Wine tasting on the Gold Coast at O’Reilly’s Vineyard

It is possible to go wine tasting on the Gold Coast at the O’Reilly’s Vineyard in the Canungra Valley. This Gold Coast hinterland cellar door is open seven days a week, and the Mountview Alpaca Farm is on-site.

Australia has several internationally renowned wine regions. The Hunter Valley, McLaren Vale and Margaret River are amongst the areas most fans of Australian wines will know. But there are cellar doors open to visitors in underrated wine regions such as the King Valley and the Grampians.

One area rarely thought of as a wine region, however, is the Gold Coast. The south Queensland holiday strip usually gets considered in terms of beaches, nightclubs and theme parks.

Best day trips from the Gold Coast – 7 ways to improve your stay

The Gold Coast is a destination in its own right, but there are several excellent day trips you can do while using it as a base.

Deluxe Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
Full day Springbrook National Park tour – with waterfalls and bush tucker tasting.
Snorkelling with turtles at Cook Island.
Evening glowworm-viewing experience – with guided stargazing.
Lady Elliot Island day trip – with glass bottom boat & guided Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour.
Hopping between microbreweries – with lunch included.
Northern Rivers fruit & distillery tour – with Tropical Fruit World and Husk Distillers.

Gold Coast hinterland wineries

However, there are a couple of wineries in the Gold Coast Hinterland, including the Witches Falls Winery on Tamborine Mountain. The main one open to visitors, however, is the O’Reilly’s Vineyard in Canungra, near Beaudesert in the Scenic Rim region.

This is where breakfast and sparkling wine is served after Hot Air’s balloon flight over the Gold Coast hinterland.

Wine tasting on the Gold Coast at O’Reilly’s Vineyard

Go for a tasting session at the O’Reilly’s cellar door, and they’ll let you into a secret if pushed. Most of the grapes used in the wines don’t grow on-site. They’re transported from the cooler Stanthorpe region.

But some grapes grow on the property. Climatic conditions mean the usual Aussie staples switch to more unusual varietals, such as verdelho and chambourcin.

The historic homestead at the O'Reilly's Canungra Valley vineyard in the Gold Coast hinterland, Queensland. — The historic homestead at the O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley vineyard in the Gold Coast hinterland, Queensland.

It’s a delightfully handsome property. The huge verandas make it feel like a homestead from the American Deep South of yesteryear. There’s a little bandstand-style gazebo with piano inside it, and the Canungra Creek runs through the grounds. If you’re lucky when you wander up to the bank, you might see a platypus darting around in the water.

Mountview Alpaca Farm at O’Reilly’s Vineyard

The Mountview Alpaca Farm is also on site, should you wish to intersperse your wine-tasting with cute South American creatures.

The O’Reilly’s winery is open seven days a week. Aside from wine-tasting, it also offers picnic baskets, stone-baked pizzas and cheese boards. It’s on the Lamington National Park road, 41km west of Surfers Paradise.