Category: Victorian Goldfields

The Goldfields is a beautiful region just north of Melbourne in Victoria, which has beautifully preserved Gold Rush boomtowns like Bendigo, Ballarat and Heathcote and some great wineries, producing cool-climate wines. Bendigo Art Gallery hosts a number of exhibitions worth travelling for every year and every June, the winemakers in the region flock to Heathcote for Heathcote on Show, one of my favourite annual wine events. There is so much to do in the Goldfields and it really is one of Victoria’s best kept secrets.

I acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung people as the First Nations owners of the lands now recognised as the Victorian Goldfields. I pay respect to their Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits. I recognise that these lands have always been places of great natural beauty, culture and community.

Bendigo Most Charming Country Towns Australia
Australia, Country NSW, Daylesford & The Macedon Ranges, Destination Guides, High Country Victoria, North Coast NSW, Southern QLD Country, Tasmania, Victorian Goldfields

The Most Charming Country Towns in Australia

One of the greatest joys of travelling inland in Australia is discovering the nation’s most charming country towns, complete with wide open spaces, heritage architecture, truly farm-to-table food and classic country hospitality. While Australia’s islands, beaches and beach towns tend to get the most fame and glory, the best Australian country towns deserve some appreciation. The best country towns in Australia to visit include Bendigo, … Continue reading The Most Charming Country Towns in Australia

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Ballarat Begonia Festival_1
Ballarat, Festivals & Events, Victorian Goldfields

In Bloom: Ballarat Begonia Festival

Spring is in full bloom in Melbourne, which reminded me of the radiant beauty of the Ballarat Begonia Festival, which David & I stumbled upon back in April of this year. Over the Easter long weekend, David & I spent the weekend in Hamilton in the Southern Grampians. A spontaneous stop in Ballarat on the long drive home delivered one of the most beautiful moments … Continue reading In Bloom: Ballarat Begonia Festival

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View from boroka lookout in the grampians victoria australia
Food & Drink, Nature, The Grampians, Victorian Goldfields

Highlights from a weekend in the Grampians

Last weekend, I visited The Grampians for the first time with two girlfriends, Olivia and Marlo. The Grampians National Park is one of the most beloved regions of Victoria, around four hours’ drive west of Melbourne. The park is enormous, and best explored in sections. We stayed in Hall’s Gap, which is close to more lookouts, mountains and hiking trails than we could possibly do in … Continue reading Highlights from a weekend in the Grampians

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Heathcote Goldfields Victoria
Victorian Goldfields

A Day in the Goldfields for Heathcote on Show

One of my favourite parts of living in Melbourne is the proximity to excellent wine regions all over Victoria. The Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula are the first wine regions that come to mind, but one of my favourite finds has been the wines from Heathcote, known for its shiraz and alternative red varieties, which have a distinctive flavour thanks to the basalt and … Continue reading A Day in the Goldfields for Heathcote on Show

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Ballarat, Victorian Goldfields

Day Trip to Ballarat & Sovereign Hill

The best thing about moving to Victoria is the hundreds of day trip options within a short drive of Melbourne. On the weekend, David & I drove to Ballarat to check out the famous Goldfields town and the Winter Wonderlights show at Sovereign Hill, an open-air museum. In an hour and fifteen minutes, we’d left the city behind for the historic city of Ballarat. I … Continue reading Day Trip to Ballarat & Sovereign Hill

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Ballarat, Festivals & Events, History, Victorian Goldfields

Winter Wonderlights at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat

The tiny state of Victoria is made for day trippers. In one day from Melbourne, you could drive part of the Great Ocean Road, sip sparkling wine in the Yarra Valley, hike among the wildflowers in the Dandenongs, hit the beach on the Mornington Peninsula, quaff Pinot Noir in Red Hill, or explore Australia’s gold mining history in the Goldfields. On the weekend, I did … Continue reading Winter Wonderlights at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat

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