Foxeys Hangout, Red Hill - the sparkling flight before you buy a bottle
Foxeys Hangout is biodynamic certified, and in spring the estate looks the part: rows greening up fast, the deck catching the northern light by midday. The argument for going now rather than waiting until December is simple: the sparkling flight is the best way to track what winemaker Chris Strickland has been building across vintages, and October weekends are still manageable before the summer crowd locks out every table on the ridge.
Order the sparkling flight before you commit to a bottle. The comparison between the tirage-aged estate fizz and the single-vintage release shows the biodynamic program doing actual work, not just marketing copy. The deck faces north-east and gets full sun from around 11 am.
Foxeys Hangout is at 795 Main Creek Road, Red Hill. Open weekends; check foxeys.com.au for current session availability and to book ahead.
Pair it with a walk south along Shoreham Road to stretch the afternoon before heading back.
Cape Schanck Coastal Track - basalt, blooms, and nobody else
The clifftop boardwalk at Cape Schanck is good most of the year, but October is when the coastal heath behind the lighthouse comes into flower - running postman, coast beard-heath, and the odd patch of purple coral-pea all at once along the track toward Bushrangers Bay. The Southern Ocean is still running good swell, and the light on the basalt columns in the mid-morning is sharp rather than bleached.
The boardwalk from the lighthouse carpark to the basalt platform takes 20 minutes return and suits anyone. The Bushrangers Bay extension adds roughly 90 minutes each way and crosses open scrubland where the wildflower density is highest this week. Take water; there is none on the track.
Park at the Cape Schanck Lighthouse carpark off Cape Schanck Road, Fingal. Parks Victoria entry fees apply; check parks.vic.gov.au before you go.
Walk this in the morning, then drive 20 minutes north to Foxeys for lunch.
British Comedy Trivia at The Pig & Whistle - tonight, Main Ridge
The Pig & Whistle runs trivia nights that actually suit the venue: a timber-heavy tavern on Mornington-Flinders Road with the kitchen open and enough tables to form a proper team. Tonight’s format is British comedy, which at this pub means genuine disagreement about whether Fawlty Towers or Blackadder answers carry more weight. It runs 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
It is the right alternative to another winery dinner if you want something low-ceremony on a Thursday night. Tables fill; bookings via the Humanitix link below are the safer move.
The Pig & Whistle Tavern is at 68 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge. Doors from 6:00 pm, trivia 6:00–9:30 pm tonight, Thursday 22 October. Book at events.humanitix.com/trivia-night-british-comedy.
This pairs well with the drive past Foxeys on the way in if you left Red Hill with an open bottle.
Quick reference
Foxeys Hangout 795 Main Creek Road, Red Hill Open weekends; book ahead at foxeys.com.au
Cape Schanck Coastal Track Cape Schanck Lighthouse carpark, Cape Schanck Road, Fingal Parks Victoria entry applies; parks.vic.gov.au
British Comedy Trivia - The Pig & Whistle Tavern 68 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge Tonight, Thursday 22 October, 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm Book: events.humanitix.com/trivia-night-british-comedy
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Questions readers actually ask
FAQ
How do I book the sparkling flight at Foxeys Hangout?
Foxeys Hangout is at 795 Main Creek Road, Red Hill. The cellar door is open weekends and most public holidays; check foxeys.com.au for current hours and to book a tasting session.
Where does the Cape Schanck clifftop boardwalk start?
Park at the Cape Schanck Lighthouse carpark off Cape Schanck Road, Fingal. The boardwalk to the basalt platform takes around 20 minutes return; the longer coastal trail to Bushrangers Bay adds approximately 90 minutes each way. Parks Victoria entry fees apply.
How do I get tickets for British Comedy Trivia at The Pig & Whistle?
Book via Humanitix at events.humanitix.com/trivia-night-british-comedy. The event runs tonight, Thursday 22 October, 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm at The Pig & Whistle Tavern, 68 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge.
