In the Macedon Ranges and Spa Country it is easy to find something you like and stick with it. Whether it is relaxing in a spa, wine tasting or shopping for curios, it is easy to let time slip by and forget about the rest of the itinerary.

But there are some things that you just should not miss out on when you visit this region.

In the Macedon Ranges and Spa Country you can sample some of the best mineral springs in the state. Some springs taste sweet, some sharp and others strong. The mineral water flows from underground and is pumped up into a well by an old-fashioned hand pump. These springs are the result of fractures in the ordovician layers of rock, laid down millions of years ago. Water that trickles down into these layers picks up minerals as it passes through the rock. Where fault lines meet the surface of the earth, mineral springs will occur.

For many centuries, Europeans believed that drinking and bathing in mineral water could cure a number of physical ailments. In the latter decades of the 19th century the ‘health-giving’ waters, the fresh air and the picturesque scenery at local beauty spots such as Trentham and Sailors Falls or Mount Franklin began to attract visitors.

All you need to do to taste the water is pump it up for yourself. It is free and many pumps are easily accessible from the main roads. Get a copy of the free Daylesford and District Mineral Springs map and grab a cup. If you want to stock up grab a few soft drink bottles. The mineral water is slightly effervescent and full of healthy minerals and nutrients.

The biggest concentration is around the Hepburn and Daylesford area, with almost 100 springs within a 50km radius of Daylesford.

The mineral springs water of the Macedon Ranges and Spa Country are not just for drinking. At the Hepburn Spa Resort you can sink back into a warm foamy bath of the stuff. Private aero spa baths, for up to five people, are available. The waters, rice with calcium, magnesium and iron, have known restorative powers. But if you want even more, just pick one of the many essential oils available at the spa.

Flotation tanks are also available for those who really want to feel they are floating away. You can also try a spa couch on your own. Let the aero jets give you a strong water massage. But if you prefer the human touch you can have a massage at the spa or a masseuse will come to your hotel or cottage.

Hanging Rock

The mysterious Hanging Rock is located in a rural setting approximately 80km (1 hour) to the north of Melbourne. The rock itself is a small steep-sided volcano known as a mamelon which formed 6 million years ago over a vent in the earth and now rises 105m from the surrounding plain. Don’t miss the formations known as Stonehedge, The Black Hole of Calcutta and The Cathedral.

Even today Hanging Rock retains an aura of beauty and mystery. It was reputed to have been a refuge for bushrangers during the gold rush days and was the chosen backdrop by Joan Lindsay for her novel ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’, portraying the mysterious disappearance of school girls in 1900. The original New Year’s day picnic races was held back in 1880 and continues today.

The reserve is host to nearly 100 indigenous plants, and comes alive with colour in the springtime. The fauna in the reserve is many and varied including up forty species of birds, nine mammal species including koala, kangaroo, sugar gliders, echidna and wallabies. Now visitors to Hanging Rock can visit the new Hanging Rock Discovery Centre and discover the history, mystery and geology of the Rock and the surrounding areas. The centre includes hands-on interpretative displays allowing all to awaken to the senses as you ‘experience the mystery of Hanging Rock’.

Activities also include exploring and walking in and around the Rock, go fishing in the annually stock dam, have a picnic using the BBQ facilities or simply on the grass. Come to the rock’s three big horseracing carnivals, including New Years Day and Australia Day. Enthusiasts of vintage and veteran cars come to Hanging Rock’s annual Valentine’s Day Car Rally, or if fine food and wine is more your style enjoy the delights of Harvest Picnic held annually in late February.

Mount Macedon

Many of Melbourne’s wealthiest families built their summer retreats in the Mount Macedon region. Sadly, many of the homes were burnt down during the fierce bush fires of 1983, known as Ash Wednesday. However, some were saved and others have been rebuilt. There are also many examples of fine modern architecture in the area. Luckily, the gardens have all bounced back, with many of the gardens the best in the state. Some are open to the public all year round while others are open just one or two days a year as part of Victoria’s Open Garden Scheme. There are also several Devonshire tea rooms in the region, including in the town of Macedon. Many restaurants can also be found and there is a large pub that has croquet lawns in the back beer garden.

The Gold Fields

At one stage in the 1850’s it seemed as if the whole world was migrating to the Victorian goldfields to seek a beguiling fortune. People still come, they come to visit captivating heritage sites, sample luscious wines, fish on a still lake, wander with their thoughts through a quiet park and dine in a range of fashionable – and fashionably diverse — restaurants. They come to create their own kind of history. A region that once gave up the Welcome Stranger — the world’s largest gold nugget — has much to reward the modern version of the 19th century digger. You might not strike gold, but you will stake a claim to a rich vein of memories.

Getting around the Goldfields of Victoria is simply a matter of following the signs bearing the golden G, the symbol of the official Goldfields Tourist Route. The carefully planned itinerary of historical and scenic attractions will introduce you to countless stories of luck, loss and fascinating lives. Or you can trace the shorter Golden Way through an enchanting series of intact goldmining towns.

As you drive past a pristine miners cottage or a splendidly restored country hotel, or enter an old mine where candles still burn brightly to light the way, remember to take your time.

Ballarat began in 1837 when squatters led by Willian Yuille camped on the shores of the Black Swamp, which now has been converted into Lake Wendouree.

Visit an age where gold laid the foundations of Ballarat and yielded majestic architecture and wide tree-lined streets. Join a tour of the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, home to the original Regional Gallery and Eureka flag. Admire the splendour of Her Majesty's Theatre, one of the country's most historic theatres.

Visit the Mining Exchange, where troopers gathered in 1854 before setting off to quell a revolt by miners at the Eureka Stockade. Nearby, Sovereign Hill faithfully re-creates the lives and times of a typical gold mining settlement it's people. Try panning for gold and take time out to speak to the storekeepers and miners.

The city blends its extraordinary past with an exciting present. Visit stylish cafes in Sturt Street, listen to live music in the pubs and indulge in restaurants by Lake Wendouree. The lake is also home to Ballarat's lush Botanical Gardens, which has more than 80,000 flowers in two garden beds alone.

View the display in the Robert Clark Conservatory — a showcase of outstanding floral displays throughout the year, including the city's splendid begonia collection from March until May. Don’t forget to look John Howard in the eye as you walk down the famous avenue of bronze busts of past and present prime ministers.

Bendigo known as the ceramic centre of Victoria — now a major regional city — displays an opulent heritage, and is considered one of the most impressive examples of 19th century 'boom town' architecture in the country.

The gleaming-white Alexandra Fountain, magnificent post office and law courts, the ornate Shamrock Hotel as well as numerous shops, hotels, churches and ostentatious mansions are evidence of huge wealth generated by mines deep under the city.

European settlers occupied the Bendigo district in 1839, when Charles Sharratt took up the Ravenswood Run. An overseer on the run nicknamed one of his shepherds 'Bendigo' after an English pugilist. The shepherd’s hut became Bendigo’s hut near Bendigo’s creek. In late September 1851, gold was found here.

New safety equipment, introduced by Lansell and other Bendigo mine owners, enabled deeper high-yield quartz reefs to be followed. One of these mines, the Central Deborah, has been restored and is open for tourist visits. Its poppet head towers over the main vertical shaft, and visitors drop the equivalent of a thirty-storey building in 30 seconds. Some mining operations continue — it is speculated that a fortune in gold awaits present-day miners.

More than fifty of Bendigo’s sites and buildings have heritage classification. Many cottages and commercial premises bear the distinctive hallmark of the city’s golden era.