Sunday lunch: Green Olive at Red Hill

OLIVES from the grove, estate-grown wine, free-range eggs from the property's chickens, herbs from the garden, home-made sausages and terrific wood-fire oven-baked bread are clues that this new venture on the Mornington Peninsula is serious in its efforts to keep carbon miles low.

For Greg and Sue O'Donoghue, it was a deliberate lifestyle decision when they bought their 11-hectare farm 10 years ago: to grow and produce as much as possible.

Like many businesses, theirs evolved - from a thriving hamper business and subsequent cafe in Sorrento, to their current olive grove, vineyard and produce store, which has a holistic approach to farming and food. All waste is recycled.

So when they opened their smart farm-gate shop and cellar door facility six weeks before Christmas offering casual meals, it was natural that the small menu featured home-made and farm-produced foods. They roast their own green coffee beans for lattes ($4), make old-fashioned cordial ($3.20) and have their own label Kelpie Bridge shiraz, chardonnay, sparkling or dessert wine (all $8 a glass, $30 a bottle). The water served comes from their 100,000-litre fresh water tank and tastes sweeter and purer than most bottled waters.

Sue produces an appealing range of preserves that are sold in the shop, used to fill hampers and now spice up sourdough bruschetta with goats cheese from nearby Main Ridge Dairy ($15) and accompany lamb sausages ($15) or spicy meat balls ($15) served simply with rocket and caprino cheese.

Smart cafe tables and chairs overlook raised garden beds filled with herbs, artichokes, beetroot, lettuce and caper plants - with an in-ground trampoline below for youngsters, while sheep graze in the paddocks beyond. Inside, refectory-style tables and seating provide shelter behind floor-to-ceiling glass doors.

Reviewed by Tricia Welsh who was hosted by Tourism Victoria.

Green Olive at Red Hill, 1180 Mornington Flinders Road, Red Hill, 5989 2992. Open Fri-Sun and public holidays 10am-5pm. See greenolive.com.au. Melways 190 D7. To stay: nearby options include Stony Creek Cottages (visitor.com.au/stonycreek), The Orchard Luxury B&B (www.innhouse.com.au/the-orchard.html), Amor Red Hill (amoredhill.com.au).