Welcome to Daylesford, The Spa Capital of VIC
Image Credit: LakeHouse Daylesford
How to spend a weekend in Daylesford
Rich with history, healing, expansive fields, wildflowers, wineries and mountain ranges, Daylesford, just 1.5 hours north-west of Melbourne offers a beautiful destination for a girls getaway!
Long considered a special place of healing and ‘Victoria’s Spa Capital,’ the town is an oasis of calm where luxurious spa retreats, fields of lavender and charming boutique cottages are set amongst acres of fairytale rural landscapes.
Besides the town’s mineral waters and retreat-style activities, Daylesford and Hepburn also boast a great foodie hub, with an array of old-fashioned cafes, delicious restaurants with locally produced food to a multitude of fine dining options. The nature that surrounds the regional town is another aspect of its striking appeal. From national parks, botanical gardens, farms, lakes & wildlife - Daylesford really does tick all the boxes for a relaxing and enriching getaway experience.
So if you’re feeling enticed to spend a weekend in Daylesford for your next girls trip, we’ve done the research for you and designed the perfect getaway packages linked below, all paying homage to a certain part of Daylesford’s beauty.
Otherwise, read on for our guide of the best things to see and do, and the best places to eat in Daylesford.
Things to see & do in Daylesford:
When Daylesford is involved, we can’t help but talk about wellness… I mean who doesn’t love to indulge in a spa experience and treat your body?
Two of the wellness & spa facilities we include in our packages are; Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa, and The Spa at Lake House Daylesford. Knowing that Hepburn Springs & Daylesford area is home to over 100 natural mineral springs, had us look into the history and benefits of the mineral water.
Rich in magnesium, calcium and silica, among other minerals, the region's springs are believed to cure all sorts of afflictions, from acne to arthritis. By the early 1800s, the locals were aware of these health benefits and lobbied the local council to halt sluicing for gold to protect the water. That lead to the creation of the Mineral Springs Reserve in 1865 and, in 1895, the Hepburn Bathhouse was built.
The Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa is a historic spa, that has been around since 1895, is today a thoroughly modern affair, with communal bathing (swimming costumes are mandatory) in the mineral relaxation pool and salt therapy pool, as well as private tubs in the spa. The complex also includes an outdoor creekside spa pool and a Moroccan-style hammam. The Hepburn area's therapeutic mineral springs are rich in potassium, magnesium, silica and chloride. Drawing mineral-rich waters directly from the natural source, this iconic bathhouse reconnects you with an array of mineral wellness experiences including indulgent 100% pure private mineral baths and a selection of specifically designed wellness packages. The Spa at Lakehouse, using mineral waters in their treatments, has you indulging at one of the most luxury resorts in Daylesford, packaged with massage and pamper therapies to leave you feeling utterly reset.
One of the attractions that everyone raves about, is the beautiful Convent Gallery. Daylesford is a hub for art and design in Australia, and the Convent Gallery is where some of its finest displays can be found.
Nestled on a hill overlooking Daylesford and the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens, the Convent was once a 19th-century private mansion during the Gold Rush era and has since seen lives as a convent and boarding school for girls, before its 1988 purchase and conversion into the current gallery, cafe, store, and museum.
Described as ‘the most beautiful gallery in Australia’, The Convent houses eight different exhibition spaces and features local and international artists producing art in a variety of mediums and styles. The program changes every six - eight weeks, so there’s always something new and fun to explore there. Sit down at the cafe, have a coffee or vino and take in the cultural beauty of Daylesford.
For easy access to the convent gallery, stay at Foxglove Villa in our ‘Hillside Vinos & Views’ package, as the beautiful cottage home is situated just down the road from the gallery, on the top of Wombat Hill. The Convent Gallery and it’s gardens are open from 10am till 4pm each day and costs roughly $5 to enter!
Image credit: Visit Victoria archives
Where to Eat & Drink:
We fell in love with Sault Restaurant, the lavender farm extravagance where you could happily sit and explore for an entire day. The restaurant itself is a rural France meets regional Victoria theme, featuring fresh and local produce grown from their expansive kitchen garden, offering a seasonal menu that is constantly changing. Not only can you enjoy a 3 or 7 course chef’s tasting menu here at the restaurant, they also have a beautiful array of cocktails and beverages whilst you stare out the windows at the surround lavender gardens. Talk about dreamy!!
Sault Restaurant, by Carly Yang
We also favour a local favourite, Beppe Bar & Kitchen, getting swept up into Italy with the tall leadlight windows, a striking Italian wood-fired oven, and incredible, pizzas, pastas with a modern take . The restaurant was Inspired by tradition, and pays homage to the strong Italian and general migrant communities in the Daylesford and Hepburn region. One of the incredible experiences they have is a Chef’s Table Experience, a sharing-style feast of antipasto, insalata, risotto, pasta, pizza, secondi & dolce. This isn’t one to miss.
And of course, theres the one-stop-shop that has it all, Cliffy’s Emporium. If we delved into the history of it ( because most places in Daylesford contain alot of history ) ‘Back in the 1950s, Cliffy Hauser’s general store in Daylesford was famous for an extraordinary range of produce, groceries and farm supplies crammed into a rustic timber and corrugated iron building.’ Cliffy’s has maintained it’s character and history and now operates as a homey cafe, deli shop, full of locally produced and farmed goodies. Go and pull up a stool under the verandah and grapevine shade at Cliffy’s emporium, and stock up on all things fresh and homemade.
Image Credit : Visit Victoria.
Theres so much to do in Daylesford and we know that if you choose to getaway here, not only will you be getting away with girlfriends in a stunning country town, we promise you’ll return feeling completely rejuvenated and relaxed in the Spa Capital of VIC!
Lauren
Girls Getaways xx