4 Local Secrets to Discover in Beechworth

Long-time locals guide Megan Blandford around Victoria’s beautiful and beguiling Beechworth, the popular town that’s still giving up its secrets.

Travel writers aren’t supposed to use the term ‘jaw-dropping’ anymore: it’s too clichéd.

So, in describing the moment I first drove into Beechworth, I can only tell you that my mouth opened with surprise. I’d just found Victoria’s most beautiful town, and the more I explored the more I fell in love.

Its historic streetscape is strikingly beautiful, but there’s more to this place than the impeccably maintained stone structures; the buildings are a mere stage to the town’s play. To fall in love with a place, it has to have that indescribable something, and whatever that something is, Beechworth has it in spades.

Murmungee Lookout Mt Buffalo — Murmungee Lookout near Beechworth looking towards Mount Buffalo in Victoria, Australia.

The town has experienced many changes over the years, going from indigenous settlement to gold mining and bushranger country. Its most recent reinvention is as a tourist haven, managing a delicate balance between celebrating its past and becoming one of the most soulful regional towns you’ll find.

Many think of ‘Beechie’ as home to food, wine and history, but the locals have a few more secrets tucked away. Find those, and you’ll see why the nation’s love affair with this beauty is only just beginning.

1. Laneway to craft beer heaven

Hidden behind the Ford Street shops is a 150-year-old coach house where Ned Kelly used to park his (stolen) horse while drinking at the pub. Now, a wander down the Melbourne-esque laneway reveals one of Beechworth’s most loved exports: Bridge Road Brewers .

Bridge Road Brewers Beechworth — Grab a craft beer at Bridge Road Brewers.

With the famous armour emblazoned on its labels as a nod to the town’s most recognisable figure, the craft brewery is packed with locals and visitors during summer.

Here, it’s all about sitting back with a beer, local wine or cider, sharing a wood-fired pizza and chatting to friends. Such is life.

Owner and head brewer Ben Kraus, who’s lived in Beechworth his whole life, says the best-kept secret is that all the fun is so close to town.

“Getting outdoors is easy for some mountain biking, road biking, walking at the gorge or swimming in the lake," he says.

“It only takes two minutes to get to everything: there’s no hassle and no traffic."

To take Kraus’s advice, you can hire a bike from the brewery (for free), and cycle around Beechworth’s historic streets to take in all the nearby sights.

2. Eating where the locals eat

There are two main streets in town, but what’s packed along these thoroughfares makes Beechworth feel a lot bigger than it is. Browsing the shops, cafes and museums can easily fill a day or more; you’ll be trying on clothes, enjoying a wine (or two), tasting honey, eating sweets, shopping for antiques and revelling in quirky finds.

I pause to take it all in at The Provender, a cosy cafe, wine cellar and gem shop and ask owner Sue for some dinner tips as the locals recline around us in antique chairs, solving the world’s problems.

“I had a beautiful meal at Provenance," she smiles. “It’s regarded as the best restaurant in town."

Provenance, Beechworth, Mt Buffalo — The rustic feel of Provenance.

Provenance proudly sits in an old bank built in 1856, and consistently receives Good Food Guide acclaim. Head chef Michael Ryan combines his Japanese-inspired style with local produce, a degustation that people travel here to experience in its own right.

“It’s a menu that reflects what I’m interested in, my experiences and background," Ryan says.

I swish my pinot noir (matched perfectly to a tender soy-milk pork with fermented pumpkin and burnt garlic oil) in my glass and consider what a chef might love about the area.

He says it’s a given that he’s passionate about local produce, but if you want a real secret then the lesser-known parts of Beechworth’s past are worth checking out.

“The mining and Chinese history are fascinating around Eldorado, Spring Creek and the Woolshed. There are some good walks out there, too," he says.

3. The Woolshed Valley’s mysteries

Woolshed Valley Mt Buffalo — Deep brown and red granite line the valleys of Woolshed Falls.

And so, on Ryan’s suggestion, I find myself in the depths of the Woolshed Valley, a five-minute drive out of town where the water is the only thing in a rush.

When you first experience the roaring Woolshed Falls, you won’t believe you’re still in Victoria; with deep brown and red granite, and the heat of summer in full swing, you might wonder if you’re actually in the Kimberley.

There are a few things that you just have to do here, and the first on the list is swimming in the pools at the waterfall’s top. Soak up the coolness with locals who have cleverly brought their eskies along, before setting off and sightseeing some more.

The valley itself is filled with intrigue. A map from the visitor’s centre directs your drive to all the Kelly gang-related sites and gold mining history. For fossickers, this place is still a rich location to enjoy their hobby: they say just about any dirt you dig up here still holds some colour.

The eight-kilometre return walk along Spring Creek is another option, traversing through paddocks and mining areas (don’t step off the track: there are still open shafts), from waterfall to waterfall.

Indeed, Woolshed isn’t the only breathtaking falls in the area, and the pools of the gorge’s Cascade Falls are like little spas watching over the valley.

And, with spas on my mind, I decide the next stop should be a little self-guided indulgence.

4. Spa time – going crazy for relaxation

Known as one of Victoria’s spookiest spots, the site of the old Mayday Hills Lunatic Asylum is now an estate of varied and wonderful activities from archery to drinking at a pub. The Spa Beechworth is housed in the grand old administration building, set among the 100-year-old, 11-hectare gardens.

Settling in for a massage is a must, but don’t forget to explore the asylum, too. “If these walls could talk, they’d scream," says the ghost tour leader of the tragedies that occurred here.

The Spa Beechworth — Sink into a state of ultimate relaxation at The Spa.

You can always do it during the day if horror isn’t your genre; let’s just say it took one signature to be admitted and eight signatures to be released.

Fortunately, doing time in Beechworth is now a pleasure – although you may not be ready to be released from its clutches as the weekend comes to an end.

The details: Beechworth

Getting there: Beechworth is a three-hour drive from Melbourne or six hours from Sydney, an off-shoot from the Hume Highway.

Staying there: For self-contained try One On Last, 1 Last Street or the beautiful B&B at Finches, 3 Finch Street.

Is Victoria’s High Country calling your name? Check out our curated guide on all things must do in the area.

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.

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.