Formed six million years ago by volcanic action, Hanging Rock is a magical labyrinth where echoes and shadows seem as real as the boulders. It’s easy to see how this breathtaking place has inspired both mythology and literature.

Make the most of your visit:

• Grab a snack or lunch at Hanging Rock Café after your hiking adventure.
• Stop by Hanging Rock Winery, Curly Flat, Hesket Estate or Big Tree Distillery. They are all within 15 minutes of the rock.
• Stay nearby at Fellcroft Farm Stay. It is a stunning retreat designed for two established on a working farm.

Whether it be a facial, massage, yoga session, forest bathe or soak in our mineral spas, we’re the best at providing a place to slow down and take time to care for yourself. Here are our hot tips for ways to rejuvenate –

MASSAGE: Daylesford Massage Healing provide such an array of services from many approaches. Find a treatment that suits you.

FOREST BATHE: Try a little forest bathing – slow, mindful walking taking in the sights, sounds and smells of nature at its best. You’ll feel the stress drop away with each step. Top spots include Mount Franklin, Wombat State Forest and Sanatorium Lake.

MINERAL SPA: Hepburn Bathhouse draw water directly from the natural source, rich in minerals and nutrients for rejuvenation, relaxation and overall wellbeing.

RETREAT: Maiaveda is a holistic wellness destination offering powerfully restorative retreats and luxurious Ayurvedic treatments to help transform health and restore balance.

The longest single-drop waterfall in Victoria, dramatically plunging 32 metres, Trentham Falls was formed five million years ago when rapidly cooling lava flowed along the old Coliban Raver valley.

Make the most of your visit:

• Enjoy lunch in Lyonville at the Radio Springs Hotel. It’s an institution in these parts.
• On the way home, stop in at Spring Hill Nursery for quality plants and gardening supplies.
• Arrange a gin and vodka tasting at Hepburn Distillery’s Lyonville cellar door (appointments only).

Lake Daylesford is the perfect place to relax by the water or go for the 45-minute walk around the lake’s gentle-sloping, tree-lined path, taking in a couple of stops (the jetty is a good one) to soak up the stunning vistas.

What’s Nearby:

• The acclaimed Lake House restaurant, spa and hotel overlooks Lake Daylesford
• Pump our natural mineral water at Wombat Flat and Central Springs

Our cool climate wine region has the coldest growing conditions of mainland Australia. The wine produced reflects the superb conditions, with an emphasis on sparkling wine, shiraz, chardonnay and pinot noir. Choose from more than 30 wineries to visit.

Read more about our wineries:

• Wine Adventurer’s Guide to Lancefield
• 6 of the Best: Wine Producers and Must Try Wines From the Macedon Ranges
• Daylesford Wine Tours
• Young Blood
• Cool Country | Daylesford Winery Tours
• West to East Wine Itinerary

The abundance of mineral springs throughout the region have been lauded for their health benefits for centuries.

Find out more:

• Spring to Life: The Mineral Springs of the Region
• Mineral Water Springs
• Effervescent Elixir: Our Local Mineral Springs

We’re on the doorstep of one of the world’s most renowned cities for food and culture, Melbourne. Our local produce has enticed chefs and entrepreneurs to start something fresh in our neck of the woods. We have Michelin trained and hatted stars.

Here are some hot tips for where to find a bite to eat:

• The Daylesford Region Is Committed to Good Food
• Top 10 + 1 Foodie Experiences in Daylesford and Surrounds
• Best Places for Outdoor Dining Across the Daylesford Macedon Ranges
• Top 8 Breakfast Brunch Spots in Daylesford and Surrounds
• Turn Over a New Leaf: Plant-based and Vegan options

Perched high on the hill overlooking Daylesford, this lovingly restored 19th century mansion is one of Australia’s best regional art experiences. Featuring soaring ceilings, grand archways and six acres of magnificent gardens dotted with sculptures, plus seven galleries, a café, relaxing bar and lounge, restored chapel and two stunning glass fronted function spaces, a visit to The Convent Gallery is unforgettable.

Whether you’re after a gentle stroll or a strenuous hike, we have many options. Explore the Macedon Regional Park, Mount Franklin’s volcanic crater or the beauty and seclusion of the Wombat State Forest.

Here are some walks we’ve recorded for you:

• Black Hill Lower Circuit Track
• Kyneton Campaspe River Walk

No matter the type of riding you’re after, we have the perfect trail, track or quiet road awaiting your adventure. Lakeside meandering, technical single trail, white knuckle downhill and wide-open roads abound.

Here are some rides ready to go:

• Tom’s Track Mountain Bike Loop
• Lerderderg Explorer Bike Ride

Lovers of golf are spoilt for choice, from the magnificent RACV Goldfields Resort Golf Course in Creswick to the bushland setting of the Trentham Golf Course. Our lush region ensures the fairways are green almost all year-round.

Here are some places to take your tee:

• Lawson Lodge Country Estate
• The Grove at Hidden Valley
• RACV Goldfields Resort