Every minute counts: how to nail 48 hours in the Grampians

It's just past midday and I'm sipping a perfectly chilled riesling, watching the sun peek out from the clouds and light up the vineyard in front of me. Seated next to a row of potted olive trees, I feel like I'm in the Italian countryside, although the squawk of a cockatoo confirms this is Australia. Mount Langi Ghiran winery on the edge of western Victoria's Grampians region, to be precise.

My travel companion and I have arrived two days after the end of harvest - an unusually long season we're told - and if the current downpours are anything to go by, the 2023 vintage is going to be pretty spectacular, too. Halfway through our tasting, the clouds open up and our outdoor seating choice becomes questionable. Within seconds, though, a staff member whisks us away to an undercover spot where we continue sipping away and enjoying a huge grazing board - loaded with cheeses, sliders and arancini - that's just landed on the table. The country hospitality of the region is already clear, and we have the next 48 hours to enjoy it.

Arriving at Melbourne Airport earlier that morning, we had loaded up our hire SUV and driven out through the express exit within about 10 minutes of walking out of the terminal. Then, it was straight onto the Western Freeway, headed for the Grampians, a sprawling region of nearly 50,000 square kilometres in western Victoria that abuts the border of South Australia and is known for its picturesque towns and villages, food and wine, gold rush history and stunning wilderness.

Mount Langi Ghiran winery is the perfect spot to break up our three-hour journey. Famous for its shiraz, the winery also produces other cool-climate varietals like riesling, chardonnay and sangiovese. It's no wonder this place has a certain Italian feel - it was founded by the Fratin brothers, Italian immigrants who replanted vines at the property in 1969 with a view to bring a touch of their home to Australia. Now owned by the Rathbone family, and with chief winemaker Adam Louder at the helm, the winery is highly regarded and awarded.

With a tasting and lunch under our belts, we continue the drive with a quick detour to the One Tree Hill lookout, a nice spot to take in the panoramic views of Ararat, a historic gold rush town. It's not long before we catch a glimpse of the Grampians mountains themselves, made up of a series of five sandstone ridges that run north to south. Just 30 minutes later we arrive in Pomonal, minutes from the tourist village of Halls Gap. Both Pomonal and Halls Gap are ideal spots to base yourself when exploring the vast Grampians National Park.

There's a multitude of accommodation types available, starting from family-friendly holiday parks through to spacious private homes. We're staying at the Mount Cassel Villa at Pomonal Estate winery, a generous spot for just the two of us with three large bedrooms, an oversized kitchen and a living room with a toasty fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the vines. Owners Pep and Adam have had such success with the accommodation they're in the process of building six new villas to cater to the growing visitor demand in the area. Pep says Mount Cassel Villa is on a "grand scale" compared to the villas under construction, which will include smaller options for couples.

Just a few minutes' drive down the road is Stawell Yacht Club where Adrian from Absolute Outdoors takes guided canoeing tours of the stunning Lake Fyans. It seems no one else wanted to brave the icy waters of this man-made catchment, so we have it to ourselves. We hop into a canoe and venture out on the crystal-clear water as the sun sets behind us. The region is known for its hikes and walks but the view of the Grampians mountain range from the water is definitely not one to miss.

We finish the day with dinner at Spirit of Punjab, a fun and casual restaurant in Halls Gap serving authentic Indian meals. Despite the fact a robot waiter delivers our food - the owner's tongue-in-cheek solution to recent staffing shortages, we're told - the (human) service is impeccable and exactly what we needed to navigate the menu featuring more than 90 dishes. The onion bhaji and lamb rogan josh were excellent suggestions, but believe the staff when they tell you the medium spice level is quite hot.

The Grampians is becoming a bucket-list destination for adventurers, thanks to its newly launched Grampians Peaks Trail, a challenging 160-kilometre hike through the national park. Those who take on the 12-night expedition stop overnight at brand-new campgrounds and huts, with options to engage a local operator to help ferry equipment between each location. But for day trippers, there are plenty of hikes to try.

To get a taste of what's on offer, we head out to the southern part of the Grampians with Justine from Experience the Grampians. From the quaint village of Dunkeld, we embark on the Piccaninny (Bainggug) walk, an easy 2.4-kilometre return with spectacular views of Mount Abrupt (Mud-Dadjug) and Dunkeld from above. There really is something for everyone - on the way we pass a young family on a leisurely stroll and two hikers on the last stretch of a four-day adventure.

After a sample of the great outdoors, it's time to get a taste of the other big drawcard for visitors: the wine. The Grampians wine region is quite spread out, so it's wise to let a guide take care of the transport side of things. We stay on board with Justine, whose company also runs wine tours and walking tours, alongside helicopter tours led by her husband, Justin. Driving out to our first stop we pass farms, vineyards and rustic country homes on big parcels of land. "We don't have those yet," Justine says, referring to letterboxes and the fact that she has to drive to the post office in town to collect her mail. While the Grampians is a vast region, there's a small-town feel to it and with that comes a sense of camaraderie between the local businesses.

We pull up at Best's Wines Great Western and before the mini bus comes to a stop, Justine is rolling down the window to say hello to one of the owner's sons. The family-run winery is steeped in history. Henry Best planted the first vines on the property in 1868 and went about collecting every grape variety he could get his hands on. The original vines survived the mid-19th-century phylloxera epidemic that wiped out a huge portion of French vineyards. The Best's Nursery Block includes almost 40 varieties, a handful of which remain unidentified to this day.

We head into the cellar door, an old stable that was relocated and refurbished by the current owners, the Thomson family, for a tasting. Here you can try blends - a white or red option - of the historic Nursery Block plantings. Before we go, we take a tour of the underground cellar, which was hand-dug in the 1870s and houses rare vintages in dust-covered bottles.

Our next stop is Fallen Giants winery, owned by brother-sister duo Rebecca and Aaron Drummond and named after the dreamtime stories of the Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali people. The boutique cellar door is welcoming to families and children with an outdoor playground and seating that overlooks the vines, but the wine itself is serious business. The friendly staff are apologetic that their riesling has already sold out but offer the rest of their current collection to try. Daryl, who was out hand-picking the grapes just a few weeks prior, spends time talking through the wines and offers up his favourite places to eat in the region, which we promptly note down for next time.

Even if you're not staying at Pomonal Estate, it's worth including it in your wine tour. The venue offers a rustic seasonal lunch - lasagna and a Reuben sandwich are our picks - alongside various wine and beer tastings served on a wooden paddle. The wine and chocolate tasting, however, is the standout, involving handmade chocolate truffles by local business Kerrie's Kreations paired with Pomonal's own drops.

After a day of wine tasting, an easy dinner option is in order. Thankfully it's just a short stroll - past grazing kangaroos - to Barney's Bar and Bistro, a local pub with charm. Newspaper clippings at the entry tell the story of how it began: as Barney's Rumble, where locals would come to rummage through second-hand goods, but mostly for a drink and a chat. It evolved into a much-loved pub and is now owned and operated by Sue and Col Macaffer. Under the tin roof and among the bustling tables of families, we sit down for a good steak and a glass of local shiraz.

To end our time in the Grampians, we check out of our accommodation and head to Halls Gap to tick one more walk off the list. But first, we fuel up at Flame Brothers, an American-style smokehouse restaurant. The flamin' big brekky delivers on its promise and is loaded with bacon, eggs, tomato, sausage and crisp potato. While the place is popular for breakfast, it's known for its dinners, when the menu switches to ribs, brisket and pulled pork that are slow-cooked throughout the day.

Directly from the main street we set out on the Venus Baths Loop, a cruisy 2.3-kilometre walk with naturally formed rockpools for swimming in the warmer months and a view of the striking Elephant's Hide rock formation. If vistas are more your style, a winding 20-minute drive takes you up to Boroka Lookout, a popular vantage point for taking in views of the mountains.

On our way to lunch, there's time for quick pitstops at the popular Cato Park Lake in Stawell for a wander around the gardens and at nearby Big Hill Lookout for a bird's-eye view of the town below.

We have just enough time for a speedy lunch and tasting before our departure so we stop in at Grampians Estate, a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap. Lamb farmers Sarah and Tom Guthrie, who purchased the winery in 1989, have recently extended the cellar door and created a cosy spot to try some of their award-winning wines. The sparkling shiraz and the Streeton Reserve Shiraz are must-tries. The wines are as beautiful to look at as they are to drink, with labels designed by the Guthries' daughter, Pollyanna. Our favourite drop is the 2017 St Ethel's 1878 Vines shiraz, best paired with the lamb, shiraz and rosemary pie, made with the family's Thermopylae lamb and grapes from the vineyard.

We drop off our rental car and head into the airport with a new-found love for the Grampians. The towns that make up the region each offer their own experiences but the welcoming country hospitality is a common thread that runs through it. Grampians Tourism is forecasting visitation to the region will double in the 10 years from 2022. Business owners and operators in the region are gearing up for the boom as more Aussies, and those abroad, discover this special place. You might want to get in early.

The writer was a guest of Grampians Tourism

Getting there: The Grampians is about a three-hour drive west from Melbourne Airport

Getting around: A hire car is a must. Avis Melbourne Airport offers express exit and streamlined booking through the Avis app. See avis.com.au

Staying there: The Mount Cassel Villa at Pomonal Estate is a spacious and secluded home among the vines. It sleeps up to eight people and costs $400 per night. See pomonalestate.com.au

Explore more: visitgrampians.com.au