Where to eat, stay, and play in Beechworth

After growing at breakneck speed during the Victorian goldrush, Beechworth is booming again, finds Jo Stewart. Discover what made Beechworth into your Top 50 Aussie towns list.

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

As a historic goldmining town that was once the stamping ground of infamous bushrangers, Beechworth could stray into contrived tourist-trap territory. Instead, the north-east Victorian town is experiencing a renaissance thanks to an entrepreneurial community of new and veteran business owners whose exceptional food, beer and wine offerings are giving out-of-towners fresh reasons to visit.

The 1892 Beechworth fire station is still intact up to this day.

Eating there

Start the day with a latte made on a baby-pink La Marzocco coffee machine at Tiny of Beechworth , a cute coffee haunt that also serves cocktails after 4pm. Around the corner, Project 49 stocks panini, salads and soups, plus a top range of local wines, olives and pantry essentials sourced from small-scale, local producers.

If you think all honey tastes the same, the Beechworth Honey Shop will certainly set you straight. With more than 40 single varietal honeys to try, this is Australia’s largest collection of liquid gold. Here, you’ll learn that scented ash honey has hints of violet while spotted-gum honey has a strong caramel flavour. You’ll never view a jar of honey in the same way.

Pastry fans shouldn’t miss a local heavyweight of the old-school bakery scene. From humble origins, the Beechworth Bakery brand has grown to include outposts in Bright, Bendigo and beyond, but the Camp Street original remains as busy as ever.

Inside, you’ll find classic country bakery standards such as meringues, iced doughnuts and lamingtons overflowing with cream. The Ned Kelly meat pie topped with bacon, cheese and egg is hard to go past – well over 1000 are sold each month at this bakery alone.

outdoor view of the Beechworth Bakery — Don’t miss a trip to the Beechworth Bakery.

Wet your whistle with an afternoon beer on the breezy balcony of the grand, old Empire Hotel or visit Bridge Road Brewers for woodfired pizza and award-winning ales in an 1800s coach-house.

cold beer at Bridge Road Brewers — Visit Bridge Road Brewers for beer. (Image: Phoebe Powell)

A behind-the-scenes brewery tour runs daily at 11am, so book in to see how the malty magic happens.

Savour woodfired pizza at the Bridge Street Brewers. (Image: Phoebe Powell)

A giant of the national drinks scene, Billson’s Brewery has flown the flag for Australian beverages since 1865. Its striking, historic home on Last Street has a taproom, bar, tasting room, pooch-friendly beer garden and cellar-door shop to explore. Make your way to the factory-viewing platform to see the inner workings of this enterprise that has been tied to the town for more than 150 years.

On Camp Street, Billson’s Soda Bar proves you don’t need alcohol to have a good time. Behind the ornate gold lettering on the front window, you’ll likely be greeted by a dapper gent dressed in a vest and tie. Cordials, mocktails and ice-cream spiders are all on the menu here, providing a cool spot for a hangover-free night out.

Staying there

A stay at The Hive Apartment at Beechworth Honey puts you in a sweet spot. Right in the centre of town, the historic building was once a bank manager’s residence and gold office. Now it’s a lovely, light-filled three-bedroom short-stay hotel with a subtle bee theme.

cosy bedroom at the Hive Hotel — The Hive Hotel is a sweet spot in town. (Image: Richard Iskov)

One kilometre out of town, The Benev is a welcome addition to Beechworth. What was once an asylum is now an upscale spa hotel that’s a destination in its own right. Described as a ‘child and screen-free haven’, a stay in a signature wellness suite (complete with freestanding stone bath) is just the ticket if you’re looking to unwind in peace, sans kids.

Playing there

Spend two hours completing the Beechworth Gorge Walk circuit around the town’s fringes for a dose of nature and local history. The Kelly Gang took cover in these tracts of bushland that are littered with goldrush remnants, including the Powder Magazine, which was built to store the explosives used to blast the landscapes in search of gold.

Beechworth Cemetery is where many other notable locals have been laid to rest. From a victim of a bushranger shootout to an American Civil War veteran who died of alcoholism, a wander around the cemetery reveals much about the social fabric of the town in the 1800s. Many Chinese miners were also buried here, with the cemetery’s distinctive burning towers once used for burning prayers and gifts for the afterlife.

In 2016, a community buyback of the imposing Old Beechworth Gaol led to the historic property serving Beechworth in a brand-new way. Book ahead to learn about the gaol’s grim past and see the cell that once housed the one and only Ned Kelly – a pre-booked tour is the only way you can see inside for yourself.

cafe at the Old Beechworth Gaol — The Old Beechworth Gaol is now a buzzing spot, too.

What was once a house of pain (eight men were executed here in the 1800s) now houses a co-working space, cafe, event spaces and a hub for rural entrepreneurship. Despite its transformation from a place of detention to a space for innovation, the gaol’s heritage has been retained and honoured. Just like the town itself, Old Beechworth Gaol straddles the past and the present with aplomb.

Explore more of Beechworth in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

Top Towns for 2022: Behold the beguiling town of Beechworth