Smiths Gully: Wine, Trails and Bushland

Smiths Gully combines winegrowing with trails along the creek and a landscape shaped by bushland. Nillumbik Estate is a family-run boutique winery with a vineyard and cellar door in Smiths Gully. The Smiths Gully to St Andrews Nature Trail follows Smiths Gully Creek to St Andrews. There is also the Panton Hill Bushland Reserve System and the distinctive history of the Rob Roy Hillclimb. When planning your getaway, you can weigh up whether wine and regional produce or walking and scenery should be the focus.

Winegrowing, craftsmanship and regional produce

Nillumbik Estate is a family-run boutique winery with a vineyard and cellar door in Smiths Gully. Winemaker John Tregambe uses traditional, artisanal winemaking techniques passed down through generations. The winery’s masterclasses offer insights into the winemaker’s winegrowing and winemaking styles, as well as the history of Nillumbik Estate and the region. Each session includes a guided wine tasting, an antipasto platter and a glass of wine on the terrace. If you would like to include a masterclass in your plans, check the dates in advance.

The food offering also showcases regional flavours: Nillumbik Estate serves gourmet pizzas, antipasto platters and a wide selection of regional produce. An elevated viewing platform at the winery offers a view across the Kinglake Ranges, framed by the region. Wine, food and scenery sit side by side here; when choosing a holiday rental, it may therefore be helpful to consider whether you want to focus on culinary experiences or nature activities in Smiths Gully.

Exploring Smiths Gully Creek

The Smiths Gully to St Andrews Nature Trail is a walking trail that follows Smiths Gully Creek to St Andrews. The circuit walk from the Peter Franke Reserve car park is listed as 3 kilometres and takes 1 to 1.5 hours. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the circuit walk. It provides a practical guide for planning your day if you want to experience the creek and landscape on foot.

The Panton Hill Bushland Reserve System includes bushland reserves in the Smiths Gully area and is part of a larger network: seven council-managed reserves are located in the areas of Panton Hill, Smiths Gully and Watsons Creek. Together with reserves managed by Parks Victoria and Crown Land, the system forms a corridor of relatively intact remnant bushland from northern Smiths Gully to southern Watsons Creek. It runs predominantly along Long Gully Creek and covers approximately 140 hectares in total. The reserve system provides opportunities for environmental education and recreation. As a network, the reserve system provides opportunities for environmental education and recreation.

Café and local history

Smiths Gully Cafe is located at 914 Kangaroo Ground–St Andrews Road, Smiths Gully 3759. It serves homemade pies and the Gully Burger. Reservations are not required; the café is pet-friendly and pram-friendly. The menu and visitor conditions may change. If they are important to your visit, check the latest information in advance.

An unusual historical aspect of Smiths Gully is the Rob Roy Hillclimb. When the track was built, it was one of only three purpose-built bitumen hillclimb tracks in the world. The other two were Shelsley Walsh and Prescott in the United Kingdom. This comparison gives the area’s history an international connection and offers a very different perspective from winegrowing and bushland.

Smiths Gully in Nillumbik Shire

In the wider destination of Nillumbik Shire, towns are set among bushland and hills; the shire also has an extensive network of trails for walking, horse riding and cycling. One specific section of the Green Wedge Trail runs from Watery Gully Road in Wattle Glen to Clintons Road in Smiths Gully.

The different highlights can help when choosing a holiday rental: winegrowing and regional produce sit alongside the creek walk and bushland. Consider which of these themes matters most to your trip and choose your base accordingly. Smiths Gully offers more than a single excursion idea—from artisanal winemaking to the landscape of a larger reserve and creek corridor.

Discover more destinations: Malvern East, Amherst, Speed, Charlton, Mount Sabine, Marong, Blairgowrie, Framlingham.

For the wider travel guide: Victoria.