#Avenel
#freecamping
#FreecampingVictoria
In this episode, we travel in our converted Ford transit campervan, with our dog, to Avenel, Victoria, Australia. We camped behind the
Imperial Hotel in Avenel. It is a free camping space behind the pub - you do need to book your place with a phone call, and to show you’re appreciation, it’s recommended you have a meal in the bistro or get some drinks.
Below lists the places we visited in this episode:
Avenel
Imperial Hotel Avenel, Hop Back Brewery
Avenel Maze
Fowles Wine Cellar Door and Restaurant
The Daily Dose
Avenel Meats
Harvest Home Avenel
The Grave of John (Red) Kelly
Avenal Old Stone Bridge
Avenel was the hometown of Ned Kelly in his younger years, where he saved a boy from drowning in the local Hughes Creek. His brother and father are buried in the Avenel cemetery. The Hume Highway passed through the town until a bypass was opened in December 1981.
AVENEL MAZE
The Avenel Maze a short few minutes drive from the town of Avenel. The Avenel Maze is themed around the Australian legend Ned Kelly, the bushranger who commanded this region gaining mythical status. Luckily, the place is pet-friendly, so we were able to take Twyla with us. They not only pay tribute to an iconic legend, but educate and generate intrigue through a quiz with plenty of interesting facts, delivering a relaxing, interactive educational journey into the life of Ned Kelly. It’s a great place for kids to play and explore and for the family to relax. There is a Hedge Maze, Mini golf, Rock labyrinth, Goal Break Maze, Ned’s Knot Maze, BBQ facilities, plus local wines, a covered decking area and outstanding views of the ranges.
FOWLES WINE CELLAR DOOR CAFE
This winery offers open breakfast and lunch seven days with a modern European menu, with a focus on local produce that complements their range of wines. The cafe is family-friendly even offering an enclosed playground.
THE DAILY DOSE
This café joint pharmacy business offers amazing food, coffee and friendly service. What we had planned as a coffee run turned into brunch as their homemade food looked amazing and generous. We’d recommend you try their giant sausage rolls and Moroccan salad - all served with a smile. They also had a cake and slice cabinet that tempted Adam. Just this café alone is a reason to take a 2 min diversion off the Hume. A real gem! We loved it and give it the thumbs up.
AVENEL MEATS
A quaint and cozy little outlet in the middle of Avenel is everything you would expect in an artisan butcher. Avenel Meats is a local family-run butcher shop, being run for over 30 years by one family. Their meat is locally sourced, free range and grass-fed. All meat is produced on-site. With a lot of variety to offer, they also smoke their goods on-site and stock local small goods.
HARVEST HOME
Built-in 1870, the one-of-a-kind heritage building has a rich and varied history, now lovingly transformed into a restaurant, boutique hotel, vibrant garden and events venue. The menus by Chef Martin Golding feature modern Australian fare, accompanied by a bespoke drinks list with produce from local award-winning wineries and distilleries. Oozing French countryside charm and a hint of old-world Boheme, it’s the perfect place to wine, dine and party. We enjoyed cocktails beside their pool whilst we were in town.
STONE BRIDGE
The historic Avenal Stone Bridge (also known as the Hughes Creek Bridge) is a six-arch stone bridge built in 1869 to replace a previous wooden bridge that was washed away in floods. It is a fine 19th-century example of stone bridge construction and stands today as a testament the skills of our early stonemasons.
The bridge is known for its association to Ned Kelly, where at the age of 11, Ned rescued Richard Shelton who had fallen into the creek after trying to cross over on a tree bridge some 150 meters downstream from the Bridge.
We hope you enjoy our channel. We enjoy part-time van life, creating weekly episodes that are live at 5pm Sundays (AEST), sharing our experiences on our travels with our cavoodle, Twyla. In our episodes we stay at free and paid campsites, showing our tips and tricks on how to make life on the road easier and more fun. Come join us on our adventures! Please Like & Subscribe to help the channel grow and follow our adventures.