Hop to it: a new way to explore the Canberra wine region

It just got a whole lot easier to explore the Canberra District Wine Region with the launch of the new Wine Hopper tour. 

This hop-on, hop-off service allows visitors to experience the wine region at their own pace.

The Wine Hopper's flexible weekend schedule includes stops at some to the Canberra region's most celebrated wineries with time for tastings and relaxation without a designated driver. 

With a loop around Murrumbateman throughout the day, there is enough time to visit three or four wineries before being ferried back to the Canberra CBD.

Wine Hopper's hop-on, hop-off tour run Saturdays and Sundays from 10am until 5pm. Tickets start from $89 per person and include round-trip transport from Canberra with expert driver-hosts, a route map, winery guide and unlimited hops throughout the day.



Hoppers can sample wines at McKellar Ridge Wines, Murrumbateman Winery Eden Road Wines, 
Shaw Estate, Clonakilla, The Vintner's Daughter, Four Winds Vineyard and Dionysus Winery. Take your pick. 

There also stops at Murrumbateman Country Inn for a lunch break between wine tastings. 

Tours depart Saturday and Sundays at 10am from 7 Akuna Street, Canberra. For more info see their website.

Images: Bus at Dionysus; tasting at Vintner's Daughter.

Seniors in one Australian state to enjoy free weekend public transport

Good news for local seniors who love travelling in the Australian state of Victoria.

In a move aimed at easing cost of living pressures and encouraging regional exploration, the state government is to make all public transport free on weekends to holders of Victorian Seniors cards from January 1, 2026.

The initiative will allow more than 650,000 seniors to travel by train, tram or bus for free across the entire state on weekends - saving regular travellers up to $360 a year, local media reported.

Seniors currently enjoy free travel on weekends within two local fare zones, but pay for longer journeys.

Under the new plan, restrictions will be lifted, offering free weekend travel across all 16 fare zones, from outlying areas including Wodonga, Warrnambool and beyond.

“This is about making it easier for seniors to see family, enjoy a day out with the grandkids or experience the best of Victoria - without the extra cost,” said Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan.

The policy builds on a regional fare cap introduced in 2023, which significantly reduced concession fares - cutting the cost of trips like Bendigo to Melbourne by more than half.

Seniors will continue to get a 50% discount on weekday fares, but on weekends, they won’t pay a cent,” said Minister for Public Transport Gabrielle Williams.”

In neighbouring South Australia seniors get free transport 24/7. 

To access the free weekend travel, passengers must use a Senior Myki transport card and carry their Victorian Seniors Card while touching on and off as usual. While the system will still record trips, no fares will be deducted.

To be eligible for a Victorian Seniors Card, residents must be aged 60 or over, a permanent resident of the state, and work fewer than 35 hours per week.

The deal will not extend to visitors from interstate and overseas.