Sailors Falls near Daylesford

By on Dec 7, 2011 in Food and Wine, Weekend Getaway |
Deep Creek Spring and Sailors Falls

The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860sSailors ‘jumping ship’ at Port Phillip Bay presented an enormous problem for ship owners in the gold rush years. Thousands took off inland – often entire crews with their captain. The lure of the gold fields was infinitely more attractive than poor wages, harsh conditions and hazardous voyages. In his evidence to the Gold Reward hearings in 1864, the holder of the first gold diggers licence at Daylesford, F. Kawerau, told the board that “shortly after we arrived there, a party of sailors arrived and found in a creek, called after them afterwards Sailors Creek, very good payable gold.”

 
Deep Spring at Eganstown

Deep Spring is just outside Eganstown on the road from Daylesford to Ballarat. The creek flowing through the reserve marks the boundary between the shires of Creswick and Daylesford and Glenlyon. It also marks the western limit of the first John Egan’s Corinella Pre-emptive Right. John Egan was one of the first settlers in the Daylesford district. He obtained the lease for his run in 1848 and his family has lived there ever since.

The Pump House

The Deep Spring Pump House at Deep Creek - EganstownAs the area became more widely settled, the Deep Creek Spring Reserve was soon established as a popular picnic spot. There is an exceptionally good mineral spring issuing from the creek. This was commercially bottled locally from the 1920s and later by O.T. Limited, a Melbourne company who leased land from the Egan family to build the pump house which is still in use.

Corinella Mineral Spring

The Egan land includes another popular spring, the Corinella Mineral Spring. It is located alongside the old catholic cemetery where many early pioneers are buried. One of the more colourful parish priests at Eganstown insisted that this mineral water was the best in the district as it “always has plenty of body in the water”.

Pleasure parties at Sailors Falls

Land at Sailors Falls was initially set aside as a water reserve. It was a popular spot with “pleasure parties and other people from the colonies”. In the 1880s the local congregation of the Bible Christian Denomination requested permission to build a church on top of the falls between the two creeks. Permission was refused but the church was built anyway. It was finally pulled down in 1982. In 1983 the Mineral Springs Advisory Committee expanded the area of the reserve and built barbecue and picnic shelters.

Sailors Falls

Sailor's Falls, about 8 km south on the Daylesford-Ballan Rd, cascade for 30 m down a steep gorge into a fern-lined creek.These glorious falls of approx 30m in height break over the top in 2 separate locations. The falls are believed to be named after a group of sailors who jumped ship in the 1850s to seek their fortune in the gold rush.

Situated in an area that was once mined for gold, Sailor’s Falls lie about 8 km south on the Daylesford-Ballan Rd, via Daylesford-Ballan Road after taking the Daylesford exit from the freeway.

The falls cascade for 30 m down a steep gorge into a fern-lined creek. There are picnic facilities and electric barbecues. A short loop walk takes in the area’s mineral springs or you can follow the orange trail markers and signposts to Twin Bridges (6.5 km). There is car access, toilets and mineral springs.

Sailors Falls are in Hepburn Regional Park, which is nestled around the famous mineral springs townships of Daylesford, Hepburn and Hepburn Springs. Access is via The Tipperary Walking Track runs from picturesque Lake Daylesford to the Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve, following Sailors Creek and Spring Creek through foothill forest for most of the way. 

Tipperary Walking Track

The Tipperary Walking Track explores Hepburn Regional Park. It is quite an easy and well-signposted course. 16.7 km in all, it can be broken into shorter sections. If you are keen for a challenge, walk along the length of the track which takes five hours one way!

From the outlet of Lake Daylesford it leads through Central Springs Reserve and along Wombat Creek. Cross the footbridge at the carpark to return to the lake or cross the highway to Twin Bridges picnic area.

Tracks then follow both banks of Sailor’s Creek north to Tipperary Springs (which can be accessed by car along Tipperary Rd which heads off the Midlands Highway). The spring itself is located near the footbridge. Panning for gold and garnets is popular here.

Cross the footbridge. You can loop back to Twin Bridges or ascend the steps and follow the signs along the west bank of the creek to Bryces Flat picnic area. You can loop back to Tipperary along the east bank or cross the footbridge and follow the signs north to The Blowhole and Breakneck Gorge veering east to Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve.

Tracing the route of the old water races cut by miners last century, the Tipperary Walking Track passes disused gold fields, mineral springs and stands of deciduous trees that blaze with colour in autumn. Look out for the Blowhole, a tunnel builtin the 1870′s to divert water along a creek bed to allow sluicing for gold. Reward yourself with a relaxing spa and massage at journey’s end in Hepburn Springs.

There are many wonderful walks and trails as well as the Tipperary Track forming a part of the Great Dividing Trail. Check the GDT website for the state of these trails and follow their advice carefully. Track users are warned to be very mindful of potential hazards from flash flooding, fallen trees, erosion and falling branches.

Secret Forest Walks

are four mineral springs, walks, picnic areas and many shady nooks at Sailors Falls near DaylesfordBeautiful and secluded, GPS guided bushwalking is available with Instructor, Brendan Murray and Secret Forest Walks, Daylesford. Secret Forest Walks has developed an innovative and fun Team Building activity located at Sailors Falls Reserve, 5km south of Daylesford.

 The Reserve features picturesque twin waterfalls (seasonal), tall forest, a mineral water spring, toilets and an information shelter. Secret Forest Walks has combined bush walking using hand held GPS units for navigation, with a GPS Treasure Hunt, to create a new and engaging activity for team building.

Designed for up to four groups, with a maximum of ten in each group, participants share the roles of navigator and ‘Treasure Hunters’ as they travel on specially selected tracks in the vicinity of the Falls.

Sailors Falls Estate – “Villas & Vines”

Robert and Margaret McDonald established Sailors Falls Estate in 1999 on a property adjacent to the land Margaret's ancestors lived on in the 1860'sSailors Falls Estate was established in 1999 by Robert & Margaret McDonald. Discover a boutique vineyard with high quality wines which are now featured on the wine lists of many fine dining restaurants in the Hepburn/Macedon area.

Sailors Falls Estate prides itself in the production of high quality hand crafted wines and the provision of luxury accommodation. Spacious self-contained Tuscan style villas are situated in an idyllic environment just 5 minutes from Daylesford.

Enjoy the magnificent natural bush setting and the cellar door sales specialising in cool climate wines like Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer. This is the perfect getaway for lovers of wine and relaxation.


 

Sailors Falls Estate is a great visit while in Daylesford for wine tastingEnjoy rural peace and tranquillity, hand cultured, cool climate wines such as pinot gris, pinot noir, gamay, rose and gewurtraminer. Fine wine at reasonable prices made by well credentialed wine maker Norman Latta (Eastern Peake) are served at the winery a few metres from your villa. Taste fine wine at the cellar door and enjoy fresh oven baked pizza.

Open: 11am to 5pm weekends and public holidays
Other times by appointment

 

Sault Restaurant Daylesford

Stirring memories of regional France, Sault is set against the backdrop of Wombat State Forest, overlooking our own lake amidst fields of lavender.Stirring memories of regional France, Sault is set against the backdrop of Wombat State Forest, overlooking our own lake amidst fields of lavender. Indulge yourself with exquisite modern cuisine prepared with the freshest of regional produce and washed down with the finest of local and international wines.

70 minutes from Melbourne, Sault provides the perfect launch for your gastronomic and indulgence weekend in the beautiful Spa Country.

Named after a lavender producing town north of Marseille, Sault is a fully functional Lavender farm producing sumptuous products to take home as a memento of your relaxing stop off.

Sault Restaurant is set amongst beautiful Lavender fields, with sweeping views across its very own lake, to the Wombat State Forest.Complement your meal with a walk around the lake or a casual game of Petanque on one of our 3 courses. Or merely sit back on our deck and let your thoughts wander amongst the Lavender allowing your recently consumed culinary delights to settle.

Sault is one of Daylesford’s most sought after wedding venues, set amongst picturesque Lavender fields, beautifully manicured acres of garden, and a stunning feature lake. With a fast growing reputation as a Restaurant & Function venue, to guests from all corners of the globe.

Hours of operation are dinner Wednesday from 6pm and brunch, lunch and dinner Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11am – late.

2349 Ballan Daylesford Rd Daylesford 3460
Phone:  (03) 5348 6555      

 

 

Daylesford and The Macedon Ranges

By on Nov 29, 2011 in What's Happening | Leave a Comment
Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges

One hour north-west of Melbourne, the rolling hills and farmland of Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges are dotted with charming towns offering an array of health and beauty treatments, scenic surrounds and gardens, a thriving arts and crafts community and award winning food and wine.

Home to the greatest concentration of naturally occurring mineral springs in Australia and an array of wonderful spa centres, the Daylesford and Hepburn Springs area is noted as a centre for relaxation, health, wellbeing and of course pampering. There are also excellent galleries, antique shops and fine restaurants.

Impressive mansions, striking landscapes and some of Victoria’s finest gardens combine to create the old world ambience of the nearby Macedon Ranges. Tour Mount Macedon’s heritage gardens, explore the 19th century streetscapes of Woodend and Kyneton lined with galleries, antique shops and craft outlets or visit the legendary Hanging Rock, the haunting backdrop to The Picnic at Hanging Rock book and film.

The Macedon Ranges is also a cool-climate wine region known for producing outstanding sparkling wine, pinot noir and chardonnay. There are more than 40 wineries inviting visitors to sample their product and there’s also an abundance of local produce, from tasty meats to wild mushrooms, crisp apples and succulent berries. There are more great cellar doors in and around Sunbury producing excellent shiraz and cabernet.

 

Beautiful photos have been shared of Central Victoria by Flickr members and a group named Central Victoria was created for image sharing. We share these with you here as a gallery.

The Weekender’s Guide to Daylesford

By on Sep 20, 2011 in What's Happening |

Combining Respite and Pleasure during a Weekend in Daylesford is Easy.

We’ve picked out a few of our favourites things to fill two days in spa country.

By Caroline Clements, 3rd June 2011, from http://www.broadsheet.com.au

Daylesford snow cover from Wombat Hill in 2007As the urban sprawl spreads further north, the distance between the city and your weekend destination seems less and less of an obstacle. Daylesford is only 90 minutes away and if you skip around the herds departing the city on Friday night, you’ll be in spa country by dinnertime.

It seems like a wave of city folk have crept further from the Melbourne to find sweet country respite more permanently and, as such, regional Victoria is becoming a more accessible place to stop into, even if only for a night or two. Small business is fast becoming the new retirement and Daylesford, blessed with its countless local producers and small businesses, is one of many pockets of the state that is feeling the influx.

It’s pretty easy to fill your days at this popular weekend spot, but we’ve chosen a few things that will undoubtedly make your two days out of town a treat.

Mineral Spas at Daylesford
For over 150 years the regional Victorian landscape has been luring visitors to its natural mineral springs (there are over 70 of them). Perhaps you’ve filled up a water bottle with murky ‘mineral water’ to take home with you. Drinking this water is said to be beneficial, but simply bathing in it is quite blissful. Hepburn Bath House is definitely one of the key spots. This spa and wellness retreat is set in a small, picturesque valley and offers a host of stunning experiences and facilities, including warm relaxation pools, massage chairs submerged in bubbling water, waterfall showers and a range of treatments. You’ll leave feeling like your floating.

Accommodation
It’s just a short walk back to your private sanctuary if you’re staying across the road at the luxury villas at Hepburn at Hepburn. This is completely extravagant, designed by David Edellman and owned by 8 Hotels, it is certainly a fancy weekend lodgings. But if you’re after something more town-and-country, there are plenty of other, less extravagant options nearby, like a private house up on the hill for two or more, or a cosy bed and breakfast like Lakeleigh. Owner Jean Steiner also owns Peonies & Picnics, a homewares and antiques store in town selling old prints, picnic baskets, crockery and ornamental urns. Sharing a connecting door is Ego’s Culinaria, a small all-day cafe serving sandwiches, salads and baked goods from sausage rolls to lemon meringue pies.

A Perect Drop for Wining and Dining in DaylesfordA Perfect Drop
Just across the road is A Perfect Drop, a stunning wine and food lounge. What looks like a house from the front feels that way on the inside too, and its this comfortable atmosphere that can make lunch (cosied up on a chesterfield) turn into a long afternoon by the fire with a stiff drink. The food is wintery and warm at this time of year, with a seasonal local tasting plate and hearty dishes of rump steak, roast duck, trout from nearby Tuki Trout Farm and locally sourced veggies.

Farmers Arms Hotel
On a wintery night out of town you want to feel as far away from inner city suburbia as possible. The humble Farmers Arms Hotel is a welcome substitute. On any given night the front bar might be full with rowdy locals. Sit up here with a pint of ale before heading out back to the dining room for dinner, though you can also get meals at the bar. The old redbrick building must have been an old RSL or some such and the interior hasn’t changed a great deal, but it’s warm and comfortable. The food is excellent, with sophisticated pub dishes like racks of lamb, pork neck, béarnaise steak and soufflé.

Daytime Cafes – Cliffy’s, Harvest, Chowder House
Other favourite daytime eateries to drop into include Cliffy’s, a cluttered country larder, Harvest cafe, and if you are in Hepburn, check out the Chowder House. This is something straight off a highway in America. Packed full of vinyl-covered chairs around tables, the Chowder House has a diner feel and serves huge bowls of seafood chowder with sweet corn bread on the side. If for no other reason, this place is a great novelty. It’s opposite the Hepburn General Store, which is a cute country milk bar-come-cafe where you can stop in for a loaf of bread or sit down for a sandwich.

Istra Smallgoods
If a picnic sounds more appealing, head to Istra Smallgoods, located in the nearby town of Musk. It is a goldmine. Istra Smallgoods produce a range of cured meat products and supply restaurants and cafes all over Melbourne, but this is the headquarters. Run by a Croatian couple, it also sells large jars of pickles, tinned fish, tubes of liver pate, homemade pasta sauce and an array of Slavic sweets.

Markets
Markets rate highly on a good to-do list for an out-of-towner. Daylesford has this covered. If you’ve got a few hours to kill, venture to The Mill Markets just out of town. This is like the Chapel Street Bazaar, but bigger. In fact, it is Australia’s largest indoor market of antiques and collectables, with over 140 stallholders. Indeed, it’s a trash and treasure market like no other – crammed full with antiques, clothes, furniture, art and books. You’ll find manual meat mincers and plaster sculls next to vintage posters of Raffles Hotel in Singapore in the swing of 1960s British India and roughed African rugs. For an outdoor market selling local wares alongside local grocers selling fruit and veg, eggs and bread, head up to the Daylesford Sunday Market, every Sunday morning. You’ll also pick up locally made soap, woolly knits and cheap bric-a-brac.

Breakfast and Beer DaylesfordCidery/Breakfast & Beer
The Daylesford-Macedon region is also, of course, home to a host of local wineries and breweries. Many of these local producers supply to the restaurants in the area, so it’s not hard to track down a local drop. Daylesford also has a cidery just a couple of kilometres down the road making tradition ‘still’ cider, like they did in England before they had bubbles. But if something effervescent is more appealing, try Breakfast & Beer, a toasty place to relax serving a huge selection of international brews. This cosy two-storey bistro is housed in the oldest freestanding building in town, and despite the name, also serves lunch and dinner with beer at any time of the day.

And when you leave to head back into town, drop by the roadside farmer’s gates. Based on an honesty donation system, local traders sell everything from kangaroo poo to potatoes, apples, honey and eggs. Take something back home with you.

 

 

 

 

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