WANDER THROUGH WANDI

THE Wandiligong Pub, standing since 1854, is the place to be on a cool weekend. It’s rustic, welcoming and offers a great selection of local beer on tap, and it’s the hub of a village that once had more than 2000 residents.

Less than 300 people now live here and, as we discovered, a lot of them can be found sitting outside in the pub’s beer garden on a Sunday afternoon. With its award-winning country tucker and cosy vibe, it’s no surprise.

Sleepy and intimate, this tiny sub-alpine township in northeast Victoria lies under the radar for most of the year, but it bursts into life during the annual Wandi Nut Festival held in autumn. Once the colours subside things quieten again, but there’s much more to this place than picturesque trees and nuts. Beyond the orchards and streets lined with walnut trees, chestnuts and poplars is