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WANGARATTA - RUTHERGLEN

(The Return Journey)

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Albury-Wodonga area via the Murray Valley Highway

This involves taking the Murray Valley Highway (Howlong Street, B400) east from town and following this through to the Hume Freeway, just south of the twin cities. Distances quoted are from the Rutherglen Wine Experience (the Visitor Information Centre, on the eastern side of town).

Sutherland Smith Winery is on the right, just before the cross-roads at Great Southern Road and Falkners Lane. The winery on this site dates back to the 1850s, when the Emu Plains Winery became one of the first to plant vines in this area. The Winery is generally only open on weekends and public holidays.

Fairfield Cellars are on the left, at the 10km mark, and are accompanied by a landmark historic building, built in 1859.

Just beyond Fairfield there is a cross-roads, with the left side being Popes Road, and the right being Fraser Road. The latter of these leads to Vintara Winery, with its nice range of wines.

Olive Hills Homestead is to the right, just before the Mia Mia Road intersection (about 13km from town), and dates from 1886. The winery is housed in a complex of rustic buildings, and is renowned for its red wines.

Morris Wines are accessible by turning left onto Mia Mia Road (as mentioned above, the turn-off is about 13km from town, with the winery complex itself being at the 14.5km mark). The Morris Family have been winemakers in this area since 1859, and produce an excellent vintage.

[If you continue beyond Morris Wines, the bitumen is quickly left behind, and it is about one kilometre to the Mount Ochtertyre Road. This leads to the Mount of the same name, one of several prominent tors in the Rutherglen area. This one is a lofty 225m above sea-level, and was named by Major Mitchell on his journey of discovery in 1838.

The access road is dry weather only, and is not suited to large vehicles (including camper-trailers and caravans), but it does lead to a small ’car park’, where you can park the hardware, and step it out to the summit. The parking area is denoted by a small English pattern sty that provides access over the top of the fence. The route to the summit is not clearly defined, but the summit area is obvious, and takes about 10 minutes to reach.

On the way to the car park there is an information board (on the right hand side of the access track) that commemorates the Mount Ochtertyre Public School. This small school was opened in 1877, only to be closed in 1883, after the local population complained about its isolation. The building was dismantled, and transported to Gooramadda, near the Mount Prior Vineyard.]

Back on the Murray Valley Highway, and just beyond Mia Mia Road, the C381 cross-roads provide access to Howlong (to the left) and Chiltern (to the right).

Further down the B400, the C378 junction also provides access to Howlong (to the left) and Barnawartha to the right. Barnawartha is home to the Star Hotel; well known for its excellent meals. More details at www.starhotelbarny.com.au.

Staying on the B400, from the C378 junction referred to above, it is now an easy 6.5km to the Barnarwartha interchange; this is a full clover-leaf interchange, where you can safely join the north, or southbound, lanes of the Freeway.