A Local's Guide To Daylesford

He gives us the inside word on his favourite places to eat, shop, drink and explore in Daylesford and surrounds.

How long has your family called the Daylesford region home?
My great grandfather arrived from Switzerland and settled in the Daylesford region in the early 1850s. Our family has been farming the same land near Yandoit ever since.

Tell us a little about Honest Eggs Co. and your philosophy to farming?
Traditionally, we were a beef and sheep farming family. Honest Eggs Co. came along about eight years ago. It was inspired by a kinder project by my then four year-old daughter. We strongly believe in holistic farming methods and we started egg farming in order to help regenerate the land, build additional income for the local community and improve animal welfare standards.

What makes Honest Eggs Co. unique is that we continually move the chook sheds, invigorating the soil across our farm as we go. It’s a much more labour- intensive approach to egg farming, however the benefits clearly outweigh the cost.

Where do you go to buy local produce?
For local produce, my favourites are Tonna’s Fruit & Vegetables in Daylesford and Castlemaine Fresh – both of which stock lots of local goodies. Newstead Butcher is our go-to place to get fresh meat, they stock beef from our farm (which we often buy back off them!) We also regularly buy meat from Daylesford Meat Co. and Albert Street Butchery.

What’s one local item you’ll always find stocked in your fridge / pantry?
We love the local Harcourt Apples when they are in season and we always have a supply of bacon from Nat and Jono’s Brooklands Free Range Farms. The bacon pairs perfectly with our own eggs for a delicious breakfast.

What is your favourite local drop?
I’m not a huge drinker, however we always have a bottle of Passing Clouds shiraz on hand for when friends come to stay. Other favourites include Pengally Lane Wines and Glenwillow Wines, both of which grow their vines close to our farm.

Where is your favourite place for a bite to eat in the region?
You can’t go wrong at Cliffy’s Emporium, it’s especially lovely in summer as you sit outside under the leafy green vines. Their famous Shakshuka dish, which features our eggs, is a winner. For a casual lunch, I also love either Larder or Harvest, both in Daylesford.

As a family man, where do you take the kids for a fun day out locally?
A long-standing family tradition for the Righetti family is visiting Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve to fill up our water bottles with the natural mineral water from Locarno Spring, just near the Hepburn Pavilion Café. My grandfather started the tradition and three generations later we still do this with our kids. After filling up our bottles we love going on walks around Hepburn Springs, we start at Breakneck Gorge and follow the roadside all the way to The Blowhole that was built as a diversion tunnel for Sailors Creek by the miners in the early 1870’s.

Where do you take friends from out of town when they come to visit?
We love the weekly Daylesford Sunday Market, which has such a wonderful community vibe. We always have a delicious local gourmet sausage from the Daylesford Sausage Van run by Maia and Zoran. From there you can jump on the Spa Country Railway, taking a scenic train ride through the forest to Bullarto and back.

Another favourite is Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens. When the girls were younger, they loved climbing the tower. The short climb is worth it, rewarding you with amazing views over Daylesford.

What’s one local event that you add to your calendar each year?
As Swiss immigrants, the annual Hepburn Springs Swiss Italian Festa is a favourite of ours. I’m excited to see the event return this year after a three-year hiatus (from 26-29 October, 2023). It’s a wonderful community event which celebrates the contribution that the Swiss Italians have made to our region.

When visiting the region, you can purchase a carton of Honest Eggs Co. eggs from the following locations:
Albert Street Butchery
Blake Family Grocers
Castlemaine Fresh
Cliffy’s Emporium
Daylesford Health Food and Organics
Daylesford Meat Co.
Guildford General Store
Hepburn General Store
Tonna’s Fruit and Vegetables

Hero Image: Paul Righetti, Honest Eggs Co.