Wine regions Australia - Gundagai

Gundagai   New South Wales

The Gundagai region is the perfect stop-over on a road trip from Sydney to Melbourne. A little known region that produces distinctive Semillon.

Gundagai is famous for its dog and the tucker box it protected. It may well find fame in the future for its wines. One of the newest wine regions, it lies between Canberra and Wagga Wagga within the Southern New South Wales Zone. The main towns are Tumut in the south-east and Gundagai towards the centre on the Hume Highway. The Murrumbidgee River flows west through the region on its way to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme. The Snowy Mountains forms its backdrop to the south-east. The elevation in this region ranges between 500m and 1000m.

Its early viticultural history is very much a German affair with immigrants importing vines. Today the main varieties grown are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. Showing distinctive character is the region's Semillon.

The major annual event is the Dog on the Tuckerbox Festival held every November. A toast to the pooch!

Harvest time: late February to mid March

Sites with more information:

• Gundagai Visitor Centre