBloom Festival of Flowers in the Dandenong Ranges. There are millions of colourful flowers filling the fields with colour, texture and fragrance.
MORE INFO
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BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH - MARY EATS CAKE
Gather your friends for a Sunday Bottomless Brunch available every week.
Free flowing mimosas and Pimms, and Bruch in fine High Tea Style in gorgeous vintage surrounds.
MORE INFO
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YARRA VALLEY WRITERS FESTIVAL
Write, read and listen on the weekend of 8-10 May 2020 at the inaugural Yarra Valley Writers Festival. Full program is now available featuring Helen Garner, David Williamson, John Marsden, Clare Bowditch, Charlotte Wood, Tony Birch, Alice Pung, Angela Savage and more.
MORE INFO
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