Episode 02: Barwon Heads

The charming seaside town of Queenscliff has been a beach-goers favourite for over a century and still has well-preserved Victorian houses, with the Queenscliff Hotel as a highlight. Built in 1887, this heritage building is full of antiques and bygone era treasures, with 15 bedrooms decorated to capture the period atmosphere. The rooms have been recently renovated and all have ensuites. There are also three reading rooms to curl up with a book and you won't go hungry with the courtyard cafe and the nostalgic and beautifully ornate dining room.

Queenscliff Hotel
16 Gellibrand Street, Queenscliff
Ph 03 5258 1066
www.queenscliffhotel.com.au

Barwon Heads Golf Club

The Barwon Heads golf course is just out of the town on the Bellarine Peninsula, about a 90-minute drive from Melbourne. This spectacular course overlooks beautiful Thirteenth Beach and is renowned as one of the oldest and most traditional clubs in Victoria with a history of over 100 years and a surrounding coastline with weather that may have you thinking you're at a Scottish link. Even though it's a private members club, it is open to non-members at certain times, but dress code and golf etiquette are of high importance. The 1920s clubhouse is heritage listed and you'll feel like you've entered a European chalet. The club offers a range of packages and accommodation options and all the rooms have ensuites and some have balcony access with ocean and course views.

Barwon Heads Golf Club
Golf Links Road, Barwon Heads
Ph 03 5255 6255
www.bhgc.com.au

Annie's Provedore and Moss Grotto

Moss Grotto in Barwon Heads is a little slice of home ware and decorator heaven. Uniting the artistic talents of sisters Danielle Fraser and Alex O'Halloran, the shop combines flowers and home wares to showcase their quirky style with unique, unusual and dramatic floral arrangements and designs. Head home ware buyer Alex is an artist with a flair for interior decorating and design who creates pieces for the store and sources goodies from around the globe. For a wonderful meal, over the road is Annie's Provedore and Produce Store. If you start your day at Annie's, you'll be rewarded with a scrumptious corn fritter, topped with a poached egg, smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce or lunch could be a house made tart of the day or a traditional Sicilian arancini rice ball. There's also a produce store with the largest range of cheeses and small goods on the peninsula and Annie's supports local farmers by stocking local tomatoes, lettuce, basil, garlic and free range eggs.

Moss Grotto
3/53 Hitchcock Ave, Barwon Heads
Ph 03 5254 2277
mossgrotto.blogspot.com

Annie's Provedore and Produce Store
2/50 Hitchcock Ave, Barwon Heads
Ph 03 5254 3233
www.anniesprovedore.com.au

Citrine Essential, Salt Gallery and Apostle

Hesse Street Queenscliff is great for a bit of a wander, with many tempting little shops and galleries featuring local and contemporary arts and crafts. Salt Contemporary Art Gallery was established in 2004 in a former furniture and drapery store. There are two levels of exhibition space, showcasing paintings, sculpture, ceramics and glass by Australian artists, and Salt has regular arts related events. If home wares are your weakness, make your next stop Citrine. Enter through the pretty courtyard into a world of fragrance, colours and textiles, where you'll find home wares and gifts including popular Provincial style tablecloths, lamps and lampshades, rugs, beautiful woollen throws, fine leather travel bags and the latest Australian designer handbags, wallets and jewellery. And speaking of perfect taste, the food is heavenly at Apostle, a contemporary restaurant housed in an 1888 Methodist church complete with gothic features, magnificent stained glass windows and a timber barrel ceiling.

Salt Contemporary Art Gallery
33–35 Hesse Street, Queenscliff
Ph 03 5258 3988
www.salt-art.com.au

Citrine Essentialas
2 Shop 26–35 30 Hesse Street, Queenscliff
Ph 03 5258 5378

Apostle
79 Hesse Street, Queenscliff
Ph 03 5258 3097
www.apostlequeenscliff.com.au

At the Heads and Beach House

One of the most beautiful places to eat on the Bellarine Peninsula is the stunning At the Heads. This romantic restaurant is on the jetty at Barwon Heads with second-to-none views. You can have breakfast, lunch or dinner, seven days a week and there's a kiosk which serves fish and chips. At the Heads has been open for nine years with the food philosophy to source regional ingredients. Another great place to dine is Beach House Barwon Heads, which opened three years ago. This seaside restaurant was once the local fire station that now fuses cafe and restaurant style dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner and promises the best coffee in town.

At the Heads
Jetty Road, Barwon Heads
Ph 03 5254 1277
attheheads.com.au

BeachHouse Barwon Heads
48 Hitchcock Avenue, Barwon Heads
Ph 03 5254 3376
beachhousebarwonheads.com.au

Postcards diary

Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival
This years Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival has fun and entertainment for all the family.

Where: Mildura
When: 26 February – 13 March 2011
More: 03 5021 5100 or www.artsmildura.com.au

The Suzuki Night Market
You'll find late night bargains and treats at the Suzuki Night Market.

Where: Queen Victoria Market
When: Wednesdays until 2 March 2011
More: 03 9320 5830 or qvm.com.au

Harvest Picnic at Hanging Rock
Over 100 small food and wine producers from around Victoria showcase their delicious goods against the magnificent backdrop of Hanging Rock.

Where: Mount Macedon
When: 27 February 2011
More: harvestpicnic.com.au