Recently touted as one of Australia's 10 Most Underrated Destinations, Gippsland continues to advance as Victoria's best-kept secret for a soul-and-stomach-nourishing weekend escape. Here are just three new venues which have opened since Christmas.
NEW - The Grove Gippsland
Just 90 minutes from Melbourne's CBD, The Grove Gippsland boasts 60 acres of breath-taking scenery in an idyllic olive grove. Positioned 250 metres above sea level, The Grove Gippsland is set amongst the rolling hills of Kernot and Krowera, offering outstanding views to the shimmering distant water in a region that is a haven for high-quality gourmet food.
The Grove Gippsland offers a unique shared dining experience that lets you share local wines, nourishing and honest food, prepared from the ground up on-site. The three-course ($79) set menu changes to match the seasons and the chef's inspiration. Graze your way through Gippsland at long refectory-style tables, perfect for convivial lunch or dinners, nurturing conversations, connections and community.
By sourcing only what is locally available and in season, we hope to contribute to reducing food mileage, unnecessary pressures on farmers and consciously reduce our restaurants impact on our precious environment. And of course, provide you with the freshest, tastiest food available!
For example, The Grove Gippsland makes their own organic stoneground sourdough, using Victorian-grown organic flour, milled by Betsy and Greg at Oak and Swan in South Gippsland. All their flour is stone ground, milled fresh every week in their Austrian grain mill, at their Mardan bakery. This ensures fresh flour with all its natural goodness and no additives
When: Open Thursday evenings, Friday and Saturday lunch and dinner, and Sunday lunch
Where: 27 Uren Rd, Kernot, Victoria, Australia
Web: http://thegrovegippsland.com/
Phone: 0457 111 026
NEW – Macca's Farm
Macca's Farm occupies a beautiful 158-acre farm which backs onto the Grantville Flora & Fauna Reserve, just 10mins from Phillip Island in South Gippsland. The farm has three hydroponic sheds measuring a total of 10,000m2 and is home to Wessex-Saddleback pigs and Angus Beef cattle. All of Macca's Farm animals are free-range and are raised to provide for the produce store and cafe.
Macca's Farm has South Gippsland's best free-range pork and beef, hydroponic vegetables, 'Pick-Your-Own' Strawberries, as well as locally sourced free-range lamb, honey, jams, cheeses, biscuits and a variety of fruit.
'Pick-Your-Own' Strawberries – Forage through 1km of waist-high picking rows, which provides easy picking for young and old, plus wheelchair accessible strawberry rows. The best strawberry picking times are between September and April, there are containers available from the produce store or bring your own.
Your local farmers market – Macca's Farm stock their own free-range pork and beef, hydroponic vegetables and fresh strawberries. They also love to source the best quality produce South Gippsland has to offer. This includes fruit, cheeses, jams, honey, potatoes and more.
When: Open every day from 9am – 5pm
Where: 2185 Dalyston-Glen Forbes Rd, Glen Forbes, VIC 3990
Web: https://maccasfarm.com.au
Phone: 0437 367 622
NEW - Goshen Country at Cape Paterson
Over 30 years ago the original owners of 25 Wilsons Road, in the seaside village of Cape Paterson, planted an orchard of 300 apple and plum trees. During the summer months a roadside stall would appear on Cape Paterson Road selling the farm's produce.
Fast forward to 2014 when Mikey's parents purchased the eleven-acre property. Mikey & Emma were inspired by the prolific fruiting of the trees during that first summer and a vision was born. They continued the roadside stall for the next couple of years during which time Mikey, after ten years of cheffing decided to re-focus his energy on growing vegetables. They now have over 600 fruit trees and are cultivating just under one acre of land.
From the humble beginnings of an honesty box roadside stall to having now opened a beautiful farm gate shop on the property selling fresh fruit & vegetables, free range eggs, and specialty goodies such as home-baked bread and sun-dried tomatoes.
When: Open Sunday & Monday 10-4, Wednesday & Thursday 10-4
Where: 25 Wilson Rd, Cape Paterson
Web: https://www.facebook.com/GoshenCountry
Phone: 0430 421 248
