Page 457 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

EASTERN VIC T ORIA  455

yBenalla
* 8,500. ~ £ @ n The Creators’
Gallery, 14 Mair St (03) 5762 1749.
∑ benalla.vic.gov.au
The rural town of Benalla is
where Ned Kelly grew up and
first appeared in court at the age
of 15. Today it is most famous for
its art gallery, built over Lake
Benalla, housing a fine collection
of contemporary and Australian
art. The Benalla Festival in
November features food, art
and family entertainment.
Elegant Benalla Art Gallery on the shores of Lake Benalla The town is also known as
the Australian “capital” of gliding,
such as Cabernet Sauvignons a shoot-out with police in 1880, with excellent air thermals
from 100-year-old wineries on Siege Street near the town’s rising from both the hot plains
including Campbells and railway station, Kelly was finally and nearby mountains.
Chambers. The Muscats, Tokays captured after more than two
and ports from both Rutherglen years on the run. During this
and Glenrowan are even more time he had earned almost uShepparton
internationally renowned, with hero status among Victoria’s * 50,000. ~ @ £ @
Bullers, Morris and Bailey’s bush poor, particularly its many n Greater Shepparton Visitors’
among the best. Rutherglen Irish Catholic farming Centre, 33 Nixon St 1800 808 839.
itself is a graceful town lined families, as a Robin Hood- ∑ visitshepparton.com.au
with antiques shops, and a type character. Kelly knew
selection of hotels and the country around The modern city of Shepparton,
restaurants. Glenrowan, especially at the heart of the fertile
The grapes the lovely Warby Goulburn River Valley, is often
grown in the Ranges, in great detail called the “fruit bowl of
cool-climate region and often used Mount Australia”. The vast irrigation
around Whitfield and Glenrowan, west of plains around the town support
Milawa make for crisp town, as a lookout. Victoria’s most productive pear,
whites and lighter, softer Kelly was later hanged peach, apricot, apple, plum,
reds. One of the more at Melbourne Gaol. cherry and kiwi fruit farms.
popular wineries in Today Glenrowan A summer visit of the town’s
Northeastern Victoria is thrives on its Kelly history biggest fruit cannery, SPC,
Brown Brothers at Milawa. as a tourist attraction. when fruit is being harvested,
The winery is open daily A giant iron effigy of reveals a hive of activity.
for both wine tasting the bushranger greets The area’s sunny climate
and sales at the cellar Iron effigy of visitors at the entrance is also ideal for grapes. The
door, and its excellent Ned Kelly to the town and there two well-known wineries of
restaurant specializes in are various displays, Mitchelton and Tahbilk Wines,
local delicacies from the museums and re-enactments 50 km (30 miles) south of town,
region, including particularly depicting the full Kelly story, are both open for tours and
good trout, cheese, honey including his last defeat. tastings (see pp382–3).
and lamb. While at Milawa,
visits to the Milawa Cheese
Factory and Milawa Mustards
are recommended.

tGlenrowan
* 1,000. @ £ Wangaratta.
n Glenrowan Tourist Centre, 41
Gladstone St (03) 5766 2367.
∑ glenrowantouristcentre.com.au
Glenrowan was the site of the
last stand by Australia’s most
notorious bushranger, Ned
Kelly, and his gang (see p398). In Harvesting fruit in Shepparton’s orchards