The High Country - Melbourne and Victoria - page 579

10am-5pm) , an olive 'gallery' with oils and tapenades www.theoliveshop.com.au ; 1605 Snow Rd;

for sampling; and Walkabout Honey (

10am-5pm) , where you can 03-5727 3468; Snow Rd;

sample a range of honeys.
Next stop is the region's best-known winery, Brown Brothers Vineyard ( 03-5720 5500;
www.brownbrothers.com.au ; Bobbinawarrah Rd, Milawa; 9am-5pm) . The winery's first vintage was in
1889, and it has remained in the hands of the same family ever since. As well as the tast-
ing room, there's the superb Epicurean Centre restaurant, a gorgeous garden, kids' play
equipment and picnic and barbecue facilities.
About 2km north of Milawa, Milawa Cheese Company ( 03-5727 3589; www.milawacheese.com.au ;
Factory Rd, Milawa; 9am-5pm, meals 9.30am-3pm) is our favourite produce store. From humble
origins, it now produces a mouth-watering array of cheeses to sample or buy. It excels at
soft farmhouse brie (from goat or cow) and pungent washed-rind cheeses. There's a
bakery here and an excellent restaurant where the speciality is a variety of pizzas using
Milawa cheese. Also here is the cellar door for Wood Park Wines ( 03-5727 3500;
www.woodparkwines.com.au ; 11am-4pm Fri-Wed) , so you can complement your cheese tasting
with some quality wine tasting, or pop around the back to the Muse Gallery of Milawa (
03-5727 3599; www.musegallery.com.au ; 10am-5pm Thu-Mon) .
Further northeast on the road to Everton is EV Olives ( 03-5727 0209; www.evolives.com ; 203
Everton Rd, Markwood; 10am-5pm) , offering the fruity taste of oils, olives and tapenades.
Back in Milawa, the Milawa Gourmet Hotel ( 03-5727 3208; cnr Snow & Factory Rds; mains $15-33;
noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm) is a traditional country pub, but it lives up to the region's reputa-
tion, serving good bistro food and local produce with gourmet flair. Try the Milawa chick-
en stuffed with local Camembert, wrapped in bacon and served with Milawa mustard.
Just north of Snow Rd on the Ovens River flood plain is the little farming community
of Whorouly, home to the 2 Cooks Cafe ( 03-5783 6110; www.the2cookscafe.com.au ; 577 Whorouly Rd;
mains $12.50-17.50; 9am-5pm Fri-Mon, 6-9pm Fri) , a sweet deli, food store and cafe. Nearby is
the Whorouly Hotel ( 03-5727 1424; www.whoroulyhotel.com ; 542 Whorouly Rd; mains $6-24; 6-9pm Fri &
Sat) , a friendly country pub where you can get a hearty bistro meal (it's known for its beef
parma).
Where the Snow Rd meets the Great Alpine Rd (B500), Gapsted Wines ( 03-5751 1383;
www.gapstedwines.com.au ; Great Alpine Rd; 10am-5pm, lunch daily) is another outstanding winery
where you can eat from the seasonal lunch menu in beautiful surroundings.