Mt St Leonard

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Geo: -37.5658, 145.526

On Wednesday we drove up to Kinglake, via the St Leonard lookout near Toolangi. We were told that on a clear day Melbourne, and even Queenscliffe at the far end of Port Phillip Bay, are visible from the summit (with good binos).

Kinglake suffered more greatly than even Marysdale in the Black Saturday fires - 120 deaths and 1,200 homes destroyed.

On the way home we visited the Di Bortoli vineyard and enjoyed a generous $5 tasting plus a four-cheese plate. I don't mind paying for tasting - that way I don't feel guilty if I don't buy any bottles.

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Photos

St Leonard track
It was a 1,400 m walk up to the lookout, beyond the most substantial locked country gate I have ever seen.

Mt St Leonard
The new tower seems to be permanently manned (at least at this time of the year). The accessible old tower to its right allows good views over the trees.

Lookout
Melbourne was just visible in the haze. No chance of seeing the Bay, though.

Di Bortoli Vineyard
Di Bortoli started his first vineyard in the 1920s, near Griffith NSW. Their Yarra Valley operations commenced in the mid-1980s with the purchase of land for planting grapes. We enjoyed tasting a few varieties of their Noble One dessert wine. I didn't realise it gets much darker as it ages in the bottle. The 1990 vintage is a very deep purple colour.