Fostering a cheers to a new cidery cellar door
20/12/2022Gurneys Cidery in Foster is set for a surge in visitors as it opens its new underground cellar door, thanks to a $470,000 investment from the Victorian Government’s Regional Tourism Investment Fund.
Located in Foster, just north of the beautiful Gippsland coastline, Gurneys has tours departing from the Cidery most days, providing visitors with a unique tasting experience and a glimpse into the cider making process.
The tours invite guests into the new state of the art production facility, before descending deep into the underground cellar known as The Arches, to taste some limited release ciders.
Family owned and operated, the cidery has become a key attraction in the region and boasts spectacular views overlooking Wilsons Promontory National Park and Corner Inlet. The new facilities include a temperature controlled underground cellar with bespoke Italian oak casks and stainless-steel fermenting tanks.
The new cellar has been constructed using 208-tonne concrete panels repurposed from the Hazelwood Power Station where they were set to be demolished when the site closed in 2017. Visitors are invited to descend through the cellar’s custom-made arches to experience the taste, sight and sound of the cider making process.
Situated on 70 acres of farmland with an orchard of 7000 heritage cider apple trees, it specialises in producing traditional dry ciders. The new cellar has increased the storage and production capacity of Gurneys Cider by 200% and allows cider to be fermented without the need for constant electric cooling, driving down energy usage.
Visitors can top it off and dine on locally sourced cheese and platters while soaking up the magnificent view. The new cellar door is expected to draw more tourists to the region and encourage them to stay longer, benefitting local businesses.
Gippsland continues to be a major drawcard for visitors, attracting 6.4 million holidaymakers in the year ending December 2019, who stayed 7.2 million nights and contributed $1.1 billion to the local economy.
The Regional Tourism Investment Fund is helping entice more visitors to Victoria’s regions, driving private investment and accelerating the recovery of the tourism sector.
For more information, visit Gurneys Cider.