Mitchelton Winery Hotel in Nagambie, Victoria by Hecker Guthrie.

Artwork commissioned by Susan Knight and Trevor Mein.

The Mitchelton Winery Hotel is one of a number of new, luxury lodgings colouring Victoria’s quiet, sunny wine country. In Central Victoria (apparently Victoria’s best-kept wine secret) , it’s also the second historic regional hotel by Hecker Guthrie to open in the state in recent months – following the firm’s careful refresh of the heritage-style Lindenberry Hotel in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula. The Michelton’s history is maybe a little more architecturally sensitive however – with Hecker Guthrie applying just a light touch to Robin Boyd designed winery buildings dating back to 1967.

While the winery was originally dreamt up by Boyd, the site was completed by architect Ted Ashton in 1974. Hecker Guthrie completed the sensitive renovation of the winery – including the striking steeple – in 2013. The Mitchelton Winery Hotel itself is a new structure – there was an original idea to include one in the late 60s, but plans were never realised due to budget constraints. Hecker Guthrie’s 58-room hotel and spa, which opened in December last year, continues the Mitchelton property’s 50-year design journey.

Related: Lindenderry Hotel in Mornington Peninsula by Hecker Guthrie.

The idea for the hotel was to create a new experience at Mitchelton, but pay respect to all of its pre-existing anchors – the winery, its history and the Michelton shiraz, but also the picturesque Goulbourn Valley countryside. Inspired by its location and surrounding Nagambie horse studs, interiors have drawn on the natural environment to set the tone: earthy browns and muted greys, alongside mottled gumtree greens.

There are 54 33sqm ‘River’ and ‘Vineyard’ view rooms, and then four spacious 57sqm suites. Each room features floor to ceiling windows and private terrace balconies to better take in the surrounds, timber joinery and Bose sound systems too, to enhance the in-room experience. And on the banks of the Goulbourn River is a 20m infinity pool, landscaped by Jamie Clapham.

See more projects by Hecker Guthrie on Yellowtrace.

[Images courtesy of Hecker Guthrie. Photography by Tom Blachford.]