Some days I just pinch myself with excitement with the opportunities which come my way through Little Wandering Wren. I received an invitation from Shane at The Regional Wanderer to join a Gin Safari in the beautiful Australian Macedon Ranges, and well, how could I resist?

THE GIN SAFARI

We’re talking joining a small group adventure to eat, drink, learn and play, right on Melbourne’s doorstep and still be home to join the kids for dinner! I did have a chuckle when they suggested I let them know when I was back in one piece, and to make sure I was not a little wobbly Wren! Oh, how the tables have turned.

IS AUSTRALIA OPEN?

I was especially keen to get out of Melbourne as we’ve had a rough trot here in Australia this summer. I’ve had friends the world over, asking should they cancel their holidays, given the worldwide coverage of the recent bushfires?

No! Although the bushfire season was extensive, recent rains have largely resolved the issue, Australia needs the tourism. The Gin Safari offers you the chance to explore the Macedon Ranges on Melbourne’s doorstep. An area renown for its outstanding beauty, fine foods and increasingly its brilliant gins.

WHAT IS THE GIN SAFARI?

It’s an ‘Eat, Drink and be Merry’ full-day tour. It starts with learning about gin and ends with a feeling that you have really got to know the region, its people, and more about the creative development of gin here in Victoria.

Driving through the Aussie countryside Shane brings the region to life with his facts and stories about each of the three distilleries we visit. As we meet three award-winning gin distillers we get to know the Macedon Ranges through their eyes and through their gins.

The group bonds over a generous amount of gin and we dine at an exquisite vineyard (with a gin distillery) for a farm-to-table lunch.

All the while being chauffeur-driven in the comfy minibus through the scenic off-the-beaten-track roads. The sort of roads that you might only find with a local.

REGIONAL WANDERER TOURS

Touring with Shane is like jumping in the van with a fellow Aussie to visit his mates. He runs a number of tours and I reckon the Discover Hanging Rock tour would be magic too!

All the locals we meet paint an attractive picture of life in their patch of the Ranges. Having visited the quaint, historic villages of Woodend, Macedon, and Kyneton. I could see now why one Mum from school, would up sticks and move to Woodend.

Shane’s favourite expression is “too easy” and whilst I suspect distilling gin has its moments, I could happily get into the too easy way of life on the land here.

A GIN TOUR THAT CATER TO ALL TASTES AND EXPERIENCES

Let me declare right now, my gin experience is limited to some Botanist gin and Fevertree tonic on my Bangkok balcony. I suppose that’s some way from where I started which would have been Gordon’s and Schweppes!

I did splash out the other day on a couple of bottles of Roku gin but that was because we were going to Japan for the Rugby World Cup and I liked the shape of the bottle…

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a lightweight when it comes to drinking. I am just as happy on my fizzy water. So I am looking forward to learning more about gin. I feel like everyone else is a gin expert apart from me these days.

CHOOSE EXPERIENCE GIFT GIVING

I join the tour with a lovely couple who have been given The Gin Safari as a Christmas present by their adult kids. Gotta love those kids for such a wonderful present, they even threw in a weekend Bed & Breakfast. Thoughtful or what?

Not only this, the Mum was an avid fan of gin and was quite an expert in distilling her own gins. I can’t tell you how impressed I was with every aspect of this as a present – well-chosen, unique, of the moment and just what Mum and Dad would love. 

TRAVEL

My tour starts in Woodend and ends in Macedon both on the VLine train. It’s a comfortable one-hour trip from Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station. I can even tap on with my Miki train pass, no need to queue for a ticket. It’s too easy!

Shane meets us at the Woodend Visitor’s Centre, which gives me the chance to suss out the region’s attractions. Shame I am missing Elton John at Hanging Rock the following weekend. Next time I’m definitely staying over.

For those seeking a relaxing weekend getaway in Woodend, Danielle Phyland in She Defined magazine has a great article on this: here’s where you can eat, drink, stay and play. 

BIG TREE DISTILLERY

“We loved good gin so much we decided to grow our own”

It’s a 15 min drive along a dirt track road to find Gary and Catherine’s Big Tree Distillery on Jack Spring’s Farm. We are greeted by Catherine what a place to start. They were celebrating their recent accolade at the 2020 World Gin Awards! 

Winner of Best Australian Classic Gin

We are handed an Elegant Dry  G & T With Strange Love Tonic and garnish before being invited in to meet the most important member of the team Beryl.

Miss Beryl is a 300-litre copper pot still made by Tassie company Lapp Knewer and a right elegant beauty she is herself. I’m quite surprised at how small the production area is. I start learning the importance of all the botanicals which define the flavour.

THE PERFECT LABOUR OF LOVE!

I love hearing about foraging for local produce to give their gins unique flavours and tastes. With over 60 trees already planted, they hope one day to grow 100% of their own juniper. Over one hundred kilograms of hand-picked sloes were collected from a friend’s Tassie Farm for their 2019 Limited Release Sloe Gin. Elderflowers from the farm and surrounds are foraged to become Ruby’s Elderflower Liqueur Gin. Catherine even pick up organic oranges skins squeezed from a local juice bar.

They say the other magic ingredient is country-pure rainwater and spring water from the farm. I am beginning to see the attractions of gin:

It’s part botanicals, part craft, and part can I offer you a gin and tonic? 

We get to try all the gins they produce. Yes, you need a bit of stamina for this tour and I’d suggest a big breakfast! The Cumquat Seasonal Double Distilled Gin and the 58% Claude Navy Strength Gin warm us up nicely for the day ahead.

Big Tree Distillery is filling up, despite being tucked away, the word is out and it’s popular for a reason.

SARAH GABRIEL GIN LABELS

Everything about this place is utterly gorgeous, a quick mention of the gorgeous gin labels. The botanical and birds artwork was produced by a local artist Sarah Gabriel. One of the designs (not yet released) features an Aussie blue wren. Just a word of warning to my Melbourne friends, expect all ongoing pressies to be a bottle of Big Tree Distillery wren gin!

This would be a wonderful part of the world to sit and pass a bit of time but we’re off again. We have places to see and people to meet!

MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY

Our drive to Mountain Distillery takes us past the magnificent homesteads with spectacular gardens of Mount Macedon for a fabulous lunch with a fabulous story:

Winemaker George has a business meeting at his Mount Towrong cellar door with beer salesman Mike. What do you get when you mix wine and beer? They decide to go into the gin business! And what a winner it has been. In their first year having obtained international global recognition.

There is a trend we are noticing, this region produces great gins – all the gins are quick to earn international recognition.

You feel like they have unlocked a clever formula here. MOUNTAIN Gin is distilled at the Mount Towrong Winery and served at their cellar door. They have the business infrastructure in place, add in the gin diversity, offer a stunning setting amongst the vineyard, in a trendy industrial restaurant setting and offer a gourmet lunch. All just an hour’s drive from Melbourne. Winner, winner, sign me up for dinner!

The place is busy, make sure you book. Our gin tasting introduces us to the distinct mountain taste and included shots of their newest barrel-aged gin. They describe their gin as:

‘MOUNTAIN Gin is inspired by locally foraged botanicals. We use new growth pine needles and native Mountain Pepperberry found throughout the area. This combined with fresh Orange zest, Lemon myrtle, Juniper and Coriander, it is reminiscent of fresh mountain air and the smell of tall pines. MOUNTAIN Gin is a clean, vibrant and aromatic spirit best enjoyed with orange peel and a light tonic or mineral water.’

HANGING ROCK

Our final gin experience is learning how to make a perfect martini with the talented team at Animus. To get there we drive past Hanging Rock made famous for the Picnic at Hanging Rock movie. We view the amphitheatre for the Hanging Rock concerts where Sir Elton will be playing next weekend and see where the Hanging Rock Picnic Races are held. It’s a vibrant community for sure with much to offer tourists. 

PIPER STREET KYNETON

Before our masterclass, we have time for a wander along the artsy Piper Street, in Kyneton. There is an abundance of trendy shops, it’s a foodies heaven with plenty of Chef hats award-winning restaurants, food stores, and coffee options. Perfect to while away a beautiful sunny afternoon and walk off a big lunch.

ANIMUS DISTILLERY

Animus is another small batch handcrafted Gin Distiller, who are not doing too badly as Dan Murphy’s now stocks them! We meet Ziggy for our masterclass who declares:

‘I may not remember your name, but I’ll always remember what you drink’

I’m thinking I might not remember anything after the splendid array of bottles in front of me!

I’ve got a row of Animus Gins in front of me so I am spoilt for choice from the Macedon Dry Gin to the Arboretum Gin or the Ambrosian Gin. Decisions, decisions! We were also introduced to the importance of a good tonic and some sage advice:

‘If you’re going to spend money on a good gin, use a good tonic!’

MARTINI MASTERCLASS

Our Martini masterclass was set up for us at the big bar at Animus, Infront of us were endless glasses and all the ingredients imaginable. Ziggy was interested in our questions and happily tell us all about the Dirty Martini and the ‘shaken not stirred’ history of the whole drink.

However here I end my post. I mean if you want to be an expert martini maker you should join the Gin Safari with Ziggy’s Martini Masterclass!

You could read by this stage I was so relaxed in my gin heaven that my notes are not quite what they had been previously. No! I will just say no expert ever reveals their secret ingredients…

What ‘goes on tour, stays on tour’

I do say, I reckon James Bond would have been proud of my efforts!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Australian gins are making a resurgence. If you want a great day out and to get to know the Victorian gin scene a little better then I can thoroughly recommend The Gin Safari. The beauty of this area is that it is still a predominately family-run business. It’s a great way to support the local communities. I’m sure you’d learn a lot and come away with a whole new appreciation for the not-so-humble these days Gin and Tonic.

Autumn is beautiful in the ranges, after the unexpected rains and lush growth, we hear the autumn colours will be magnificent this year! So why not check this region out for yourself and when you do, tell them a little bird sent you!

Some more information:

Discover more about the region here: Visit Victoria: Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges.

Book an overnight stay in regional Victoria this month and plan now for the next.

That’s all folks, I’m off to plant some juniper berries and lemon Myrtle in the garden, I think I have a go at this small-batch craft gin distilling. What do you think?

Cheers!

A massive thank you to The Regional Wanderer Shane for inviting me to join this tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.