Once we got going the boys 'walked to Victoria' and we headed to Rutherglen and located the much anticipated Campbells winery. After showing the boys some of the old wine barrels and winemaking equipment Mark and I proceeded to sample the full range from whites to muscats as well as some delicious local cheeses. The boys kept themselves busy doing the provided scavenge hunts (rewarded with easter eggs for their effort) and playing footy in the sunshine. Opting for quality over quantity (also influenced by the very full car boot. ..) we purchased a bottle of Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat which is just divine. .. especially when complemented with small buds of dark chocolate.
We then headed back to a local bakery for a lunch of scrumptious pies (no one was 'game' enough to try the emu or rabbit or kangaroo...!) and a family climb of a tree at the wine experience centre (it was just too good a climbing tree to pass-by!). With our bottle of liquid gold safely stashed in the car, it was then off across the countryside to arrive in Beechworth mid afternoon.
A quick check-in and up to the old gaol for the 3pm tour.. but apparently the guide had other ideas as they didn't turn up and so no tour. .. oh well never mind. .. down the hill to the onsite cartoonist ...who was offsite and so no drawing was happening....so back in the car and a stop in at the Beechworth Honey experience... a bit of education and a lot of honey tasting later, we purchased some samples including Khi's choice of a large jar of fresh waxy honeycomb to chew on. We then tried to send Gran a telegraph from the dedicated telegraph building... but that was closed... so off to the courthouse next door we went...and luckily just caught the tour guide as he was locking up about half an hour early (I got the feeling they are pretty casual about times in this town)...he let us in and we did a whirlwind tour - the highlight being standing in the dock where Ned Kelly was convicted, seeing the beautiful old books and Khi's discovery of 'a santa suit' aka the judges robes in his chamber!!
Back to the hotel for a bit of a rest before dinner at the Bridge Road Brewers | Beechworth Brewery which consisted of a shared feast of ribs, a lamb burger, gourmet pizzas ( Bryn and I agreed that the apple and blue cheese was to die for) and a sample paddle of their craft beers. Favourites were the 'balanced' golden and the 'dark' robust porter (which tasted like dark beer mixed with chocolate and coffee). The kids followed up with some tubs of locally produced icecream which they reluctantly shared a spoonful of each with their parents... hmmm. The Brewery is a very friendly warm and energetic place. . relaxing and fun.
It was then up the hill to the old Asylum for a ghost tour. Not the best we've experienced but the kids enjoyed it nevertheless. Home to bed where I think we were all sound asleep by 10pm!
Walking to Victoria....
Rutherglen
Beechworth
Courthouse
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