6 Of The All-Time Best Wineries In Australia

Raise your glass to Australia’s best wineries where Old World expertise marries with New World innovation with beautiful results.

From meeting leading winemakers from each region to experiencing some of the country’s most beautiful places through their amazing wines, here are a few of the best wineries in Australia.

1. Boydell’s, NSW

The first-ever cellar door to open in Morpeth is housed in a historic slab hut near to vine-clad slopes on the banks of the Allyn River. Charles Boydell was one of the first to plant vines in the Hunter when he settled on the property in 1826.

The boutique vineyard in East Gresford is now run by Jane Maroulis and her vigneron husband Daniel Maroulis, who craft small-batch boutique wines made from grapes grown on the farm.

The cellar door will showcase these award-winning wines and in Boydell’s restaurant, where chef Sheldon Black oversees a seasonal menu focusing on local produce.

Boydell’s cellar door and restaurant also has a courtyard and log fire and a luxury safari-style glampsite built for two.

Charles Boydell was one of the first to plant vines in the Hunter

2. Tahbilk Winery, Victoria

Wine tourists get a very special welcome when they leave the Tahbilk Winery after an Ultimate Winery Experience tour: a 750ml bottle of their own top drop after participating in a blending workshop.

In terms of quintessential Australian vineyard experiences, this place is up there and it’s all too easy to hang out here for a day: known as tabilk-tabilk ‘place of many waterholes’ in the language of the Daung-Daung-wurrung clans, the carbon-neutral winery comprises 1214 ha of rich river flats with a frontage of 11 km to the Goulburn River and 8 km of backwaters and creeks that spaghetti around the surrounds.

Tahbilk is somewhat of a tucked-away secret: located just 90 minutes from Melbourne on one of the nation’s premium viticultural areas. And, as the gnarled and twisted vines at Tahbik Winery attest, the vineyard and its varietals dates back about 150 years.

3. Hahndorf Hill, South Australia

The hills of Adelaide are indeed alive with the Sound of Music at this winery that celebrates the white wine grape grüner veltliner and blaufrankisch (the red version of this grape), which are grown primarily in Austria.

This part of South Australia was settled in the 19th century by Lutherans and Germans fleeing persecution: it is known for its range of quality cool-climate wines and its distinct European feel.

In addition to its pioneering plantings of Austrian grape varieties, the estate produces wines the region is renowned for such as pinot grigio, shiraz and a fresh and dry rosé.

Conscious travellers will appreciate the vineyard’s environmentally sustainable farming methods, which protects the heritage of the hills.

Book a ChocoVino experience, where you can learn about terroir through chocolate and wine matching.

Handhorf seeks to protect the heritage of the hills

4. Bay of Fires, Tasmania

Head to the north of Tassie past the Tamar River and east into the Pipers River region to find the Bay of Fires, a winery named after this particularly beautiful swathe of the State’s rugged east coast.

The area was named ‘Bay of Fires‘ in 1773 when the aptly named Captain Tobias Furneaux noticed a number of spot fires dotted along the coast, evidence of occupation of the traditional Indigenous owners of the land.

Fast forward a couple of hundred years and winemaker Penny Jones is one of many breaking down the State’s outdated reputation of insularity: Jones has travelled the world to better understand the lay of the land and her now exceptional winemaking knowledge has resulted in some exceptional pinot noirs being produced on the property.

The winery is now one of Tassie’s headline attractions, prompting patronage from local and international oenophiles.

The Bay of Fires winery is named after this beautiful swathe of the east coast

5. Leeuwin Estate, Western Australia

The cellar door at this family business is theatrically heavy on sandstone and wood, as is the restaurant, and art gallery, which have all been added to the original production facilities, which opened in 1978.

While terroir is said to determine the complexities of a wine and where it’s from, the estate in Margaret River in WA is also defined by its dedication to fine wine, food and art.

As well as producing wines ranked as some of the best in the world, Leeuwin Estate showcases its sense of place by staging world-class events.

It also embraces the arts by linking concerts and Art Series events back to its labels, which feature leading contemporary Australian artists.

Do a few hot laps of the gallery, which includes artworks from Lloyd Rees, Sir Sydney Nolan, John Olsen and Arthur Boyd.

Leeuwin Estate showcases its sense of place by staging world-class events

6. Helm Wines, Canberra District

The crisp, cool climate of the Canberra district enables winemakers in the region to craft complex wines of great subtlety and elegance.

A tutored tasting at Helm winery, housed in the original 1888 public school house, is a very intimate experience.

After 22 years of working as a horticulture scientist at the CSIRO, Helm purchased the 15 hectare property in 1973 and set up one of the district’s first wineries with wife Judith.

After his first wine, made in 1977, won first prize at the Forbes Wine Show, Helm figured he was onto a good thing: he is now credited with helping establish the Canberra District Wine Region’s reputation for producing world-class cool-climate wines. To go to the cellar door and find Helm himself there is a beautiful thing.

A tour of Helm wines is a very intimate experience

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.

6 of the best wineries in Australia