Chances are if you love a good drop, you’ll love Mildura. It’s an area geared for hopping from cellar door to cellar door, tasting aromatic quaffs, local varietals and premium vintages. For lovers of food and wine there are myriad things to do in Mildura.
Home to 20% of our nation’s vineyards, with 800 growers spanning 15,000 hectares, the Murray-Darling region has been called the ‘engine room’ of Victorian wine.
Its Mediterranean climate, clear skies and mild weather yield a trademark Chardonnay with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot hot on its heels.
The area has a long and fruitful tradition of wine-growing.
In the 1830s it was canvassed by Captain Charles Sturt in search of an inland sea (he found the Murray-Darling river systems instead.) After two enterprising Canadian brothers introduced irrigation in 1887, the dry and sparsely vegetated land transformed into an oasis of emerald vineyards and sheep grazing pastures. The Lindemans Karadoc Winery, with its 150 years legacy, is worth a visit for a first-hand peek into the industry’s historic roots.
Wine may run like water in these parts, but there are plenty of other places to tour your tastebuds off the viticultural path.
Feastreet is Mildura’s dining and entertainment precinct, with the prestigious Stefano’s located in the cellars of the Quality Hotel Mildura Grand a must-visit for gourmands. Chef Stefano de Pieri is a Tourism Ambassador for the region, as well as a winner of The Age’s Country Restaurant of the Year in 2009. Serving up only the best and freshest local produce prepared in a simple Italian style, we recommend you book early.
Dubbed the ‘fruit basket’ of the state for its verdant array of produce, Mildura can also claim the honour of generating 95% of Australia’s dried fruit.
Fancy a date? Then you’ve come to the right place.
November might be a particularly good month to circle on the calendar, as the Jazz & Wine Festival combines smooth sounds with top-shelf tipples. A highlight of Mildura’s spring calendar, the four-day festival of wine, food and jazz culminates with an upbeat Street Party, and everyone’s invited.
Whether taking in the picturesque paddle steamers riverside or wandering from cellar door to gastro pub, there are a huge range of things to do in Mildura. A gourmet paradise and pastoral retreat all in one.
Mildura Accommodation
Stay in the heart of Mildura at the Quality Hotel Mildura Grand Close to shops and the popular ‘feast’ street. The multi-award winning Comfort Inn Deakin Palms is only a short hop from Mildura Airport and just minuets from the Mildura Arts Centre and La Trobe university.
The Econo Lodge Mildura is an affordable option ideal for corporate, leisure or family with comfortable air-conditioned Mildura accommodation close to public transport and minutes to Mungo National Park, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, Langtree Hall Museum and the Australian Inland Botanic Gardens.
By Jane Tara