Left home Friday the 7th of June at 5:15am, picked up the van and had an easy drive through the city just missing full peak hour traffic.
Arrived at Milawa around 10am, coffee at the bakery cafe. A quick look around at the shops, then a stop at Milawa cheese factory- milawacheese.com.au for a tasting.
After a look around Milwala we headed to Whitfield to set up the caravan at the Valley view caravan park for the weekend. We made the very most of the day, first off drove up to Power’s lookout as the sky was perfectly blue!
Followed by Paradise falls, a walk down to find no falls today not much rain lately.
We stopped by this river in Cheshunt for a photo completion together!
Next stop at 4:30pm for a quick wine tasting at Pizzini and a chat with the owners for a few tips on the weekend.
Our first purchase for the weekend and then off to the pub for happy hour!
Booked a table for dinner, then went back parked the car at the caravan park and walked back later for tea. We both really enjoyed our meals at the pub, as it’s owned by the Pizzini winery restaurant quality.
Saturday the 8th of June
Peter got me up early to go and see the early morning Hot air balloons, unfortunately just a little to late!
Back to Whitfield we checked out the other caravan park and a few photos nearby-
Then onto our search for the famous Cannoli we heard about the night before, first stop Chrismont winery. Stunning new flash winery, with beautiful views over the valley but not the home of the Cannoli.
To nice not to come back to! Off down the road a kilometre to Polintini Winery
Coffee and Cannoli from this lovely Sicilian family winery, cannoli made by the Nonna reminding us of our trip to Sicily a few years ago!
We booked a table here for Sunday with Maree and Greg, as the Nonna has been seriously busy in the kitchen getting ready for the weekend. With our glasses set for the weekend, we started our tasting here for the day.
Tip – Muscat over ice with a squeeze of lime, and the lime left in the glass very nice!
Back to Chrismont for the second wine tasting, really nice. We liked the Sangiovese here as we shared a bottle with our new Caravan park friends by the fire Saturday night, and bought the Riesling for dad. We would really like to come back here for lunch in the summer time, when the grape vines are green as the views from here are gorgeous.
Next stop was the Cheshunt
Austrian bakery for a quick take away lunch, all organic yum 😋 we actually felt like we could be in Austria. They have an actual working timber Stone Mill working out the back.
One more winery Darling Estate Winery
A small very rustic family winery, I liked the Aligote a French grape variety wine.
Had a laugh in the loo as the door reminded me of our old family home with the gold bottle glass door. Had to send a pic to my sister for a laugh!
Back to the caravan park around the corner for a cup of tea and our bakery pies, before heading back into Milawa for the night glow at Brown brothers A quick photo stop as the sun was shinning on this old farm shed.
This year this big Vincent Van Gogh hot air balloon was the draw card from the Netherlands was stunning!
We loved the night, so lucky with the weather as it was freezing, but luckily no rain. Thousands of family’s all enjoying the moment the balloons lit 🔥 up to music. Mass evacuation, luckily we found the back way home we didn’t have to wait. Back at the caravan park Peter had to have his fire fix, met our neighbor Grant another plumber with a gas torch on our fire. We soon merged to their fire and met the rest of Grants family where we shared wine, and their cooked strassburg on the fire.
Sunday 9th of June
Yay a sleep in, breakfast in the van then Peter went firewood hunting up the road. I went for a walk down the street to the Whitty cafe for a coffee, and met Peter. The cafe is very cute, with homemade slices ect and a collection of salt and pepper shakers displayed.
No phone charge today so not many photos! Maree and Greg arrived a little hung over, ready for our first stop The King river brewery. The boys loved the big paddles, very generous.
No 2 for the day was Polintini as is booked lunch for 1pm the day before. We where not disappointed, we did the wine tasting then lunch. I’m definitely going back there to do the cooking class one day! As we met some couples that had done the cannoli and the sausage classes, recommended👍
No 3 A quick stop at Pizzini very busy tasting, so we only tasted one wine and left, as the Hot air balloons where displayed at Dalz otto, over the road from the caravan park.
Fun day, lots of laughs with Maree and Greg great company. Puffer jacket bingo, so funny! Back over the caravan park to get the fire going, before the rain started for the night. Bubbles lots of wine huddled under our annex with our weekend new friends (Grant & Gayle, Dani & Brenton plus thier 2 little girls) in the pouring rain.
Monday 10th June
It rained all night, therefore the mass evacuations began in the mud. A bit of an issue due to no power to bring our slide out in, we plugged the van into power and went down to the whitty cafe with Maree and Greg to fill in an hour. The trip home the road was busy but not to bad.
Can’t wait to go back one day, a beautiful part of the world.
Note to self – Checked out Edi cutting camp ground, that’s where I want to camp next time, when its a tad warmer.
He turned out to be such a nice young guy, so on his recommendation we went to church! 
Another drink at stop 2 pub
Saturday weather not great so we headed off for a drive to Strathmerton Cactus Country, thanks to some instagram inspiration. We have driven past this place for years and never called in. A bit of fun walking around in a big sombrero hat acting like typical tourists.
A few friends on the way out of Cactus country to say goodbye!
The BBQ King for the night and our set up at Cobram.
On our way home we stopped off at Benalla for lunch and a Street art tour, photo comp with each other, pretty impressive too.
Kelpie one for John D, nice way to make some ugly flats look ok!