The visitors guide to The Central Highlands Summer 2025
“The
Nobody beats Dan Murphy’s? Daylesford does.
Daylesford is celebrating, again, after winning a two-year long battle to stop the Endeavour Group from putting a Dan Murphy’s in the town.
The Group appealed the Victorian Liquor Commission’s landmark ruling, citing harm, to refuse a licence to operate in Daylesford in 2024 and argued their case in VCAT throughout July and August 2025. Former Hepburn Shire councillor Jen Bray was one of the original 204 community members who objected, and has seen the process through to the Liquor Commission hearing and now the VCAT review hearing. “I am thrilled with the result,” Ms Bray said. “On the one hand it feels miraculous that a small community like Daylesford could win against a huge corporate giant like Dan Murphy’s. That only happens in the movies. It’s obvious to us that this liquor store is in the totally wrong location - a family-friendly educational precinct.”
Read the full story at www.tlnews.com.au
While The Block was a fun ride for Daylesford and the region, the auction on Saturday, October 25 was pretty hard to watch.
With high reserves, contestants and real estate agents alike were left reeling. But there is always a winner and West Australian cops Britt and Taz, pictured above with host Scott Cam, took the top prize, leaving $520,000 richer. Britt and Taz’s home sold to an unknown buyer for $3.41million. Controversial buyer Danny Wallis, who likes his auction bid to end in wacky cent figures, go figure, bought Robby and Mat’s house for $3,099,999 leaving the pair to split the profit of $109,999. Sonny and Alicia’s place sold for $3.06million, giving them a $120,000 profit on top of the car they won. Emma and Ben, and Han and Can, both had their properties passed via vendor big and the houses are back on the market hoping for a sale.
Let’s support our community and shop local!
“Locals supporting Locals” Restaurants, Bakers, Butchers, Cafe’s, Local vineyards, Distillers, Brewers and of course each other.
Remember we offer free delivery, T&Cs apply.
Delivery times are Monday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm. We accept credit cards over the phone or we have an on-board eftpos machine. You will need to be at home for the delivery with proof of age if asked by the driver. Give the Foxxy team a call on 5348 3577. Keep safe, everyone.
Regional agricultural shows in Hepburn and Macedon Ranges shires date back to 1865 when the Glenlyon, Franklin and Daylesford Agricultural Society began having an annual show.
The main aim of the show was to serve as a meeting point for farmers who could share knowledge and showcase their produce and livestock. There was an extra incentive of prize money and the prestige of winning. According to a blog by everythingaustralian.com.au, agricultural shows have written the history of Australian farming by providing farmer-tofarmer education and innovation. The earliest event showcased livestock, crops and farming innovations with the Daylesford Mercury of March 11, 1869 showing the classes for the events on show day, held in the Jamieson Hotel Yard. These shows provided a social outing for townsfolk to appreciate and be educated on aspects of rural life. The Argus newspaper, dated March 20, 1865, said the potatoes were unsurpassed in the colony. (Above, the Clunes Show)
Read the full story at www.tlnews.com.au - Edition 343
Swiss Italian Festa 2025
Places to go for free!
Creswick’s parkrun
Jubilee Lake
Mt Franklin Reserve
Thomas’ Lookout/Cornish Hill
Glenlyon Reserve
Daylesford Mill Market
Lake Daylesford
Wombat Hill Botanic Garden
Trentham Rail Trail
Trentham Falls
Myriad mineral springs
Bush walks
Lerderderg Gorge
Glenlyon Falls
Sailors Falls waterfall/lookout
Djuwang Baring (Creswick Trails)
Fresh produce markets
The Blowhole at Hepburn
The Algerian oak (quercus canariensis) in Kingston has been named the 2025 Victorian Tree of the Year, securing more than 40 per cent of the vote.
Estimated to be over 130 years old, this remarkable tree stands 16 metres tall with a canopy spanning 31 metres, and occupies the only piece of public land in Kingston. Currently under threat of removal to make way for transmission lines, the tree, already on the Significant Trees Register, has become the focus of strong community-led efforts to secure its retention for future generations. Kingston resident and nominator of the tree, Jeremy Harper, inset, said winning the title of National Trust Tree of the Year was a great honour. “Kingston already has one of Victoria’s finest Avenues of Honour, and now we can proudly say we also have Victoria’s finest tree of 2025.”
Read the full story at www.tlnews.com.au - Edition 344
Wander between two inspiring Daylesford galleries and a tra paintings sit alongside striking works from Australian artists. Di and sculptures, each piece thoughtfully curated to spark cur
s in the heart of Daylesford.
anquil sculpture garden, where Michael Parker’s captivating scover handcrafted
Creswick identity and CresFest founder Judy Turner has been honoured at Government House, among a group of older volunteers who are making a difference in their communities.
Judy, 72, says she has been a musician, music educator and community activist all her adult life, and was delighted that at these awards music was recognised for its importance in community wellbeing. “It was fabulous to be among such a dedicated bunch of older Victorians and to learn about the fantastic projects they are all implementing with the support of many thousands more volunteers,” Judy said. CresFest started when Judy and a group of musical friends found time hanging heavily on their hands during Covid and decided to try and start something lively and joyful to involve the people and the businesses of town. “When a bunch of retirees get together around a table with a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits, magic can happen.”
Read the full story at www.tlnews.com.au - Edition 344
Clunes Far mer s & Maker s Mar ket 2nd Sunday of t he mont h
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Daniela Palumbo, who runs publicity for the Clunes Farmers & Makers Market, also helps her mum Yolanda Palumbo in her Italian baking business, one of the stallholders at the market.
Daniela said her mother was born in Italy and came to Australia when she was four. She was a hairdresser by trade but was always passionate about baking. Daniela was born in Australia and was a laboratory technician. “My mum has baked my entire life so when she retired, it was a way to keep her active; markets add a social aspect too. When it all got a little bigger than anticipated I jumped on board to lend a hand. We take our time baking for the market and bake the entire month. We want our products to be at their freshest when people buy them, so small batches and frequently. The week leading up can get chaotic, especially if we have a special order thrown in. Our clientele is diverse, some come because it reminds them of their childhood, some have travelled to Italy and are reminiscing, and then some just love Italian desserts.”
Read the full story at www.tlnews.com.au - Edition 344
• Extensive
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• Accessible
• Coffee,
• Parking
• Activities
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Environment groups are celebrating the creation of three new national parks and two conservation parks by the state government in Victoria’s central west.
Legislation passed the Legislative Council on November 18 to create the Wombat-Lerderderg, Mount Buangor and Pyrenees national parks along with the Hepburn and Cobaw conservation parks. The Wellsford State Forest has been reclassified as a regional park. Wombat Forestcare members have been campaigning for greater protection of Wombat Forest for 15 years. Wombat Forestcare convenor Gayle Osborne, pictured with the ‘Yes Park’ sign, said the forests exist in a landscape that has been highly cleared of native vegetation and represent incredibly important habitat for the persistence of very many threatened plants, animals and fungi. “This is a massive step for the protection of the amazing and wonderful plants, animals and fungi that inhabit our forests.” Read the full story at www.tlnews.com.au
Numbers you might need
Emergency – Fire, Police, Ambulance - 000
Daylesford Taxis – 5348 1111
Springs Medical Centre, Daylesford – 5348 2227
Daylesford Hospital – 5321 6500
Daylesford Police – 5348 2342
SES – 132 500
Daylesford Regional Visitor Information Centre – 1800 454 891
Places you might need
Daylesford Post Office – 86 Vincent Street
ATMs in Daylesford:
Bendigo – 97 Vincent Street
Westpac – 45 Vincent Street
Commonwealth – 36-40 Vincent Street
ANZ - 52 Vincent Street
A secret you might like!
It’s a fair way inland and not so seaworthy looking - so why has an ark landed in our region?
There are also some skeletal horses - not real - and now a Sesame Street bus parked nearby. If you head off from Daylesford, along the Castlemaine Road you can’t miss them all. Stop in for a drink at The Guildford Hotel on the way - the Sunday roast is a winner.
As a child, Rosa Fedele was avidly in love with books and devoured anything with beautiful and spellbinding words and imagery that would allow her to escape into other worlds. By the age of 10 she had already decided she wanted to be an artist and a writer.
“My preferred medium is oil, my style can change from realism to figurative/illustrative, with a touch of absurdism thrown in. Many years ago, I was asked to paint several scenes from the iconic movie, Mad Max. It was then I realised that I loved painting cars, especially those from the 1950s to late 1960s; they have a unique design finesse - the fins, the curves, the chrome - hailing from another exciting era, devoid of the generic same-same we see today. Then, one day, I added a golden retriever to a 1954 FJ Holden ute and suddenly I seemed to touch a magical place that resonated with both vintage and classic car-lovers and dog-lovers.”
A300 to Mt Franklin 4km to Castlemaine 30km to Bendigo 68km
Jacksons Lookout Tower
SPRINGS
C316 to Glenlyon 9km to Malmsbury 27km to Kyneton 31km
to Malmsbury 27km to Kyneton 31km
View Hill Rd
Rosella
Smith Barkas
Parker
Jamieson Trewhella
Little
Vincent Nth
Langdon
HEPBURN
Daylesford Malmsbury
Barkas
Vincent Nth
Rosella Ln
C317 to Trentham 25km to Woodend 45km to Melbourne 113km via Calder Fwy
The Little Local - thelittlelocal.com.au
Barkas
Parker Trewhella
Frazer
Grenville
Stanhope
Stanley
Queensberry
Orford Daly
Camp
Duke
Vincent
Bridport
Harts Ln
Langdon Crt
Millar
West
Perrins
Fulcher
Tierneys Ln
Grenville
Lake Road
A300 to Blampied 8km to Newlyn 15km to Creswick 24km to Clunes 41km to Ballarat 39km
C141 to Sailors Falls 3km to Ballan 30km to Melbourne 109km via Western Fwy
Jubilee
LAKE DAYLESFORD
Hoaths
C141
