Calling all dairy enthusiasts: this butter tasting room is like a wine cellar door — but for butter.
Lard Ass Butter is an artisan producer based on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, and they take their dairy very seriously. Founded by Monica Cavarsan, the daughter of a dairy farmer, Lard Ass Butter is inspired by the artisinal, cultured butters of Europe. Lard Ass uses milk from local grass-fed cows and hand crafts the produce in small batches, becoming a fridge staple among gourmands.
Now, Lard Ass has opened a dedicated butter tasting room, which is one of the first of its kind in Australia. Much like a wine cellar door (but for butter), the tasting room invites visitors to slow down and savour the brand’s unique small-batch flavours. Here, you’ll find butter flavours like honey whisky, chilli lime, seaweed and miso, and vanilla. Delish. Not only that, but visitors can meet the butter-making team and watch the process through the viewing window.
Lard Ass Butter has opened a butter tasting room to showcase their small-batch flavours. (Image: Lard Ass Butter/Visit Geelon & The Bellarine)
Lard Ass a must-visit for curious foodies, adding yet another delicious stop to the Bellarine Peninsula’s growing list of gourmet attractions. Stop into 10 Sykes Place, Ocean Grove, to find your favourite flavour before hitting up the Victorian region’s best wineries, breweries and farm gates.
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Elizabeth Whitehead is a writer obsessed with all things culture; doesn't matter if it's pop culture or cultures of the world. She graduated with a degree in History from the University of Sydney (after dropping out from Maths). Her bylines span AFAR, Lonely Planet, ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR and Refinery 29. Her work for Australian Traveller was shortlisted for single article of the year at the Mumbrella Publishing Awards 2024. She is very lucky in thrifting, very unlucky in UNO.
Once a service town for gold miners, Healesville has evolved into a destination brimming with character.
If you trace your finger to the heart of the Yarra Valley on a map, you’ll land on Healesville – a charming little town framed by towering gums and rolling hills. Its main street is lined with cosy cafes, a bookshop, silversmiths, boutiques and a providore stacked with artisan breads and cured meats. In other words, all the essentials for a leisurely weekend. Just beyond the shops, parklands invite picnics, bush trails suggest a wander, along with an old tourist railway, distilleries and award-winning vineyards. Originally a service centre for the goldfields, the railway soon brought visitors seeking fresh mountain air. Today, it’s the kind of place that rewards a slow stroll.
Staying in Healesville
Inside one of the cosy villas.
If sweeping mountain views are part of your accommodation prerequisite, Healesvillas are two architecturally designed villas sleeping six guests, complete with landscaped al fresco areas and a fire pit. Wander into town to visit Cheesemonger Sophie to help craft the perfect platter, and Barrique Wine Store for a local red, before returning to soak up the views.
Dining out in Healesville
No.7 offers small plates and tasting menus centred on seasonal produce. (Image: Ben Frazer)
For breakfast, head to My Little Kitchen Cafe, a cheerful spot on the main street known for its strong coffee and warm hospitality. Herd is a low-lit spot with serious style, serving up modern comfort food, or to sit beside wine barrels and underneath chandeliers head to No. 7 Healesville, a wine bar and restaurant in a converted warehouse.
Drinking in Healesville
Enjoy a cocktail at renowned Four Pillars Gin Distillery. (Image: LVDI)
Take a tour or sip your way through a tasting paddle at one of Australia’s most famous gin distilleries, Four Pillars Gin. If visiting a boutique winery is on the list, Boat O’Craigo wines has sweeping views over the vineyards to the hills beyond. The newest addition to the local drinking scene, Zoncello Yarra Valley serves a must-try Limoncello Spritz.
Boutique winery Boat O’Craigo. (Image: Rob Blackburn)
Healesville highlights
If you’re after a one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery, Silvermist Studio designs beautifully unique pieces. Lifestyle store Morris et al is filled with women’s fashion and homewares, and because everyone deserves a good book, Verso Books is a cosy independent bookshop with carefully chosen titles.
Head to Healesville Sanctuary to get up close to some of Australia’s wildlife. If the weather is on your side, pack a picnic and head to Maroondah Reservoir Park to climb the steep dam wall, where kids and adults alike can’t resist testing out the booming echo. And if you feel like stepping back in time, board a vintage train at the Yarra Valley Railway.
Step back in time at the Puffing Billy Railway. (Image: Visit Victoria)
This artisan butter factory has just opened a 'butter cellar door' - Australian Traveller
