Local Heroes

In these testing times, it is often hard to know how best to support our regional communities, impacted firstly by our catastrophic fire season and then the subsequent disruption of Covid-19. Firstly there are numerous ways to lend support from home by ordering direct from the producer - a quick Google should unearth countless businesses that will deliver from anywhere in Australia to your door. For example, we encourage all our followers to buy wine direct from the winery, rather than large retailers, to ensure your dollars are going where they are needed most.

When it comes to travel, these bizarre times have created a unique opportunity to repair from within, which means we can focus all our day trip, mini-break and holiday plans on those within Australia. The other good news is that when you explore off the beaten track and into regional Australia, every aspect of your holiday can go towards supporting the local community. From your accommodation provider, to your eggs at breakfast, your bottle of wine with lunch and your cheese platter at sunset, there are countless ways to ensure your tourism dollars are being spent on local businesses that rely on your visit and subsequent recommendation.

When it comes to keeping it local, wine regions and the producers within them know how to support their community and this means that with every visit you make to a winery, you're not only supporting one business but myriad others that contribute to the experience. For example, Voyager Estate in Margaret River supports 163 local businesses from food producers, to tour guides, to local artists and craftspeople. In fact, across the Ultimate Winery Experiences collection, we estimate that over 2,000 Australian businesses benefit from your visitation to our wineries.

An excellent way to learn more about the local heroes in each region are to chat to your winery host, they are sure to have a wealth of recommendations to enhance your visit. Some of those recommendations feature on our Wine Trails and Weekenders which have been curated in consultation with our wineries to ensure you don't miss any local treasures.

Many Ultimate Winery Experiences work directly in collaboration with local businesses and suppliers, a selection of our favourites are below:

McLaren Vale Unveiled

Stunning landscapes, private luxury, and McLaren Vale's finest food and wine

Fly Fishing at Josef Chromy, Tasmania

A unique fly fishing, wine and lunch experience

Provenance, Margaret River

A luxurious one day immersion in Margaret River

Wine and Wander, Gemtree Wines, McLaren Vale

Relaxing private gourmet picnic and wetlands discovery

Ballooning & Breakfast, Brown Brothers, King Valley

Take in the beautiful King Valley in your balloon at dawn

Village Discovery Tour, Seppeltsfield, Barossa Valley