Byramine Homestead

Studded with elm trees, lush gardens and an enormous vegetable farm not far off the Murray Valley Highway, Byramine Homestead was built in 1842 as a defensive residence for Elizabeth Hume and her nine children after her husband was killed by bushrangers. It’s since become a National Trust building, with its four bedrooms, period furnishings, and fortress-style octagonal central room preserved for intimate tours.

Wade and Nicole McPherson took over the property in 2010, and have devoted themselves to serving morning tea and light lunches to curious visitors from a cosy bar and cafe space. The brief has since grown to accommodate Wade’s homemade range of preservative-free and historically-named beers, which include an easy-drinking draught, a German lager, a fruity golden ale, and the hoppy one-two punch of a pale ale and IPA. The cider house produces a handful of varieties including apple and pear, plus alcoholic ginger beer and wines on offer, too.

After selecting your drink of choice, settle onto the generous lawns – the setting of annual Shakespeare productions by veteran touring company Essential Theatre – and graze from the menu of casual eats. The Ploughman’s Lunch is the best bet for a couple or a group (it’s available in two sizes), while heartier bites might include a crumbed-chicken salad, a house-made vegetable slice with hot chips, and a bakery-made pie of the day.