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Autumn Tipple Train Trail

Toot toot! Leave the car at home and get a taste of Macedon Ranges’ artisan and small-batch wines, cider, craft beer and gin at country pubs along the V/Line. Hop-on-hop-off the V/Line train, wet your whistle and take in stunning scenic autumn landscapes along the way.

Riddells Creek Hotel | Stop #1

Leave the city behind for fresh country air

Toot toot! Leave the car at home and get a taste of Macedon Ranges’ wine, cider, craft beer and gin at country pubs along the V/Line. Hop-on-hop-off the train, wet your whistle and take in stunning scenic autumn landscapes along the way.

Follow the timetable to choose your own adventure – whether it’s a full day, an overnighter or a multi-day stay. Fit in a local bevy at each stop. Or choose to linger longer and skip a stop here and there. The pace is yours to set around the train schedule and what tickles your fancy.

See the V/Line train timetable to plan your journey on the Bendigo line.

The first stop on your Tipple Train Trail adventure is a classic railway pub. The Riddells Creek Hotel is a local’s fav and family-friendly watering hole. Sit under their old oak tree in the beer garden or cosy up inside by the fire. This unpretentious pub is a great starting point to shake off the big smoke and get into a country vibe.

 

Baringo's Whistle Stop Bar New Gisborne | Stop #2

Stop at a wine bar right on the train line

Baringo’s fabulous Whistle Stop Bar is located a hop, skip and jump from the New Gisborne train station. This is the perfect pit stop to try one of our region’s cool climate wines and to get a wee bite to eat before jumping onboard the next train.

Wet Your Whistle Here
Stay Here
Two Popular Woodend Pubs | Stop #3

Enjoy a beverage at The Victoria Hotel or Holgate Brewhouse

Woodend is home to two charming, historic pubs within a very short walk from the train station. The first one you’ll reach is The Victoria Hotel with a bustling bistro and Rock and Wombat Bar serving tapas and locally produced craft beer, gin, cider and wine. A little further down the street is Holgate Brewhouse and a state-of-the-art Taproom. If you’re a craft beer fan this is where you need to make a beeline!

Kyneton Hotel | Stop #4

Local tipples at a historic pub

All aboard! The next stop on your Tipple Train journey is a historic pub in Kyneton.

Heading downhill from the station (approximately 1.2km), you’ll soon arrive at the Kyneton Hotel. Along the way you’ll pass by the entrance to the beautiful Kyneton Botanic Gardens – worth a lazy stroll under the autumn leaves later if you’ve time.

Open seven days, this comfy pub serves a delicious menu to fill your tummy while sipping on local brews and tipples.

Kyneton is the perfect pit stop to spend a couple of nights so you can relax and explore the many other pubs, wine bars, restaurants, cafes and shops in town.

Wet Your Whistle Here
Stay Here
Malmsbury Hotel | Stop #5

Small things come in good packages

The final Macedon Ranges stop on your Tipple Train Trail adventure with their Autumn Special – The Elderberry Fizz.

The quaint little village of Malmsbury is a 900 metre walk from the historic train station, on a slight downhill slope. The Malmsbury Hotel is a tiny pub positioned next to the botanic gardens that looks glorious in autumn and boasts a magnificent bluestone viaduct bridge as its backdrop.

Dodge gaggles of geese as you make your way to the pub for a tipple, then head back up to the station for your return trip home. If you want to stick around awhile, check out the motel rooms in The Malmsbury Hotel or The Malmsbury Botanical Guestrooms. There are also plenty of accommodation options, cafes, galleries and shops to explore back in Kyneton.

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