Exploring regional Victoria

Just outside of Melbourne’s metropolis lies the Macedon Ranges and Daylesford – Victoria’s holistic
mecca of food, wine and wellness. Justifiably referred to as Australia’s ‘Spa Country’, visiting Daylesford places you amongst the largest concentration of natural mineral springs in Australia – wellness and wellbeing intrinsic to the area, the region has long been considered a special place of healing.

The town of Daylesford is home to an eclectic mix of historic buildings, art galleries, botanical gardens and boutiques where you can browse collectables and vintage clothes. Quaint houses and an bustling main street will surprise and delight. Explore a little further and you’ll find farm gates, the Sunday Market, cellar doors and more. Plus there’s more vintage curios  and second hand treasures than you can poke a stick at the Mill Market. Beyond excellent food and the retail therapy of Vincent Street, this travel destination is brimming with outdoor options including kayaking, golf, horse-riding and fishing. Work up an appetite with a with a walk to the top of Wombat Hill.  Nearby, Wombat State Forest is a natural reserve, home to wallabies, wombats, gang gang cockatoos, kookaburras and rare wildlife like the spot-tailed quoll.

On top of that, there’s exquisite dining to be had at some of Australia’s best restaurants and opportunities to connect with the remarkable array of local producers at farmers markets and roadside stalls as you make your way around the region. In fact, you might find much of this award-winning produce and wines on top of tables around Australia and the world, but it is only here that you are likely to rub shoulders with some of their producers.

Co-owner of Lake House and Culinary Director, Alla Wolf-Tasker AM is credited with the establishment and growth of Daylesford and surrounds as a premier food and wine destination. Over three decades of honing Lake House into the mecca for foodie travellers that it is, she has fostered a network of excellent local suppliers and in the process succeeded in putting Daylesford on the culinary map.

 Here is some food for thought on what to see and do…

Daylesford Where To Stay & Dine

A visit to Daylesford would be amiss without stay at the region’s iconic Lake House. Sitting on the foreshore of Lake Daylesford amongst 6 acres of towering trees, country gardens and winding paths, this luxury accommodation is more than just a somewhere to stay; it’s a celebration of people, produce and place. This hub of food and wellness comprises of 33 rooms and suites poised for a romantic getaway, a much loved and famed restaurant, award-winning spa and artist’s studio.

The region beckons travellers with an appetite for top notch food and drinks on the hunt for local produce and cool climate wines from the rolling hills of the Yarra Valley. So, ‘where to eat in Daylesford?’. Sate your hunger with a memorable dining experience at Lake House. The luxury lodge boasts one of Australia’s most highly awarded restaurants and a New York Wine Spectator award winning wine list and cellar of some 13,000 bottles. The menu effortlessly exemplifies paddock-to-plate dining offering modern Australian cuisine that pays homage to the region’s stunning seasonal produce…well that is to say that Alla and Head Chef Brendan Walsh along with the culinary team certainly make it look easy.

Regular guests will tell you their favourite season and of memorable dishes. Perhaps the butter poached pheasant with chestnuts and Farrow in Autumn, the spring lamb with asparagus and morels. The duck with orange braised witlof; the golden roasted free-range chicken of summer with corn and yabbies, or the truffled Pecorino tart with artichokes Barigoule, eel, Murray Cod and trout; rabbit and hare, speak of local waterways and fields. In winter, Lake House celebrates an abundance of brassicas, all manner of leafy greens, pumpkin, heirloom carrots, beets and baby turnips to name a few. On the menu you’ll find dishes entirely plant based, but rather than use that terminology, Lake House prefer “the art of the vegetable” as a tribute to how much inspiration is drawn from this beautiful produce, lovingly grown by members of the Lake House team.

Daylesford Attractions

Make sure you have a spare few hours to check out the other Daylesford attractions or take a stroll through the nearby town, which is a ten minute walk from Lake House. Standouts include Cliffy’s Emporium – another purveyor of produce and Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm for it’s La Trattoria eatery and bar and farm animals. Spend an informal yet informative afternoon talking the talk and meeting the makers behind the wine labels. Istra Smallgoods has superb relishes, pressed meats, bottled sauces and nut-studded nougat. Let Daylesford Wine Tours take you through extensive choice of the best regional drops and be introduced to some of the best local makers in the area, with tasting sessions discussing each of their varieties and gain insider tips and stories on the best wine, cider, spirit or liqueur making techniques. Visit the orchards and the cider mill to learn about the English heritage apple varieties with Daylesford Cider Co or visit Passing Clouds Winery.

Get an exhilarating blast of fresh air at Trentham Falls, it’s particularly impressive in winter, when rain creates the strongest flow. It’s one of the longest single drop waterfalls in Victoria, plunging some 32 metres over ancient basalt columns. Another option is a lovely forested short loop walk to Sailors Falls. Maze House offers a maze and carnival garden for the young at heart. Discover Cornish Hill, which provides a beautiful view over the forest surrounding Daylesford and historical information about the area that was intensively mined for gold between 1852 and the 1950’s. For further exploration, organise walk or cycle The Goldfields Track that takes mountain bikers and bushwalkers through 210km of some of central Victoria’s most historic towns and beautiful forests. For a shorter walk, soak up the picturesque scenery and tranquillity on a stroll around Lake Daylesford on the Peace Mile Walk.

Daylesford Spa

The natural health treatments based on the therapeutic properties of mineral water have drawn people to Daylesford and Hepburn Springs for thousands of years. The local Aboriginal Dja Dja Wurrung people have always known of the healing powers of these waters. Be sure to bring your bathers –  the volcanic plains and healing waters are a natural aqua oasis of Victoria’s spa country.

Spending a blissful couple of hours in The Spa is a must. Booking ahead is recommended as appointments can fill up months in advance. Designed with relaxation in mind, this hydrotherapy haven is destined to boost circulation, assist with detoxification and encourage resounding wellbeing and vitality. The natural mineral springs flow down the mossy green steps that take you into the serene Spa space and heavenly scents welcome you in. A truly elevated spa experience on all fronts, the 100% Mineral Water ‘Tree Top’ Soak. In your own private mineral water spa and experience a magical treetop setting with private bathhouse and spa cabins that look out through the willow trees to Lake Daylesford. For those on a romantic getaway, champagne and rose petals can be added. Each mineral bath gently heats 100% pure Daylesford natural mineral water to reduce tension and ease muscle aches. The Spa features an outdoor sauna and jacuzzi for you to use at your leisure – perfect for warming up on a cooler day or laze about the infinity pool in the warmer months and while the day away, just let reception know. If you are unable to book in for your relaxing massages and silky, skin-renewing rituals at The Spa, further afield, there are more opportunities for R&R at Hepburn bathhouse, Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve and Peppers Mineral Springs.

To deepen your wellness experience, Lake House can arrange for you to learn the fundamental principles surrounding Tai Chi, including Chi Qung breathing exercises and still and moving meditation with onsite tuition. Further afield, there are more opportunities for R&R at Hepburn Bathhouse and Peppers Mineral Springs.

Dairy Flat Farm

Ten minutes down the road from Lake House sits Dairy Flat Farm Daylesford where fresh produce is handpicked for the Lake House Restaurant. Blessed with crisp mountain air and rich fertile soil, the regenerative growing facility includes five acres of dedicated vegetable gardens, a working barn, three hoop houses, a glass house; heirloom orchard; an olive grove, vineyard and a bake house specializing in slow fermented sourdough for Lake House guests. This is a must-do for hands on experiences such as baking and bee keeping workshops or to simply wander through meticulously tended gardens with your local host.

Dairy Flat by Lake House

For an undeniable sense of place, Dairy Flat by Lake House offers six luxurious king suites in a unique country lodge style. Arriving via a long drive lined with silver birch, the 15-hectare property is a private retreat for guests who want to take in the wonders of life on a productive farm or simply escape to the country. The dwelling is an ideal private getaway for sole-use stay with friends or multigenerational families, or execs looking for some fresh country air with all the soft luxuries discerning travellers expect. The in-house concierge provides as much or as little intuitive service you need and there’s an abundance of indulgent extras such as trout fishing in the private spring-fed dam, drinks on the terrace or the outdoor hot tub and fire-pit. Reservations for private use of Dairy Flat lodge (up to 12 guests) can be made up to a year in advance.

Wombat Hill House Cafe

Perched on the top of the hill, with beautiful views down over Daylesford, the Botanic Gardens are well worth a visit. Stop in at the café for friendly service and simple and delicious seasonal food, sourced locally wherever possible and served in one of Daylesford’s most beautiful locations – the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens. Shop for souvenirs and great pantry staples with plenty of produce from Dairy Flat Farm as well as carefully curated selection of local suppliers. Or order a picnic hamper spread to go and enjoy it under one of the heritage-listed trees or at one of the nearby picnic tables with beautiful vistas of surrounding landmarks such as Mount Franklin and Mount Kooroocheang. The Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens sits atop an extinct volcano (no wonder the soil here is so fertile!) and there are several acres of fecund gardens to explore, a sculpture park and a 19th-century mansion home to Convent Gallery.

Getting There

Just 90 minutes day trip from Melbourne by car, visiting Victoria’s treasure trove of natural mineral springs requires very little effort considering the savviest and most well-travelled palates travel here.

King Street Daylesford

3460 Victoria, Australia

info@lakehouse.com.au

+61 3 5348 3329

For further information on Daylesford, visit. Or to book your stay at Lake House or Dairy Flat Lodge, visit.