Perth Hills

The Perth Hills are a hotbed of quality, with winemakers focusing on lively and delicious styles that are collectively making the region one of Western Australia’s go-to destinations. 

Discover fine wineries and restaurants throughout the region, with juicy wines paired with incredible food among its highlights. From high-profile wineries to modest, hidden gems, the wine community is connected by down-to-earth producers and knowledgeable makers. Winemaking pioneers first planted their vines in the region more than 130 years ago to establish the template for wines of excellence in a Mediterranean-like climate. The Perth Hills is famous for its generous, fruit-driven wines sourced from vineyards throughout the undulating terrain. Visitors can also expect to see alternative styles including tempranillo, mourvedre and zinfandel. 

The Perth Hills region offers a relaxing country escape within a short distance to the hub of Perth. For those who love outdoor activities, retreat to its national parks and the cool of its forests for bike and walking trails, as well as scenic lookouts and picnic spots.

James Halliday on Perth Hills

Viticulture has been practised intermittently in the picturesque Perth Hills for over a century, but on a generally tiny scale. The first-known winery was built in the 1880s, and continued production until it was burnt down in 1945. Thus while Despeissis was able to report in 1902 that grapes grown in the Mundaringa-Chidlow subregion ripened two to three weeks later than in the Swan Valley, the longest-established of the present-day wineries (Hainault) dates back to only 1980, and until the latter part of the 1990s none of the wineries crushed more than 50 tonnes a year. That has changed with the arrival of first Millbrook Winery and even more emphatically with the opening of Western Range Wines.

It is a pretty region, with constantly changing vistas. The exotic native plant vegetation grows in rich profusion: Western Australia was given far more than its fair share by nature, and this is shown to full advantage in the Perth Hills, with patches of introduced exotics from Europe and elsewhere adding an unexpected contrast near streams and in home gardens. Moreover, it is only 22 kilometres from Perth, making it easily accessible to daytrippers.