Many of Daylesford‘s streets are lined with deciduous trees that erupt into a blaze of colour during the autumn season. Many areas of the town supply wonderful views and there is no lack of walking or cycling trails.
There is a special cycling path between Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. A cycling pamphlet with maps is available from the Daylesford Regional Visitor Information Centre at 98 Vincent Street. Telephone 5321 6123.
Local Daylesford Walks
A short walk east of the town centre is the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens which were first established in 1863. They are situated on an extinct volcano and offer good views over the surrounding countryside from its manicured lawns and pathways. The gardens also feature a rotunda, lookout tower and conservatory.
Jubilee Lake is located a couple of kilometres south of Daylesford, constructed in 1860 as a water supply. These days it is a scenic spot idea for fishing, boating and swimming, just a short walk from a mineral spring. A few kilometres further south is Sailor’s Falls – a 30 metre cascade of water into a deep gorge, surrounded by a reserve.
You can find many suggested local walking routes and maps at MapMyWalk and suggested longer cycling routes too. Parks Victoria have produced an excellent Hepburn Regional Park & Mt. Franklin Reserve Visitor Guide which you can download and print from here.
The Great Dividing Trail
The Great Dividing Trail, a community-planned 280km public walking trail following the top of the Great Dividing Range from Bacchus Marsh to Blackwood, Daylesford, Castlemaine, Bendigo, Creswick, Ballarat and Buninyong, allows recreational walkers and tourists the time to savour central Victoria’s unique combination of gold rush heritage and its natural beauty.
The Trail’s completed spokes consist of four major Tracks, each of which in turn are separated into thematic walks that can be easily accessed for day or shorter walks.
1) Lerderderg Track, Bacchus Marsh to Daylesford 71km
2) Wallaby Track, Buninyong to Daylesford 92km
3) Dry Diggings Track, Daylesford to Castlemaine 57km
4) Leanganook Track, Castlemaine to Bendigo 58km.
Originally formed by gold seekers in the 1850s, the Goldfields Track is a point-to-point 210km Track that takes mountain bikers and bushwalkers through some of central Victoria’s most historic towns and beautiful forests. You’ll encounter forests, both natural and man-made, pastoral countryside and singletrack that in some places flows on grippy loam and in others jumps and jags across roots, rock ledges and coarse sandstone.
Since the official launch of the Goldfields Track on 17 May 2011, the three major track sections between Bendigo and Ballarat/Buninyong are collectively referred to as the ‘Goldfields Track’.
What are Rail Trails?
Rail trails are shared-use paths recycled from abandoned railway corridors. They can be used for a range of purposes including walking, cycling and horse riding. There are now rail trails all around Australia and in other countries too. Rail trails link big and small country towns and meander through scenic countryside just as railways did in the past.
Most trails have a gravel or dirt surface suitable for walking, mountain bikes and horses. Some are sealed and are great for touring bikes too. The rails are usually removed when a railway is closed, but remnants of the past such as railway cuttings and bridges still remain.
Following the route of the railways, they cut through hills, under roads, over embankments and across gullies and creeks. Apart from being great places to walk, cycle or horse ride, rail trails are linear conservation corridors protecting native plants and animals. They often link remnant vegetation in farming areas and contain valuable flora and fauna habitat.
Domino Trail – Trail Description
Location: Wombat State Forest, Daylesford, 105km from Melbourne
Start – End: Trentham to Lyonville
Length open: 4km
Surface: Gravel/dirt
Description
The trail follows part of the route of the former Carlsruhe to Daylesford Railway. From the picturesque country town of Trentham the trail passes through the habitat of the endangered Powerful Owl.
Sign boards along the trail explain the history of the area. A loop walk has been created at Doctors Creek or you can continue along the railway formation which stops a kilometre before Lyonville at this time. (last updated Jan 2008)
Contact Trentham Tourist Information Outlet in Victoria St on 03 5424 1178
Great Divide Rail Trail – Trail Description
Location: Wombat State Forest, Daylesford, 110km from Melbourne
Start-End: Leonards Hill to Wombat
Length open: 4km
Surface: Dirt
Description
This trail follows a short section of the former Ballarat – Daylesford railway which is now also part of the Great Dividing Trail (GDT), a marked route from Ballarat to Daylesford and beyond. There is lots of good cycling and walking in this area using forest tracks, the GDT and former timber tramways.
Two short sections of this trail are avilable for mountain bikes or walking. They are Wombat to Leonards Hill, and another short section from Jubilee Lake. (last updated Jan 2008).
See Rail Trails of Victoria and South Australia for a much more detailed map. The maps in the book include all trail access points, facilities along the trail and gradient profiles. Please email admin@railtrails.org.au
Spa Country Bike Tour
Ride from Malmsbury to Ballarat, staying overnight at the spa town of Hepburn Springs
It’s almost worth doing this ride just for the chance to visit the excellent Malmsbury Bakery in Mollison St. The Malmsbury Bakery has been established 21 years and is open daily from 7.00am till 5.00pm. A full range of home made pies, pasties, quiches and sausage rolls together with beautiful muffins, slices, cakes, tarts, hand made biscuits, sour dough breads. Plus other local products.
It’s also a magnificent ride through the bush and farmlands of the area. It’s fairly short for a weekend ride at 85km with the first day being only 35km but that gives you plenty of time to explore the attractions of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs.
Sights of Malmsbury
The Malmsbury VLine station is situated on the road to Daylesford so it’s possible to start your tour by turning left without going into Malmsbury at all. Malmsbury Railway Station was constructed in 1862 by Robert Turnbull & Co, on the Melbourne-Echuca Line, for the Victorian Railways.
However, most people will want to turn right from the station and head a kilometre or so down the highway to see this historic town.
Even if bakeries aren’t your thing, it’s worth visiting Malmsbury for the old bluestone architecture, the Tin Shed Art Gallery (75 Mollison St Malmsbury Ph: 54232144) or the Malmsbury Botanic Gardens from where you can admire the magnificent railway viaduct. Constructed of rusticated and finely dressed bluestone, it is the largest masonry bridge in Victoria, and when completed in 1862, it was Australia’s longest stone bridge.
When you’re ready to leave, head back up the highway towards the station and take the road to Daylesford. It’s a slightly undulating though quite easy ride mainly through farmland. In the spring time there is a green and gold patchwork of grazing country, wheat and canola fields. You pass through a few small towns before arriving in Daylesford but the only one of any interest is Glenlyon.
This has a general store with the usual supplies. It has a small café attached and the couple running it make their own cakes, muffins and bread. You probably won’t need to carry lunch on the first day as the ride is so short, but if you want to stop somewhere, Glenlyon is the place.
Stopping at Hepburn Springs
There is much to do in Daylesford and most people will want to spend some time looking around the town before heading north to Hepburn Springs. There is a YHA hostel at Hepburn Springs which is a good place to stay for the night. There are a lot of walking tracks and the famous springs themselves to explore once you arrive.
You will need to carry lunch with you on the second day as there is nowhere to buy anything between Daylesford and Ballarat. Leave Hepburn Springs and ride back down towards Daylesford. There is a Sunday market on from 9am which generally attracts a lot of visitors.
Wombat State Forest
When ready to leave Daylesford, follow the signs south towards Ballan. Don‘t follow the signs to Ballarat as this would take you along the Ballarat–Daylesford Rd which has considerably more traffic than the Ballan Rd. There is a reasonable climb for most of the first six or seven kilometres from Daylesford but it isn’t very steep. You can stop off at Sailors Falls part way up where there is a picnic area and a walking track to a mineral spring.
After the top of the climb, you are rewarded by a mostly downhill run into Ballarat. You need to turn off the Ballan Rd on to Spargo Creek Rd at Spargo Creek. Be careful not to miss it as you are screaming down the hill. The Mineral Springs Hotel is on the left just before the turn.
You are now entering the Wombat State Forest. This is a tall open eucalypt forest containing over 100 different wildflower and orchid varieties. Upon leaving the forest, the road skirts Moorabool Reservoir. Navigation may look a bit tricky here but it’s not – just follow the sealed road around. You will soon come to a crossroad where you turn right on Springbank Rd towards Pootilla. At Pootilla, join the main Ballarat–Daylesford Rd for the final run into Ballarat. This road can be quite busy but there is a sealed shoulder which you can ride in.
Turn right on to Humffray St just after riding underneath the Western Fwy overpass for a quiet road into the centre of Ballarat.
