Rising west of Melbourne is a very special mountain range, home to some of the best scenery in Victoria and more wildlife than you can poke a stick at. The Grampians is a truly magical place and last week I got to experience a few of its jewels. Spending 3 nights at the Royal Mail Hotel I lapped up the delights of this beautiful region. The Royal Mail is a foodies Mecca and rightly so. In busy periods you may need to book 2-3 months in advance to get a table for the multi award-winning degustation. Not bad considering it sits in the country town of Dunkeld – population 461.

If you are not up for the full degustation try the equally impressive Bistro Menu or share a casual meal with the locals in the adjoining bar. You will not be disappointed.

A back-to-back photo of our accomodation and view

The accommodation is second-to-none and a real treat. We stayed in an old stone shearers cabin, renovated to a 5 star retreat. We lit the wood fire each night and woke up to kangaroos grazing at our back door, not to mention the views of the surrounding craggy mountains.

By day there are countless adventures to be had. Take a walk around Mt Sturgeon, Drive up to Halls Gap, Boroka lookout or Mackenzie falls. Or for the more adventurous, climb Mt Abrupt, take a horse ride through Victoria Valley, did I mention it’s also one of Australia’s premier rock climbing locations?

Clockwise from top right: Summit of Mt Abrupt; Echidna hides in the leaf litter; wildflowers; the Royal Mail wine list / book and; kitchen garden; a wedge-tailed eagle soars above

I have lived all over Australia and am always delighted to visit in the Grampians. It has everything that is truly Australian: The people are warm and welcoming the wildlife is superb and the environment is vast and spectacular. It takes a bit of extra time and effort but you will never be disapointed. The Grampians is true “must see” on your Australian Adventure!

Ask us about planning your Grampians Adventure!

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We’ll have an MPT chauffeur whisk you over to our good friends at  Heli Experiences who will take to the skies in style.

You’ll fly along the iconic Great Ocean Road coastline before landing on a little slice of heaven.

Steve, a great mate of MPT and locally renowned organic farmer just happens to be a damn fine chef too….AND owns a hilltop farm out the back of Apollo Bay with views to make your head spin.  He grows everything you’ll find on his lovingly prepared menu and even rears his own beef and lamb. Oh….did I mention the truffles??

The wine list is world class and you may even like us to throw in a string quartet to complete the picture.

This is a once in a lifetime, truly unforgettable experience! You’ll be dining on dry aged welsh black beef from the farm, local Crayfish done three ways  or a lamb carpaccio with beetroot and micro herbs salad.

 This tour is completely exclusive and handcrafted to suit you - inquire here

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There are plenty of spaces and places to woo your loved one in Melbourne this Valentine’s Day. Our top picks include:

Vue de Monde is great to watch the city sparkle underneath you.

Rosetta is Neil Perry’s latest and greatest venture and sure to impress. Focus on woodfired dishes Italian style and house made pasta.

Café di Stasio offers old school romance and style.

Circa boasts secluded corners and sharing food.

Stokehouse is pure romance overlooking the bay.

For something extra special try the Dessert Degustation at Peirre Roelofs – the ultimate show of love and passion.  A unique dessert exploration that may include open-ended test tubes filled with goodness, or drops of salted strawberry cheesecake, or  whisky balls that explode in your mouth. They don’t take bookings so get there early! 1/2/3 courses for $20/$30/$40.

Al Fresco

Melbourne also offer some wonderful Al Fresco options for Valentine’s Day dining, including:

Elwood Park is our top pick for a park and coastline combo. A standout of St Kilda’s range of awesome coastline parks. Right on the beach you can watch the world go by and the sun go down.

Close by is another favourite – the local St Kilda Botanic Gardens. Huge trees provide plenty of privacy, perhaps a giant game of chess or a serenade under the rose garden.

Edinburgh Gardens are another favourite but there’s also plenty of grassy secluded spots in Treasury/Fitzroy/Carlton Gardens if you’re on the north-side.

Of course the Royal Botanic Gardens boast the gorgeous Ornamental Lake and plenty of peaceful spots – just keep walking and you’ll find your own piece of these stunning gardens

The Ultimate Private Picnic

If you’re after something unique then our MPT Ultimate Private Picnic serves up the perfect blend of romance, sweeping views and delicious food. Especially perfect for proposals and anniversaries!

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The first thing we see is some lovely beaches where kids are running in the sand having fun dipping their toes in the water – closely supervised by their parents. Our first stop is Churchill Island where our ranger Tom is waiting for us to arrive to show us around the Heritage Farm. With his great knowledge and pleasant attitude he guides us around, showing us both interesting nature, old-fashioned architecture with moving stories about past living conditions and all the local animal residents on the island. Feeding ducks, patting the horse and watching a farmer controlling his dogs around the sheep, not to mention the shearing of a sheep, was just some of what we saw! A great experience for both young and old.
The Koala Conservation Centre was the next thing on our list.  With much excitement to finally see the famous fluffy grey creatures, we met with our ranger who once again guided us through the park. It was our lucky day – the koalas that day had decided to place themselves low in the trees and again our cameras were working overtime! What a sight. Even though they were sleeping we still wanted to take them home. As much as we wanted to stay and stare all day at the koalas time ran out and back to the car we went. Another sight was planned for us.

The Nobbies are a great viewing point and if you’re lucky you can spot different kinds of whales in the surrounding ocean. The seals have invaded their own island and through the binoculars we could see them laying flat having a very relaxing time. After a while we said goodbye to our ranger and off we went to the next highlight of the day, watching the penguins. This event is THE major attraction on Phillip Island and in the summer season there are several thousand visitors every night. Despite all the people, the surveillance of the penguins is taken very seriously and as much as possible the small penguins are protected from being disturbed by the visitors. Watching the small wet penguins arriving from the water, trudging through the sand trying to find their burrows was a sight that can hardly be described. So close and yet so far away, this made the whole experience even better and as the penguin ranger told us “we are in their home now and we have to respect it”. As we watched this magical sight, the audience turned silent and followed the little ones on their amazing journey….

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Here at Melbourne Private Tours we are ready to welcome all the excited cruisers to our wonderful city.
With such a busy cruise season upon us, it’s essential that you organise your tours in Melbourne early so you don’t miss out.

There are so many shore excursions to choose from in Melbourne. How do you decide?
We are often asked whether you can combine some of these fantastic day tours in Melbourne to really maximise your time.

The answer is YES.

A Yarra Valley Winery Tour or a visit to Puffing Billy in the Dandenong Ranges are less than an hour from the city centre. We recommend combining these day tours with a City Tour of Melbourne.

Healesville Sanctuary is a wonderful world of koalas, kangaroos and iconic Australian animals – only an hour from Melbourne in the Yarra Valley, making it  easy visit with just a short time in port.

When making your decision on your shore tours, remember on a private tour of Melbourne we can customise your day. Other recommended shore excursions are the Great Ocean Road and The Mornington Peninsula.

Our friendly and knowledgeable guides are ready to meet you in one of our luxurious vehicles the minute you arrive at port.  We will beat the larger coaches out of the port and really ensure you have maximum time in the city and regions. We’ll deliver you back at the end of the day in plenty of time for sailing and you will be amazed at how much you get to know Melbourne with our local guides showing you the hidden delights.

With Melbourne Private Tours, you will see the best of Melbourne’s best attractions in just one day.

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More than any other cosmopolitan city I’ve visited Melbourne offers diversity and culture where it seems anything is possible…

In Melbourne new and old is interconnected in the vibrant and dynamic environment; there are leafy green parks featuring modern abstract sculptures, Victorian period buildings set against space-aged architecture and loud street art. Historic tramcars rattle down the main streets as locals pop in and out of hidden laneways that hide cafes, bars and boutiques. There’s the relaxed palm tree lined shores of St Kilda, the bustle of markets, the roars from passionate sporting fans and the gentle ebbing of the Yarra River passing through the city’s heart.

Walking through the city the multicultural history of Melbourne is on show. Step into Little Bourke Street and find yourself in Melbourne’s ‘Shanghai,’ an exotic variety of authentic Asian restaurants and bars fill the street. Just around the Corner, Lygon Street is the Italian Equivalent as restaurant waiters invite you to share their families’ traditional recipes. There are Greek restaurants aplenty, a busy Vietnamese community and even areas with Scandinavian influences.

Regardless of where you lose yourself in Melbourne, there is one aspect to the city that continues to shine through. The people, no matter their unique background, are helpful and friendly almost to the point of annoyance – I could barely unfold a city map before someone would offer assistance, but then again, in a city like this, who needs a map?

There is a surprise around every corner and a friendly face to match. It seems the best thing to expect is the unexpected, Melbourne continues to deliver delights at every turn.

Get out, get lost and fall in love with this phenomenal city!

Enquire about MPT’s Melbourne City Tours here

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This month, we asked Steve the owner of La Bimba restaurant in Apollo Bay. Steve is a local organic farmer who filled us in about a few little Spring surprises along the Great Ocean Road and Otways.

Us: Spring is such a wonderful season – what does it mean for you?

Steve: Spring for me means the beginning of a new cycle, the days are stretching out, there is warmth in the sun, the grass is growing and the fruit trees are in blossom. It’s the sign of a abundance just around the corner.

I’m looking forward to being able to pick my artichokes, the broad beans are almost ready young and sweet (best eaten raw), the lambs are putting on better condition with more protein in the grass so i can’t wait to get some spring lamb in to the oven.

Us: How does the spring affect the region?

Steve: This time of year the Great Ocean Road and The Otways are alive with colour, honey eaters are out and about suckling at the nectar from all the blossoms, the wattle trees are in full bloom, the king parrots and major mitchell cockatoos are back, the oceans mood is a little more forgiving, and the oak trees are budding with fresh leaves.

Us: What’s in your garden?

Steve: This spring in the garden we have fennel, artichokes, we are just raising our tomato seeds, baby beetroots, zucchinis, pumpkins, melons and salad greens in the hothouse, so soon we can plant them out into our kitchen garden.

US: And further afield?

Steve: In the paddocks we have Dorper lambs running around enjoying their first weeks of life, the Welsh black cattle are close to calving and our resident Wessex Saddleback pig ( whom is also our truffle pig ) is days away from giving birth to a farrow of piglets. Our Welsh black steers (24 months old) are ready for slaughter as well as the lambs from last year’s season. Once spring is almost through we will also see the arrival of crayfish season as well as our local seafood selection back into full swing.

Steve is a truly inspiring character and we’re so incredibly lucky to be able to meet him on our tours and learn more about the wonderful Great Ocean Road and Otways and the abundance of produce and life right on the doorstep.

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The Melbourne Private Tours’ Truffle Hunt is the ultimate in gourmet adventures and this year is even better with the introduction of a new property and chef led cooking class so you can learn the best way to serve your freshly found ingredients.

The Perigord (black) truffle is a prized ingredient in European cooking, but their appearance in Australia has been limited due to their preference to the cooler states. Melbourne Private Tours has paired exclusively with Executive Chef and restaurateur Steve Earl whose spectacular property is barely known has having the largest truffiere in Victoria. The truffiere, however is not the only highlight of this spectacular property.

Steve has an infectious passion for quality fresh ingredients and his farm is filled with them.  Just past the waterfall and over the hill is the truffle plantation. Join truffle masters “Archer” the Dog and “Deloris” the pig – they’ll be leading the way. Get involved – the exhilaration of unearthing is something you’ll never forget.

It’s then back to Steve’s kitchen to warm up by the roaring fire, roll up your sleeves and be shown how to use your fresh ingredients. Dorper Lamb or Welsh Black Beef from the farm could be on the menu or maybe the “catch of the day” from nearby Apollo Bay fishing village. Either way it’s guaranteed to be a culinary delight.

With the hard work over sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

We continue our gastronomic adventure on the journey back to the city with a stop at the farmer’s co-op, a country teahouse or boutique craft brewery.

…Or make a real day of it and detour along the Great Ocean Road to take in some inspiring coastal scenery.

Enquire about our Truffle Hunting Adventure Now!

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