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A chilled weekend at Daylesford

Day 1 - Arrive

  • Winery

  • Stock up and rest

Day 2 - Hike

  • Breakfast

  • Hikes

Day 3 - Rest

  • Spa/Hot springs

  • Lavendar farm

Day 4 - Depart

  • High tea

  • Depart

DAY 1 - ARRIVE

1. Leave from Melbourne

Depart Melbourne at 10.30am

Arrive at Passing Clouds 12.00pm

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Note:

Drive from Melbourne is about 1.5 hours

Passing clouds is 7 minutes from Daylesford

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2. Lunch at Passing Clouds Winery

30 Roddas Lane, Musk, VIC, 3461

Stay for the Pinot and friendly staff! What sets them apart is the simple charcoal fire pit to cook their meals.

 

The menu tends to change but what you will usually get is:

  • Start - charcuterie and sliced salami

  • Main - slow cooked meat of the day plus seasonal sides (we had the chicken)

  • Something sweet or cheese to finish

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Also, summer months the Caravino is open where you can purchase platters and wines and have the best picnic ever!

3. Stock up at Winespeake

Shop 4, 26 Vincent Street, Daylesford, VIC 3460

This place has all your wine and platter needs! this is a cellar + deli. You can take away or also dine in. Most of the tables are for walk-ins which is great!

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Note:

Passing clouds is 8 minutes away from Winespeake

DAY 2 - HIKE

1. Breakfast at Pancho

117 Vincent St, Daylesford VIC 3460

This place was busy and I can understand why! Very attentive and pleasant staff, great coffee and food! I got my coffee from here almost everyday! Walk-ins only. I recommend dining at the cute little courtyard at the back of the café.

2. Go For a Hike

  • Hepburn Regional Park

  • Castlemaine Digging National Heritage Park

There is lots of hiking routes to chose from.  I did not think it was that scenic but it does the job to get the blood pumping

We did 2 hikes:

1. Jacksons lookout and Golden Springs walls. More information head to the following website and choose your own adventure! https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/hepburn-regional-park/things-to-do/walking-in-hepburn-regional-park

2.Garfield Wheel and Northern Castlemaine Diggings (30 minutes away from Daylesford) More information head to the following website and choose your own adventure!  https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/castlemaine-diggings-national-heritage-park

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3. Have a chilled night in!

At your humble abode​

There is nothing worse than going on a holiday or a getaway only to realise you did not get the rest and recuperation! If you are anything like me, the constant need to always be 'productive' will eventually burn you out. So schedule a night in!

DAY 3 - REST

1. Lavender farm

350 Hepburn-Newstead Rd, Shepherds Flat VIC 3461

Just 10 minuets from Daylesford, this is a picturesque Swiss Italian lavender farm. Have breakfast here than stroll around the gorgeous vicinity. You can also bring your own picnic to enjoy in the gardens!

Note: There is a gate fee per adult of AUD 5. It is also pet friendly so you can bring you fur buddy!

2. Hot springs and Spa day!

Mineral Springs Reserve Road
Hepburn Springs VIC 3461

Once you've had a delicious brekky and taken a stroll at the Lavender farm, it is then time to further calm your senses with a spa day! Especially after the hike you had the day before!

Check out Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa for your all your pampering needs : https://www.hepburnbathhouse.com/

If you just want to do a soak, book the SANCTUARY MINERAL BATHHOUSE for 90 mins - AUD 110 per person

You get:

  • Bathhouse access

  • Steam room

  • Salt and magnesium pool ( MY FAVE!)

  • Cool down pool (more like freeze your balls and tits pool! can never do this one)

  • Creekside pool (hottest pool there of approximately 38 degrees Celsius)

  • Mineral Hammam room ( it is basically a sauna)

(Note: there is a cheaper option of AUD55 dollars and it give you access to 2 pools. I recommends to not do this. the second pool is barely even a pool.)

If you want a pamper session for you and your buddy/mate/partner etc, check out all their spa packages and pick one that suits you!

I did the DAY RETREAT PACKAGE - AUD 295 per person

You get:

  • Everything mentioned in the Sanctuary Mineral Bathhouse (above)

  • Hepburn Wellness Massage or Day Retreat Facial (60min) - picked the massage obviously!

  • Regional tasting platter (This platter was very sad. The dining location was a public cafe and you can dine in the tiny cafe or at the public pavillion next to it. This was probably the biggest disappointment. The platter was good but not sure if it was 'Regional' or shopped at from Coles. See images below )

Regional Tasting platter

I meant the platter was not bad, but I did not think we were tasting produce from the region.....

Regional platter

You get to choose a choice of tea, coffee, bubbles, wine....we chose bubbles!

The view

You could sit either in the cafe (which was very tiny and also a public cafe) or this dusty/old pavillion... There were no seats inside the cafe at the time and it was too hot to sit outside...the pavillion it was!

DAY 4 - DEPART

1. Brunch at The Convent Daylesford

7 Daly St, Daylesford VIC 3460

Have high tea here! I had the 2 hour experience for AUD80 per person. The room you dine in is stunning and the food was delicious! three tiers if sweet and savoury treats. YOU MUST STOP HERE!

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Once you are done, then stroll the beautiful gallery on site. This building has been around since the 19th century and was a convent and boarding school. It has been beautifully restored and is now also used as a gallery and for functions.

Note: AUD 10 for admissions for adults (if you book the high tea, the admission fee is included)

More information : https://conventgallery.com.au/

2. Depart back to Melbourne

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