A Foodie’s Delight

The thriving city of Shepparton is easily accessible from Melbourne, being only a couple of hours drive from the CBD. Combine a progressive regional town with a collection of small, charming communities nearby and you have one busy weekend ahead of you! Here’s a run through of some must-sees.

 

DISCOVER

 

The Goulburn and Broken rivers flow through the town, fuelling a rich fruit and dairy industry. After all, greater Shepparton is known as the ‘Food bowl of Australia’! This region is so proud of its dairy industry it has plopped 100 life-sized 3D fibreglass cows around town. The cows, some painted like mermaids, tigers, super heroes, or representing famous works of art, can be found on the street, within gardens and along the riverbank. Go on a scavenger hunt and try to locate all cows that are part of The MooovingArt exhibition.

 

Discover more art within Shepparton Art Gallery. A permanent exhibition boasts a significant collection of ceramics, including works by the first convict potters. Also housed here are colonial and modernist paintings, works on paper, and special exhibitions.

 

Visit Bangerang Cultural Centre to view Aboriginal art and artefacts and learn about their culture. The Bangerang were river people who lived in the Murray Goulburn area, spreading all the way from Shepparton to Deniliquin, NSW. The Bangerang Cultural Centre runs free guided tours for groups by appointment. Experience a bush tucker talk at the Billabong Garden Complex (book in advance).

 

Learn about the history of the Second World War prisoner of war and internment camps at the Tatura Irrigation & Wartime Camps Museum. The collection only includes items with a connection to Tatura. Three of the seven WWII camps in the area were prisoner of war camps for enemy service men captured during the war, while the other four camps held internees – Australian civilians thought to be a security risk due to their nationality. The official German War Cemetery is situated next to the Tatura Cemetery.

 

INDULGE

 

I had never given much thought to what the brand SPC stood for until I found myself standing in front of the massive Shepparton Preserving Company factory. Aha!

Shepparton is a great place to stock up on canned goods. The SPC Ardmona Factory Sales outlet can save you 20–70% off normal retail prices. SPC Ardmona products include Goulburn Valley, IXL, Taylor’s, SPC, and Ardmona. Wander over to Campbell’s Soup Factory Sales in neighbouring Lemnos for up to 50% off the retail price.

 

Pick your own strawberries at Belstack Strawberry Farm, Kialla West. They pride themselves on growing their fruit with natural methods and no chemicals. Then there’s the famous Strawberry Sundaes to look forward to…

 

The gluttony doesn’t end there. Emerald Bank complex includes the Seven Creeks Chocolate Shop, nestled underneath a windmill. I became hooked on the raspberries covered in milk chocolate – just delicious! Head over to Emerald Café for Devonshire tea.

 

Now, I promised award-winning vanilla slices earlier and you’ll find this at Tatura Hot Bread. The slice was voted Australia’s number-one vanilla slice in The Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph for 2007, 2006 and awarded second place in 2008. Let your taste buds be the judge in 2010.

 

Greendale Grove Olive Shop, set in a gorgeous house amongst olive trees, is where you can sample olive oils, tapenades, dressings and of course, olives. Their Olivehouse Restaurant serves up gourmet lunches and cheese platters if you fancy a bite to eat.

 

Bruce is the cheesemaker at Locheilan Farmhouse, Wunghnu, and produces soft and blue cheeses. He boasts his cheese couldn’t be fresher, as the milk he collects from the cows is transferred straight over to the cheesery himself. Visitors can watch the process with an added bonus of tastings. Groups welcome by appointment.

 

For the ladies, drop into Woodlands Estate Lavender in Orrvale, just east of Shepparton, to purchase divine lavender lotions and oils.

 

Is your wine rack looking a little lonely? Stock up at the cellar doors dotted about the Greater Shepparton region. Check with individual wineries for opening times.

 

Taste award-winning wines at Broken River vineyard. The O’Keefe family supplied grapes to leading wineries until expansion on their property prompted them to release their own line of wines.This locally owned and operated winery uses both modern and traditional winemaking practices. Try the very affordable Fred’s Red or Ruth’s Red Shiraz.

 

Tallis Wines is located some 30km away from Shepparton, in the township of Dookie. The family-owned winery first began dealing in grapes in 1998 and prefers old, traditional winemaking practices, even hand plunging and foot trampling in some cases!

 

Monichino Wines rests north of Shepparton, in Katunga. This winery was established in 1962 when Carlo Monichino migrated from Northern Italy, bringing his winemaking talent with him. The family produce award-winning varieties, with a focus on premium wines.

 

Head south-west to Murchison, located about 39km from Shepparton. Stumble across Murchison Wines and Vazzoler Cheese at Longleat Estate, on the banks of the Goulburn River. Drop in and taste their reds, whites and cheeses under their pretty, vined pergola.

 

Murchison hurtled into the media spotlight in 1969 when a meteorite showered down upon the town. Estimated to be 4.5 billion years old, museums worldwide now display its fragments. Read the newspaper clippings in Meteorite Park.

 

While you’re already wandering south, Nagambie is worth a poke about, especially for its growing reputation as a wine region. The Mitchelton winery tower is visible from kilometres away. The tower, sitting atop the art gallery and cellar door, presents stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Taste their cellar-door-only releases or dine in their restaurant. Visit historic Tahbilk Winery, established in 1860. A sign proclaims, “These shiraz vines were planted in 1860 and are the oldest in the world!”.

Taste their collection of fine wines while admiring the historic national trust classified winery and underground cellar.

 

You can pick up a gift boxed 1.5L Tahbilk 1994 ‘1860 Vines’ Shiraz for $295 or just settle back with an $8.95 sparkling. Wine prices to suit all budgets!

 

ENJOY

 

While at the winery, explore the Tahbilk Wetlands & Wildlife Reserve walk.

 

You can either cross the historical Long Bridge ($5 adults) or access the wetlands by a boat cruise on weekends and public holidays ($10 adults). You may spot a diversity of birds, animals, reptiles and fish in the wetlands, from swans to the yellow-faced honeyeater as well as platypus, the spotted marsh frog, long-necked tortoises or freshwater catfish.

 

Visit Kyabram for one of country Victoria’s largest collections of Australian animals, reptiles and birds. Many inhabitants of Kyabram Fauna Park are free-ranging, such as wallabies, kangaroos, and emus. See birds in the walk-through aviary.

 

Interact with camels on a one-hour ride at Cosgrove Camel Farm, east of Shepparton. Don’t forget your camera! Wherever you decide to go, the Greater Shepparton region offers an abundance of attractions just waiting for you to discover!

 

GETTING THERE

Shepparton is about two hours north of Melbourne via the Hume Fwy and the Goulburn Valley Fwy.

 

 

WHERE I STAYED

 

BIG4 SHEPPARTON PARKLANDS
7835 Goulburn Valley Highway Shepparton, VIC
(03) 5823 1576
www.big4sheppartonparklands.com.au

 

CHEAP TREATS

 

BUY DIRECT FROM THE FACTORY
SPC Ardmona
Factory Sales
197–205 Corio Street, Shepparton
(03) 5821 7033
www.ardmonafactorysales.com.au

 

CAMPBELL’S SOUPS
Lemnos Rd, Lemnos
(03) 5833 3507

 

TRY AN AWARD-WINNING VANILLA SLICE
Tatura Hot Bread
130 Hogan St, Tatura
(03) 5824 1267

 

DEVONSHIRE TEA
Emerald Bank Café
(also known as the Windmill Café)
Emerald Bank Leisureland
7717 Goulburn Valley Highway, Kialla

 

SEVEN CREEKS CHOCOLATE SHOP
The Windmill
Emerald Bank Leisureland
(03) 5823 1308

 

PYO STRAWBERRIES
(Or try Pete’s famous Strawberry Sundaes)
Belstack Strawberry Farm
PYO costs $9.80 per kg.

Open weekends only, 10am – 5pm during strawberry season (October to May)
80 Bennetts Rd, Kialla West
(03) 5823 1324

 

TATURA IRRIGATION & WARTIME CAMPS MUSEUM
$5 Adults
Corner of Ross Street & Hogan Street, Tatura
(03) 58242111
www.taturamuseum.org.au

 

RIDE A CAMEL
Cosgrove Camel Farm

290 Kellows Road, Cosgrove
BYO camera
$35 adults
Bookings essential
0438 247 446

 

FREE ACTIVITIES

 

GREENDALE GROVE OLIVE SHOP
Taste-test olive oils, dips & olives
(03) 5823 2785
(Or else indulge in a meal at Olivehouse Restaurant)

 

SHEPPARTON ART GALLERY
Eastbank Centre
70 Welsford Street, Shepparton
(03) 5832 9861
www.sheppartonartgallery.com.au

 

TRACK DOWN THE MOOOVING ART EXHIBITION
www.sheppartonmooovingart.com.au
1800 808 839

 

READ NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS FROM THE 1969 METEOR SHOWER
Meteorite Park
Stevenson Street, Murchison

 

ENJOY WINE TASTINGS AT VARIOUS WINERIES

GREATER SHEPPARTON VISITORS INFORMATION CENTRE
Victoria Park Lake
Wyndham Street, Shepparton
1800 808 839
www.greatershepparton.com.au/visitors

 

WINERIES IN THE REGION

 

BROKEN RIVER VINEYARDS
425 River Road, Kialla
(03) 5827 1257
www.brokenrivervineyards.com.au

 

TALLIS WINE
Boorinda, 195 Major Plains Road, Dookie
(03) 5823 5383
www.talliswine.com.au

 

MONICHINO WINES
70 Berrys Road, Katunga
(03) 5864 6452
www.monichino.com.au

 

MURCHISON WINES AT LONGLEAT
www.murchisonwines.com.au

 

MITCHELTON WINES
Mitchellstown Rd, Nagambie
(03) 5736 2221
www.mitchelton.com.au

 

TAHBILK WINERY
254 O’Neils Rd Nagambie
(03) 5794 2555
www.tahbilk.com.au