A scenic destination for swimming, bushwalking and picnics.

It is easy to sit back and imagine Vaughan Reserve in the 1950s with families spread across the park on picnic blankets, occasionally darting to the Loddon River for a refreshing dip. It was a time before indoor pools, ipads and air conditioning. The grounds are equipped for the thousands that used to live in the area, before better roads, train tracks and bridges were built.

There are BBQ’s, picnic tables, bike rides, walking tracks, camping facilities and a giant metal slide. Many an ill-prepared burnt bum has experienced this thrill in the summer heat. Centred in the reserve is a mineral spring pump that can generously provide for visitors. As you enter or leave, you can also discover the Chinese Cemetery, used between 1854 and 1857. It captures in time the role Chinese diggers played in the gold rush as they moved to areas like Vaughan Springs that were harder to dig but often worth the reward.