LUNCH

Sault Restaurant Daylesford

Set within a beautiful country house, one could easily be forgiven for thinking you were in rural France when dining at Sault Restaurant. Taking its name from a French town famed for its lavender, Sault is set on 120 acres surrounded by the Wombat State Forest, home to an expansive kitchen garden, beehives and seasonal flower fields. Here the seasonal menus are 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.

Choose from the three, four or seven course seasonal menus.

Open hours: dinner from Wednesday through to Saturday from 5:30pm. Or lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
from 11:00am

AFTERNOON

Sailors Falls, Mineral Springs, Lake House & Spa Treatment

Walk off your lunch with a stroll around nearby Sailors Falls. You can view the spectacular drop of the twin falls from the picnic area. Make sure you take some time to read the interpretive signage detailing the history and fascinating geology of the area. You can also taste some of the fresh mineral water the Daylesford region is famous for by pumping mineral water directly from the source at the pump located beside the picnic area. Entry is free.

Prepare to be wowed as you check-in to your accommodation at Lake House. Recognised as one of Australia’s most romantic hotels, Lake House is famous for its beautiful lakeside location, two-hatted destination restaurant, luxury accommodation, award-winning cellar and impeccable service.

Relax and indulge at the award-winning Spa at Lake House, nestled amongst the lush gardens of the Lake House. Surrounded by waterfall fed streams, this state-of-the-art space offers nine treatment areas over three levels.

TOP TIP:
An excellent option for couples is the Mineral Soak & Massage Experience, which has been designed for the ultimate in relaxation for the mind and body. Soothing, rhythmic massage strokes ease tension, stimulate circulation of the lymphatic system. Complete your ritual with a soak in your own private tree top mineral water spa. This treatment goes for 90 minutes and costs from $265 per person.

DINNER

Winespeake Cellar + Deli or Bistro Terroir

For a light dinner, pull up a stool at Winespeake Cellar & Deli. Order a cheese and charcuterie platter and a glass of local wine, or be adventurous and try their signature wine and cheese flight, including four glasses of wine, paired perfectly with four specially matched cheeses.

For a more substantial meal, pop up the road to Bistro Terroir – a neighbourhood French bistro. Here the menu changes with the seasons, drawing strongly from local producers. Enjoy dishes such as Rabbit Balontine or their famous Steak Frites.

MORNING

Lake Daylesford, Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens and The Convent Daylesford

Start your day with a stroll around the beautiful Lake Daylesford (located directly in front of Lake House). For the best experience, allow time to circumnavigate the whole lake (40-minutes / 2.8km). Enjoy a hearty country style breakfast buffet back at the Lake House after your early morning adventures (served from 8am-10am).

Fun Fact:
This man-made lake, which was created in 1927, was originally a site of gold diggings. Nowadays, it is one of Daylesford’s most popular natural attractions.

Drive to Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens (allow 4-minutes / 1.7km), which are perched high on the summit of an extinct volcano. The pinnacle of the gardens is Pioneer Memorial Tower, which soars high above the trees and offers superb views of the surrounding forest, and the town of Daylesford itself. Within the gardens, in a 1940s house, is Wombat Hill House café, where you can enjoy an expertly brewed coffee, paired with a freshly baked treat from Dairy Flat Lodge & Farm.

Fun Fact:
Covering almost 25 acres, Wombat Hill Botanic Garden are encircled by a carriage drive, running under an avenue of elms, which is part of the original 1880s design.

After your coffee, drive to The Convent Daylesford. Perched on the slopes of Wombat Hill, this grand old building contains eight gallery spaces, picturesque gardens, a renowned café and retail space, along with a museum and chapel. The six acres of exquisite gardens have been compared to some of the most famous in Versailles and are reason alone for visiting. Gallery admission is $10 for adults or $8 for concession.

Fun Fact
For just under a century the Presentation Sisters educated and shaped the lives of hundreds of women at The Convent building through the Holy Cross Boarding School. Today, The Convent showcases the works of local, national and international artists.

LUNCH

Lake House Restaurant

Treating yourself to lunch at the renowned, two chef-hatted restaurant at Lake House is one of life’s true pleasures. Foodies from around the world flock to the restaurant to enjoy cutting edge, modern Australian cuisine, which has a strong focus on local and seasonal produce. Under the direction of Culinary Director Alla Wolf-Tasker AM, the kitchen work with great Australian produce including a raft of excellent small scale local suppliers and growers and their own Dairy Flat Farm.

DINNER

Kadota Restaurant

Keep your gourmet adventure going with a delicious dinner at Kadota, where lovingly crafted Japanese flavours are carefully produced using seasonal local artisan ingredients. Omotenashi, meaning honest service and honest food, is at the heart of everything they do. Choose from the 6-course classic menu or the 7-course luxury menu. Bookings are essential.

MORNING

Cliffy’s Emporium, Daylesford Sunday Market and Vincent Street

Enjoy breakfast at one of Daylesford’s most iconic locations, Cliffy’s Emporium (4-minutes drive / 1.8km from Lake House). Local produce including cheese, meat, eggs, oil, honey and preserves star on the menu – think eggs with sides including roasted sumac tomatoes and marinated roast mushrooms.

After breakfast, spend some time perusing the Daylesford Sunday Market, a short 150m stroll from Cliffy’s. Home to over 100 stalls, here you can meet directly with the farmers and pick up some tasty fresh produce that the region is famed for. Choose from freshly baked bread to organic fruit and vegetables, preserves, cider, gin, whisky and more. You’ll also find locally crafted goods, tools, flowers, plants, antiques, clothes and more. The Sunday market runs from 8am to 1pm every Sunday.

Meander back to Vincent Street, the charming heart of Daylesford. Here, art galleries and antique stores can be found sitting alongside designer boutiques and welcoming eateries. Peruse boutique stores such as Harry & Me and Creswick Natural Fibres, pick up some locally grafted gin at Hepburn Distillery or find that one of a kind artwork at Bromley & Co.

LUNCH

Passing Clouds Winery

Just outside Daylesford is Passing Clouds Winery. Here, second generation winemaker Cameron Leith and his team produce cool climate wines including pinot noir and chardonnay. Taste their range at the welcoming cellar door, before moving on to the recently renovated dining room for a three-course shared La Famiglia lunch. The three-course fixed shared menu costs $85pp.

AFTERNOON

Daylesford Cider, drive home

End your Daylesford adventure will a refreshing beverage at Daylesford Cider. Here the passionate owners produce a diverse range of craft cider, made using the heritage cider apples grown organically on the farm alongside other locally grown fruit. The English tavern themed cellar-door is surrounded by picturesque landscaped gardens, with views up to the original orchard, planted in 2003.

Arrive home feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and deliciously full after three days exploring Daylesford.

Start planning your trip now. Discover more at daylesfordmacedonlife.com.au.