Daylesford: Itching for a tree change? This gold-rush town ticks the boxes

The charming town of Daylesford moves at a slow pace, but there’s a slim chance of ever getting bored with the number of parks and spas at your doorstep. It’s also home to culinary gems on par with the city’s best, in part thanks to a history of small-scale farming. When you are missing the action, Melbourne is just a 90-minute drive away.

Starting off as a gold rush town in the 1850s, Daylesford also saw an influx of Swiss-Italian migrants in that period who brought with them interesting architectural influences (including its quaint stone farm buildings) and a love for food. It wasn’t until 15 years later – when the nearby Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve was created – that Daylesford became the “spa country” we know it as now.

A bathhouse was built at the Reserve in the 1890s; today, it boasts an aroma steam room, a salt and magnesium pool and outdoor bathing. There are several mineral springs and spas across the region now, but the most luxurious one can be found at serene six-acre hotel The Lake House. Soak in a mineral treetop tub overlooking Lake Daylesford before enjoying a signature massage. If you’re hungry, make a reservation at its award-winning restaurant for multi-course meals featuring inventive dishes.

Or head to a clutch of other dining spots. At the top of the list is Bar Merenda, a cosy wine bar with local produce at the heart of everything it does. The daily-changing menu is chalked up on a blackboard (past standouts have included duck liver parfait on brioche and whey-braised lamb) and the wine list is impressive. There’s also neighbourhood French restaurant Bistro Terroir serving classic steak frites and creamy mushroom vol-au-vents, and popular Italian restaurant Beppe slinging woodfired pizza – including capricciosa, barbeque chicken and a classic margherita – and serving tiramisu. For a long lunch with creative plates and an unbeatable view, don’t miss the Boathouse Restaurant on the banks of Lake Daylesford.

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The picturesque town is equally a wine lover’s haven. Locals are fans of Winespeake, a cellar and deli in the centre of town with a focus on minimal intervention bottles. (It also has the best window seats for people-watching.) There are several other wineries close to town including Passing Clouds Winery in Musk. Here you can sip on chardonnay and pinot noir before heading outside to see grapes being hand-pressed and fermented in French oak or stainless steel barrels. A little further afield is urban winery Musk Lane Wine, known for its small-batch vino and lo-fi drops.

Beyond eating, drinking and relaxing, Daylesford is also home to prominent galleries, such as Bromley & Co and Bokeh Handmade Gallery, tiny antique shops and carefully curated fashion boutiques for leisurely browsing. Those who love a crisp morning stroll usually find themselves at the charming Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens (which were built upon a dormant volcano), or scenic Lake Daylesford.

Agent lens

with Kim McQueen from McQueen Real Estate

What are your favourite luxury features?

Daylesford and its surroundings are located in a beautiful, cool-climate part of Victoria. Perhaps the most extravagant things I’ve seen in homes in our region are the most beautiful gardens – ones that have been passed down through generations, tended for decades, matured and fastidiously maintained with much care. Long sweeping driveways lined with trees and lush gardens. One of the most extravagant would have to be the internal garden at The Long House – the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture. Thriving within a 130-metre shed-like home, its remarkable garden includes avocado trees, ranges of citrus and other flourishing plant life.

For sale in Daylesford

$2,495,000

33A West Street, Daylesford VIC 3460

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This architectural masterpiece blends space, style and leisure, redefining modern living against Wombat Hill’s scenic backdrop. Open-plan interiors seamlessly connect to terraces and a Plungie pool, ideal for entertaining or relaxation. Natural timber and stone finishes enhance the interiors, while floor-to-ceiling windows invite abundant sunlight. Plus, enjoy a premium Smeg kitchen, a Vintec wine fridge, ducted air conditioning and solar power.