The Hillcrest Vineyard Open Day will be held on Saturday May 22nd 2010 from about 11am to 5pm. Hillcrest Vineyard is located at 31 Phillip Rd, Woori Yallock in the Yarra Valley, at the end of a short and beautiful drive from Healsville and the Strathvea Guest House.

Hillcrest is micro-boutique winery taking it’s lead from the Burgundy and Bordeaux regions of France. The 40 year-old vineyard is largely organic with the spraying of herbicides and pesticides eliminated, resulting in a high maintenance and low yield from each carefully nurtured vine but the pay-off is an intensely flavored fruit. The wines are made according to a classic unhurried, old-world tradition and the resulting wines are stunning and full of unique personality. The 2008 wines are currently available and range from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Hillcrest wines are primarily sold via mail order and cellar door, which makes this annual Yarra Valley Event all the more, a not to be missed day out for wine lovers. The Hillcrest Vineyard Open Day will also mark the 40th Anniversary of Hillcrest and to celebrate, David and Tanya Bryant will include special magnum tasting of every back-vintage wine (dating back to 2000).

To keep up the boutique and organic theme for a great weekend away, we recommend that you make two early bookings right now; the first will be for our Healesville Accommodation at the Strathvea Guest House which will include an organic breakfast when you awake on Sunday morning; the second booking will be for the Saturday night on your way back from the Hillcrest Open Day stopping at the Bella Vedere restaurant situated within the Badgers Brook Winery, this independently run country cottage-style restaurant hosts a five-course degustation dinner on Saturday nights with fresh produce harvested from their own garden including organic sourdough freshly baked on site.

• Hillcrest Vineyard – No Booking Required
• Strathvea Guesthouse – 03 5962 4109
• Bella Vedere Restaurant – 03 5962 4130

Hot Vintage Bikes – 27th and 28th March

The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle National Rally is being held at the Healesville Racecourse again in 2010. The VJMC is a worldwide club and non-profit community association. Visit www.vjmc.org.au or call 0411 051 902 for more details.

Sexy Hot Rods – 28th March Only

It’s ‘Hot Rods on the Green’ at Rochford Wines on the corner of Maroondah Hwy and Hill Rd in Coldstream. This is great day featuring over 500 custom built cars, great food, great Yarra Valley Wine and entertainment by Rock and Roll band ‘Itchy Fingers’. Visit www.rochfordwines.com or call 5962 2119 for more details.

Racing Picnics – 3rd April

With school holidays in full swing the Healesville Racecourse becomes an exciting picnic setting for the whole family with plenty of kids activities and racing action. Plenty of beautiful lawn space to spread your picnic rug and enjoy a great day out. Visit www.healesvilleraces.com.au or call 5962 4506 for more information.

Hot Cycling Event – 11th April

For Cycle enthusiast this is great time to combine your love of cycling, great Yarra Valley views, gourmet food and wine tasting. ‘Just Cycle Yarra Valley’ sees Rochford Wines become home base for two great cycling rides. The 45km recreational ride through picturesque Yarra Valley or the 20km Nemisis challenge up Mt Donna Buang. There will also be plenty of activities for the kids plus live music and entertainment for the whole family. Visit www.rochfordwines.com or call 5962 2119 or visit

A Hot Salsa Night – 11th April

Rochford Wines gets all sizzling hot and goes Salsa. Featuring Melbourne Salsa Dance Lessons followed by a South American band in the Vineyard Restaurant and a DJ in the barrel room. Enjoy open fires, toasted marshmallows, spit roast and hot mulled wine. Visit www.rochfordwines.com or call 5962 2119 for more details.

Mountain District Car & Bike Show – 11th April

Hot rods, classic cars, custom cars, vintage cars plus custom and vintage bikes and Chev/F-Trucks. This all day event at the Healesville Sporting Complex (Don Rd) includes a trade alley, live bands and food stalls with prizes and presentations at 4pm. $5 entry call 9737 9660 for more details.

Hot Spanish Film – 13th April

Pedro Almodovar’s is Spains greatest film director and his latest film stars the very hot, Penelope Cruz. The film has great comedy and twists in a story about love, jealously, power, treachery and guilt. Healesville Memorial Hall at 7:30pm and only $8 per person. Call 5965 3528 for more details.

Spanish Night @ Giant Steps – 20th April

The Giant Steps / Innocent Bystander Winery, Cellar Door and Restaurant in Healesville is just at the end of the road that leads to Strathvea. Tuesday the 20th April they are are hosting a Spanish Banquet from 6:30 at a cost of $50 per person, bookings essential. Make a simple getaway out of it and stay overnight at the Strathvea Guest House and we will treat you to our organic country breakfast when you awake the next morning. Call 5962 6111 for for restaunt bookings and 03 5962 4109 to book your accommodation at Strathvea

Make a weekend of it and choose  Strathvea as your Yarra Valley Accommodation!

The Alowyn Gardens in Yarra Glen are the unofficial botanical gardens of the Yarra Valley. The garden consist of six areas; perennial, dry, edible, forest, parterre and display. This is truly an awe-inspiring garden that spent 10 years in making before it was opened to the public.

Alowyn is one of those reals gems, a unique Yarra Valley Garden that will absolutely take your breath away at any time of year.

In 2010 they will be playing host to the Yarra Glen Art Show over the four-day Easter Weekend and a perfect time of year to visit the Yarra Valley. While the art show is currently in its eighth year, this is a new home and a match made in heaven.

“Yarra Glen Art Show at Alowyn Gardens
Easter Long Weekend 2010″

Alowyn Gardens caters for its visitors with coffee, tea, cakes and cool drinks overlooking the garden and a giant playable chess board. Plants are also available from their nursery.

Alowyn Gardens are situated at 1210 Melba Highway just 3.5kms North of Yarra Glen, nice and close to our Yarra Valley Accommodation. Opening hours are Saturdays and Sundays, 10am till 5pm but they will of course be open for four days over the Easter long weekend in 2010 (April 2-5).

Yarra Valley beer is flowing at a little brewery in Lilydale.  In Feb 2009 the original Hargreaves Hill Brewery was burnt to the ground in the tragic Black Saturday fires. The brewery had been standing for five years on a property in Steels Creek and prior to the fires it was brewing five days a week and serving its beer through its own cellar door restaurant in Yarra Glen (the old National Bank building).

The Hargreaves Hill Brewery is still a major must visit destination for beer lovers and visitors to the Yarra Valley and the new brewery is situated in Lilydale. With so much emphasis on wine in the valley one should not forget that this is also the home of some great beer and this is one Yarra Valley Brewery that makes it even harder to resist with their six beer tasting paddles for just $7.

So lets take a quick peek at some Yarra Valley Beer!

• The Hefeweizen
  A pale malted wheat and barley beer with a complex taste.
• The Kellerbier
  Served fresh, this is an unfiltered pilsner with a creamy texture.
• The ESB
  A popular and modern representation of an English ale.
• The Abbey Dubbel
  Inspired by the beer Trappist Monastery beers of Europe, this is a rich red malt beer.
• The Stout
  A complex palate of flavours that any stout connoisseur will love.
• The Pale Ale
  A bright floral beer with a balance of hop, yeast and malt flavours.

The Hargreaves Hill outlet is located right in the heart of Yarra Glen. A pleasant drive from the Strathvea Guest House with many wineries and shops to visit along the way.

Here’s Cheers, to Simon Walkenhorst, and Beth Williams for bring back Yarra Valley Beer and putting a snowy cap on a golden autumn in the Yarra Valley.

Prize and redemption details and conditions…