It's hard to believe that our quiet Malmsbury village, was once a hustle-bustle service centre for diggers travelling to Bendigo and Castlemaine for the gold rush. It is home to Victoria's oldest botanic gardens and has remained relatively undeveloped, being a lovely place to view rich gold rush history and buildings. It's perfectly situated within the magic triangle of Castlemaine, Daylesford and Kyneton, making for a great place to set up base camp and explore to your heart's content. I find autumn to be the best season to visit. The trees are a pure delight. Another beautiful time to visit is spring when nearby Kyneton holds the Daffodil festival in the first week of September. You can see the golden flowers popping up here and throughout the area. But really, you can come any time of the year and you won’t be disappointed. It is very easy to get to Malmsbury. Come via the Calder Freeway (86kms and just over an hour) or catch a V-Line Train from Melbourne. Coming via the railway station is a real treat. The building itself is a site to behold, featuring the bluestone that is synonymous with the area. It's a short walk from the station to the heart of town and many places on this itinerary.
ABOUT –
Malmsbury is a picturesque historic bluestone village with a vast history. It’s a sleepy town with country cottages and beautiful scenery.
The Malmsbury Bakery has been serving up our delicious mix of traditional English and early Australian fare to travellers for over 30 years. Nowadays there is a steady stream of traffic from locals and passers-by. You’ll find bread, pies, pastries, and cakes on the premises every day, prepared using authentic recipes. It's also a place to find local honey, jams and treats.
And if you're starting to look around this place in awe, stretch your legs and discover more about the beautiful historic buildings around Malmsbury. The Malmsbury Historical Society has prepared a Historic Malmsbury Self-Guided Tour. It points out both private and public buildings of note, some dating back to mid-1800s. They have also printed a booklet on the history of Malmsbury, which you might find in some of the places you visit.
It is such a delight to see the vines of Birthday Villa coloured in a warm golden glow in autumn. The boutique vineyard, established in 1976, was named after Birthday Mine at Drummond – discovered on Queen Victoria’s Birthday. It is a lovely place to find gewürztraminer and cab sav. The wine is grown on their estate with views of the viaduct. The fruit is made into wine by local, Cameron Leith of Passing Clouds winery in Musk. The cellar door is open at weekends from 11am to 5pm, or by appointment.
You'll have worked up an appetite now and if so, come and see us at The Stables. We have a warm, modern space, serving Mediterranean food. Our specialty is wood fired pizza, which we love seeing our guests devour with a glass of wine and smile on their face. We have traditional toppings and then a few that will surprise, like our Arab Galette with garlic confit, cheese, roasted red capsicum, marinated mushrooms, and Spanish onions topped with a free-range egg (from our own chooks). We are open Thursday to Sunday from 9am until late – serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The newly formed Malmsbury Village Farmers' Market has quickly become a regular trading place for locals. This market, with fresh, local produce, is accredited by the Victorian Farmers Markets Association. You can find a list of their 30-40 stalls on their Facebook page during the week before each market. The Malmsbury Village Farmers' Market is held on the 3rd Sunday of every month between 9am and 1pm.
Our beloved annual Malmsbury Village Fayre, usually held in November, transforms the Malmsbury Botanic Gardens into a wonderland for children and adults. It's a popular event, known for live music, local produce, craft stalls and unique family activities.
Malmsbury has plenty of lovely spots to stay. Some of my favourites are the Malmsbury Barn House, the Malmsbury Barn Owl and the Malmsbury Botanical Guest Rooms.
No matter where you stay, I'm surely you'll have a lovely time. We pride ourselves on taking special care of people who wander into our precious part of Victoria.
If you’re looking for a casual place to drink and bistro style food, then the Malmsbury Hotel will hit the spot. They have generous servings and pub favourites on the menu - meals like parmas, roasts, steak, fish and chips. They have a kids menu, are dog friendly, and can also provide accommodation for the weary.
Gina Goldsmith is owner of The Stables Malmsbury. She loves to look after hungry locals and travellers passing through the area. Their speciality is delicious authentic Mediterranean food, cooked to the highest standards. Try one of their pizzas and you'll find out what all the fuss is about!
