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The White Hat Guide to Fine Food & Wine Events in Melbourne & Country Victoria

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Food & Wine Events

Twilight Jazz Picnic at Cruden Farm

An annual fundraising event for the McClelland Gallery held at Dame Elisabeth Murdoch's 'Cruden' Farm'. Dame Elisabeth Murdoch's wonderful property with its famous gardens is thrown open to the public for occasional fundraising events such as this oneand Dame Elisabeth has long been a generous patron of the arts and of the McClelland Gallery. Cruden Farm is on the corner of Cranbourne-Frankston & Cranhaven Roads, Langwarrin (Mel. Ref. 103 G6). Entry is only from Cranhaven Road, where there is ample parking in the grounds. White Hat suggests you go out of your way to enjoy this wonderful event and suggests you bring your own picnic. Full details at McClelland Gallery.

Our rating:
Five Hats

4pm to 8pm, 18th February 2012	Cruden Farm (enter via Cranhaven Rd), Langwarrin -
$15 pre-purchase and $20 on the day at the gate. Children under 12 free. Note on pricing	Bookings: (03) 9789 1671

Hot Sauce & Fiery Foods Festival

The 13th Hot Sauce & Fiery Foods Festival, showcasing the best of the best fiery food makers from across Australia. Details at Hot Sauce & Fiery Foods Festival. Live music, chilli cookoff, shoot n holler food & wine tastings.

11am to 5pm, 17th & 18th March 2012	Redback Chilli Co, 1420 Jacksons Track, Jindivick -
$15.00 Adults $7.00 Children $35,00 Family 2 x Adults 2, Children under 10 gold coin donation	Enquiries: 0431 598 086

Pyrenees Pink Lamb & Purple Shiraz Festival

Food, wine and a country race meeting.

10th to 12th March 2012 ?	Avoca Racecourse -
	Enquiries: (03) 5465 3767

Edenhope Festival

Entertainment, crafts, food and wine.

10th to 12th March 2012 ?	Edenhope -
	Enquiries: 5586 5201

Mansfield High Country Harvest Festival

A community festival showcasing the food and wine of the district.

10th to 12th March 2012 ?	Mansfield -
	Enquiries: 1800 039 049

Woodend Winter Arts Festival

The Woodend Winter Arts Festival showcases music, literature and the visual arts in intimate historical venues over three pleasurable days.

9th to 11th June 2012 (tbc)	Woodend -
	Enquiries: (03) 9842 9740

Red Hill Show

A traditional country show plus lots of family events with a particular concentration on the food and wine of the Mornington Peninsula. (The location of the Red Hills Showground can be found by clicking on the Red Hill Mraket link next to the White Hat Map of Festivals in Victoria)

Saturday 7th April 2012 (tbc)	Red Hill Showgrounds, Red Hill -
	Enquiries: (03) 5989 2357

Petty's Orchard Antique Apple Tasting Festival

The annual Petty's Orchard Antique Apple Festival is on again! Set on the beautiful banks of the Yarra River in Templestowe, this event promises to bring delights to the senses with over 200 varieties of apples to taste, heritage orchard tours, local produce stalls, cooking demonstrations, great organic food & cider

10am to 4pm, 25th March 2012	Pettys Orchard, Cnr Monckton and Homestead Rds, Templestowe -
Entry $10 per adult, parking donation $2	Enquiries: 0407 860 320

Organic Vegetables at Glenmore House

The importance of fresh, organic seasonal produce inspired passionate gardener Mickey Robertson to establish her own vegetable garden at historic Glenmore House, and now she runs courses on kitchen gardening. Drystone walls and hedges delineate rooms in the stylish gardens which surround the house with lovely plantings of shrubs, roses, vibrant perennial borders, herbs and citrus.

At 11am & 2pm each day in the historic restored dairy, Mickey will speak about kitchen garden design and crop rotation and lead tours of her delightful garden.

This event is part of the wonderful Australia's Open Garden Scheme.

10am to 4.30pm, Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 April 2012	Moores Way, Glenmore (near Camden) -
$7 per head , children under 18 free

Cooking from the Seasonal Garden, with Beverley Sutherland Smith

The delightful garden of renowned cook Beverley Sutherland Smith will be . It is a celebration of floral and edible delights, demonstrating that productive gardens can also be highly decorative. No matter what the season, there is an abundance of produce with a vast array of vegetables, herbs and fruits growing among roses, perennials and annuals. Join Beverley for a tour of her garden, a cooking demonstration using her produce, and a delicious lunch featuring a 3-course tasting menu and a glass of wine. You'll also be given the recipes to take home. This event is part of the wonderful Australia's Open Garden Scheme,

Bookings are essential for this event as places are very limited. Tickets $95.00 includes lunch, recipes and tour of garden. You can book online via Australia's Open Garden Scheme's secure site here or phone (03) 9682 8227 during business hours.

11am to 2pm, Sunday 19th February 2012	Mount Waverley -

Lara Food & Wine Festival

Join us in tasting an array of produce. All from over 60 of our regions gourmet food and wine producers. Bring a rug and picnic on the lawns of the historic Pirra Homestead. The festival features our celebrity hostess, Catriona Rowntree and celebrity chef Gabriel Gaté. Enjoy live entertainment from Victorian Police rock/pop band, Code One.

25th March 2012 (tbc)	Pirra Homestead, 108 Windermere Road,Lara (45 mins from Melb CBD) -
Free entry & free parking	Enquiries: (03) 5282 2725

Apple Tasting at Wychwood

Peter Cooper and Karen Hall, owners of the exceptional Wychwood garden, host their ever-popular biennial apple tasting. Experts Nik Magnus and Steve Kingston will introduce visitors to a huge array of heritage apples and give advice on growing particular varieties, their attributes and uses. Information on pruning and espaliering fruit trees will also be available. This event is part of the wonderful Australia's Open Garden Scheme.

Wychwood is the exceptional garden situated on the banks of Mole Creek, the unique garden radiates its own magic in autumn with late flowering perennials, rare ornamental trees and abundant rosehips. There's also the heritage apple orchard, fruit trees and potager surrounded by decorative espaliered Cat's Head apples. Medieval-design grass labyrinth and distinctive garden sculptures.

Directions: UBD Atlas 122:C3. From Deloraine take Mole Creek Rd (B12) to Mole Creek; travel 2 km W to Den Rd on right.

You can also find useful information at The White Hat Guide to Apples and The White Hat Guide to Apple Trees in Australia.

10am to 4.30pm, Sunday 1st April 2012	80 Den Rd, Mole Creek, Tasmania -
$7 per head, children under 18 free

The Wonderful World of Herbs

Nancy Bulner is a talented and experienced gardener with a particular passion for herbs. Around her rammed earth house is a delightful and tranquil garden run on organic principles and brimming with herbs and produce. Nancy's practical workshop will cover how to propagate, grow and care for herbs, the why's and how's of companion planting, their culinary and medicinal uses and how to grow herbs in any sized garden - from a pot to a paddock. You'll also enjoy a herb-themed morning tea and have a pot of herbs and recipes to take home. This event is part of the wonderful Australia's Open Gardens Scheme.

Bookings are essential for these events as places are very limited. Tickets $65 includes morning tea, pot of herbs & recipes to take home. You can book online via Australia's Open Gardens Scheme's secure site here or phone (03) 9682 8227 during business hours.

9.30am to 12.30pm, 29 March & 14 April 2012	Sandringham -

Cooking from My Garden, with David Pugh

As part of the wonderful Australia's Open Garden Scheme, join Queensland's Ambassador Chef David Pugh as he creates delectable dishes from produce picked fresh from the parterre garden at historic Banchory Homestead. Using classic techniques and assisted by Banchory's owner Mary Lee Trivett, David will share some of the secrets he uses in his award-winning Restaurant Two.

Banchory features masses of roses gracing the generous verandahs, sweeping lawns and a formal parterre with a wonderful abundance of fresh vegetables, herbs and spices. This is a culinary experience not to be missed.

Bookings are essential for this event as places are very limited. Tickets $85.00 includes morning tea. You can book online on Australia's Open Garden Scheme secure site here or phone (03) 5424 8061 during business hours.

9.30am to noon, Friday 11th May 2012	Cambooya -

Cooking Class &
Gourmet Food Tour
Saturday, 17 Apr 2010
Saturday, 1 May 2010
Saturday, 8 May 2010
Saturday, 22 May 2010
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Saturday, 19 Jun 2010
Saturday, 26 Jun 2010

Learn To Cook Japanese

Italian Cooking Class

Spanish Paella Cooking Kit
At Home

Moroccan Tajine Cooking Kit
At Home

Make Your Own Pasta Kit

The Providore's Basket

The White Hat Food & Wine Map of Melbourne and Regional Victoria

Click on the desired link link to the right of the map. Use the controls to zoom in or out on the map or change to satellite view.

Forthcoming Events

These events are ones which have run in the past and we expect to run in the future. As yet we do not have confirmed details, dates and contact details. To be informed of those details when they become available you can subscribe to our newsletter "Great things to do in Melbourne".

Spring Harvest Picnic at Werribee Park

Food & wine producers from throughout Victoria display their wares. With activities, entetainmnts and stalls. Music and dance all day together with family activities.

November 2012 ?

Werribee Park Estate

Beekeeping and Honey Festival

Beekeeping requirements, honey tastings and sales.

March 2012 ?

Jadran Social Club, 35 Duncans Lane, Diggers Rest

Taste of Tatura Food and Wine Festival

Food, wine, music and children's entertainment.

March 2012 ?

Mactier Park, Tatura

CERES Harvest Fete

Multicultural community food festival with live music, crafts, workshops, performances.

March 2012 ?

CERES Environmental Park, 8 Lee Street, East Brunswick

Yarra Valley Grape Grazing Festival

An annual festival featuring outdoor jazz performances, wine and food.

February 2012 ?

Wineries throughout the Yarra Valley.

Annual Thai Culture and Food Festival - Songkran

Come and join the Thai Community celebrate Thai New Year.

March 2012 ?

Federation Square

Riverboats, Jazz, Food & Wine Festival

Ceelebrate Monte Carlo on the Murray with paddlesteamers, jazz and fresh contemporary food.

February 2012 ?

Echuca-Moama

Kellybrook Winery Cider Festival

Celebrating cider and all things from the west of England. Morris dancers, folk music, ploughman and squatters lunches. Sales and tastings of fresh apple juice, cider and scrumpy and information on making your own cider.

April 2012 ?

Fulford Road, Wonga Park

Harvest Picnic at Hanging Rock

Food & wine producers from throughout Victoria display their wares. Cooking demonstrations and other activities. Bring a picnic blanket and relax under the gum trees.

February 2012 ?

Hanging Rock

Victoria's Annual Olive Festival

Enjoy a day among the olive trees and experience Food, Wine and olives at Victoria's Annual Olive Festival. Cooking demonstrations running throughout the day, entertainment, food and much more located just 25 minutes along the Western Highway, werribee exit and follow the signs.

November 2012 ?

Mt Atkinson Olive Grove, 261 Greigs Rd,, Rockbank

Anderson's Mill Food, Wine & Jazz Festival

The Anderson's Mill Festival is a showcase for the excellent food, wine, and music of the region. An eclectic mix of local produce, boutique wineries, entertaining music, arts and crafts, heritage artisans, mill tours and kids entertainment. Magnificent setting of the majestic bluestone mill and picturesque valley.

April 2012 ?

Anderson's Mill, Smeaton (near Ballarat)

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival

Foodies rejoice! The delicious 2010 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival will see every corner of the city hosting a lip-smacking lunch, a food-lover’s fiesta or a mouth-watering master class. Enjoy canapés and cocktails on a city rooftop or something lazy and leisurely in the city laneways.

March 2012 ?

Various locations around Melbourne & Victoria

Tastes of Rutherglen

Food, entertainment and wineries.

March 2012 ?

Rutherglen

Earthbeat Mildura Wentworth Music Festival

This event (previously known as the Sunraysia Jazz and Wine Festival) features traditional and mainstream jazz in a variety of venues and wineries in the Mildura area.

November 2012 ?

Mildura

JAWS (Jazz, Art, Wine & Seafood) Festival

Jazz, local wines & seafood.

April 2012 ?

Queenscliff

Winery Walkabout Weekend

A number of notable wineries and other venues celebrating winemaking in the region.

June 2012 ?

Corowa & Rutherglen

Dromana Strawberry Festival

With family entertainment, Devonshire teas, activities and everything strawberry.

January 2012 ?

Dromana Recreation Reserve, Pier St, Dromana

Brown Brothers Easter Festival

Food, wine, jazz and family entertainment.

Easter 2012 ?

Brown Brothers Miliwa Vineyard, Miliwa

Organic Expo

The Annual Organic Expo featuring the Green Show. The Organic Expo alternates between Sydney and Melbourne annually. It is back in Melbourne in 2009 and Sydney in 2010.

Oceania's leading and largest Organic & Green show
Consumer and Trade Show
Highlighting certified organic and environmentally friendly products and services
8,000 - 10,000 enthusiastic attendees (estimated)
Complete Lifestyle show with 200+ exhibitors (estimated)
Full trade day - Friday 24th July
Industry and government endorsement
Celebrities, Industry Professionals & Experts
Exciting trade & public demonstration and seminar programs

July 2012

Royal Exhibition Building

Jindi Cheese Harvest of Gippsland

Over 100 Gippsland based food and wine exhibitors will be showcasing their unique produce at the 2009 Jindi cheese harvest of Gippsland to be held at Lardner Park Warragul. Ross Wilson and the urban legends are performing live on stage supported by acoustic rock band Distance. Cooking demonstrations are featured throughout the day. $20 adults includes tasting glass & produce bag children U16 free

March 2012 ?

Lardner Park, Warragul

Summer In The Vines

Experience the very best of food, wine and entertainment for the entire family.

January 2012 ?

Morning Star Estate, 2 Sunnyside Road, Mt Eliza

Between the Bays Music Festival

The Between the Bays Music Festival combines a festival of rock & pop music with a showcase for local foods & wines.

March 2012 ?

Penbank School, Rickards Road, Moorooduc

Queenscliff Seafood Feast

Celebrate the best of seafood at Princess Park. White Hat feels that the humble bay flathead can hold its own with any of its fancier cousins.

April 2012 ?

Queenscliff

Main Street Mornington Festival

The Main Street Festival brings together wine, food, music, art, entertainment, shopping and fun. There will be ninety exhibitors - growers of fresh seasonal produce, delicious food and a large selection of wine makers. In addition there will be two stages incorporating local Peninsula based bands, a community stage as well as roving artists and musicians. Local art will also be a feature with a selection of artists demonstrating their skills and a children's arcade will be in Blake Street providing entertainment throughout the day.

October 2012 ?

Main Street, Mornington

Peninsula Pinot Festival

A wine event as part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

March 2012 ?

Flinders foreshore

Talbot Yabbie Festival

A community festival with a special emphasis on the yabbie with food wine, entertainment and stalls.

March 2012 ?

Talbot

Timboon Railway Music Festival

'Jazz on the Rail' with music and fine dining.

March 2012 ?

Timboon

Peninsula Piers and Pinots

Entertainment, wine tasting, live music and yacht racing. White Hat enjoys a pinot that has developed through a mild autumn, so you might also enjoy a mild autumn day (Huey permitting) on the peninsula with a glass of local pinot in hand.

March 2012 ?

Flinders Foreshore adjacent to Pier , Flinders

Kilcunda Lobster Festival

Lobster sales, lobster spinning wheel, amusement rides, roaming clown, food, wine & market stalls, live country music, animal farm, a great day out. The festival is held next to what White Hat considers to be one of the most atmospheric locations for a caravan park in Victoria..

January 2012 ?

Foreshore, Kilcunda

Tastes of Prom Country

Join us to celebrate the diverse food, wine, music and arts that are Prom Country. Experience the finest wines Prom Country has to offer, the highest quality extra-virgin olive oil, natural handmade soaps, farm fresh produce, cooking demonstrations by local chefs, breads and baked treats, prize winning preserves, gourmet cheeses, native Australian bush-food and many more edible treats

January 2012 ?

War Memorial Arts Centre, Foster

Bright 'n' Sandy Food & Wine Festival

Celebrity chefs, local restaurateurs and premium wine retailers come together to present a gastronomical feast for the tastebuds. The best of Bayside will be available for tasting and purchase. It is held at picturesque Green Point, Brighton. This is opposite the Brighton Beach Station. A free bus will also travel throughout Bayside (ring the number below for times and collection points.

March 2012 ?

Green Point, Brighton

Portarlington Mussel Festival

Over 7 hours of live entertainment Come and enjoy famous Australian Blue Mussels served in a variety of ways. Take a trip out to the mussels farms, and see how they are grown. Watch the Dry Boat event on the foreshore, and enjoy the Tug-O-War or the vintage cars. Investigate The Enterprize sailing ship.There will be stalls with local beer and wine producers and a diverse range of foods as well as live music, roving acts and children's activities.

January 2013 ?

Parks Hall and Parklands Newcombe Street, Portarlington

Grampians Grape Escape - the Food and Wine Festival

An annual food and wine festival in the evocative setting of The Gramoians.

May 2012 ?

Halls Gap Recreation Reserve

Echuca-Moama Autumn Harvest Festival

Celebrating local wine, food and produce

March 2012 ?

Echuca-Moama

Salt and Seaweed Festival

An annual community festival feeaturing eating out in Sorrento and Portsea.

March 2012 ?

Main Street, Sorrento

These events are ones which have run in the past and we expect to run in the future. As yet we do not have confirmed details, dates and contact details. To be informed of those details when they become available you can subscribe to our newsletter "Great things to do in Melbourne".

Page last updated:	01 January, 2011
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TOURISM NEWS

Qantas In Flight Magazine chooses White Hat Cemetery Tour as its featured Australian tour for May

There are many fine historical tours throughout Australia including cemetery tours. From these, the prestigious Qantas In Flight Magazine has chosen the White Hat Tour of Melbourne Cemetery as its featured Australian tour for the May 2007 edition. This tour was also featured by ABC radio on 24 May and will feature in a documentary series on Burke and Wills to be shown on European television in 2008. The tour has been operating for many years and has won praise from a wide range of sources. This is not a dry and stuffy tour but in keeping with all White Hat offerings it is Informed, Intelligent, Independent (and occasionally) Irreverent. You can find details of the tour at White Hat Tour of Melbourne Cemetery and view the article at Qantas In Flight Magazine.