Cardinia Unplugged: Your 48-hour Outdoor Escape

There’s a certain kind of weekend that doesn’t need a packed itinerary, a suitcase full of outfits or a complicated plan. Just a pair of walking shoes, a good appetite and the promise of fresh country air.

The Cardinia region is made for that kind of escape.

Sitting on Melbourne’s eastern edge, you'll find rolling farmland giving way to forest, cellar doors sitting close to bushland, and weekends moving at a gentler pace. Over 48 hours, you can walk beneath towering gums, follow fern-lined trails to waterfalls, taste cool-climate wines and discover the flavour and story of native Australian ingredients.

Here’s how to spend two nature-filled days exploring.

Start your weekend with a deep breath and a proper dose of green at Bunyip State Park. This rugged and beautiful park is one of the region’s great outdoor playgrounds, with a mix of trails, wetlands, forest and fern gullies that make it feel wonderfully removed from the everyday.

Spend the morning exploring on foot, choosing a walk that suits your energy levels and the weather. The park is known for its varied landscapes, from open forest and bush tracks to lush pockets of greenery where the air feels cooler and the pace naturally slows.

For those who prefer to cover more ground, Bunyip State Park also offers opportunities for four-wheel driving, trail bike riding and horse riding in designated areas. For a softer start, pack a thermos, find a quiet picnic spot and let the weekend begin without too much ceremony.

Remember, mobile phone reception here can be unreliable; you're off-grid, so plan accordingly.

Follow the trail to Lawson Falls

While you’re in Bunyip State Park, make time for the Lawson Falls Walking Track. Tucked into the north-eastern corner of the park, this moderate-level walk leads through dense bushland and fern gullies before reaching the gentle cascades of Lawson Falls.

Slightly more challenging, it’s the kind of walk that rewards you slowly. Listen for birdsong, watch the light move through the trees and take your time along the trail. After rain, the forest feels especially alive, with ferns unfurling, creeks running and the falls adding a little silver thread to the landscape.

Bring sturdy shoes, water and layers, as conditions can change quickly in the bush. It’s also worth checking Parks Victoria updates before setting out, particularly after heavy rain or during seasonal works.

Settle in for Lunch at Cannibal Creek Vineyard

After a morning outdoors, point yourself toward Cannibal Creek Vineyard in Tynong North for a long lunch and a well-earned glass of wine.

Set in a relaxed country setting, Cannibal Creek is not just family-friendly but also brings together vineyard views, regional produce and small-batch winemaking. The menu changes with the seasons, focusing on local ingredients and modern Australian food with French inspiration.

It’s an ideal place to slow the day right down. Settle in for a tasting, order something generous from the menu and look out across the vines and surrounding countryside. After a morning of walking tracks and forest air, this is Cardinia at its most deliciously civilised.

They're dog friendly too, allowing dogs on leads to stroll the farm.

Bookings are recommended, especially for weekends.

Bring Your PJs and Stay the Night

Make the most of your 48-hour visit by staying locally. Choose a cosy cottage like Carinya Park (above), country-style accommodation or a comfortable base close to Emerald, Tynong or Gembrook, depending on how close you want to be to the next day’s adventures.

The joy of staying overnight is that you don’t have to rush. You can linger over lunch, take the scenic route, watch the afternoon light settle over the paddocks and wake up ready for another day outside.

Start the Morning Fresh at Sherwood Park Orchard and Bakery

Before heading deeper into Cardinia’s forests and farms, make a stop at Sherwood Park Orchard and Bakery . Part orchard, part bakery café and part local produce store, it’s the kind of country stop that quickly turns a quick coffee into a basket of take-home treats.

Stretch your legs in the orchard, settle into the farmhouse-style bakery café or pick up something for the road from the shelves of seasonal fruit, vegetables, jams, sauces, eggs and juices. The café is also a handy option for breakfast, lunch, coffee, light meals and freshly baked goods, making it an easy and delicious addition.

If you’re visiting in apple season, keep an eye out for u-pick opportunities, or simply pause for a pastry and a proper country reset before continuing on to nearby walking tracks, wineries and native food experiences.

Discover native flavours at Peppermint Ridge

Begin day two with a visit to Peppermint Ridge Native Foods in Tynong North, a unique native food experience that brings together gardens, education and flavour.

This is a wonderful stop for anyone curious about Australian native ingredients and how they can be used in everyday cooking or anyone looking to purchase native plants for their home gardens. Through tours, tastings, workshops and cooking classes, Peppermint Ridge introduces visitors to the plants, stories and flavours that have grown on this continent for thousands of years.

Depending on what’s scheduled, you might join a tour and taste experience, explore the native food garden or take part in a cooking class that opens up the pantry to ingredients such as lemon myrtle, mountain pepper, wattleseed and other bush foods.

It’s hands-on, thoughtful and deeply connected to place, inviting you to not just enjoy the landscape, but taste it.

Be sure to check dates and book ahead, as tours and classes operate at selected times.

Take the scenic way home

Before heading back to Melbourne, leave a little room in the itinerary for wandering. The region is best enjoyed with a flexible spirit. Stop for coffee or pull over for the view.

Here it's not about rushing from one attraction to the next. It’s about stepping outside, following your curiosity and letting the landscape do what it does best: clear the head, fill the lungs and remind you that the good stuff is often closer than you think.

Pack your walking shoes, book ahead for dining and farm experiences, and check park conditions before you travel. Whether you’re chasing waterfalls, native flavours, cool-climate wine or simply a weekend with more trees than traffic.