News for 2009

Recent-opened and notable product and news includes produce, relaxation, dining out and village life.

Experience Daylesford’s Produce

Apart from eating at one of the many restaurants and cafes in the Daylesford region, there is another way you can enjoy the local produce: by getting your hands dirty.

Land a trout

His family has grown sheep near Smeaton for three generations, but in 1985 Robert Jones decided to branch out. Without knowing very much about the aquaculture business, he had six ponds dug and now raises trout at Tuki. Guests can thread kernels of corn onto a hook and catch their own lunch. Sometimes it takes just a few minutes, other times you might need Robert or his son Alistair to give you a hand. Your trout is then cooked over the open fire in the restaurant and served with some simple accompaniments. You can’t get any fresher than that.

Pick of the crop

As part of the Autumn Harvest Festival (usually held at the beginning of May), visitors to Lavandula can help pick the olives. Once they’re in from the field, the crop is then pickled with lemon and brine. “It’s all about giving people a feeling for how the farm works,” says Lavandula proprietor Carol White. The Lavender Harvest Festival takes place in January.

Loafing about

In the tiny town of Trentham, brothers John and Alan Reid make sourdough bread at Red Beard Bakery using the Scotch oven that’s thought to be about 130 years old. Each month, John hosts a six-hour sourdough baking class that guides students through the process of producing this ancient style of bread. Even better, you get to take away what you bake, as well as the ingredients to make some more at home.

Relaxation: Daylesford Style

You won’t have been in the Daylesford region long before you notice that on every street corner and in every row of shops, you’ll see a sign offering massages and spa treatments, as well as more alternative therapies – reiki, shiatsu, bowen therapy and the like. This is the heart of spa country, and the perfect destination for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Salus Spa at the Lake House

Day guests are welcome at the award-winning Salus Spa, situated at the Lake House. The Scandinavian style of predominantly blond woods and pale blue perfectly suits the climate of the region. Start with a relaxing soak in a treetop spa, overlooking Lake Daylesford, before succumbing to the ministrations of the therapists. The signature Winter Bliss treatment uses the aromas of the region – eucalyptus, pine and rosemary – in a rhythmic hot-stone massage and body exfoliation, before you retreat to the Hydrostorm. This large shower pod uses colour therapy, steam and Vichy jets to rinse away the salts used in the treatment, revealing a new layer of baby-smooth skin.

Mineral Spa at Peppers Springs Retreat

The Mineral Spa is part of Peppers Springs Retreat at Hepburn Springs, just minutes from Daylesford township. Even on the chilliest day, you can begin your indulgent retreat by soaking in the mineral-water plunge pool – heated to 37 degrees – situated on the deck. Then step into the stone bath sauna, where the air is perfumed by essential oils, the detox box, which warms you from the inside, or the steam room. Treatments here include massage, facials and body wraps, just to name a few, using Li’Tya and Pevonia Botanica products. The spa also features the only soft-pak float beds in the South Hemisphere. The feeling of water slowly filling the bed – rising around and cocooning you – is the ultimate in relaxation.

Also in the area are the Endota Day Spa , Daylesford Day Spa and Acqua Viva Day Spa.

Dining Out in Daylesford

In years gone by, the country was not the place you'd visit for a significant gourmet experience. The Daylesford region, however, has changed that perception, offering fine food and wine in unique settings. Much credit must go to Alla Wolf Tasker of the Lake House who, 30 years ago, began encouraging local farmers to produce niche crops that she could prepare for her guests. Now, every chef in the area values the paddock-to-plate tradition.

The finer things

It's been enchanting guests for three decades, and the Lake House, with its modern, waterside setting, continues to do so. Alla doesn't spend as much time in the kitchen any more, but she's still definitely in charge. The menu features local, seasonal produce, from Skipton eels to organic salad leaves grown down the road, presented in contemporary ways.

Seasonal influences

At Lavendula guests enjoy the simple Italian cuisine of La Trattoria: think antipasto platters and pastas and risotto made from whatever came fresh from the garden that morning. The paddock-to-plate concept influences even the region's cafes. Cliffy's Emporium has a charm all its own. You can buy jars of local jam and other delicacies, as well as feast on the organic veggie plate of the day or a baguette stuffed with corned beef, organic greens and local chutney.

In Kyneton, another doyenne of the local food scene shines at Annie Smithers Bistrot, a French restaurant where simplicity is key. The menu is a one-page affair that can change daily, depending on what good quality produce is available. Two local pubs also worth checking out are the Farmers Arms in Daylesford, where chef Michael de Jong creates rustic Mediterranean-style meals, and Kyneton's Royal George Hotel. The contemporary menu on offer here would give any city restaurant a run for its money.

Village Life: Kyneton

For a country town, Kyneton certainly has a lot of main streets. Three, to be exact: Mollison Street, High Street and Piper Street. While the other two are home to a vast range of stores and services, it is historic Piper Street that holds the most interest for visitors. “We’ve been associated with Kyneton for about 27 years,” says Traudi Bibby, proprietor of St Agnes Homestead, situated just out of town. “In those days it was amazing. There were antique shops all along Piper Street and horse-drawn carriages. Then it died. Now it’s fantastic again. With all the young people coming, it’s had something of a renaissance.”

New beginnings

The town’s old ice works is now home to three must-stop destinations: Slow Living, Rachael McLinden’s café serving organic local produce; Sarah Gabriel’s Lauriston Press, a studio and art gallery; and No 2 Sweetheart (0417 862 803) former hair and make-up artist Melinda Wain’s boutique of green fashion and skin care. Another newcomer to town is Maison on Piper ((03) 5422 1111), selling French-inspired furniture, country wares and gifts.

Eat your fill

You’ll certainly never go hungry on Piper Street. Mara Szoeke was working in a Melbourne bakery when she realised she’d had enough of the rat race. She now owns Inner Biscuit, a café that doubles as the production kitchen for her bikkie business (nearly every other café in Kyneton, including Ladle, a couple of doors up, stocks them). Those with a taste for baked goods should also pop in to Life’s Sweet, where Karen Brooks makes a huge range of delicious cupcakes.

Feeling like a celebration? Annie Smithers Bistrot is the casual yet elegant eatery where Smithers turns out her rustic French fare. The old boozer, the Royal George Hotel, has had a refined makeover, with new chef Chris Wade continuing the fine-diner’s excellent reputation.