Words by Dorian Mode Photography by Lydia Thorpe
As we drive the Mitchell Highway to Orange, we watch the leafy countryside turn from the verdant green of Blue Mountains/Lithgow to the cinnamon brown of the Central West before finding our digs, Mayfield Vineyard.
Mayfield Vineyard’s history stretches back to 1815 when explorer William Charles Wentworth received the property as a Crown Grant from the Governor of NSW, a reward for his pioneering crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813. The estate passed through various notable owners over the centuries, including Thomas Icely (famous for livestock breeding) and William ‘Parson’ Tom, who discovered Australia’s first payable gold at nearby Ophir and used his fortune to purchase Mayfield. Later owners included the Crawford Family, well–known English biscuit–making barons.
The property’s transformation into a vineyard began in 1999 when vines were first planted, officially launching Mayfield as a winemaking operation. In 2021, the Eastham Family acquired the estate and reunited previously sold parcels, expanding it back to 91 hectares and renewing the commitment to producing premium cool climate wines.
Stay: Overseers Cottage
Mayfield has several historic cottages sprawled amongst the established gardens and vineyard, each with their own rustic charm and fully equipped kitchens. Our digs, the Overseers Cottage, offers beautiful views over the dam and vineyard, and you’re just a short stroll to the cellar door for wine tastings – not open mid–week during our stay.
Psst! We like that it’s close to town, too, if you follow the back road in via the aptly named Icely Road (it’s cold!) named after Mayfield’s, Thomas Icely.
On our first morning we are greeted by peacocks and wild geese threading among the nodding daffodils. The property, with it’s 100–year–old schoolhouse now for wine tasting, is romantic and undulating, with stunning views and a canopy of leafy trees.
Day 1: Orange
After popping into town to see my wife’s old school chum at her recycled designer clothing shop, Frockwork Orange, we head to Dirty Janes (not my wife’s other friend). Like their sister shop in Canberra, this is a funky vintage warehouse with stallholders and a café.
We take a poke around town – what is it with country people in puffer jackets now? Ok, they’re warm, sure, but country folk used to have smart clothes: tweed coats, RM Williams boots, moleskin trousers. Now everyone looks like they stepped out of a mattress factory.
We then head over to pretty Cook Park in the centre of town. Here we find an aviary with some rather prosaic birds – three budgies, a withered cockatoo, some galahs – stuff you can see anywhere. My wife and I exchange sidelong glances in the manner of two seagulls. But we love the park’s Bastick Cottage, where two older ladies, engrossed in deadly conversation about irises, nod towards the CWA–style cakes and everything in the universe that can be crocheted.
Day 2: Millthorpe
We visit the charming village of Millthorpe. The arrival of the railway in the 1870s transformed the settlement into a major agricultural hub, culminating in the construction of a large flour mill in 1882 that prompted the town’s name change to Millthorpe (‘thorpe’ means village) in 1884. During its heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Millthorpe became one of NSW’s largest rail centres, shipping flour, chaff and potatoes across the state.
On the day we arrive, they are in preparation that day for the Orange Fire Festival – hopefully nothing to do with mass redundancies. The streets are abuzz with excited locals preparing to set the village ablaze, like a scene from the Wicker Man – if the weather holds. We love the groovy designer clothing shops and cafés, and a fabulous old mechanic’s workshop in the centre of town that hasn’t changed since the 1930s. It’s a lovely to stroll around the village. We lunch here.
Day 3: Garden Time
On our final morning, we venture into Orange Botanic Gardens, a gracefully undulating 17–hectare sanctuary that perfectly complements Mayfield’s rustic charm. Officially opened in 1988 for Australia’s Bicentenary, these gardens weave together native bushland and exotic plantings in a tapestry that feels both curated and wonderfully wild. We meander along the Country Walk, discovering hidden corners where the original homestead garden mingles with heritage orchards and rose gardens. Between the two peaceful billabongs stands Bert Flugelman’s striking Federation Arch, its stainless–steel curves catching the morning light.
The gardens offer that same sense of timeless tranquillity we’ve found at Mayfield – a place where exotic trees from distant lands have put down roots alongside indigenous woodlands, creating something both nostalgic and eternally fresh.
Dining: Gourmet Pizza
We were so enchanted by our accommodation at Mayfield, we found ourselves reluctant to venture far for dinner most evenings. There’s something deeply satisfying about uncorking a bottle and watching the sun set over a picturesque vineyard from our cottage. Why eat in some cheerless restaurant? The cottage’s well–equipped kitchen and rustic charm made it easy to prepare simple meals and focus on what mattered most – the wine, the setting, and each other’s company.
We did, however, make one memorable expedition to The Hub Gourmet Pizza Bar. The quality and creativity of their pizzas exceeded all expectations – this wasn’t your typical country pub fare but hip, beautifully crafted food that complemented the region’s reputation for culinary excellence.
Conclusion
Orange is blooooody cold in winter. But if you’re from the coast and find the cold a novelty, like we do, and your accommodation is toasty warm, it’s a fun weekend break. Post–55, you do enjoy a little quiet and Mayfield Vineyard delivers in spades.
On our final evening the vineyard was hosting a fire festival event of its own – the cheerful owner, who calls herself ‘Jeremy’ (after Clarkson’s Farm), was looking up at the sky saying it better not bloody rain, Caleb!
Factbox #1
MAYFIELD VINEYARD ESSENTIALS
Located at 954 Icely Road, Orange NSW 2800, this historic estate offers award–winning cool climate wines and boutique accommodation across 6 heritage cottages. The cellar door operates in a charming 100–year–old schoolhouse with tastings Thursday to Sunday, 11am–5pm. Wine varieties include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Rosé. The property features peacocks, geese, private lakes, and 91 hectares of rolling countryside just 10 minutes from Orange town centre. Accommodation ranges from 2–14 guests per cottage, all fully equipped with kitchens and rustic charm.Special: Included in your stay at Mayfield Vineyard is a bottle of their premium Estate Range wine and a wine tasting experience for two at their cellar door – the perfect way to immerse yourself in the flavours of Orange.
Websites & Links
Mayfield Vineyard: www.mayfieldvineyard.com.au
Award–winning wines, accommodation bookings, cellar door information and vineyard history.
Wine club membership offers 15% off wines and 10% off accommodation.Visit Orange: www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/orange-area/orange
Official tourism site with accommodation, restaurant guides, events calendar, and attraction information for the Orange region.Visit Millthorpe: www.millthorpevillage.com.au
Heritage village information, events calendar including Fire Fair and Garden Ramble, local business directory and historical walking trails.Frockwork Orange: www.facebook.com/frockworkorange
Recycled designer clothing boutique in Orange specialising in pre–loved fashion, vintage finds, and sustainable style choices for the environmentally conscious shopper.Orange Regional Gallery: www.orange.nsw.gov.au/facilities/orange-regional-gallery
Contemporary art exhibitions, permanent collection featuring regional artists, and cultural events in the heart of Orange.