As the weather begins to cool, gather together your friends and loved ones and relax with a glass of wine by a roaring fire.
Dine hearthside in pubs, restaurants and wineries, and enjoy a toasty toast beside the fire at breweries and distilleries. Retire to country retreats to warm your toes.
Escape to the regions this autumn and winter, and let sparks fly.
Boutique accommodation
For a luxe stay on Victoria's wild western coast, head to Port Fairy and the charming Drift House. It's an award-winning luxury hotel comprising six king suites, and the roaring open fire in the courtyard is the perfect spot for a sunset tipple or two.
Over in spa country, Clifftop at Hepburn is one of Australia's best winter getaways. Relax by the fireplace in a five-star villa, gazing out with floor-to-ceiling panoramic views over native bushland.
Down along the Great Ocean Road sits the cosy Points South by the Sea in Wongarra. Stay in a self-contained cottage on a 160-acre farm opposite the beach. Snuggle up in front of the stone wood fireplace or enjoy a spa as the sun sets.
Fireside dining
Dine on seasonal produce and local drops at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Trentham. If you're passing through Hamilton, make a pit stop at the historic Roxburgh House, with its bluestone walls, cracking fire and Italian-style pizza.
Enjoy South-East Asian cuisine at Fook Shing on Piper Street Kyneton, or indulge in fine dining at TarraWarra Estate in the Yarra Valley. Both have large open fireplaces.
Toasty tipples
Stay warm at Sutton Grange Winery in the Goldfields region, as you relax in front of the fireplace enjoying the view over the lake.
At Daylesford Cider Company's fire-warmed tavern, you can sample a range of ciders made using 17 varieties of English-heritage listed organic apples.
Head to the Bellarine for an afternoon of fireside tasting and dining at Jack Rabbit Vineyard, or gin cocktails paired with delicious pizza at The Whiskery – a distillery cellar door in a rustic tin shed in Drysdale.
