Lakes, grapes, rivers and racehorses, Nagambie is a wonderful place to visit. Nestled on the majestic Goulburn River, Nagambie is thought to be named after an aborignal word meaning 'lagoon' or 'still waters'. It's also the birthplace of one of Australia's most famous racehorses, Black Caviar.
Like most Victorian towns, Nagambie has a rich history as European explorers travelled along the major inland river systems in the mid-1800's seeking fertile land for farming and agriculture whilst other settlers flocked to the region to seek their fortune finding gold in the myriad of creeks.
We were originally attracted to visit the region by the desciption of the river and wetland systems that form a central part of the region and are also host to a large variety of birds and animals. But there was so much more to see! Beautiful old bridges, heritage buildings, vineyards, wineries and magnificent thoroughbred horse studs are scattered throughout. It's also a haven for fishing, boating and water-sports enthusiasts.
River crossings
The longest river in Victoria, the Goulburn River begins on the south-western slopes of the Victorian Alps and travels more than 650 kilometres north to the mighty Murray River. Flowing through rugged Alpine country, river red gum forests and rich farmland, the river is the lifeblood of the local agricultural industry and serves as a backdrop for a whole host of outdoor activities across the region.
The Goulburn Weir, completed in 1891, was the first major diversion structure built in Australia and remains a remarkable feat of engineering that uses the Goulburn River to irrigate half a million hectares of farmland. On completion of the Goulburn Weir, the Nagambie Lakes were formed. Water transport allowed a prosperous trade in red gum timber, which was brought to Nagambie by barge, milled into blocks and sent to Melbourne for road making. Not far away are the beautiful, old timber Kirwan’s Bridge and the ‘strutted stringer’ style drawbridge, Chinaman’s Bridge.
Wines and Wetlands
A special lunch at Tahbilk Estate was a must-do during our stay. Not only does it have a beautiful restaurant perched over the Tahbilk billabong, with beautiful views across the water, but it's also situated within a massive wetland system that is home to a large variety of birds and animals. After lunch, you can wander through the acres of wetland area which is beautifully conserved by the Estate, enjoy the reflections in the still waters and listen to the sound of frogs and birds.
Tahbilk Estate was established in 1860 and is Victoria’s oldest family owned winery, being home to some of the oldest Shiraz and Marsanne vines in the world, as well as having buildings and surrounds much unchanged from its early days.
The Nagambie Lakes region is only one of eight locations worldwide dramatically influenced by its location to large bodies of water. While all bodies of water have significant effects on their surrounding wine regions, unlike oceans, vineyards in proximity to large lakes and inland rivers makes for a consistent moderated influence on local temperatures. And of course, the wines were fabulous!
Thoroughbreds
It was easy to spot the thoroughbred horse studs that are dotted throughout the region. Massive fields of gently rolling hills with emerald green grass, wooden fences, massive and stately estate entrance gates and some gorgeous horses nibbling away or prancing around the paddocks (which you can't get close enough to photograph). It's also the birthplace of Black Caviar (2006) who was undefeated in 25 races. Unfortunately we didn't have time to purchase the next champion racehorse or a polo pony for King Charles III's birthday. Sorry Chuck. Maybe next time...
Birds
Of course, the main attraction for us was the birdlife that is abundant in this area due to the diversity of habitat. It was lovely to see a few raptors, including the mighty wedge-tailed eagle and a brown falcon. It was also nice to watch and photograph a young spoonbill hanging around the billabong.
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