The picturesque Pyrenees region comes alive during the Festival of Racing & Tasting with great activities for everyone. Held over the ANZAC Day & Easter five day long weekend, there is no better way to experience the best this magnificent region has to offer.

Come and enjoy:

  • A Pyrenees wineries Bus-a-Bout tour
  • A chat with the local publican, live music and great food at our Pyrenees Pubs night
  • Avoca's riverside markets
  • A two day photography exhibition in Moonambel
  • Lunches & Brunches at local wineries
  • A family movie night at the racecourse including jumping castle, monster sandpit, petanque, Colin Driscoll’s award winning bush poetry and two family movies on the big screen
  • The ANZAC Day dawn service and....
  • The feature event of the weekend, the Mount Avoca ANZAC Day Races

And on your way home, stop and take in this beautiful regions' Pyrenees ranges, art galleries and local cafes. 

 

camping at the racecoursesaturday 23rd aprilsunday 24th aprilmonday 25th apriltuesday 26th april

 

Friday 22nd April - Tuesday 26th April
Camp at the racecourse under the Pyrenees Stars…

Ideal for groups of friends, families and for the adventurer...make your weekend in the Pyrenees unique and cost friendly by camping or caravanning at the racecourse. At just $10 per site per night, it's a priceless experience meeting other campers over a glass of Pyrenees red and mingling with the Club's volunteers, staff and members around the camp fire.

Campsites are unpowered. Wood for campfires provided. Toilet & shower facilities available.

And better yet - it's just $10 a campsite per night!!! 

To book click here or call (03) 5465 3231 or email avocaturfclub@bigpond.com. Camping available all ANZAC Day / Easter weekend.  

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Saturday 23rd April

Winery Bus-A-Bout Tour
Taste your way around the Pyrenees!

Hop on board for a hassle free day of Pyrenees wine and food. Arriving at participating wineries continuously, the Winery Bus-A-Bout tours are designed so you can hop on & hop off whenever and wherever you please. Your Bus-A-Bout ticket includes your bus tour, a Pyrenees tasting glass, select wine tastings & wine enviro bag.

The tour will visit the following Pyrenees wineries and promises a fabulous time tasting the delights of the Pyrenees and the range of other activities the winemakers have in store. 

  • Amherst Winery (hosted at Avoca Hotel) ~ Restuarant menu
  • Blue Pyrenees Estate ~ Cafe menu
  • Dalwhinne Wines ~ BBQ lunch, cheese / antipasto platters
  • Dogrock Winery (hosted at Avoca Hotel) ~ Resturant menu
  • Eurabbie Estate
  • Gwynnyth Vineyard (hosted at Moonambel Hotel) ~ Restuarant menu
  • Mount Avoca ~ cheese & fruit platters
  • Pyrenees Ridge Estate ~ BBQ lunch
  • Redbank Winery ~ Antipasto platters & solo artist
  • Summerfield Winery ~ BBQ lunch & live jazz music
  • Taltarni Vineyards ~ BBQ lunch & petanque

Your ticket includes:

  • Bus-A-Bout Tour
  • Souvenir wine tasting glass & wine enviro bag
  • Select wine tastings

Price:

By Fri 15 April: $25pp
After Fri 15 Apr & on the day: $35pp (if seats available on day)
Avoca Shire Turf Club Members: 4 for the price of 3. Please click here to find out more about Club Membership and the other great benefits it can provide on race day. 

Buses depart from the Avoca Information Centre & Moonambel Hotel at 10:30am (TBC). 

Tour & Travel Package from Ballarat:

This package includes:

  • Return bus transport from Ballarat via Gold Bus
  • Winery Bus-A-Bout tour inclusions

By Fri 15 April: $45
After Fri 15 April & on the day: $50 (if seats available)

Book your ticket or tour & travel package

Click here to buy online.

or Call the Avoca Information Centre on 1800 206 622 for more info. 

Please note:

  • Although it is possible that there will be spare seats on the day, pre-paying is the only way to guarantee your seat on this fantastic tour. If you are unable to pre-pay, we suggest calling the Information Centre to confirm availability before turning up. 

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Moonambel Easter Photography Exhibition
Sat 23 & Sun 24 April 2011


Moonambel’s Art and History Group is staging its Annual Photography Competition with the theme this year being “Work & Play in the Sticks” at the Moonambel Recreation Reserve Pavilion.

The Photographic Exhibition is a great way for visitors to the area to meet the locals and to enjoy the local hospitality. As well as being able to enjoy the photographs, there will be a market. Local musicians and singers will entertain and Devonshire Teas will be available. Contact Jan Curtis 5467 2353.

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Pyrenees Pubs Night 
There's nothing better than a Saturday night in a country pub!

There is nothing better than a night at a good old country pub, so why not finish off your day of touring the Pyrenees Wineries at one of our iconic Pyrenees Pubs.

Don't forget, while enjoying a wholesome meal with family and friends, you will also be supporting the heart of any country town and there are activities happening at many of the locals so contact your closest pub to find out what's on. Bookings are strongly recommended.

  

 

Other great pubs in the Pyrenees: 
 Murphy's Hotel, Landsborough: 5356 9320
Beaufort Hotel, Beaufort: 5349 2207
Golden Age Hotel, Beaufort: 5349 2499
Royal Hotel, Snake Valley: 5344 9224
Elmhurst Hotel, Elmhurst: 5354 8205

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Sunday 24th April

Riverside Markets, Avoca (from 9am - 1pm)

Held along the banks of the Avoca River in Cambridge St, the tranquility of the surrounds adds to the enjoyment of meandering around the market. Stallholders provide a varied range of goods, including wine, crafts, fresh food, plants, garden art and clothing. Visit www.pyreneestourism.com.au for more info.

 

Winery Brunches and Lunches
Relax at the following wineries for Brunch or Lunch…

Bookings may be required. 

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Family Night at the Racecourse
Enjoy two family movie classics on the big screen along with Colin Driscoll’s famous bush poetry!

Come along to the racecourse for a BBQ, a few quiet bevies, jumping castle, monster sandpit, petanque, Colin Driscoll’s award winning bush poetry and two family movies on the big screen. This night is a great chance for locals to catch up and visitors to enjoy another event during the Festival.

Tickets: $5 for ages 12+ Kids U/12 $2 Kids U/5 Free
Beverage: Club bar open (No BYO alcohol). Coffee vendor oncourse
Food: Purchase from the Club BBQ / food vendors or BYO
Movie: Old family classics – Neverending Story & The Goonies
BYO chairs and picnic rugs.
Enquiries call: 5465 3231 or email avocaturfclub@bigpond.com

If this doesn't take your fancy, the Wineries, Pubs & Restaurants in the region will also be open for dinner on Saturday night. Call 1800 206 622 for more details & bookings. 

 

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Monday 25th April (ANZAC Day)

ANZAC Day Dawn Service, Avoca

A reminder of the dawn landing on Gallipoli in 1915, commemorate the diggers at the dawn service in Avoca. Held in the main street of Avoca.

Mount Avoca ANZAC Day Races (from 11am)

Come and enjoy:

  • Country thoroughbred racing at its finest
  • Pyrenees Food & Wine Village featuring Mount Avoca; Lamplough Estate; Amherst Winery; Redbank & Warrenmang Vineyard and Resort
  • A wide variety of local gourmet food stalls. 
  • Traditional ANZAC Day activities including:
         - 2UP by the Avoca RSL
         - The Last Post & National Anthem live
         - World War II Ex-Military Vehicle Parade
         - Collingwood v Essendon live on LCD TVs
  • The ever popular eight-piece Biggish Band
  • Endless free fun for the kids including face painting, monster sandpit, animal farm, the Great Avoca Grape competition, Easter Egg & Spoon races & Hot Cross bun eating competitions.
  • A night under the stars camping at the racecourse 

Click here for more details

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Tuesday 26th April:

Pyrenees Open Day 
Heading home is all part of the fun!

Complete an amazing weekend in the Pyrenees by visiting some local galleries, picking up a dozen of your favourite wines or bushwalking in the Pyrenees ranges. 

Local Art Galleries

Visit some of our popular and unique art galleries on your journey home.

Kevin Free’s Studio: Burke Street, Landsborough
Rainbow Gallery: 92 Mountain Creek Rd, Moonambel
Philip Adams Gallery: Box Flat Track, Bung Bong
McMurray’s Gallery: 103 High Street, Avoca
Mt Lonarch Gallery: 1104 Amphitheatre Road, Mt Lonarch
Swiss House: Dundas Street, Avoca
Wardlin Gallery Café: 344 Kayleys Lane, Brewster
Old Mill Gallery: 122 High Street, Avoca
Angels Cafe & Gallery: 19 Havelock Street, Beaufort
Pyrenees Pottery: 15 Willoby Street, Beaufort
The Imperial Egg Gallery: 18 Neill Street, Beaufort
Possum Gully Gallery: 428 Possum Gully Road, Adelaide Lead

 
Mt. Cole State Forest, Mt. Buangor State Park & the Pyrenees State Forest

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Bushwalking

Enticed by tranquility and views of the area, you can enjoy a variety of recreational activities including horse riding, four wheel driving, hiking, picknicking and bird watching on the way home...or just stay an extra night! Here are just a few popular walking tracks in the area:

Grevillea Walk
Distance 1.8km, 45min one way (moderate)

The Glut Walk
Distance 6km, 3hrs one way (moderate)

Borella Walk
Distance 5km, 3hrs one way (moderate)

 

Wineries

There will be many cellar doors open on this Tuesday for you to pick up a few bottles of your favourite Pyrenees drop on your way home. Coming soon will be your own Pyrenees map to download with the wineries, art galleries, homesteads and state parks marked out.  

Click here to download a copy of the Pyrenees Festival of Racing & Tasting brochure.

 

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