The weather is bleak. The wind blew straight off the High Country snowfields, and there were pockets of rain to add to the chill. Fishing was out: between showers of rain, the Goulburn River was running a banker, its waters soiled by run-off.
This day, none of that mattered. The world may be in turmoil, the climate changing, but all that was important was a fireside snooze in front of the huge open fireplace in The Mews restaurant at Mitchelton Winery. There were four of us, and we were cosy, comfortable and snoozy. A few glasses of wine, a tummy full of fine food, and a fireplace: a recipe for a siesta. It was Christmas Day afternoon in July: Welcome to Nagambie.
Most Victorians holidaying in winter tend towards the snow, or head north to warmer climes. Victoria in winter has much on offer for the tourist. For starters, the fields are green, and trees with water dripping from their leaves are invigorating. Forget about the cold; it would still be cold if you were at home sitting in front of the fireplace boosting Greenhouse emissions.
Nagambie is about 90 minutes’ drive north of Melbourne along the Hume Highway. It’s an easy drive, with or without a van in tow. The Nagambie tourist people promote the area as being about wine, waterways, wetlands, wildlife, and thoroughbred horses.
Grape juice and Mother Nature aside for a moment, there is a cadence of pounding hooves: Black Caviar, a mare, was born and bred here, and a statue of the horse is at Jacobson’s Outlook in High Street. Melbourne sculptor Mitch Mitchell created the life-size bronze work from a photo of jockey Luke Nolen riding the horse home in the Schweppes Stakes at Moonee Valley in October 2011. Black Caviar was the fastest horse in the world, undefeated in every race.
Black Caviar isn’t the only world champion to gallop over Nagambie’s green pastures. Americain, ranked world Champion Stayer in 2011 and winner of the 2010 Melbourne Cup, stands nearby at the 900-acre Swettenham Stud.
Like many regional Victorian towns, Nagambie had its roots in gold prospecting, and the river was its lifeline. The region became known after explorer Major Thomas Mitchell crossed the Goulburn River in 1836. The location of that crossing became Mitchellstown, which is now Mitchelton Winery.
Major Mitchell had an unusual method of measuring distance travelled: he would count the stroke of his horse’s hoof and when he reached 100, would put his hand into his pocket and remove a counter, such as a bean or a pea and put it into his other pocket. Mitchell estimated that 950 paces of his horse made up 1.6 kilometres, at which point he would take a new compass bearing and start the count again.
The pioneers who followed, used the same river crossing as Mitchell, as did the mail carrier when the Melbourne to Sydney mail route was established in 1838. The discovery of gold at Spring Creek (Graytown) and Whroo brought thousands of miners into the area. The Balaclava mine produced more than 20,000 ounces of gold.
Nagambie was proclaimed a private town in 1872. The first paddle steamer from Echuca arrived in 1875, followed by rail in 1881.
Local tourism information suggests Nagambie is a derivative of an Aboriginal word for lagoon. This is appropriate given that water is an intrinsic element of the town, nowhere is this more evident than at Nagambie Lakes Leisure Park.
We were encamped in a couple of cabins at the park, which is the largest, and one of the most picturesque caravan parks I have stayed at. There are more than 300 caravan sites, and 130 cabins, and of these, 70 cabins and 160 sites are in the “annual” section.
The cabins we stayed in were one-bedroom Jayco units, featuring kitchen and dining area, and an ensuite with spa. In the depths of winter, with the wind blowing and temperatures rarely in the teens, this was luxury. Even more alluring was the Goulburn River, just a short cast from the front veranda. Behind the cabins, and a couple of hundred metres across the park, is Nagambie Lakes, home of the famous “Head of the River” private schools rowing event every March.
Nagambie Lakes was created by the construction of Goulburn Weir in 1891. Built for irrigation, it was the first major diversion structure built in Australia. Close by is Kirwans Bridge, a rustic timber structure, and Chinamans Bridge, a “strutted, stringer” style drawbridge.
On our first night, we went to town, wining and dining on the waterfront at Nagambie Lakes Entertainment Centre. The refurbished building started trading as the Valley Hotel in the 1890s. The food is well priced and well prepared.
Like many visitors, wine is a major attraction and Victoria’s oldest family owned winery, Tahbilk Estate, is a 10-minute drive from town on O’Neills Rd. Established in 1860, the winery boasts some of the oldest Shiraz and Marsanne vines in the world.
A visit to Tahbilk was on the bucket list, but first we headed to Mitchelton Winery to meet with general manager and chief winemaker, Travis Clydesdale. A graduate in Oenology from Charles Sturt University at Wagga Wagga, Travis spent his early winemaking years across the Goulburn River at Tahbilk, and then spent five years honing his craft at Deep Woods Estate in the Margaret River.
Travis is 37 years old, and said working at the winery was a Clydesdale family tradition. Travis’s father and cellar manager, Mark, has worked at Mitchelton for 34 years, and his mother Kerry also works at the winery.
Travis said the winery, with its iconic viewing tower, was undergoing an expansion phase: “Gerry Ryan bought the property in 2011 and in the first 12 months Lion Nathan leased back the wine.
“In mid 2012 our expansion began with the cellar door and renovations to the restaurant last year. We have plans to build a 60 room hotel, and are doing a feasibility study on adding a golf course.”
Travis said viticulture started in the region in the 1860s, and kicked off when Frenchman, Francois Coueslant, took over the winemaking role at Tahbilk.
In comparison, Mitchelton Winery is a recent addition, started in 1969 by Ross Shelmerdine. The 154 acre property has 72 acres under vines. Production capacity exceeds growing capacity: the harvest produces 700 tonnes of fruit: Riesling, Shiraz and Marsanne, which amounts to 600,000 bottles of wine off 72 acres, while the processing plant can store 6.5 million litres, equivalent to 8.5m bottles of wine.
The vineyard is worked with the environment in mind. A wastewater wetlands system uses native reeds to process water for irrigation re-use in the vineyard. As well, the winery revegetated the riverbank with local gums and native grasses. Synthetic pesticides are not used, and spray inputs minimised through integrated pest and disease management practices.
Just for something different, a river cruiser the “Goulburn Explorer” is berthed in the Goulburn below the restaurant. The cruiser links Mitchelton and Tahbilk wineries with Nagambie. Aimed at the function market, the cruiser has twin, open plan decks, and ferries up to 49 passengers.
After a tour of the winemaking facility, including a look at the huge, underground storage cellar with its hundreds of oak barrels shipped from France, it was time for lunch.
The restaurant is Mews at Mitchelton, and the menu not extravagant in price or what is on offer. Entrees included smoked hock and bean soup; grilled lamb fillet, ratatouille; pecorino soufflé; and confit pork belly, chicken liver and hazelnut salad. As for mains, a 250g Angus eye fillet filled a couple of us, while the other two preferred the Murray cod, spinach and potato sardelaise, crustacean veloute (yabbie) and peas.
In a winery, you need something to wash the food down. The Mitchelton Shiraz suited the red meat eaters; those of us who preferred fish drank Blackwood Park Riesling to smooth its path. Among the beers available is Tooborac Pale Ale, a drop I recommend to anyone who prefers the natural flavour of boutique beer.
By the time we got around to dessert, there wasn’t much space left. Nevertheless, we persisted, as you do. After which it was snooze time. Being lazy and soaking up the fire meant we missed our visit to Tahbilk. Never mind, Tahbilk is on the bucket list for next time.
NAGAMBIE LAKES LEISURE PARK
Loddings Lane,
Nagambie
Mitchelton Winery
Mitchellstown Road,
Nagambie
TAHBILK
254 O’Neils Road,
Tahbilk
NAGAMBIE LAKES ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
301-305 High Street,
Nagambie
FISHING
The Nagambie area is developing a reputation for Murray cod to about 20kg, yellowbelly to 2kg, redfin and trout. Fisheries Victoria is putting in a major effort to ensure these waters become a thriving native fish, fishery. Cod are the apex predators of our waterways, and as these fish grow, redfin and trout numbers will decrease as evidenced by the Murray River where anglers who seek Murray cod call trout “speckled cod lollies”.
When bait fishing for cod, use an 8-10 kg outfit. Trollers can go heavier and use braid lines to 15-24kg, as they are much thinner than equivalent monofilament. Leader material is important, especially for big cod, and should be about 15-24kg breaking strain. Hook size is governed by bait. A No.2-4 long shank hook is popular, as is a 6/0 Suicide pattern. Both hooks will suit bardi grubs and yabbies. Cod can also be caught on lures, casting or trolling. Deep diving lures suit trolling, and spinnerbaits work well when casting to snags.
For most other species, a worm on a hook with a running sinker rig will produce results. Yellowbelly can be caught on bait and lures. A 3-4 kg outfit with a medium threadline reel will account for most fish. Yellowbelly will take shrimp, scrubworms, small yabbies and bardi grubs. As for lures, use small small-bibbed minnow lures or spinnerbaits.