Discover the Murray’s mighty (good) food trail
The LANDSCAPE that runs alongside the MIGHTY MURRAY RIVER is one of Australia’s most fertile FOOD BOWLS. Follow the MURRAY FARM GATE TRAIL to discover a gem of a road trip.
1 AINTREE FARM ORGANICS
Dropping into Aintree Farm Organics is an exercise in treating yourself well. Owners Mariea and Trinity Richards escaped the bustle of the city to establish their ‘farmacy’ back in the late 1980s, and have been producing a wide range of healthy, natural foods ever since. Enjoy morning or afternoon tea, then shop everything from Australian honey varieties and hemp oil to muesli, pesto and beeswax candles.
You have to try… Thieves Oil for its health and healing properties, inspired by the aromatic mix of essential oils concocted by four French thieves in the 15th century. 2
Cactus Country THE DELIGHTFULLY QUIRKY CACTUS COUNTRY, LOCATED AT STRATHMERTON, HAS MORE THAN 4000 SPECIES OF CACTI AND SUCCULENTS LAID OUT OVER A 4.8-HECTARE DESERT LANDSCAPE.WANDER THE EIGHT WALKING TRAILS AND BROWSE THE SHOP TO START YOUR OWN CACTUS COLLECTION. You have to try… THE CACTUS FRUIT RIPPLE ICE-CREAM IN THE MEXICAN-INSPIRED CAFE,WHICH IS SURE TO BE A HIT WITH THE KIDS.
3 EDEN FARM PRODUCE
The owners of Eden Farm Produce, Numurkah, are passionate advocates of clean, green, sustainable living and do not use pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertilisers. Stop by the farm store to purchase certified biodynamic and organic fruit, vegetables, beef and groceries. a Nourish Box, packed with YOU HAVE TO TRY… a week’s worth of certified organic and biodynamic vegetables, fruit, milk , eggs and meat.
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Byramine Homestead & Brewery Visit Byramine Homestead & Brewery in Burramine to enjoy delicious Devonshire teas (complete with pumpkin scones) and hearty country-style lunches, and a tasting in the brewery where the menu of boutique beers, ciders and wines are all made on-site using produce grown on the surrounding farm.
A glass each of YOU HAVE TO TRY… the imaginatively named Kelpie’s Curse, a German-style lager, and Convict’s Cure, an Indian pale ale big on malt and hops flavours. 5 THE BIG STRAWBERRY STOP AT THIS KOONOOMOO FARM GATE TO PICK YOUR OWN JUICY FRUITS WHEN IN SEASON, AND THEN ORDER A STACK OF STRAWBERRY PANCAKES AT THE CAFE. You have to try… ONE OF THE BIG STRAWBERRY’S RANGE OF WINES, SWEET LIQUEURS AND SPIRITS INCLUDING STRAWBERRY GIN.
6 Monichino Wines Situated in the Victorian town of Katunga in the fertile Goulburn Valley, the family-owned-and-run Monichino Wines has a nearly 60-year heritage, having been established back in 1962. The hand-crafted boutique wines produced here include everything from chardonnay to shiraz, with a particular specialty being Italian varieties. You have to try… the barbera, an Italian red wine with the aroma of spices, plums and cherries that is native to the Piedmont region of Italy.