Daylesford is a popular spa town and a great way of escaping the busy rush of the cities. It is also a great place to stop and relax along your long travels around Australia. Just north of Daylesford is Hepburn Springs, where you will find plenty of mineral springs in the reserve. You can also make the well worth visit to the Hepburn Spa Resort.
Daylesford reflects the character of their earliest heritage when Swiss-Italian miners and other immigrants settled here and people travelled from afar to “take the waters”. Prior to European settlement the area is thought to have been occupied by the Djadja Wurrung Aborigines. The first European settler in the area in 1838 was Captain John Hepburn.
The natural beauty of the area and its period character have drawn a widening artistic community, providing visitors and the community with performing and visual arts by artists of national and international status.
There are some beautiful lakes around the town, including Jubilee Lake and Lake Daylesford, where you can hire boats to have fun on the water. Also beautiful is the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, which offer spectacular views from the top. There are also some great walks around town and the local area, and an interesting Historical Society Museum you can visit.
Daylesford also holds a market every Sunday at the train station which is quite good. There is a selection of accommodation and some stylish eating places.
There are also some great attractions including: a collection of heritage Victorian Railways railmotors, Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, Sister George Productions unique textiles studios, Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm and The Convent Gallery.
Daylesfords hosts some great little events such as: the Boite Singers Festival, the Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields Festival of Fine Music, Lavandula's Lavender Harvest Festival, Autumn Harvest Festival and The ChillOut festival.