What's Happening in Winter

Listen to acclaimed musicians and speakers at the 20th Woodend Winter Arts Festival or be captivated at the Castlemaine Documentary Festival. Catch a big-name gig in an intimate venue at Winter Sounds or unleash your creativity at Words in Winter. Add to that indulgent experiences like wine tastings, truffle hunts, and hands-on cooking masterclasses and you’ll soon realise winter is a season to truly savour.

Keep reading below to find out more.

Woodend Winter Arts Festival

Over four days, the Woodend Winter Arts Festival presents a dynamic, entertaining and engaging program in the charming village of Woodend, in the heart of Victoria’s Macedon Ranges. The festival features international artists Lamiae Naki, Davide Monti, and Anne Harvey-Nagl, alongside top Australian ensembles including Accademia Arcadia. Enjoy music, theatre, film, and thought-provoking talks with figures such as the 2025 Age Book of Year winner Rodney Hall and political historian Judith Brett. Other highlights include a family-friendly Cinderella performance, fascinating discussions about the lives of author Jane Austen and designer William Morris, and an insightful chat with television host and garden writer Michael McCoy.

When: King’s Birthday long weekend, 6-9 June, 2025
Where: various venues around Woodend
Tickets: on sale now at woodendwinterartsfestival.org.au

Castlemaine Documentary Festival

This winter, the much-loved Castlemaine Documentary Festival will return to the iconic Theatre Royal, presenting a curated program of eleven superb Australian and international documentaries, including several world and two Australian premieres. Highlights of C-Doc’s 2025 program include Man With a Movie Camera (1929), Dziga Vertov’s groundbreaking silent film which revolutionised cinema, accompanied by a live score created and performed by Moda Discoteca – the electronic version of Melbourne band Underground Lovers – exclusively for the Castlemaine Documentary Festival. Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story (an Australian premiere) recounts the life of fearless literary icon, Edna O’Brien, whose groundbreaking 1960s novel The Country Girls liberated female voices and awakened the wrath of religious Ireland. While Soundtrack To A Coup D’Etat serves up an explosive cocktail of geopolitics, jazz music, cold-war intrigues and colonisation, with Congo and the reportedly CIA-led assassination of Patrice Lumumba as its backdrop.

When: 4-6 July, 2025
Where: Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Tickets: tickets on sale now at cdocff.com.au

Winter Sounds

Winter Sounds is a weekend of intimate performances taking place across Daylesford and the surrounding hills. From gold-rush-era halls to historic churches, art deco theatres and heritage rail cars, Winter Sounds lights up the most unique and beautiful spaces in the region.

When: 14-17 August, 2025
Where: various venues around Daylesford and surrounds
Tickets: The full schedule will be announced on 2 June – find out more wintersounds.com.au

Words in Winter

Much-loved festival Words in Winter returns to Daylesford & Hepburn Springs this August. Enjoy author talks, poetry readings, workshops, and live music. Cosy up with tales by local and guest writers and unleash your creativity. Kids will love the storytelling sessions and writing adventures. Celebrate words that spark hope and connection through winter’s quiet moments.

When: 22-24 August, 2025
Where: Various locations around Daylesford and Hepburn Springs
Further information: wordsinwinter.com

FOOD EVENTS

Black Cat Truffles by Liam Downes – Winter Truffle Hunts

Experience the magic of winter at Black Cat Truffles with a hands-on truffle hunt and dining experience. Set on a scenic truffle farm in Wattle Flat, just outside Creswick, each experience offers the thrill of foraging with expert handlers and truffle dogs. A variety of experiences are available, choose from:

• Friday afternoon hunts – a 45-minute hunt led by Black Cat Truffle’s expert four-legged truffle hunters ($75pp);
• A Saturday or Sunday truffle hunt experience, followed by a six-course degustation lunch ($220pp);
• A Saturday or Sunday afternoon truffle hunt followed by afternoon tea – featuring local produce and Black Cat truffles, ($140pp);
• Private Sunday cooking classes are also available by appointment.

When: The winter truffle season kicks off on Saturday 31 May
Where: Black Cat Truffles, 150 Howards Road, Wattle Flat
Tickets: booking are essential
Further information: blackcattruffles.au

Hotel Trentham: Meet The Winemaker – Passing Clouds Wines

Head along to Hotel Trentham for an evening with winemaker Tim Castle from the Passing Clouds Winery – one of the region’s most celebrated vineyards. This free event offers an opportunity to sample their award-winning wine list, usually only available at the cellar door. Enjoy complimentary tastings, exclusive one-night-only specials, and lively conversations about the craft of local winemaking. To help celebrate the evening, Hotel Trentham will also put together a very special menu of dishes specially paired to suit each of the wines being tasted.

When: Thursday 3 July, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Where: Hotel Trentham, 31-35 High Street, Trentham
Tickets: this is a free event, no bookings required Further information: hoteltrentham.com.au/events

Mid-week winter special at Sault, Daylesford

Feast on fresh, seasonal produce straight from the kitchen garden as you tuck into this mid-week winter special at Sault restaurant just outside Daylesford. Here the seasonal menu is designed to incorporate the freshest ingredients with the highest quality produce they can source, with a strong focus on Sault’s own kitchen gardens, complimented by produce from regional organic farms. Pull up a spot beside the fireplace and enjoy Sault’s mid-week winter special, which includes two-courses for $85 per person.  

When: Wednesday night and Friday lunch all winter long (excluding public holidays)
Where: 2349 Ballan Daylesford Road, Daylesford
Bookings: sault.com.au/bookings-general 

Lake House Daylesford – Winter Events

Daylesford’s iconic Lake House is home to a heartwarming collection of winter events, think wine tasting, cooking demonstrations, multi-course set chef menus and a truffle feast. Make a weekend of it and book a stay at the Lake House, choose from the exclusive Cellar Series hotel package which includes 2-nights with breakfast daily and dinner one evening in the Lake House Restaurant (from $1600).

‘Dessert Masters’ Demonstration & Lunch with John Demetrios – join John Demetrios for a cooking demonstration in the open Cooking School kitchen at Lake House. MC’d by Culinary Director Alla Wolf-Tasker AM, expect plenty of wow moments, tips, tricks and stories. Priced at $495pp.
When: Sunday 1 June from 10:30am

Crawford River Wine Lunch – Hosted by Chief Winemaker Belinda Thomson – celebrate 50 years of Crawford River wines at Lake House Daylesford with Chief Winemaker Belinda Thomson. Enjoy an intimate lunch paired with seasonal dishes and acclaimed wines, while exploring the vineyard’s rich history, organic journey, and award-winning riesling. Priced at $425pp.
When: Saturday 28 June from 12pm

Truffles & The Wines of Italy – A Lunch with Friends – join Trembath & Taylor’s Matt Paul and Truffière Archeologico for a special winter lunch at Lake House Daylesford. Enjoy a multi-course truffle-inspired menu paired with exceptional Italian wines from Piedmont. Priced at $395pp.
When: Saturday 26 July from 12pm

Bindi Wine Lunch – join celebrated winemaker Michael Dhillon for a special winter lunch at Lake House Daylesford. Enjoy a multi-course menu paired with exceptional Bindi wines, including the newly released Block 8 and Darshan Pinot Noir. Set in the Waterfront Pavilion, where the fireplace will be roaring. Priced at $525pp
When: Saturday 9 August from 12pm