The historic village of Millthorpe was established in the 1800s. Situated in in Orange, New South Wales, you can reach the charming village within four hours from Sydney. Orange is ideal for a weekend getaway to explore the thriving food and wine culture of the region.
Rosebank Millthorpe
I stayed at Rosebank in Millthorpe, a quaint guesthouse and cottage, which also doubles as an art gallery. The main guesthouse accommodates up to eight people in its four double rooms. Tucked away beyond the garden is the standalone cottage with a double room and twin room, which can house up to four guests. Equipped with a kitchen, fridge, and TV, the cottage is perfect for a quiet weekend getaway.
Cottage Rates: $250.00 per night with a minimum booking of 2 nights (mid week rates available)
Further information can be found on the Rosebank Millthorpe website.
Cellar Doors
One of the great things about Millthorpe is that it’s so small, you can explore it on foot. We meander over to Angullong Wines and Slow Wine Co for cellar door tastings. I was thrilled to hear about the non-interventionist process that Slow Wine Co uses, picking pristine grapes and pressing them gently.
Philip Shaw Wines
A mere 30-minute drive away from Millthorpe is the picturesque Koomooloo Vineyard, where grapes were planted in 1988 and 1989. Philip Shaw Wines are produced using only the grapes grown here. Orange is all about altitude; the region is of the coolest in the country, resulting in cool climate conditions that are terrific for winemaking. With a subtle sunset as the backdrop, our drinks and nibbles at Philip Shaw Wines made for the perfect prelude for dinner at Tonic.
Tonic Restaurant
One-hatted restaurant Tonic is nestled on the corner of Pym and Victoria Street in Millthorpe. Chef Tony Worland celebrates local produce in every dish of the 2 course ($65) and 3 course ($75) menus. My entree of goats curd panna cotta with a pickled garden is a beautifully presented plate, flaunting a balancing act of textures and flavours. While the pan-fried blue eye cod is slightly over, my main is rife with ample flavours from the browned potato gnocchi and sweet, punchy peas. I finish with the poached peach and vanilla mille feuille, a modern version of the French pastry. The dessert is made with parfait instead of the typical vanilla slice.
The Old Mill Café
We make a pit stop at The Old Mill Cafe for a takeaway coffee and to pick up some extraordinarily fine-looking pastries and cakes. The cheesecake is a standout as is the carrot cake. A restored old bakery, owners Darren Tracey and Stacy Ewin who both boast a background as chefs in Sydney.
Orange F.O.O.D Week
Staying in Millthorpe is perfect if you’re checking out any events at Orange F.O.O.D Week this April. Read about our sneak preview of F.O.O.D Week here.
The writer visited Millthorpe as a guest of Brand Orange and Destination NSW. All photos by Sarah Han, except supplied photos of The Old Mill Cafe and Pym Street.
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