Cupitt's Estate sits on rolling vineyards above Burrill Lake on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. At 58 Washburton Road in Ulladulla, this family-run winery folds together handcrafted wines, local cheese and open sky into a compact evening escape. The offering — Wine, Cheese & Stargazing at Cupitt’s Estate — is a 60-minute, adults-only session where a glass on arrival, a shared cheese plate and a professional telescope turn the vineyard into an impromptu observatory.
Begin with the vines and the view: the estate faces Burrill Lake with the Budawang Ranges forming a serrated escarpment on the horizon. As daylight slides away the escarpment silhouette and water reflections sharpen, and the scene pivots from landscape to sky. An astronomer leads the session, offering naked-eye astronomy, constellation storytelling and binocular and telescope views of planets and distant star clusters. The setup is practical—tips and hacks for spotting objects without fancy gear and a Q&A to satisfy curious minds.
This experience stands out because it pairs terroir with the Southern Sky. Cupitt's is one of the few cellar doors on the coast that programs guided stargazing among rows of vines, leveraging low horizon lights and clear southerly skies. It’s accessible (wheelchair accessible) and intentionally intimate, capped at a small group size so everyone gets a turn at the eyepiece. Expect storytelling around a campfire, the crackle of conversation, and possibly a falling star if conditions play along.
Logistics are straightforward: meet at Cupitt's Estate (58 Washburton Road, Ulladulla), arrive a little early to collect your glass and cheese plate, and plan transport if you’ll sample the wine—Paul: 0490 307 797 or Eden, In A Day Jervis Bay: 0493 281 821. Bottles are available at the cellar door, and you can opt to extend the night with dinner or an overnight stay in Cupitt’s villas via their website.
The event is adults-only (minimum age 18) and designed for small groups—maximum 22 people—to preserve the viewing experience. Cupitt’s asks for a minimum of 15 participants to run the tour and offers rescheduling or refunds if numbers fall below 10 the day before, so check your booking. To make the most of the hour, bring a warm jacket, a red-light torch to protect night vision, and photo gear with manual settings for astrophotography. The staff are welcoming and the cellar door doubles as a cozy fallback in case of light cloud; if the sky clears, the payoff is memorable.
Why book? For travelers based in Milton, Mollymook or Ulladulla, this is a compact, elevated evening that pairs local produce with a guided dive into the Southern Sky — a way to experience coastal New South Wales that’s equal parts approachable and unexpectedly cinematic.