Lyonville Mineral Spring

Lyonville Mineral Spring is situated within a picnic area nestled between Loddon River Road and the river itself, surrounded by the beautiful Wombat State Forest. The area has all the essentials: toilets, fireplaces, picnic tables, and a small rotunda shelter. There’s a hand pump under the rotunda to access the mineral water from the bore which was drilledin 2007 and is 35m deep.

The spring is set in a Candlebark forest, and the sound of flowing water and birds adds to the serene vibe. You can enjoy a picnic here or simply relax in the quiet surroundings.

The spring is close to Daylesford, which is famous for its mineral springs and spas—definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area – it’s about a 1.5 hour drive from Melbourne, making it great for a day trip. The area is lovely year-round, but be prepared for hot, dry summers (December to February) and cold, wet winters (June to August).

The area was devasted after a wild storm passed through in June 2001. The storm impacted more than 45,000ha of forest and 1,500km of roads within the Wombat State Forest. The forest is recovering, fortunately the spring itself wasn’t damaged.

Lyonville Mineral Spring is named after James Lyon, who settled in the area in the 1860s. It’s been a favourite picnic spot since the early 1900s with the spring previously known as Picnic Area Spring.

At the site there is also a spring outlet at the base of a concrete trench which was built in 1914. During building workers were warned to take precautions against being affected by released carbon dioxide gas! A carved mesh guard was later installed over the trench to protect it from filling with leaf debris, and after heavy rains the trench fills with water and needs to be pumped out.

These are not the only springs in the area. Around eight mineral spring ‘eyes’ occur over 2 km towards the head of the Loddon River at Lyonville. Many of the eyes are simply patches in the riverbed from which carbon dioxide gas intermittently escapes.

In the township of Lyonville, back in 1910, there was a spring called the Township Spring. It had a wooden pavilion built over it, a moderate flow and contained a fair amount of gas. The water from this spring flowed from the top of a spring mound. Over time the flow diminished so a hole was cut into the side of the mound and water was then obtained by dipping. In the 1980s Township Spring was developed for commercial purposes, but nowadays the pump house is no longer in use and commercial extraction has ceased.