Ten Day Break Day 3

Our accommodation in Whitfield situated in the grounds of the Dal Zotto winery is a lovingly restored weatherboard farmhouse. With high ceilings and polished timber floors, the rooms are spacious, a complete opposite to the small Bendigo city apartment we occupied on our first night away. Views through the timber and glass French doors from our bedroom, that lead out to the timber clad verandah show rows of grape vines just starting to show some autumn colour. No doubt brought on by the heat of this years hot and dry summer. Dinner last night took place at the only pub in this tiny town called the Mountain View Hotel. Since 1886 the hotel has only had three owners, the current owners are the largest producing vignerons in the King Valley. The story goes that Ned Kelly once rode his horse through the hotel corridor right up to the bar. The gardens are beautifully kept, amongst the trees is a 100 hundred year old magnolia that a Chinese gold rush immigrant planted to remind him of home. As we arrive we pass under a weeping maple, movement in the canopy alerts us to flashes of green and orange, the plumage of several local King parrots as they hop from branch to branch above us. We quickly move on, not wanting to be toilet bombed. We had booked a table inside but the warmth of the day has lingered on making outside dining an option. Settling into our garden seating we are brought a glass of sparking Prosecco that has just a dash of Pinot noir to give the drink a rose blush. The wine list is 95% Pizzini, not surprisingly as they own the pub but the owners of our accommodation Dal Zotto are attributed to planting the first Glera grapes that go into making this style of wine now popular in Australia. We learn that the scenic King Valley has hosted tourists since 1911 when the towns population would have been a mere 100 souls. Even now the population would only be around 400.

Whitfield is known for its wine, heavily influenced by Italians. Who have over the years built up a little Italy of grape varieties in the valley. What is wine without food? We feel this is still in a development stage, but last nights fare we considered adventurous for country Australia. A nearby store “ The King Valley Fine Foods” sign we think may hold the answers. Unfortunately it is closed today, but across the road is Hobbledehoy a cafe and distillery, a curious blend of businesses. Nevertheless they make a descent cappuccino, although the brownie we ordered to share needed a chainsaw to break open. We never did find out the resulting product from the distillery, maybe it was time into money.

The nearby mountains provide water from snow melt that feeds the King River, more of a creek really but creeks can swell quickly and expand over the plains if the weather is unkind. Most of these plains are given over to trellised grape vines at least 2 metres high (6ft +) mostly Prosecco but other Italian varieties too. These trellised vines can be mechanically harvested, a good thing if you’re short on labour. Nearby, just a short drive through the valley is a body of water known as William Hovell Lake. Actually a man made reservoir created by damming the King River with a rock and soil filled embankment to irrigate 24 sq kilometres of vines. On our way to take a look we stop off to taste some wine at Chrismont winery, set half way up a hillside with magnificent views of the vineyards below.

Australian Italians are the most welcoming and gracious people I have met, this visit is no different. This a charming stop off, with the owners keen to show off their new accommodation pods, that are set apart from the winery on the hillside. The three pods enjoy the same magnificent views over the valley and vines. After a little instructive wine tasting and a purchase we move on.

Remnants of the old tobacco industry links are still here, with tall corrugated iron clad structures that once dried tobacco after harvesting still evident. The valley is dotted with these curious looking sheds slowly falling into disrepair. A few landowners though have turned them into luxury two storey short stay accommodation, an innovative use for these unusually shaped buildings that give a nod to the regions heritage.

Below, note the rusty steel fireplace chimney’s that replaced historically earlier brick ones on the outside of the building to prevent internal fires.

Eventually we arrive at the lake and pumping station that is feeding the babbling creek we passed on our way.

We are enticed back to the Mountain View Hotel for dinner as it is steak night, on offer a good size steak with a glass of Australian grown and made, Italian Sangiovese thrown in. We are hooked, as we have seen many a head of cattle over the past days and have licked our lips in anticipation of some good country grown beef. Which of course must be good out here in the bush. Sorry vegetarians but we are feeling a little protein deficient.