Gippsland

The Gippsland region is a large expanse of country stretching from the NSW border in the north, right around the Victorian the coast to Philip Island, ending up not far from Melbourne. It also reaches as far inland as the Great Dividing Range and includes such towns as Sale, Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance, which are, 200, 270 and 300 kms from Melbourne, respectively.

Despite its fertility and nearness to Melbourne, the Gippsland region was settled relatively late compared to other areas of Victoria. This may have been due to the fact that it was more densely settled by an Aboriginal people called the Kurnai (or Gunai). In any event, when European settlers did move in, the result was a series of massacres that greatly reduced the local population and left a legacy of indicative place names such as Butchers Creek and Boney Point.

These newcomers were mostly of Scottish origin, beginning with Angus McMillan, who led an expedition through the area around 1840 and named the district ‘Caledonia Australis’. The more well-know explorer Pawel Strzelecki also came through not long after and unknowingly renamed many of the places McMillan had found. The name Strzelecki choose, ‘Gippsland’, won out, possibly because it was based on the then Governor’s name.

Bairnsdale grew up on land originally owned by Archibald MacLeod who had called his property ‘Bernisdale’, after his origins on the Isle of Skye. Located on the river, Bairnsdale soon grew as it became a supply port for the goldfields in the 1850s and 1860s until falling into a decline with the coming of the railways.

The Gippsland region is a very productive one with a diverse range of agriculture, but it is only recently that the wine industry has developed. Today many wineries can be found around Bairnsdale, as well as near the towns of Loch and Foster. Despite this recent origin, the Gippsland region is now one of the biggest of the Victorian wine regions and is usually divided into three districts, South Gippsland, East Gippsland and West Gippsland.

Due to the effect of the winds that come in from Bass Strait and its proximity to the Victorian snowfields, the Gippsland region is a cold one overall. South Gippsland, which includes Phillip Island and Wilson's Promontory is wetter and windier than most other parts of Gippsland. West Gippsland, which holds the Latrobe Valley is cooler overall but has a warm, dry autumn. East Gippsland, which includes Sale, Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance claims a ‘Mediterranean’ style climate and certainly has lower rainfall than the rest of Gippsland. While the plains and coastal areas of Gippsland region have mild winters and its overall rainfall is good, from 800 to 1200mm, some areas are much affected by the mountains of the Great Dividing Ranges, which produce rain-shadows that can greatly lower the average rainfall of specific valleys and areas.

The Gippsland region’s cool climate makes it suitable for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in particular and so it is these wines that are most popular among the growers. Such as the Mount Markey Winery, a small, family owned producer of hand crafted wines. The Mount Markey Winery has been built on the same site as the old Cassilis Wine Palace that once operated in the now deserted town of Cassilis. In addition to its fine wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, the Mount Markey Winery also has honey mead, elderberry & other fruit wines & herb vinegars.

Between Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance is the Nicholson River Winery with its great views of the Nicholson River. Beginning as a hobby, Ken and Juliet Eckersley had decided by 1985 to make their efforts more professional. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate their plantings but some Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and other varieties can also be found. Ken studied his viticulture and wine-making in both France and at Charles Sturt University.

Other wineries of interest are the Noorinbee Selection Vineyards, which has a mud-brick cellar door, restaurant and gallery, and can be found in the picturesque Cann River valley; and just 3 km from the town of Maffra is Tuckers Vineyard, with some magnificent views of the Great Dividing Range and producing such varieties as Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.

Wine related events in Gippsland include Gippsland Inspired! - in March, which incorporates the Inverloch Food and Wine Festival, A Palate of Passions, Feast on East, and the Jindi Harvest of Gippsland; also, A taste of Prom Country in January and the South Gippsland Summer Starters in November.

While Gippsland is one of Victoria's most important agricultural and fisheries areas and produces wool, meat, dairy products, fruit, berries, vegetables and seafood. Its size and landscape has meant that there are also extensive areas, particularly in East Gippsland, where native vegetation has survived untouched. There are few regions in Australia where native vegetation from alpine areas to the coast can be found in a continuous range and taking advantage of this a number of companies now offer ecotours that range from the easy to the adventurous.

Undoubtedly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are most suitable for the cool climate of the Gippsland region. Nevertheless growers continue to experiment with many other varieties with notable results.