Top tips for a weekend drive to the Kiewa Valley

There are several ways to get to the Kiewa Valley, depending on your interests and time available.

Head south-east along highway one through the trees of Gippsland and Bairnsdale, then up into the mountains via Omeo and then into the valley via the dreaded (by bike riders in the Three Peaks Challenge) climb into Falls Creek. This route is probably best avoided during the snowy winter months, though.

Your second option is to venture along the Maroondah Highway through the delightfully quaint town of Yea and onwards to Bonnie Doon (sing The Castle song if you must) at Lake Eildon. Turn off down the Midland Highway towards the rural city of Benalla and then onwards to Kiewa Valley.

And like all road trips, it’s not all about the final destination. Take time to stop in the historic town of Glenrowan before turning off at the “snow road” to meander through the small winery towns of Oxley and Milawa. There are many diversions for the senses here, wine tasting or the Milawa Cheese Factory and small cafes to refuel the belly for the rest of the trip.

The air starts to get crisp as the road leads into Myrtleford, which in recent years has added several festivals to the local calendar; the wide central boulevard often home to marketeers.

Our favoured route to the Kiewa is just outside the hamlet of Ovens, turning off through Happy Valley and into Kiewa.  Others may want to venture to famous Bright, particularly in autumn when the tree-lined streets pop with colour.

Finally, we hit the Kiewa Valley Highway and head south towards Tawonga.

The valley is home to dairy farmers and now, replacing the tobacco growers of old, a range of wineries and alpaca farms.

This corner of Victoria is now a great place to visit at any time of the year, having previously been simply a place to park the car or pass through on the way to the snowfields of Falls Creek.

These days, Tawonga South and Mount Beauty now boast year-round appeal, particularly to those looking for an active weekend away.

The area offers a range of picturesque walking trails with great photography opportunities as well as some more challenging hikes for the more actively inclined.

For example, the labour day weekend in March offers the Conquestathon, a Lions Club fundraising event that takes walkers on the 21km trek up and over Mount Bogong, Victoria’s highest peak and second only to Kosciuszko in Australia.

The Mount Beauty pondage and Kiewa River provide a choice of aquatic activities, and Mount Beauty has an airstrip where the winch-launched gliders offer a thrilling way to literally get a birds-eye view of the region.

Biking is also very popular, with many mountain bike tracks in and around the foothills, and plenty of roads offering kilometres of variety.

There is also a rich hydro-electric scheme history to not only find out about but to explore. Thirty minutes up the Bogong High Plains Road is the beautiful village of Bogong showcasing the work and foresight of a previous generation’s skill in harnessing power from nature.

After all the day’s activities, there are many choices for food. The Mount Beauty Bakery offers indulgent treats, the Swedish café Skafferi is more esoteric in its menu and Flour + Water in Tawonga South is a great place to take a group for an evening meal.

Travel a further thirty minutes and you’ll reach Falls Creek, a skier’s paradise, but also now popular during warmer months for its mountainous vistas and challenging slopes for adventurous bikers.

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