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Best beer destinations in Oceania

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Melbourne
The heart of culture and coffee
8.7
Mountain Goat Brewery helped launch Melbourne's craft beer movement from a converted warehouse. Narrow laneways across the city now hide dozens of small independent bars pouring local beer. Visitors can hop between hidden taprooms tucked behind unmarked doors. Melbourne's famously changeable weather rarely slows down its outdoor beer gardens.
Highlights:
  • 🏏 Watch a match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
  • 🌆 Admire city views from the Eureka Skydeck
  • 🎨 Explore the laneways full of vibrant street art and cafés
Wellington
Creative capital by wild seas
7.1
Garage Project has built a reputation in Wellington for its constantly changing experimental beers. The brewery started in a small garage before expanding across the city. Visitors can join the annual Beervana festival held here every August. Windy waterfront bars nearby often keep a rotating tap list from local brewers.
Highlights:
  • 🦜 Explore Zealandia urban ecosanctuary’s rare wildlife
  • 🚠 Ride the historic Wellington Cable Car for city views
  • 🏛️ Visit the interactive Museum of New Zealand Te Papa
Dunedin
Wildlife, castles and quirky charm
7.5
Emerson's Brewery launched in Dunedin in 1993, helping pioneer New Zealand's craft beer movement. Founder Richard Emerson began brewing in his family's garage before opening a proper brewery. Visitors can tour the modern brewery and sample its pilsner and pale ales. Dunedin's cool southern climate suits the crisp lagers brewed here.
Highlights:
  • 🚂 Ride the scenic Taieri Gorge Railway through dramatic landscapes
  • 🐧 Spot rare yellow-eyed penguins at Otago Peninsula
  • 🏰 Tour the historic Larnach Castle and its lush gardens
Brisbane
River City with a Laid-Back Vibe
7.7
Newstead Brewing Co helped kickstart Brisbane's craft beer scene from a warehouse near the river. Fortitude Valley now hosts dozens of small breweries within walking distance of each other. Visitors can sample tropical fruited sours built for the city's subtropical climate. Riverside beer gardens stay busy through Brisbane's long warm evenings.
Highlights:
  • 🦘 Visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and meet native wildlife
  • 🏖️ Stroll through South Bank Parklands and relax by Streets Beach
  • 🌉 Climb Story Bridge for breathtaking city and river views
Christchurch
The Garden City of Adventure
7.3
Cassels and Sons Brewing rebuilt its taproom inside a restored heritage building after the 2011 earthquake. Much of the city's craft beer scene grew from that same period of rebuilding. Visitors can sample local ales in converted warehouses across the rebuilt central city. Outdoor beer gardens now fill spaces once cleared by demolition.
Highlights:
  • 🐧 See Antarctic wildlife at the International Antarctic Centre
  • 🌸 Stroll through the peaceful Christchurch Botanic Gardens
  • 🚠 Ride the Christchurch Gondola for scenic views of the city and hills
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