The Block 2025: An exclusive behind-the-scenes of this year's Daylesford show with co-creator Julian Cress

Twenty-one is a huge milestone and often celebrated with an open bar tab and long-winded speech from your childhood best friend, but for The Block’s 21st season, the show is celebrating with a trip to Daylesford – and Domain scored an exclusive invite to the set. 

Sitting down with Julian Cress, The Block’s co-creator and executive producer, it’s hard not to share his energy and enthusiasm for the upcoming season. 

The Block 2025 recently started filming at a sprawling new site in Daylesford, a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, and Cress hints this could be the best season yet. 

“We’re only a few weeks into the show, but I think that we’ve chosen some of the most competitive and talented contestants we’ve ever had, and the quality of the rooms they’re producing is going to get Block fans very excited,” he says. 

This is the first time the show has been located in a country town.  

“We did do a semi-rural series in Gisborne a few years back, but they were 10-acre properties,” Cress says. “The vibe of this show is it’s a country town, and we’re very much a part of that country town.” 

Setting up Australia’s favourite televised construction site in Daylesford has long been on the co-creator’s wishlist, and the fact that the show has finally arrived in town is not something Cress takes lightly. 

“The homes that we’re building are going to be the gateway to Daylesford,” he says. “They’re going to be the first five houses people see when they are driving into Daylesford into the future. 

“That’s a responsibility we’re taking very seriously. Getting the houses right was a big part of it; we spent a lot of time working on the design of each of the homes.” 

The Block site for this year’s show is Middleton Field, a new housing development by Hygge Property a short walk from town. 

Daylesford was an obvious choice for Cress for its thriving local community, amenities and glorious natural backdrop. 

“People get really involved in the community, they have street parades every year, it’s fun and it’s a really good fun place to be,” he says. 

While The Block is in town – and it truly is in town, with most of the crew also temporarily calling Daylesford home for the three-month shoot – the production is rallying to support the local community. 

“We’re getting as involved as we can in the community,” Cress says. “We’re taking on some community projects along the way, and getting the contestants to do some stuff that they’re really excited about, too.”  

This year’s teams are Britt and Taz, Emma and Ben, Han and Can, Robby and Mat, and Sonny and Alicia. 

“We’ve got people here who have applied to be on the show seven years in a row, and they finally got on this year,” Cress says. 

“When they apply to be on The Block, they don’t really know where they’re going to end up, and they’re all really enjoying having this country town backdrop.”

Cress says this year the contestants will also live in caravans, a departure from previous seasons where contestants live in the house they’re renovating. 

“These aren’t your regular caravans, either – they are by a company called Titanium and they are serious, serious caravans,” he says. 

“It’s been great for the contestants’ general wellbeing just to be able to switch off and be with their neighbours at the end of a long day.” 

Another addition to the show is a new partnership with hardware retailer Bunnings. 

“There isn’t much you can’t get from Bunnings if you want it,” Cress says. 

“They are a great addition for us and just pulled out all stops to support us, including putting a full-size 40-foot container shop on our site.”

If a contestant needs a hammer in a jiffy, they are seconds away from a curated edit of Bunnings’ tools, hardware and gardening supplies. 

The latter is very convenient, considering Cress predicts the quality of the gardens will be key to snatching victory this year. 

“I would say the couple, in my opinion, that will win the show this year will probably be the team that produces the best garden,” he says. 

“One thing about Daylesford when you look around is that everyone prizes their gardens. It’s a town of flowers and beautiful trees and great landscaping, and people take it really seriously.”

Daylesford’s house-proud reputation was another drawcard for the production. 

“When you think of country towns and real estate in the same sentence, Daylesford would have to be right up there on the top of that list,” Cress says. 

“People who own homes in Daylesford are very passionate about them.” 

The key to contestants doing well this season is paying attention to the town’s visual DNA and nuances within the local property market, he adds.

Daylesford’s median house price is $850,000, according to Domain data.

“The challenge for the contestants is twofold,” Cress says. “One, they have to come up with a style that suits Daylesford and appeals to a buyer here – which is a very interesting challenge because Daylesford has a very specific but eclectic appearance. It’s aspirational and not cookie-cutter. 

“The other big challenge for them is that the houses here are all identical.”

How does this set the contestants up for judging?

“It’s apples for apples for apples for apples – and that will be great for the audience to see – but if you want to win, you have to make a toffee apple.” 

Domain is the official property partner of The Block, and the new season will be on our screens in the second half of 2025.