If you’re looking for excellence on your getaway, then the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges region is the place to find it. Here are highlights of some of the awards achieved by the esteemed businesses in our region this year.

When it comes to the very best accommodation, Clifftop at Hepburn delivers in spades. This year they were voted Stayz Australia’s Most Unique Accommodation; and Stayz Australia’s No.1 Holiday Home across all categories from 55,000 holiday homes. And you can see why. The villas stop traffic. Another accommodation that has received accolades is quiet achiever, Samadhi Wellness Spa Health Retreat – awarded the Global Winner of ‘Luxury Healing Retreat’ in the World Luxury Hotel Awards, an incredible achievement, against nominations from over 50 countries.

Our region punches well above its weight for great food spots. We have more of the best food experiences per capita than any other part of Victoria or, for that matter, Australia. Take, for example, in the 2020 Delicious Top 100 restaurants, we had six spots including Lake House, Midnight Starling, Source Dining, du Fermier, Red Hill Hotel and The Royal George. Our chefs like to wear their 2020 Good Food Guide Chef Hats with pride, with four awarded to Lake House (2 hats), Midnight Starling (1 hat) and Source Dining (1 hat). This year Lake House continued to shine, being recognised in Australia’s Best Food and Wine Property in the Luxury Travel Gold List, The Gourmet Traveller Top 50 Restaurants and The Australian Hot 50 Restaurants. It is a credit to Alla Wolf-Tasker and her dedication to innovation and excellence.

And what are our award-winning restaurants serving? Local produce! Our producers have represented in the 2019 Delicious Produce awards. Brooklands Free Range Farm celebrated a win for their 100% Grass Fed British White Beef and Sher Wagyu for their Ribeye, Adsum Farmhouse for their Seasonal Fresh Produce and Milking Yard Farm for their Poulette Royale Chicken. We have a showcase of winning gins and liqueurs. Big Tree Distillery achieved double gold status at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Mountain Distilling came home with a gold for their gin at the recent 2019 International Wine & Spirits Competition in London and Herbal Lore’s Escalibor Liqueur achieved a silver in the London Spirits Competition. In wine, two of our cool climate wineries were recognised as ‘Young Guns of Wine’, and were included in the Top 50 Winemakers – Ben Ranken from Wilimee, and Liam O’Brien and Matt Brooke from Athletes of Wine. Granite Hills Winery, one of our most awarded boutique wineries, received two awards at the 2019 Victorian Wine Show, the largest wine show in Australia. So, raise your glass or, better yet, come by and support our winners who work tirelessly to be the best.