The Gurdies: Bushland, Nature and Viticulture

The Gurdies combines bushland, conservation areas and viticulture. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between the similarly named conservation areas and keeping local track rules in mind. This can help you decide whether nature observation, a permitted activity on certain tracks or viticulture should feature most prominently in your stay.

Bushland and conservation areas

The Gurdies Reserve is a small bushland reserve managed by Bass Coast Shire Council. It lies east of Western Port Bay and borders The Gurdies Nature Conservation Park, managed by Parks Victoria. The Gurdies Reserve should not be confused with the separately named The Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve.

Access to The Gurdies Reserve is at the end of Hendy Lane in the north and Woodland Close in the east. Local conditions may change; check access before your visit. The Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve can be reached via Bass Highway or Dunbabbin Road.

Flowers, birds and track use

When conditions are suitable, native orchids and other wildflowers bloom in The Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve in spring. If you want to watch birds, look out for honeyeaters and rosellas there; sightings vary. Wildflowers and birdwatching offer different nature experiences: spring is the specific season mentioned for wildflowers, while wildlife sightings cannot be pinned to a particular time.

Activities also depend on the particular track. Mountain biking is permitted on vehicle-width tracks. Horses may use the vehicle-width tracks south of the central management track, as well as the management track itself. If you are planning either activity, you can take the rules for the relevant type of track into account rather than assuming that permitted use applies to all tracks.

Footpaths in town and getting oriented

A track overview from June 2024 records a footpath along Bass Highway between Gurdies St Helier Road and Grantville Glen Alvie Road. It also describes a sealed footpath along Gurdies St Helier Road: it runs from Bass Highway to the end of the sealed road surface and to a bus stop. These details offer two different orientation points in town—the roads as endpoints for one path, and the change in road surface and the bus stop for the other.

Viticulture as another focus

The Gurdies Winery is located at 215 Gurdies St Helier Road, The Gurdies, Victoria 3984. The winery produces varietal and blended wines from eight grape varieties grown on site, using traditional winemaking methods. Both the range of grape varieties grown and how they are processed are central to its work. If you are interested in viticulture, this production focus offers a different starting point for planning your trip than seasonal nature observation or regulated track use.

Plan your stay around your interests

This keeps the season, track use and interest in viticulture distinct as aspects of your planning.

Discover more destinations: Humevale, Lang Lang, Tallangatta, Daylesford, Kew East, Paynesville, Bindi, Black Rock

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.