Urban List

Words by Pip Jarvis

Autumn in Melbourne may be pretty, but travel just three hours out of town and it’s mind- blowingly, jaw-droppingly, eye-wateringly perfect. Yup, North East Victoria’s stunning High Country puts on QUITE the show as the leaves turn and temperatures drop. From Wangaratta to Milawa, Beechworth to Bright, not only is the High Country super accessible to Melbourne, it’s beautiful (did you get that?), home to some of Victoria’s best wine regions and most abundant valleys, and the locals sure know how to party.Returning for 10 jam-packed days throughout May, High Country Harvest is a festival of 40 exceptional culinary events, celebrating the finest of wine, heartiest of feasts, and most colourful of seasons, with ample opportunities to indulge, unwind, and get amongst the untouched Alpine scenery.From 13-22 May, the High Country will once again come alive, offering guests the chance to taste the region, cycle its celebrated rail trails, try their hands at a cooking class, or gather under open skies at one of five village bonfires.Whether your tastes run more to adventure or the leisurely pursuits, we’ve cherry picked the best events to warm your bellies and tickle your tastebuds. Ready, set, book.

If You Really, Really Heart Horses: To Lunch On Horseback For more nature than you can poke a stick at and a generous side serving of adventure, visit Bogong Horseback Adventures this High Country Harvest. The charismatic Baird family has been breeding horses and running scenic mountain rides from their Spring Spur property in Tawonga for three decades, so you’ll be in the safest of hands for To Lunch on Horseback, no matter your riding level. Over three delicious hours, let your eyes drink in the autumnal wonder of the Alpine National Park as you ride through forests, gullies and rivers, before returning to the toasty Riders Lounge for a shared feast of campfire-inspired seasonal dishes, like cinnamon-roasted butternut, slow-cooked pickled pork on sourdough, and Yackandanda green beans with pistachio, with ingredients grown on site or sourced locally.