locale
lo·cale | \ lō-ˈkal
noun:/ a place or locality where something happens or is set, or that has particular events associated with it.
Similar: place, site, spot, area, position.
Our locales are much more than just pubs, breweries and wineries they are hand picked, immersive spaces with stories to tell, perfectly suited for musical performances with a mix of indoor & outdoor stages back dropped with stunningly serene vistas.
We're kicking off proceedings at The Union Hotel Heathcote in the Main Street for Friday Night Family Dinner as the festival expands to its new 2 day format.
The Heathcote Express Bus Tour rolls out Saturday 27th April where you'll enjoy sweeping vistas at Red Edge for Morning Tea before arriving at
Tooborac Hotel & Brewery then onwards for Munari Wine, we’ve added some with the final destination on this whistle stop tour Palling Bros Brewery’s newly expanded Beer Garden perfect for the climactic Evening Session.
Tooborac Hotel & Brewery then onwards for Munari Wine, we’ve added some with the final destination on this whistle stop tour Palling Bros Brewery’s newly expanded Beer Garden perfect for the climactic Evening Session.
Going Up The Country ... Stars & Bars Festival Heathcote brings together an assemblage of amazingly talented artists with some unique Central Victorian Goldfields locales; combined with an exploration of the finest wine, beer, spirits & food the Heathcote region is quickly becoming known for.
Alright Ramblers, Let's Get Rambling...
Introducing The Union Hotel Heathcote making it's debut as an official Stars & Bars Festival Locale in 2024.
The Heathcote Union Hotel or "The Union" to locals, is a historic hotel located in Heathcote, Victoria, Australia. It has been a prominent feature of the town since the late 1800s, known for their good old fashioned Heathcote Hospitality, great counter meals as well as showcasing the best wine & beer the region has to offer.
With its rich history and traditional charm, the Heathcote Union Hotel is a popular destination for those exploring the Heathcote region. If you're planning on a pint, a parmi or a punt they've got you covered.
Not to mention the Beer Garden which plays host to the first ever Friday Night Family Dinner for a Pub Feed & Blazing Backroom Blues Sesh.
Since the mid 1970's, the original vineyard now called Red Edge has been producing Shiraz and Cabernet wines which helped to forge the pedigree of Heathcote as an area of exceptional quality for full bodied yet elegant red wines.
Peter Dredge took over the stewardship of those lovely old vines in 1994, and has built upon that reputation making his own mark with winemaking style, new varieties and unique blending alongside his son Will.
Since 1996 owner / vigneron Peter Dredge has been making powerful yet elegant wines from one of the oldest vineyards in arguably the most famed Shiraz area in Australia, Heathcote.
Red Edge's Cellar Door overlooks a sweeping vista perfect for a spot of Morning Tea & guided cellar door experience.
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We are all on a journey… some constants remain the same… The Tooborac Hotel has been many things to many thousands of people since 1857. A shearers stop off. A blacksmiths shop. A general store, a Pub for over 150 years, serving the beer of the time, meals, accommodation, a safe respite, a stop on the way to a new adventure.
A place to work, live, have a family. Send off a son to war, welcome him home. A rest stop on the exciting journey to find a fortune. A place to escape the blistering sun, and spin a few tales.
A place to warm the weary traveler and quench a thirst. A place to celebrate a victory, the birth of a child or just share a beer with a mate. The Tooborac Hotel and Brewery means so much to so many people & has for over 150 years
The Tooborac Hotel is a country hotel built circa 1857 with an onsite brewery. It is the oldest National Trust listed country pub in Victoria - renowned for being family friendly with a warm and inviting atmosphere. An ideal destination for clubs, groups & families.
The brewers at Tooborac draw their ideas from the traditional beer recipes, instead of brewing lagers and ales to match the larger commercial breweries. Tooborac Hotel Brewery has embarked on a journey to make classic tasting beers available to the ever growing legion of craft beer drinkers.
Part of this journey is to make beers that honour the working traditions of Australia. Our brewers continue with their endeavour to take craft beer lovers on a classic journey by recreating beers made to more historical recipes, such as Dark German Lagers for October Fest, our upcoming Scotch Ale and the Indian Pale Ale, which was traditionally brewed with a high volume of hops so that it would not spoil on the long boat trips to India.
We see life as a journey, so we might as well have a beer that suits each step along the way.
The Vineyard is positioned on Red Cambrian greenstone foundations, within the strip of super complex mineral deposits. This soil combines with the Mediterranean climate to produce fruit displaying the bold complex concentrated flavours which are distinctively Heathcote “Terroir”, one of Victoria’s premium wine producing areas. Within 25 years this former historic sheep station has grown from a single Shiraz and a blend " The Schoolhouse Red") into an award winning internationally recognized portfolio.
Munari Wines is a family owned vineyard located 11kms north of Heathcote at the base of the Mt Ida foothills. Founded in 1993, Adrian Munari’s philosophy has always been, as many traditional winemakers believe: “Understand your site, its soil profile, seasonal climate variation, and thus grow the most appropriate varieties. Don’t be restricted by the past, complement old winemaking principles with the innovative techniques developed in the new world for quality control. Doing so allows room for experimentation and adventure in the attaining of superior expression in the ‘terroir’ of your bottle.”
The Shiraz itself, (a stalwart of Heathcote) has been joined by a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec, and each year, another Schoolhouse Red blend. In 2005, the first Fortified Shiraz, Shiraz-Viognier, Rosé and a Late Harvest (Viognier-Marsanne) were created. Replicating an attention to detail offered exclusively by Munari Wines.
All of our wines are designed to contrast with a distinctive individuality and character that accommodates the most complex or the most simplistic of palates.
“We want to offer easy drinking wines of great value to those who have no tasting experience and to those who are seasoned veterans”. We apply the same concept to your favourite foods, matching wines for courses and complimenting your dining experience is a concept we strongly believe in.
Adrian & alongside winemaker daughter India continues his passion for winemaking and viticulture. Crafting more bold, beautifully rounded and charismatic wines that uphold the reputation of a first class Heathcote wine region.
Heathcote's original brewer Palling Bros Brewery is in the heartland of Goldfields Territory, Heathcote! This establishment specialises in handcrafted artisan beer for beer lovers, fine dining, and live music.
Their team brews, kegs, bottles, sells and drinks the beer - They love their job!
Founder Henry Rood Palling Rood Henry to his friends, was one of Heathcote's founding brewers. A legend, honoured by Alfred Deakin (our second Prime Minister) when he was Australia's Attorney General. The guy helped put Heathcote on the map! Palling's are super excited to be back in town & they'd love you to join them - just ask for Henry!
To the back of the venue you can see the brewery, all their beers being made on site and poured on tap right here. Palling's chefs have an amazing menu to cater for everyone’s taste buds, and use locally sourced products.
Palling Bros Brewery is a dog friendly venue, with a large beer garden outside to soak up the sun with friends and family while having a beer in hand. A wide variety of craft beer is here to satisfy every beer lover, from our famous Indian Pale Ale, Stouts, Golden Ale, & exclusive mid strength Great Southern.
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