Bloke's Weekend
Host: Mike Whitney
Mike's in Mudgee for a Bloke's Weekend taking a tour of the Mudgee Brewing Company, a bit of fishing with ‘Bluey' from Fish N Trips and staying at Ilkley Cottages.
Mudgee is a town in central New South Wales and is well known for its fine wine. The area has developed as a wine producing region, with forty wineries operating in the Mudgee district. Other rural produce includes cattle, sheep, wheat, lucerne, olives, fruit, tomatoes, corn, honey and dairy products.
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Mudgee Brewery
Mudgee Brewing Company is about two ordinary blokes who love their beer. And it's made right in their home town of Mudgee , where they hover over it, worry about it and generally fuss over it, until it's ready to be bottled and sent out into the big wide world.
They're not prepared to use inferior ingredients. Ever! It's a matter of pride. They want the tastiest beer… a beer they can be proud of, a beer they want to show off to their friends and to the world and say, "We made that!"
Two things influence the way they craft their beer: local water and local tastes. So, they've customised a range of beautifully balanced beers, including some great seasonal varieties that have been given two thumbs up by the Mudgee locals.
Their beer's character is determined by hand-selected hops, which are just bursting with citrus, floral and earthen flavours. Meanwhile, the highest quality malted barley makes for flavours that range from light sweetness and dry, biscuity characters, to notes of caramel, toffee, chocolate, raisins or coffee. Combine these with filtered Mudgee water and pure brewers' yeast, and you have the dream of every serious brewer who ever lived - you have the true essence of beer.
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The Mudgee Brewery Origins
Every Boxing Day, they have been getting together with their school mates for a BBQ. In 2001, the idea was floated that Mudgee could do with a brewery. Considering the long history of brewing in Mudgee, their growth as a tourist area, and the increasing interest in micro-brewing, it was a no-brainer. The Mudgee Brewing Company was born.
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More Information
Mudgee Brewing Company 4 Church Street, Mudgee Telephone: (02) 6372 6726 Open every Saturday 10am – 4pm for a free tour. |
Prices correct as at 23/02/08
Fish N Trips
Let Dave ‘Bluey’ Smith take care of all the planning for your fishing trip. Not only does Dave offer guided fishing for quality fish in some stunning locations, he can organise package deals so you don't have to lift a finger.
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Mudgee's spectacular trout fishing is Australian fishing's best kept secret! And the trophy Golden Perch of Windamere Dam attract anglers from all over.
Dave guides fishing trips on the four predominant waterways of the Mudgee Region: the Cudgegong River ; Windamere Dam; Burrendong Dam; and Dunn's Swamp. We're headed to Cudgegong River .
A quick glance through Dave's photo album shows a love of fishing that goes back to his first catch… a bream at Lake Conjola on the NSW South Coast when he was just 4years old.
Cudgegong River Trout Spinning
Spinning for trout is great fun and a real challenge. Feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as you watch a trophy trout follow your lure and you anticipate the strike. Spinning for trout is an easy method of trout fishing to learn and a guided trip will give you the experience and knowledge to be able to conduct your own spinning trips in the future.
All fishing done with Dave is ‘catch and release'.
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More Information
Fish N Trips Various locations around Mudgee Telephone: Dave ‘Bluey' Smith 0401 378 250 The Cudgegong River Trout Spinning with a picnic lunch is $195 per person. |
Prices correct as at 23/02/08
Ilkley Cottages
Ilkley is a 33 acre property, named after the Yorkshire Moor where Carol (one of the owners) spent her youth. Just 11km north of Mudgee as the crow flies, Ilkley is barely on the outskirts of town by country standards. In fact all cottages look down the valley to the town, and the nest of distant lights at night completes the feeling of being away from the cares of the crowd.
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They have encouraged native critters over the years, with a local family of kangaroos, and birds ranging from a resident pair of Little Eagles to Magpies, Owls, Blue Wrens, Yellow Robins, various honey eaters, parrots and many less common fowl. As with any wild animals they cannot guarantee they will deign to visit you.
Ilkley is home to three charming self-contained cottages. Each has a common theme of farmhouse style antique furniture and recycled timber. With wood fires for those cosy evenings in winter, and reverse-cycle air-con for a cool retreat in summer, they are great accommodation for a romantic getaway or a holiday with friends and family.
Take your pick from the cottages:
- Calving Gully for couples wanting to escape the rest of the world.
- Blackman's for families or friends away together.
- Maggies for extended families, or lots of friends having a party.
Each kitchen is equipped for cooking, and it's surprising the number of guests who go into town to buy ingredients for a romantic candle lit dinner at home.
The cooking thing also extends to the wood fired BBQ and outdoor setting at each cottage. Cottages are stocked with three cereals, milk, juice, tea (leaf and bags), coffee (instant and ground), home baked bread (usually), and a bowl of fresh fruit. As well as condiments, sauces, jams etc, and a bottle of local port or some similar tipple open on the sideboard (much better than a glass of champagne). Bacon and egg breakfasts, home made soup and Mudgee-meat BBQ's are available.
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More Information
Ilkley Cottages 664 Black Springs Rd, Mudgee Telephone: 0411 205 633 Two nights in Maggies starts from $700 for four people. |
Prices correct as at 23/02/08