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8 towns in Victoria’s Heartland that will delight your tastebuds

(Image: Visit Victoria)

Jade Raykovski Jade Raykovski
Get out of the city and close to nature in Victoria’s Heartland, one of Australia’s finest food-producing regions. 

This fertile area is abundant in natural beauty, rich volcanic soils, mineral-rich waters, artisan producers and farm fresh produce. In towns spanning the Central Goldfields, Macedon Ranges and surrounds, just a short drive or easy train ride from Melbourne, you can taste a plethora of incredible food and world-class wine in these best of Victoria’s Heartland food regions. 

1. Daylesford

Lake House Restaurant, Daylesford
Dine on the multi-course fare served at the elegant and light-filled Lake House Restaurant. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

Warm and inviting, fans of Japanese cuisine should make a beeline for Kadota. Settle in for Japanese flavours, in cocktail glasses and on the plate, that have been carefully produced using seasonal local ingredients.

For those who love a farm-to-table moment, Sault is the place to be. Fresh ingredients – directly from the restaurant’s kitchen gardens, or from regional organic farms and producers – are crafted into a delicious seasonal menu by Chef Hat-awarded Head Chef Jack Powlay.

Boasting gorgeous water views from its location on the banks of Lake Daylesford, Boathouse Restaurant is perfect for an elevated dining experience.

For a special treat, a visit to the two-chef-hatted restaurant at the Lake House is a must. Savour beautiful views and a seasonal menu championing small-scale local suppliers and their own farm just 10 minutes away. 

2. Hepburn Springs

If you're exploring Victoria food regions to visit, Surly Goat is one restaurant you won’t want to miss.
Tuck into hearty, farm-fresh flavours. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Taking cues from its Swiss-Italian roots and the area’s produce, the picturesque Lavandula Farm houses a seasonal trattoria, rustic wine bar, and a new deli and larder inside the original Shepherd’s Flat Post Office. 

For another dining destination immersed in the area’s history, visit The Hepburn Pavilion café at Hepburn Bathhouse. Brunch, lunch, scones and house-made cakes are served under the vaulted ceiling of this Edwardian heritage-listed building. 

And while The Surly Goat may have a farm-like ring to it, it’s in fact a homely restaurant that takes seasonality seriously. Chef David Willcocks heads up an ever-changing set menu celebrating local and small-scale regenerative producers. 

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3. Trentham

Add Sisko Chocolate to your list of Victoria food regions to visit for a sweet stop along the way.
Satisfy your sweet cravings with handcrafted treats. (Image: Sisko Chocolate)

No trip to an Aussie regional town is complete without a stop at the pub. Pig & Whistle Hotel sits surrounded by farmland. Soak it in from the locally beloved beer garden. Here, pub classics include a parmigiana with an Irish twist.  

For a more refined experienced, dine at du Fermier, where chef and owner Annie Smithers crafts a weekly menu of French farmhouse-style dishes, often sourcing ingredients from her nearby farm in Lyonville. 

And if you have a sweet tooth, don’t leave town without a cheeky stop at Sisko Chocolate Studio, where owner Christina Tantsis has built a chocolate-lovers wonderland inside a stunning architectural space. Her handcrafted creations use couverture from Valrhona, a certified B Corporation, and the hot chocolates are positively sinful. 

4. Woodend

Kuzu Izakaya in woodend, daylesford
Taste incredible Japanese cuisine at Kuzu Izakaya.

Taste local drops in town at the family-owned Woodend Cellar and Bar – complemented by tapas and artisan platters featuring sourdough from the local bakery – or at 600 Above, a wine bar with a sunny courtyard and cosy fireplace serving small and large plates.  

Nearby, Kuzu Izakaya is the go-to place for Japanese dining. Chef Eriko Pannam has crafted a moreish menu of creative and traditional dishes; think miso cream scallops and everyone’s favourite, Japanese fried chicken. 

Mount Macedon Winery is another must-visit for wine connoisseurs. Enjoy a glass and wood-fired pizza on the deck, or opt for fine dining at their Cellar Door Restaurant.

5. Kyneton

Piper Street in Kyneton is overflowing with top-notch eateries. Take Prato, specialising in traditional Greek dishes and pinsa (a lighter, crispier version of traditional pizza); or the upscale Midnight Starling, where chef Steve Rogers serves French classics inside a historic building with bluestone cellar. 

A little further down, The Piper Street Wine Company is a European restaurant and wine bar inside a gorgeous heritage building. Their evolving menu highlights one European country or region at a time, so there’s always something new to discover. Further along, Fook Shing delivers a flavour-packed Southeast Asian menu using local and regional Victorian produce.

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6. Castlemaine

Blue cheese from Long Paddock Cheese.
Discover rich, creamy cheeses crafted by a certified cow’s milk artisan cheesemaker. (Image: Long Paddock Cheese)

Cafes, bars and restaurants have taken up residence inside this former Gold Rush town’s historic buildings. At The Mill Castlemaine – an 1870s woollen mill turned creative hub – you’ll find Long Paddock Cheese, a small-scale artisan cheesemaker that uses certified-organic cow’s milk from a nearby family-owned farm; and Das Kaffeehaus, a Viennese cafe serving traditional Austrian food with coffee from their small batch roastery. 

Meanwhile, inside the Midland Hotel you’ll find the chef-hatted Bar Midland, founded by locals Loudon Cooper and Alexander Marano. Their monthly set menu celebrates Victorian producers who focus on sustainable land management, and often utilises indigenous food, introduced wild animals and weeds.

7. Lancefield & Romsey

A flatlay of food from Lost Watering Hole.
Savour beautifully plated dishes in a relaxed setting. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Art meets food and wine at Mount Monument, located just outside of Romsey. The beautiful vineyard is home to a sculpture park, cellar door and restaurant with a menu shaped by the Macedon Ranges’ rich seasonal produce.  

In town, The 1860 Romsey has reimagined a 160-year-old hotel. Here, country pub charm meets modern bistro, with a menu that supports local at every opportunity (their Central Victorian Oakdale Black Angus steak is a winner).  

A few minutes’ drive north, the Lost Watering Hole in Lancefield is a family-friendly brewery and restaurant crafting 100% naturally brewed beers. Their unusual names – No Dodo, Flightless, Big Roo – make sense once you learn Lancefield is the location of one of the richest deposits of megafauna fossils in Australia.

8. Harcourt

Lovely pastries from Hartcourt Produce & General Store.
Treat yourself to buttery, house-made Danish pastries. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Harcourt is famous for its apple orchards and cider production, and there’s no better place to visit than The Little Red Apple. At this roadside store, you can stock up on fresh crisp apples, ciders, vinegars, juices, and other gourmet products. 

To taste more local delights, pop into the Harcourt Produce & General Store, renowned for their house-made danishes, or stop at Sutton Grange Winery where winemaker Chris Smales crafts wines using their organically grown estate fruit. Open on Sundays, it’s an idyllic spot to slow down over wine, pizzas and share plates. 

Start planning your next outdoor adventure at victoriasheartland.com.au.

Jade Raykovski
Jade Raykovski is a freelance travel writer from Melbourne, Australia whose wanderlust began from immersing herself in the fantasy worlds of her favourite books as a kid. She started off her career as a graphic designer, before making the switch to copywriter, and now – in what you could say is the role she was always destined for – travel writer. Along with Australian Traveller, her bylines include National Geographic, BBC Travel, Escape and NZ Herald. And while she loves writing about home, she'll never pass up the chance to sip a spritz in Italy.
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From coast to bush: these are Gippsland’s best hikes

    Michael Turtle Michael Turtle
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    Video credit: Tourism Australia

    From coast to mountains, hiking in Gippsland offers a stunning array of landscapes, with trails that take you deep into the region’s heritage.

    I step out onto the sand and it cries out underfoot. Kweek! I take another step and there’s another little yelp. Screet! Picking up the pace, the sounds follow me like my shadow, all the way down to the water. It’s obvious how this spot got its name – Squeaky Beach – from the rounded grains of quartz that make the distinctive sounds under pressure.

    For many, Wilsons Promontory National Park is the gateway to Gippsland, and the best way to explore it is by walking its network of hiking trails, from coastal gems such as Squeaky Beach through to the bushland, among the wildlife. But it’s still just a taste of what you’ll find on foot in the region.

    Venture a bit further into Gippsland and you’ll discover the lakes, the rainforest, and the alpine peaks, each changing with the season and offering summer strolls or winter walks. Just like that squeaky sand, each step along these trails has something to tell you: perhaps a story about an ancient spirit or a pioneering search for fortune.

    The best coastal hikes in Gippsland

    sunset at Wilsons Promontory National Park
    Wilsons Promontory National Park is a sprawling wilderness with many coastal bushland trails. (Image: Mark Watson)

    Wilsons Promontory National Park (or ‘The Prom’, as you’ll end up calling it) is an easy three-hour drive from Melbourne, but you might ditch the car when you arrive, with much of the park’s 50,000 hectares accessible only by foot. From the inky water of Tidal River (dyed dark purple by abundant tea trees), I like the easy walks along the coast, among lichen-laden granite boulders, to golden beaches and bays.

    a couple on Mount Oberon
    Panoramic views from the summit of Mount Oberon. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    The trail to the panoramic views at the summit of Mount Oberon is a bit harder, up steep timber and granite steps, but it’s a popular 6.8-kilometre return. The more remote hikes are found through the open banksia and stringybark woodland of the park’s north, or along the multi-day Southern Circuit, which ranges from about 35 to 52 kilometres, with sunrises and sunsets, kangaroos and cockatoos, and maybe even whales.

    a golden sand beach at Wilsons Promontory National Park
    Walk ‘The Prom’s’ golden sand beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia/Time Out Australia)

    You might also see whales on the George Bass Coastal Walk, even closer to Melbourne on the western edge of Gippsland. This dramatic seven-kilometre trail along the clifftops takes in sweeping views of the wild ocean, occasionally dipping down from grassy green hills to coastal gullies and a secluded beach. It also now links into the Bass Coast Rail Trail for an extra 14 kilometres.

    the George Bass Coastal Walk
    George Bass Coastal Walk trails for seven kilometres along clifftops. (Image: Visit Victoria/Time Out Australia)

    Over at the eastern edge of Gippsland, in Croajingolong National Park, you can wander along the lakeshores beneath koalas and around goannas (I keep my distance since one chased me here!). For those who are even more adventurous, the park is also the starting point for the 100-kilometre Wilderness Coast Walk, usually done over seven days.

    the Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland
    Wander along the lakeshores in Croajingolong National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    The best bush hikes in Gippsland

    the Baw Baw National Park
    The alpine heath of Baw Baw National Park. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    Deep in the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine at Walhalla, mining guide Richard tells me how this small town in the mountains east of Melbourne boomed when prospectors found gold here in 1862. These days, you’ll find most of the town’s treasure – its heritage – above ground, with the Walhalla Tramline Walk a wonderful way to explore it.

    Just seven kilometres long, the walk takes you through decades of Gold Rush history, following the original rail trail from lush bushland to the mining sites, and through the charming village of just 20 residents with its wooden cottages and old shopfronts adorned with turn-of-the-century advertising posters. Blazing a trail where trailblazers once opened up the region, this is also the starting point for the 650-kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track.

    Nearby, Baw Baw National Park has walks through gnarled snow gums and alpine heaths that show off the colourful wildflowers in summer and the pristine carpet of white in winter. Several trails are perfect for snowshoes, including a 45-minute route from St Gwinear up to vast views across the Latrobe Valley.

    Further up into the mountains, the Toorongo and Amphitheatre Falls Loop Walk is an easy 2.2-kilometre path that serenades you with the sound of flowing water as you pass mossy rocks and tree ferns en route to two sets of waterfalls cascading over boulders in the remote wilderness.

    The best cultural hikes in Gippsland

    the Mitchell River National Park, Gippsland
    Hike the Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

    Across a pool in a natural sandstone amphitheatre, deep within a cave behind a waterfall, it’s said the Nargun has its lair. A fierce creature, half human and half stone, that abducts children and can’t be harmed by boomerangs or spears, the story of the Nargun has been told around the campfires of the local Gunaikurnai people for generations.

    As a culturally significant place for women, hikers are asked not to go into the Den of Nargun, but a 3.4-kilometre loop walk leads you through a rainforest gully to the entrance where you can feel the powerful atmosphere here in Mitchell River National Park, along Victoria’s largest remaining wild and free-flowing waterway.

    the bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park
    Bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

    The Den of Nargun is part of the Bataluk Cultural Trail, a series of important traditional Gunaikurnai sites through central Gippsland. Another location is Victoria’s largest cave system, Buchan Caves Reserve, with trails to important archaeological sites of human artefacts up to 18,000 years old. The FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk includes the naturally sculpted white limestone steps of the 400-metre-long Federal Cave, while the Granite Pools Walk goes among tall timber and moss-covered gullies.

    the ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park
    The ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park. (Image: Josie Withers)

    Also important to the Gunaikurnai people is Tarra-Bulga National Park, known for its ancient myrtle beeches and enormous mountain ash trees. Just 40 minutes return, the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk offers a taste of this verdant landscape, while the Grand Strzelecki Track takes you deep into the lost world of forest giants on an epic 100-kilometre trail rich with tradition.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the WildernessRetreats in The Prom
    Wilderness Retreats in The Prom. (Image: Christian Pearson)

    Wilderness Retreats in Wilsons Promontory offers glamping-style tents with luxurious queen beds. Star Hotel is a reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era hotel from 1863 in the heart of heritage Walhalla. Caves House is a historic three-bedroom house with views over the Buchan River.

    Eating there

    the Carrajung Estate, Gippsland
    Enjoy a post-hike lunch at Carrajung Estate. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    Kilcunda General Store serves great coffee and meals of local produce at the George Bass Coastal Walk. Alpine Trout Farm is located near Toorongo Falls in Noojee. Fish for your own lunch and barbecue it with the provided cookware.

    Carrajung Estate is a short drive from Tarra-Bulga National Park. The winery’s restaurant offers a seasonal menu of regional ingredients and you can stay at The Lodge.

    a seafood feast at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland
    The table is set for a seafood feast at the estate.

    Video credit: Tourism Australia