Daylesford, Australia, has a lot to offer. Whether you’re searching for a tranquil trip to unwind after a hard week at work, a naughty girls’ retreat, or a romantic weekend away with your significant other. So, we’ve covered the top things to do in Daylesford in this guide.
1. What is Daylesford famous for?
Daylesford is a well-known tourist attraction because it is one of the few spa towns in Australia. Along with the town’s many gardens and bed and breakfasts in the country home conversion style, many spas, restaurants, and galleries are popular.
2. Daylesford’s cultural background
Victoria’s best eateries and cafes can be found here in the historic stone and red brick cottages of Vincent St, the main thoroughfare through town. The area attracted Swiss-Italian migrants in the 1850s who brought distinctive architecture and gastronomic influences that still exist today.
3. Best things to do in Daylesford
Dig into the amazingly beautiful Convent Gallery
Some of Australia’s best exhibits may be found at the Convent Gallery, a center for art and design, is located.
The Convent was a 19th-century private mansion built during the Gold Rush era. It later served as a convent and boarding school for girls before being acquired in 1988 and transformed into the current gallery, cafe, store, and museum. It is perched on a hill overlooking Daylesford and the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens.
The Convent was dubbed “the most beautiful gallery in Australia”. It also has eight different exhibition spaces where local and foreign artists working in a range of media and genres present their works. There is always something fresh and enjoyable to discover there because the curriculum is changed every six to eight weeks.
Past the streets of Daylesford
In many respects, exploring Daylesford’s colorful Vincent St. and its surroundings is like exploring a living museum.
Besides, pre-colonial, colonial, and more recent histories have all played out here. So just enjoying the atmosphere of the main avenue with its old structures and hip cafes and galleries are worthwhile while you’re here.
The Town Hall and the Post Office were constructed in the late 1800s during the successful gold rush. They are also just two examples of the many historic structures available to people interested in history.
- Interesting post 6 Oldest Cities And Towns In Australia That You Should Know
Walk around Daylesford lake
Since Daylesford has a reputation for serving high-quality gourmet food, it’s safe to assume that you’ll be indulging quite a bit while there.
A stroll around Daylesford Lake is the ideal diversion for travelers wishing to unwind in a beautiful setting with some fresh air after a hearty meal.
Locals searched for a body of water around the major town and decided to build the lake in 1929. Daylesford Lake is quite gorgeous despite being artificial, though!
The lake can be walked around in approximately 45 minutes, and the jetty is a great place to relax and enjoy a picnic. Additionally, there are meals available in the Boathouse cafe, and you may rent paddle boats on the lake.
Sunday market in Daylesford
Nothing compares to a genuine Australian country market, and the Daylesford Sunday Market most certainly does not fall short in this regard.
Huge elm trees provide shade for the assortment of stalls, which sell anything from excellent homemade goods to amusing trinkets and trash-to-treasure, as well as all the tiny handicrafts you didn’t know you needed. Wander about, take in the scenery, and savor this glimpse into rural Victorian life.
For those who enjoy steam engines, the market is also situated close to the historic railway, and on Sundays, historic trains run from there to Bullarto.
Relax at the Swiss-Italian Lavandula farm
A small piece of Europe with exquisitely maintained gardens and groves and attractive stone houses bordered by unassuming cobblestone courtyards may be found ten minutes drive north of Daylesford, down a Poplar-lined path painted autumn gold, and through a rustic country gate.
The 6-acre property served as a fairy farm for more than four generations. It was constructed in the 1850s by Italian-Swiss immigrants in the classic style of homes in Ticino, Switzerland. The structures have been painstakingly and faithfully restored to their prior splendor since the farm was acquired by the present owner, Carol White, some 30 years ago.
A beautiful Mediterranean experience may be had at Lavandula right in the middle of Victoria. For additional inspiration, view our guide to the Swiss-Italian Lavandula farm!
Travel the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens
The picturesque Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens were first established in the 1860s, utilizing rare and unique species, and are a well-liked destination in Daylesford throughout the year.
The 10-acre gardens, which are perched atop the omnipresent Wombat Hill, an extinct volcano that can be seen from pretty much every angle in Daylesford, are a beautiful place for a leisurely stroll, to take in views of Daylesford or to enjoy a romantic picnic in lovely natural surroundings.
For the best views of the area, visitors can also climb the Pioneers Memorial Lookout Tower. They can also drive or walk around the beautiful drive track, which was originally designed for horses and carts but is now accessible to our more contemporary “steeds.”
If all the touring has made you hungry, stop by the Wombat Hill House Cafe nearby, which was recently transformed from a tiny house built in 1948 for the head gardener into a hip cafe (more on this in the “Where to Eat” section below!).
Go on an Animus Distillery gin flight
The Animus Distillery is a must-stop for a drink when you’re in the Daylesford region. It was established by 4 friends who have a passion for gin, fresh ingredients, and sustainable manufacturing (the distillery is actually 30 minutes drive away in Kyneton).
How does lemon myrtle or bush tomato sound as native Australian botanicals? That’s how Animus creates their premium small-batch, handcrafted Aussie gin. Using traditional ingredients from Southeast Asia to create distinctive, dang wonderful flavors.
Thick leather couches and copper stills give the cellar door’s cocktail bar a contemporary industrial feel. Gin tastings can be sampled or unwind with a locally sourced charcuterie board and one of their expertly created cocktails.
Drink wine at Passing Clouds Winery
Spending a day in the vineyards is a must-do activity on any vacation to a rural culinary hotspot, and Passing Clouds Winery, which is only a short drive from Daylesford center, is a perfect place to accomplish that.
Passing Clouds, a second-generation vineyard, is a family business, and this is evident in all of their products, especially in the dining area where their spit-roasted meats and fresh veggies, bread, and salads bring to life the image of enjoying a rustic communal meal with loved ones.
Passing Clouds is all about conserving the flavors of the landscapes around them through a small, largely artisanal approach to their winemaking—the results of which you may enjoy during a wine tasting at their Cellar Door!
4. How to get to Daylesford
Daylesford, like many locations in Victoria, is best reached by automobile. Daylesford is a 1.5-hour trip west of Melbourne via the Tullamarine expressway, the Hume, Calder, or Western highways.
You shouldn’t have any trouble locating the path because it is fairly well-marked. Once there, there is a fantastic network of back roads that wind through the countryside to the main attractions.
As an alternative, the region is also served by various train lines run by the rural train service V/Line.
5. When is the best time to visit Daylesford?
Daylesford, 616 meters above sea level, typically has lower temperatures than Melbourne.
- Spring (September to November): The weather is consistently good, ranging from 8 to 22 degrees C. The optimum time to travel is also then.
- Summer (December to February): Melbourne has temperatures ranging from 20 to 37 degrees Celsius. These months provide hot, dry weather to the city.
- Autumn (March to May): As the weather cools off a bit and stays between 15 and 24 degrees C, autumn becomes pleasant.
- Winter (June to August): Winters can get fairly chilly when the temperature drops to just 1 degree Celsius and occasionally much lower. About 850mm of snow falls on average each year.
