If you plan to visit Victoria, Australia during your holiday, you must plan to spend at least one weekend in Daylesford, and then come back next time for the week! Located about 2 hours from Melbourne, Daylesford is Australia's spa capital located within the Hepburn Shire - Often referred to as spa country its a super trendy town that warmly welcomes all local and international travellers.
Here are a few ideas for things to do and see in Daylesford, Vic
Daylesford has a number of very popular day spas - Our top popular picks are The Hepburn Bath House and Spa, The Mineral Spa, and The Lake House Spa - You can find treatments that include steam baths, manicure and pedicure, body wraps, exfoliation and facial massage. You may even get the chance to try some of Daylesford Vic's award-winning spa products from local providers and natural therapists.
Take a walk in our many national parks and trails all in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. Complete with running waterfalls Lake Daylesford is a great place to start. Take a winding loop around the Locarno Mineral Springs and be sure to take some empty water bottles so you can collect and compare mineral water available to hand pump along the trails. Some mineral springs are naturally carbonated! Another favourite long hiking track is around the Dry Diggings Track off Hepburn-Newstead Rd and out towards the blowhole.
You'll find amazing wildflower species, kangaroos, echidnas and possibly even emu birds too. For bird lovers, watch the swarms of Corella's, Rosellas, Kookaburras and Cockatoos fly about the lake and district. Cara is also known to host the Pied Currawong, Grey Shrikethrush and some guests have even spied a Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo and a Gang-gang Cockatoo.
There are plenty of other activities on offer, including camping, rock climbing, riding, golf and kayaking. The two main caravan parks offer a hive of activities for visitors too! Families travelling with kids should check out the Daylesford community Park Playground and Skate park on Standridge st, it's close to Thomas's lookout too, The park itself has a great adventure playground and lots of wide-open spaces.
If you are game to go off-road and it's not too wet Lerderdeg track is a short mostly dirt track close by that might be fun to explore in the family 4x4 too. There are plenty of similar off-road tracks around Daylesford, most of which are accessible via online maps so you can plan your adventure.
If food wine and art are your things, you need not travel far - Passing clouds is a must-see winery or you can place your food and wine tour needs in the hands of Daylesford Wine Tours. Travelrite international also has a number of gardens, food, beer and wine tours too.
Some of our favourite local hangouts. (too many to list them all but we tried)
Check out our recommendations map.