Explore Myrtleford

Myrtleford ~ Victoria High Country

Myrtleford is a lovely country town nestled in the foothills of Mount Buffalo in Victoria’s High Country. It is located between Wangaratta and Bright on the Great Alpine Road, 296 km north-east of Melbourne.

Myrtleford boasts beautiful tree-lined streets and parks, offers great local food and wine, and has a relaxed atmosphere.

During our time in Mytrleford, we wandered around the town centre and enjoyed a coffee and a look around Red Ramia Trading. We explored Rotary Park, the historic log tobacco kiln and wandered along the mosaic trail. Then we visited Lake Buffalo, Pepo Farm and Milawa.

Myrtleford Town Centre

Myrtleford’s town centre has lovely tree-lined streets, parks and a great selection of cafes, restaurants, hotels, and other shops to browse in.

Jubilee Park is located in the town centre and has a lovely sculpted display of the town's tobacco farming heritage as well as picnic tables, BBQs and public toilets. 

It also has a beautiful mosaic wall and a giant mosaic Snakes and Ladders game. We saw more colourful mosaics as we wandered around the town centre.

Then it was time for some morning tea.  Cafe Fez is a fun, colourful Middle-Eastern style cafe that is open 7 days a week for coffee, breakfast and lunch.

We enjoyed coffee and baklava in the cosy couches, while admiring the fascinating decor.

Then we wandered around Red Ramia Trading, which is a huge emporium of pottery, furniture, homewares, rugs, statues and garden ornaments. There is a mix of artisan-crafted products, hand-picked antiques and recycled furniture.

Rotary Park - Tobacco Kiln - Mosaic Trail

Rotary Park is located just out of Myrtleford on the Great Alpine Road. The park has a playground, picnic tables, electric BBQs and public toilets.

You will also find the Historic Log Tobacco Kiln here; this is a replica of kilns that were built between the 1930s and 1960s, and it has interesting information about the tobacco industry.

Tobacco growing began in the Myrtleford area in the early 1920s, and continued after World War II, when hundreds of Italian migrants settled in the region.

By the 1950s and 60s, tobacco was the main crop around Myrtleford, and tobacco kilns dotted the countryside.

At its peak, the Myrtleford district produced around four million kilograms of tobacco each year on more than 1,400 hectares of farmland, and contributed millions to the region's economy.

The tobacco industry closed in 2006, marking the end of more than 80 years of tobacco production in the valley.

After seeing the tobacco kiln, we wandered over the swinging bridge and along the mosaic trail to see how many mosaics we could find.

The complete mosaic trail is over 5 kilometres long, and we enjoyed a short section of it, wandering along the flat track beside the Ovens River, spotting several mosaics along the way.

The Phoenix Tree & Michelini Wines

The Phoenix tree is a huge sculpture created out of the trunk and roots of a river red gum by sculptor Hans Knorr. It is quite impressive, and the signboard explains, the tree is like the phoenix bird, rising for a new life out of its ashes.

Across from the Phoenix Tree is Michelini Wines, a family-owned winery specialising in Italian varietals. The Cellar Door is open for tastings every day from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Lake Buffalo

Lake Buffalo is located 20 kilometres south of Myrtleford on the Buffalo River. 

This huge lake is popular for water skiing, wakeboarding, fishing, swimming and kayaking. It is also a lovely spot for a picnic, there are playgrounds, BBQs, picnic tables and toilets.

Pepo Farm

An easy 5-minute drive from Myrtleford, on the Great Alpine Road, we discovered Pepo Farms.

Pepo Farms is Australia's only pumpkin seed grower, producing seeds, oils, and flours, using sustainable practices and working with farmers.

We wandered past the colourful garden flower boxes into the tasting room, which is full of amazing products. During our visit, we tried the chocolate-coated pumpkin seeds, turmeric-walnut treats, and cold-pressed sunflower oil, and learnt more about Pepo Farms.

Milawa

Milawa is known as one of Victoria’s gourmet regions and is a haven for food lovers with artisan producers, wineries and a cheese factory.

You can visit Milawa on your way to Myrtleford, or take a day trip, as it’s a lovely scenic 34-kilometre drive from Myrtleford.

Our first stop was Milawa Bread and Kitchen for some morning tea. Milawa Bread and Kitchen is open every day for coffee, pastries, breakfast and lunch.

They have hand-rolled pastries baked fresh daily, and lovely coffee from locally roasted beans. Their menu is seasonal and highlights fresh, locally sourced ingredients.. They also bake slow-fermented, small-batch, handcrafted bread using local and in-house milled flour.

Then we popped next door to the Milawa Cheese Company, they are also open every day from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Milawa Cheese Company makes handcrafted cheeses using local milk and traditional techniques.

We enjoyed tasting a variety of goat and cow’s milk cheeses, including bries, blues and washed rinds.  They also stock a great range of crackers, cured meats, jams, preserves and other tasty treats.

Next, we visited Milawa Mustards in the lovely old butchers' shop, where all of their products are handmade on the premises.

Milawa Mustard produces a range of seeded mustards, ranging from Mild Honey mustard to Hot Chilli mustard, and you can taste them all. They also have seasonal condiments such as jellies, jams, chutneys, marmalades and mustard oil salad dressings.

Then we visited the iconic Brown Brothers Winery, one of Australia’s most loved and long-established family wineries. The cellar door is open daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm and offers tastings of more than 60 different wines from bubbly Proseccos to hearty Shirazs.

Brown Brothers also has a restaurant that offers a daily grazing menu for lunch and beautiful gardens to wander around and enjoy.