
Avoca is just a two-hour drive from Melbourne, and is the Central Highlands gateway to the Pyrenees wine region. Here, experts at 12 cellar doors will offer you a tasting and advice on the local varieties. The two closest vineyards, Blue Pyrenees Estate and Mount Avoca, are within a 10-minute drive of the township.
In addition to the wine-related attractions, Avoca is a town rich in historic buildings. Indeed, a Tourist Information pamphlet includes a guide to a walking tour that takes in 47 heritage sites.
From Avoca, it is just a casual drive to the neighbouring towns of Maryborough, Ararat and Stawell. This is 1850s gold rush country and a pleasurable walk through the foothills of the Pyrenees Ranges brings the visitor into direct contact with disused diggings and other mining detritus.
Petanque, the French version of lawn bowls, is popular in the district and several of the wineries have their own piste.