Distillery Tours in Australia

About distillery tours in Australia

Australia's distilling story is one of revival. Spirit was made here in colonial times, but a string of restrictive laws — including a notorious ban that shut Tasmanian stills for more than 150 years — kept the craft dormant until the early 1990s. When Bill Lark lobbied to legalise small-scale distilling and ran the first spirit from his Hobart still in 1992, he reawakened an industry that has since become one of the most quietly celebrated in the world. Today more than a hundred distilleries span the continent, and a 2014 world-best win for Tasmania's Sullivans Cove put Australian single malt firmly on the map.

The result is a scene defined by terroir and experimentation rather than centuries-old rulebooks. In Tasmania you'll find peat-smoked and rye-led malts at pioneers such as Lark Distillery, Sullivans Cove, Hellyers Road and Callington Mill. On the mainland, Melbourne's Starward leans into local red-wine barrels, Sydney's Archie Rose works across gin, rye and malt, and Western Australia's Great Southern Distilling Company draws on cool Albany sea air. Distilleries like Cape Byron, Beenleigh, 78 Degrees, Tin Shed, Loch, Timboon Railway Shed and The Grove round out a wonderfully varied trail.

Tours range from intimate cellar-door tastings to guided walks among working copper stills, often paired with native botanicals, single-cask drams and food. It's an approachable, unpretentious way to taste a young industry coming into its own.

What to expect on a tour

Australian distillery visits tend to be warm and hands-on rather than scripted. At cellar doors you can usually drop in for a flight of gins or a guided whisky tasting at the bar, while booked tours take you behind the scenes to see the mash tun, fermenters and copper pot stills, with a maker or guide explaining each step. Because so many producers are small and independent, it's common to be poured by the people who actually run the still.

Expect plenty of local character. Tasmanian houses such as Lark, Sullivans Cove and Hellyers Road lean into single malt and single-cask drams; Sydney's Archie Rose and gin-focused makers like 78 Degrees and Tin Shed showcase native botanicals; and Melbourne's Starward highlights its red-wine-barrel maturation. Many cellar doors also offer paddles, G&Ts, cocktails and food, so a visit easily becomes a relaxed half-day rather than a quick sample and out.

Getting there & around

Australia is vast, so most visitors focus on one region at a time. Tasmania is the heartland: Hobart is an easy base for Lark, Sullivans Cove and many others, with a recognised whisky and spirits trail linking cellar doors across the south and east coast, and small-group day tours running from the city. The north of the island adds Hellyers Road near Burnie and Callington Mill at Oatlands.

On the mainland, Sydney's Archie Rose sits just south of the CBD at Rosebery, easily reached by car or rideshare. Melbourne anchors Victoria's scene, with Starward in the inner suburbs and country distilleries such as Timboon Railway Shed and Loch within driving distance. Western Australia's Great Southern Distilling Company is in Albany, several hours south of Perth and best paired with a longer regional trip. Distances between distilleries can be significant, so plan routes in advance and consider a guided tour or designated driver.

Planning your visit

Cellar-door drop-ins for tastings are often walk-in friendly, but behind-the-scenes production tours, blending sessions and busy weekend slots usually need booking ahead — especially in peak summer and over public holidays. Check each distillery's website for current days and hours, as many smaller producers open only on selected days.

If you want to taste widely without worrying about driving, a small-group tour around Hobart or the Tasmanian trail is the simplest option and removes the navigation headache. Building a day around two or three distilleries, with lunch in between, tends to be far more enjoyable than rushing five. Allow extra time for the scenic drives themselves — in Tasmania, coastal Victoria and the Great Southern, the journey is half the pleasure.