Locals often forget how much delicious produce is made in their own backyards.
Geelong and The Bellarine is, in fact, home to some of the state’s best produce – wine, beer, cider, cheese, olives and olive oil, seafood, chocolate, vegetables and fruit, baked goods, and sustainable meat products.
They are hand-picked, hand-milked, hand-made, often by local families like they have been for generations.
At many, visitors can drop in and meet the people behind the produce.
Fine wine, magnificent views and locally sourced cuisine are what makes Clyde Park Vineyard so special.
Owned by the same family for more than 15 years, the property has grown from humble plantings to more than 35 acres of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris.
Visitors can also taste local cuisine among hundreds of wine barrels where the magic of winemaking happens.
Nestled in the fertile valleys of The Bellarine is Manzanillo Grove with more than 4500 olive trees.
Its olives have a distinctive flavour, are highly sought after by foodies and are used to produce cold pressed extra virgin olive oil on the property.
Visitors can stop by the cellar door on site to buy the full range of produce and can ask to see how it is all made.
Farmers Harvest gathers all of the best local produce from around the region so that visitors can load their shopping baskets full of the very best seasonal fruit and vegetables, deli goods, meats and cheeses.
The team at the produce barn is very knowledgeable and may even help visitors to source special items if they ask nicely.
Heading out of Geelong, Flying Brick Cider House takes taste in a new direction with a range of ciders brewed on site plus special batches of experimental flavours.
Proudly brewed and bottled on The Bellarine, their cider is beautifully showcased alongside a local menu which is best shared and enjoyed on the sprawling lawns.
Overlooking Swan Bay and Queenscliff, Basils Farm is the perfect place to relax and indulge in some quality, hand-crafted wines and farm-grown produce.
The extensive potager provides biodynamic herbs, fruit and produce to the kitchen, local chefs and visitors.
Basils Farm also holds cooking classes and gardening workshops throughout the year.
On top of all this, visitors could win their share of $5000 worth of prizes just by heading to some of these locations.
They simply have to join the Wander Geelong and The Bellarine virtual reality Quest and visit these locations to solve clues to be in the running to win the great prizes.
These are now the final weeks of the Quest so those who want to get involved need to sign up quickly.
To find a list of all the hint destinations, clues, prizes and register visit wandertowin.com.au.
