Sustainable & Ethical
Operators who have made sustainability a practice, not a marketing line. Zero-waste producers, regenerative farmers, ethical makers, and the shops that stock their work.
The Vineyard Motel
42 Chardonnay Rd, Cowra NSW 2794, Australia
Mon–Sun 8am–7pm
Four rooms on Chardonnay Road, each stocked with local wines and beer. Owners M. Jackson runs the place with the energy of someone who genuinely means it — the sign at the front door reads *Enter as Strangers, Leave as Friends*. Consistently awarded since 2009. A useful base: Bathurst an hour away, Canberra two.
Grounded By Designs
16 Gipps St, Carrington NSW 2294, Australia
Tue 9:30am–12:30pm · Thu–Sat 9:30am–12:30pm · Sun 10am–12pm
Handbuilding and eco-conscious practice in clay, from a studio on Gipps Street, Carrington. The work spans functional tableware and sculptural forms — things made to be held as much as looked at. Early opening hours suggest a working maker's rhythm rather than a retail one.
Tjaetaba Falls
Litchfield Park Rd
A 2.7-kilometre return walk through monsoon forest along Greenant Creek to Tjaetaba Falls, in Litchfield National Park on the traditional lands of the Werat (verify) and other Aboriginal peoples of the western Top End. The Falls plunge pool and the area downstream are a sacred site — swimming is not permitted there — but a small pool above the falls is open to visitors. The trail starts at the bridge across Greenant Creek, follows the creek upstream past Carpentaria palms and weeping paperbarks, then climbs steeply (Grade 3) to the lookout and the swim pool above. Common wallaroos drink at the creek at dawn and dusk. NT Parks Pass required for non-NT residents.
Wellington Point Farmhouse Restaurant and Cafe
625 Main Road, Wellington Point
Mon–Tue 7am–2:30pm · Wed–Sun 7am–3:30pm
One of the last working farms on the Redlands Coast, this cafe and restaurant keeps the distance between paddock and plate to metres. Breakfast and lunch run Wednesday to Sunday; the menu is made from scratch using the farm's own produce, the kitchen garden, and neighbouring market hall. Takeaway on the lawn is an option worth knowing about.
Chateau Dore Winery & Receptions
303 Mandurang Rd, Mandurang VIC 3551, Australia
Stone walls from 1866, acres of established gardens, and a Mandurang Valley setting ten minutes from Bendigo CBD. Hosts Nicole and Glenn Walker run weddings, private functions, and summer live music sessions here — a working winery that has quietly become Central Victoria's go-to garden reception venue.
Gallery Central
12a Aberdeen St, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Mon–Fri 11am–4:30pm
Gallery Central occupies Aberdeen Street in Western Australia as a steadfast presence in the local visual art community. The gallery champions contemporary practice across multiple disciplines, creating a thoughtful exhibition program that reflects both regional and broader artistic conversations. Visitors find a knowledgeable team genuinely invested in connecting people with meaningful work. The weekday-focused schedule suggests a studio that prioritizes depth over volume, offering a calm environment for serious looking. Gallery Central serves as a reliable anchor for collectors, artists, and curious visitors alike—a space where visual culture is treated with respect and where professional standards meet genuine enthusiasm for supporting creative practice.
Hellyer Gorge
Murchison Hwy
A spectacular scenic gorge named after explorer Henry Hellyer, featuring a welcoming rainforest canopy and picnic area along the banks of the Hellyer River. The windy route through steep cliffs offers a jaw-dropping wilderness drive popular with bike riders and touring cars, with two short walks and full facilities available.
Peninsula Farm Cafe
2c Johnson Road, Maylands WA 6051
Tue–Sun 8am–3pm
Gum trees, riverfront lawn, a National Trust homestead built on Wadjuk Noongar country — Peninsula Farm Cafe earns its setting. The menu leans organic and seasonal, the coffee is taken seriously, and on a good day half of Maylands seems to be eating outside on picnic blankets. Bookings advised; dogs welcome on the terrace.
1000 Degrees Glass Studios
5 94/102 Keys Rd, Cheltenham VIC 3192, Australia
Bethany Wheeler founded this 230sqm Moorabbin-fringe studio in 2013, and it shows its working: kilns, sandblasting bay, cold-working bench, wax and mould room. The output ranges from fused and slumped glass bowls to screen-printed enamel panels and lost-wax cast lenses. Now Wheeler's private fabrication studio, it occasionally opens for kiln hirings and cold-working sessions by appointment.
