Smiths Gully: Wine, Bushland and Motorsport History

Smiths Gully brings together winemaking, trails along Smiths Gully Creek and motorsport history. These themes offer different ways to shape your stay: enjoy wine and winemaking at Nillumbik Estate, take a circuit walk through the landscape, or explore the history of the Rob Roy Hillclimb.

Winemaking, Craft and Regional Food

Nillumbik Estate is a family-owned boutique winery with a vineyard and cellar in Smiths Gully. Winemaker John Tregambe uses traditional, handcrafted winemaking techniques passed down through generations. The elevated viewing platform offers a regionally framed view across the Kinglake Ranges.

Nillumbik Estate’s masterclasses offer insights into the winemaker’s styles of viticulture and winemaking, as well as the history of the estate and region. Each session includes a guided wine tasting, an antipasto platter and a glass of wine on the terrace. If you’re considering this experience for your trip, check the dates in advance.

There’s also a specific selection of food on offer: Nillumbik Estate serves gourmet pizzas and antipasto platters, along with an extensive range of regional produce. If you have a particular dish in mind, it’s worth checking the current selection, as offerings may change.

Walking at Smiths Gully Creek

The Smiths Gully to St Andrews Nature Trail is a walking trail that follows Smiths Gully Creek to St Andrews. A circuit walk starting from the Peter Franke Reserve car park is 3 km long and takes 1 to 1.5 hours. These details provide a concrete time frame for the walk and help you fit it into your day’s plans.

A landscape corridor spanning several areas

The Panton Hill Bushland Reserve System comprises seven bushland reserves managed by the municipality 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 Smiths Gully in the north to Watsons Creek in the south, mostly along Long Gully Creek. The corridor covers about 140 hectares in total. The reserve system provides opportunities for environmental education and recreation.

In the broader destination of Nillumbik Shire, towns lie among pristine bushland and picturesque hills. Nillumbik has an extensive network of trails for walking, horse riding and cycling. The Green Wedge Trail offers the chance to explore the rural areas of Nillumbik; it runs from Watery Gully Road in Wattle Glen to Clintons Road in Smiths Gully. The trail details offer different scales for planning: the Peter Franke Reserve circuit focuses on distance and duration, while the Green Wedge Trail connects its two endpoints.

Café and practical information

Smiths Gully Cafe is located at 914 Kangaroo Ground–St Andrews Road, Smiths Gully 3759. Reservations are not required; the café is pet-friendly and pram-friendly. The menu includes homemade pies and the Gully Burger. Check the café’s current details before setting out, as its location and visitor conditions may change.

Motorsport history at Rob Roy Hillclimb

When it was built, the Rob Roy Hillclimb in Smiths Gully 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. Comparing Rob Roy with these British venues places its history in an international motorsport context.

Discover more destinations: Avenel, West Wodonga, Mitta Mitta, Cobram, Bushy Park, Red Cliffs, Navarre, Flowerdale

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.