Stonier Fire & Wine Winter Lunch, Merricks - today only
Stonier runs these fire-side winter lunches selectively, and today’s is the one on the calendar. The format centres on Stonier’s Merricks estate, where the cellar door dining space gets a proper working fire and the kitchen builds a menu around the current-vintage Pinot Noirs and the Chardonnay that keeps appearing on serious restaurant lists. Winter is genuinely the right time to drink Stonier’s Merricks Pinot - the tannin structure makes sense when it’s cold outside and something is burning inside. This is not a casual drop-in situation. Bookings are required and the event is today, 9 August. If you don’t have a reservation, call the winery directly on the off-chance of a cancellation - it’s worth trying. Allow three hours minimum. Stonier Wines, 2 Thompsons Lane, Merricks; stonier.com.au/visit.
Pair this with an afternoon walk down to Merricks Beach while the light holds.
Whale watching from the Cape Schanck boardwalk - August window
August is the peak month for humpbacks and southern right whales moving east through Bass Strait on the winter migration corridor. Cape Schanck’s boardwalk puts you roughly forty metres above the water at a point that juts far enough into the strait to give proper sightlines both directions along the coast. Arrive before eleven on a clear, low-wind morning - afternoon sea haze cuts visibility fast. Bring binoculars. The whales move in groups of two to five, breaching less frequently than the Instagram highlights suggest, but the blows are visible at distance on a calm day and that’s enough. The lighthouse circuit is forty minutes return; the full boardwalk descent to the beach adds another twenty. No booking, no fee for the boardwalk itself - Parks Victoria manages the site. Cape Schanck Road, Cape Schanck; parks.vic.gov.au.
Follow this with coffee and something warm at Georgie Bass in Flinders, fifteen minutes back up the road.
This Weekend’s Key Details
Stonier Fire & Wine Winter Lunch 2 Thompsons Lane, Merricks Today only - Sunday 9 August 2026 Bookings essential: stonier.com.au/visit
Whale watching, Cape Schanck boardwalk Cape Schanck Road, Cape Schanck Open daily - August is peak window; aim for mid-morning on a clear day No booking required; parks.vic.gov.au
Something wrong on this page, or is this your business? Tell us what to fix and you get a case reference back. corrections@peninsulainsider.com.au reaches the same desk.
Questions readers actually ask
FAQ
How do I book the Stonier Fire & Wine Winter Lunch?
Check availability and book through stonier.com.au/visit. The lunch runs today, Sunday 9 August 2026, so book immediately if you haven't already - seats go fast.
When is the best time to spot whales from Cape Schanck in winter?
August is the peak month for humpback and southern right whales moving through Bass Strait. Arrive at the Cape Schanck boardwalk by mid-morning on a calm, clear day for the best sightlines. No booking required - Parks Victoria manages the site and the boardwalk is open daily.
