The ultimate guide to the Macedon Ranges

Mount Macedon – walk and wine

Quiet, leafy Macedon was originally a gold rush town, then a retreat for wealthy Melburnians, and is now a country village on the base of Mount Macedon's southern slopes.

Start your visit with a coffee from Mount Macedon Trading Post, the much-loved community hub featuring a cafe, general store, and lots of locals. Treat yourself to a hearty breakfast or pick up some sweet treats for later.

Now that you're fuelled up, head to Macedon Regional Park for a 30km total of walking trails around the extinct volcano Mount Macedon, including Sanatorium Lake (a 1.6km lake loop walk), Camels Hump (1.3km hike to the highest point of the Macedon Ranges) and La Gerche Forest Walk (2.2km loop through old-growth plantations). If you're up for a challenge, tackle the 16.6km Macedon Ranges Walking Trail to tick off the Mount Macedon, Camels Hump and Mount Towrong peaks in one go.

Keep an eye out for koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and echidnas. Birds like crimson rosellas, king parrots and gang gang cockatoos can also be found among the eucalyptus, pine and mountain ash trees. On a hot day, cool off with a swim at Macedon Reservoir, a hidden swimming spot accessible from Nursery Road.

If you like gardens, Macedon doesn't disappoint. Duneira Estate offers a grand garden surrounding a colonial hill-station to visitors on select open days. Forest Glade Gardens is acknowledged as one of the most beautiful in Australia. It's open to the public every day from 10am and and houses The Stokes Collection: the largest private art and antiques collection in the southern hemisphere (tour bookings required). To take your own plants home, visit Dicksonia Rare Plants Nursery, run by gardening identity Stephan Ryan.

Garden-lovers should aim to visit during the Bolobek Garden Fair, held annually in early October. If you're more of a foodie, Macedon Village Farmers' Market runs four markets a year on the 5th Saturday of the month (March, May, August and November in 2025). Check their website for dates.

Wine lovers will prefer the Mount Macedon Winery, where you can book a private wine tasting in the luxe Wine Den before enjoying a meal at the Cellar Door Restaurant or at UUMM Restaurant. Mount Towrong Vineyard is also open weekends, with rustic Italian antipasto platters to pair with your small-batch wine tasting.

Finish your visit with a hearty pub meal from Mount Macedon Hotel, which may even be running some live music during your stay.

Daylesford & Hepburn Springs – relax and rejuvenate

The twin towns of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs are known as ‘Spa Country’, since this region has more naturally occurring mineral springs than anywhere else in Australia. Try the springs straight from the source at the Hepburn Springs Mineral Reserve, or relax into hot springs baths at Hepburn Bathhouse.

Nature abounds in Spa Country, from beautiful Lake Daylesford to spectacular Sailors Falls. Visit Jubilee Lake for walking trails, canoe hire and another mineral water spring. Picnic stop an extinct volcano at Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, or wander around the lavendar fields at Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm.

Convent Gallery is a must-see for art lovers, while kids will enjoy a half-day riding the Spa Country Railway. Complete your trip with a visit to The Amazing Mill Markets to browse vintage wares.

Dining options include the rustic cafe Cliffy's Emporium, country pubs including the Farmers Arms and Daylesford Royal Hotel, or rustic Italian at Maria's Trattoria. Head to Daylesford Cider for locally-made cider and pizza, plus the Chocolate Mill for a Belgian chocolate treat.

More: Best things to see, eat and do around Daylesford and Hepburn Springs

Trentham – treat the tastebuds

It’s a tiny town, but your tastebuds will thank you if you make the trip to Trentham.

For some fabulous fare with a French feel, there’s Du Fermier. Based on classic French farmhouse dishes, using produce harvested from her own kitchen garden, chef Annie Smithers serves seasonal dishes that are sometimes plated, sometimes shared, but always sensational.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel is a charming historic pub, but the menu is modern Australian with the finest local and regional produce. A spacious, shaded beer garden allows the kids to free-range while adults wash down their meal with craft beers on tap or local wines. If you prefer an old-school country pub, try Hotel Trentham or The Pig & Whistle Hotel.

For something to take home, RedBeard Historic Bakery is renowned for their handmade organic sourdough bread, which you can watch the artisan bakers make using traditional techniques and baking in a 19th century Scotch oven. They also offer workshops and guided tours and there's a licensed cafe on site.

For wine, head to Wombat Forest Winery to enjoy a glass of wine and seasonal platters by a wood fire or on the deck with views of the forest. 

High Street and Market Street in Trentham are full of beautiful galleries and boutiques (like Marcelle & Mr John). You could also venture to the Old Police Station Precinct to explore an 1866 police station, including a portable cell covered with cheeky inmate carvings.

Trentham Falls is under a five minute drive from town. This is one of the longest single-drop waterfalls in Victoria at around 32m. There's a shady picnic area, a viewing area, and some lovely bush walks.

Hikers and cyclists will both love the Domino Rail Trail, a 12km return walk following the old railway line from the Trentham railway station (not in use) into Wombat Forest.

Wombat State Forest is just a 20 minute drive away, where you can explore plenty of walking trails and mineral springs. Perhaps you'll hike to Colbrook Reservoir for a swim, or try the 5.8km Whipstick Loop Walk that traverses a bushland filled with ferns, moss and mushrooms.

The Garden of St Erth is about a 15 minute drive from Trentham, where you'll be rewarded with a beautiful seasonal garden and historic sandstone cottage. Visit in spring to see swathes of daffodils and hellebores, with plenty of perennial flowers and trees throughout the rest of the year. Pop into the Diggers Garden Shop for heirloom seeds, gardening tools, books and gifts. There's also a cafe open 10am-4pm from Thursday to Sunday, with freshly baked scones and cakes to go with your cup of tea.

Kyneton – hikes and history

Once a rest stop for miners on their way to the Bendigo goldfields, Kyneton is now filled with beautiful bluestone buildings and pretty reserves.

Meander along Piper Street to explore heritage buildings housing restaurants, boutiques, galleries and antiques dealers. It also hosts a farmers market on the second Saturday of each month. Kyneton Museum on Piper Street gives visitors insight into the living conditions of the late 1800s, with a bank manager's residence contrasted with a working-class settler's cottage.

Next, taste natural bubbly water from the hand pumps in Kyneton Mineral Springs Reserve - truly a treat for the senses. Nearby, wander in the Kyneton Botanic Gardens to enjoy old trees, a restored gardener's cottage and the Kyneton Community Park inside, which offers kids nature-based play including sand, balancing logs, a ropes course, mazes and more. The whole family can enjoy the Campaspe River Walk, a 3.5km return path running along the river through a sculpture park to the racecourse.

Walkers will also enjoy Black Hill Reserve, just 10 minutes from Kyneton and complete with several bushwalking tracks for a range of fitness levels. It's full of native wildlife, granite rock formations (like 'The Monolith') and wildflowers.

Cyclists - professional or casual - should consider the Three Town Scenic Route, which takes riders 74km from Woodend to Kyneton to Trentham and back. You can pause for hours or days in each town the explore the region.

A 20 minute drive away is Turpins Falls, which cascades down a rock wall on the Campaspe River. There's a lovely lookout just a short walk from the carpark. Or, if you're coming from Daylesford, stop at Loddon Falls to see another gorgeous natural waterfall.

Malmsbury – botanics and birds

Malmsbury is a sleepy bluestone village best known for its iconic Malmsbury Viaduct. This pretty bluestone bridge dates back to 1862, with five spans carrying two railway tracks over the Coliban River. Check it out during a picnic and walk around Malmsbury Botanic Gardens, full of bunya bunyas, sugar gums and Californian redwoods (plus a bunch of resident geese!).

Opposite the botanic gardens is Malmsbury Common, a nature reserve full of native birds and with platypus in the river. Go near dawn or dusk for your best chance to spot one of these shy creatures.

You can walk from town to Malmsbury Reservoir in about 25 minutes, where you can kayak, canoe or fish for brown trout and redfin. There's picnic tables for the family and a nice track along the top of the reservoir wall for great views of the area.

Back in town, the family-owned Malmsbury Bakery is top-notch for handmade goodies like caramel slices and hot cross buns. Follow your treat with a pub grub classic at Malmsbury Hotel (open Wednesday to Sunday) or a Meditarranean meal at The Stables (open Thursday to Sunday).

Nearby, Zig Zag Winery offers cool-climate riesling, pinot noir, syrah and more for guests. Sit on the verandah overlooking the vineyard and eucalypt forest, or attend a cellar door wine tasting.

Visit during the Malmsbury Village Fayre for a big day out of food trucks, craft stalls, live music and kids entertainment held around the lake.

Woodend – character and culture

The Macedon Ranges is best known for Hanging Rock, an ancient volcanic rock formation that was immortalised in the classic Australian film Picnic At Hanging Rock.

Venture to Hanging Rock Reserve from Woodend to discover the place where a group of schoolgirls mysteriously disappeared in 1901. Start at the Hanging Rock Discovery Centre to learn more about the history and geology of the area before embarking on the famous walk to the summit (1.8km return). Places of interest on Hanging Rock itself include Morgan's Blood Waterfall, Vampire Cliff, the Black Hole of Culcutta and Lover's Leap. There's also a base walk (1.8km return) and a creek walk (2.3km return), plus an onsite cafe. Keep your visit light with Hanging Rock Llama Treks, where you can walk llamas to the reserve.

If you’d rather a wine than a walk, Hanging Rock Winery is one of the largest in the region. It joins dozens of wineries dotted across the landscape, thanks to its rich volcanic soil. Visit the Hanging Rock Winery's cellar door between 10am-5pm any day of the week to enjoy a wine tasting experience across all varieties and price points. Enjoy a local produce platter on a picnic table before wandering around the sculpture exhibition.

Try your hand at a disgorging your own tailor-made sparkling out at Hunter Gatherer Winery's Sparkling Wine Workshop. If gin is your preferred drink, then Big Tree Distillery offers award-winning, locally distilled gin at their cellar door on Jack's Springs Farm. More of a beer person? Woodend's Holgate Brewery Tour leads you through the state-of-the-art brewhouse to learn how they brew beer. For margarita lovers, Las Margaritas brews up tasty margies in a cheerful Mexican restaurant and bar.

Visit the Holgate Brewhouse after for a craft beer tasting paddle or a great pub meal. The Victoria Hotel (the Vic) also plates up classic pub meals, with a cosy fireplace in winter. Brunch is sorted from Wednesday to Sunday at Fox in the Chamber, a cafe housed in the iconic old art deco Council Chamber building on High Street. Head to Bourkies Bakehouse or The Milko for beautiful country bakery delights. Top it all off with an ice cream from Woodend Ice Cream Co.

Travel to Woodend on the first Saturday of each month to catch the Woodend Farmers Market and stock up on local produce. Alternatively, go over the King's Birthday long weekend to catch the Woodend Winter Arts Festival.

Gisborne – sips and sanctuary

Gisborne's stand-out attraction is Galahad's Sanctuary. Book an Animal Experience Tour to meet the sanctuary's resident rescues, from camels and brumbies to donkeys and more. Pair with a visit to the Gisborne Olde Time Market on the first Sunday of each month to pick up fresh produce along with jewellery, clothings, arts and crafts, and handmade items.

For an amble, try Jackson's Creek Walk from Gisborne Botanic Gardens to Sankey Reserve, with barbecues and picnic spots along the way when you get hungry.

Just a 10 minute drive from Gisborne is Dromkeen Homestead, a National Trust homestead built in 1889 and complete with heritage gardens. Enjoy lunch or a Devonshire tea at the cafe before discovering the Australian Children's Literature Collection: original artwork, manuscripts and other pre-publication material from Australian children’s books.

A little further away, Lerderderg State Park is a picturesque river gorge full of picnic areas, campgrounds and walking trails. Start from O'Briens Crossing in the north or Mackenzies Flat in the south, where you can walk along the river to Grahams Dam.

Once you've worked up an appetite, enjoy breakfast or lunch at the 3 Little Pigs cafe, then the Whistle Stop Bar & Bistro for delicious pub fare. Enjoy dessert at the Gisborne Ice Cream Co. Pick up organic olive oil, olives and tapenades from Villa Pileggi before you go home to create your own masterpieces.

For wine tastings, head to Gisborne Peak Winery between Thursday and Sunday for a seated wine flight and cellar door snacks. Gin lovers can try artisanal gins made with local ingredients in the Mountain Distilling tasting room.