REVIEW · MELBOURNE
*Most Popular* Winery Tour in the Macedon Ranges
Book on Viator →Operated by Journey Through The Ranges · Bookable on Viator
The Macedon Ranges are close to Melbourne, but the day feels like a proper change of pace. I love how this tour mixes boutique cellar doors with a distillery and craft beer stop, so you’re not stuck repeating the same tasting routine. It’s also built around people—winemakers, distillers, and brewers—so you come away with more than just a shopping list.
Two things I really like: the relaxed, friendly feel led by guides such as Ewan and Shu-Mei, and the solid mix of producers across multiple parts of the region. One possible drawback to plan for is cost creep: tastings are typically extra at each venue ($10–20 per place), and that long 10-hour run means comfort matters.
In This Review
- Key highlights I think you’ll care about
- Why the Macedon Ranges trip feels special on a long day
- Price and what you actually get for it
- Pickup points and the 8:30am rhythm
- Stop-by-stop: what you’ll experience across the Macedon Ranges
- Paramoor Winery: the day’s first tastings and a warm welcome
- Hanging Rock Winery: keep your palate moving
- Big Tree Distillery: the gin break that changes the mood
- Lyons Will Estate: wine and a bigger sense of place
- Double Oaks Estate & Cellar Door: where you can shop with confidence
- Cleveland Estate: lunch happens here, with a possible change of venue
- Lost Watering Hole Lancefield Brewery: craft beer on the schedule
- Parkside Winery and Farm: a slower feel and more choice
- Hesket Estate Macedon Ranges Winery & Accommodation: a full-scale estate stop
- Gindu: the next tasting step as the day winds toward late-afternoon
- Holgate Brewhouse: finish with beer and a final round
- Included comforts: the small things that make the day work
- Who this tour fits best
- A realistic takeaway: what to watch so your day stays fun
- Should you book Journey Through the Ranges?
- FAQ
- How long is the tour?
- What time does the tour start?
- Where are the pickup locations?
- Are tastings included in the price?
- Is there an age limit for alcohol?
- What’s included on board?
- Is confirmation immediate after booking?
- What happens if weather is poor?
Key highlights I think you’ll care about
Hanging Rock Winery: keep your palate moving
Next up is Hanging Rock Winery. It’s another cellar door in the core Macedon Ranges cluster, and the practical advantage is that you can compare styles and approach within the same region.
This stop also helps break up the drive time. You’re building a full day, so alternating between transport and tasting keeps your energy steady. If you start feeling that you’ve tasted too much too fast, pacing at this stage gives you a chance to recalibrate.
Big Tree Distillery: the gin break that changes the mood
Then the itinerary switches gears to spirits at Big Tree Distillery Tasting Room. This is one of the more interesting parts of the day because it’s not just wine all day. If you like gin, or you’re curious how Macedon producers handle cool-climate ingredients, this stop adds a different tasting style and a different kind of conversation.
Reviews specifically call out the gin distillery as a nice change of pace. That’s exactly how it functions: it keeps the day from turning into repeated wine-only tastings, and it often feels like a reset in the middle of the tour.
Lyons Will Estate: wine and a bigger sense of place
After the distillery, you head to Lyons Will Estate. This is a winery stop that continues the wine theme while you’re already warmed up by the earlier cellar doors.
By this point in the day, you’ll likely have a clearer picture of what you enjoy and what you want to skip later. That makes Lyons Will Estate a useful pivot point: it’s often where you start thinking about how you’ll spend your final tasting budget.
Double Oaks Estate & Cellar Door: where you can shop with confidence
Double Oaks Estate & Cellar Door is another key stop, and it tends to matter because you’re past the learning stage. Now you can taste with purpose. If you’ve found a style you love, this is where you might buy something you feel confident bringing home.
The tour also emphasizes meeting the people behind the product, so this is a good stage to ask direct questions about the wines you’re tasting. If you’re buying gifts, asking about pairings can help you select bottles that make sense for the recipients.
Cleveland Estate: lunch happens here, with a possible change of venue
Next is Cleveland Estate, and this is where many people look forward to the midday break. Reviews mention Cleveland Estate lunch as a highlight, and there’s a focus on delicious food pairings across the day.
There’s one practical caveat worth knowing. One review notes that the cellar was flooded, and the tasting setting was still enjoyable once the venue shifted to another area. So if anything like that happens on the day, the plan may adjust. The good news is that the tour still aims to keep the tasting experience pleasant, even if a specific space becomes unusable.
Lost Watering Hole Lancefield Brewery: craft beer on the schedule
After lunch, the day turns to beer at Lost Watering Hole Lancefield Brewery. This is where the tour keeps its promise of variety. If your group includes both wine people and beer people, this stop often becomes the common ground.
It also helps with pacing. By this point, you’ve likely already tasted a few wines and maybe a gin. The brewery stop gives your palate a different tasting “language,” and that can make the rest of the route easier to enjoy.
Parkside Winery and Farm: a slower feel and more choice
Then you head to Parkside Winery and Farm. This stop can be a good place to slow down slightly, taste what you want, and decide whether you’re done for the day or want to keep collecting bottles.
Again, tastings are not included in the main tour price, so the choice is yours. If you’re treating this as a splurge day, Parkside might be where you confirm your final picks.
Hesket Estate Macedon Ranges Winery & Accommodation: a full-scale estate stop
Hesket Estate Macedon Ranges Winery & Accommodation is one of the more substantial-sounding stops on the list. The practical benefit is that it gives you a “big estate” feel within the tour’s broader boutique vibe.
This is often where people start shopping harder if they’ve found their favorites. But keep an eye on how much you’re adding to your bag, because you’ll still have a few more stops after this.
Gindu: the next tasting step as the day winds toward late-afternoon
Gindu comes next. By now, you’ll probably have a favorite style list. This stop can be a final opportunity to taste something different, or simply to confirm that you still want to buy.
If you’re in a group, this part of the day is also where conversation turns practical: what to buy, what to avoid, and how to split bottles if you’re traveling together.
Holgate Brewhouse: finish with beer and a final round
The last listed stop is Holgate Brewhouse. Ending with a brewhouse is a fun way to close the day because you’re finishing with a different flavor profile than you started with.
If you’ve been tasting steadily, consider leaving your energy for the end. Don’t force extra tastings just to fill a quota. If you’ve had enough, you’ll still get plenty from the atmosphere and conversation at each stop.
Included comforts: the small things that make the day work
