Synonymous with mineral baths, the hill town near Lake Daylesford had its origins back in 1857 when the Victorian gold rush started not far away in 1851, bringing Chinese, Swiss and Italians into the area seeking their fortune. The gold soon dried up, but the Hepburn mineral springs of the surrounding 450-million-year-old volcanic basin didn't, and it is these springs that attract the town's visitors today.
A short drive from Melbourne, the town of Daylesford is not only known for its springs and mineral waters, but is a perfect destination for spas and massages. The town is known as hosting some of the best bodywork therapists in Australia. Expect a wide range of treatments such as facials, remedial, deep tissue massage, Ayurvedic, shiatsu and lomi lomi.
Daylesford boasts a variety of accommodation, from luxury 5-star wellness retreats and guest houses with in-house spas, through to budget accommodation seeking to visit the area but not seeking romantic getaway or a session of relaxing massage.
Lake Daylesford, created in 1929 from abandoned Chinese market gardens
Daylesford still maintains the character of early swiss-italian miners and, with its high rainfall, has a constant lush green look. All of which lends itself to a relaxing or romantic getaway. If you find yourself here on a Sunday, make a beeline for the popular Daylesford Sunday Market where you can dig through other people’s things to find your own treasures. Daylesford Farmer’s Market is also interesting, selling all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables. Daylesford is aloso recgnised as being home to some of Victoria's best regional restaurants.
If pampering isn't your thing, you can always grab a quad bike and head off through the mud in a 730-hectare pine plantation beside Wombat State Forest, 15 minutes' drive from Daylesford. You can also go trout fishing at Tuki, a 20-minute drive from Daylesford, on a traditional sheep-grazing property and trout farm with six ponds full of trout to catch and take away with you.
