The Victorian region with autumn’s golden touch
Admire the seasonal changes in Macedon and its surrounds, a charming district that has something for everyone.
Admire autumn hues in Macedon, a charming regional pocket of Victoria.
1 Avenues of delight
In Macedon, a country town only 60km from central Melbourne, the Honour Avenue of 154 pin oaks stops traffic during its astonishing autumn display. Best feast your eyes and alert Instagram followers on weekdays, or early morning on weekends, then linger to discover the Macedon Ranges’ many other pleasures, which multiply during this compact region’s Autumn Festival. The April-long program includes farmers’ markets, creative classes from painting to eco-printing with foliage, an Autumn Pie and Tart Trail, and special events at the cool-climate wine region’s vineyards. The festival website suggests itineraries with themes such as pinot noir, historic villages and autumn colour, guiding visitors beyond the avenue’s madding crowds.
2 Explore the mystery
Hanging Rock is the region’s year-round natural attraction. A distinctive mini-mountain named for the boulder wedged in a crevice, it has long been popular with tourists, especially following Joan Lindsay’s 1967 novel and Peter Weir’s 1975 film about an ill-fated picnic. Walk up the maze of volcanic rock for vistas of pasture and bushland before enjoying your own picnic at the rock below. The reserve also has barbecues and a cafe. Or try Macedon Regional Park’s short trails to Sanatorium Lake (the picnic spot for the 2018 TV adaptation of Lindsay’s bestseller). Turn your stroll here into a meditative exploration with the free Murmuring Walk audio guides, which gently draw attention to ferns, flowers and remnant old-growth eucalypts through poetry and a cappella song.
3 Healing hands
For an effortless meditative experience, book a spa treatment at Maiaveda. The wellness sanctuary in Kyneton’s 1850s flour mill is a cocoon-like space of whitewashed stone walls, Indian fabrics, soft light and calming scents. The extensive range of services, from facials to foot reflexology, is guided by the Ayurvedic approach of holistically healing mind, body and spirit. As I discover with the signature massage, you don’t need to know anything about the philosophy to feel relaxed in the hands of a nurturing practitioner. Indeed, oiled feet and calves being caressed with a small metal bowl called a kansa vatki, and the concluding harmonic ringing of a quartz crystal singing bowl, are the experience’s unexpected highlights.
4 Stylish shopping
Kyneton also does retail therapy, particularly the art and design variety. The Old Auction House, a multifaceted art space, has rotating exhibitions and a shop for supplies and handcrafted items, including toys and jewellery. Watch artists in the studios or join workshops dedicated to crafts such as glass mosaic and fabric marbling. Stockroom Kyneton on stylish Piper St displays Australian and international contemporary art in two gallery spaces, and an extensive retail area where works in diverse mediums are appealingly presented. Just along the street, Royal George Hotel has been transformed into dual boutique businesses of vintage delights. Shop Kabinett’s masculine furniture, classy barware and luxe fragrances, then sip Botanik’s cocktails – ideally on the Raffles-meets-country-Victoria balcony among potted plants and midcentury furniture.
5 Cocktail hour
Miss M’s Lounge is another Piper St favourite where sophisticated cocktails are crafted. The long list of libations includes two pages of negronis – try the golden Autumn Negroni, which is less bitter than the classic – and wines curated by owners Heather and Mike Allen (formerly of Beechworth’s The Press Room Wine Bar). There is a relaxed refinement about the tapas-style dishes, which change weekly and might include cauliflower florets perfectly battered, fried and plated with green tahini sauce and hazelnuts. The otherwise pleasant courtyard becomes chilly in autumn, so reserve a table within Miss M’s cosy cottage spaces. Original features, including a wood fire, sit comfortably with modern features and hues.
6 Fruits of the vine
If you have time for only one vineyard, Mount Macedon Winery is a sure bet. The lineup includes chardonnay, rose and pinot noir, best enjoyed with cheese or charcuterie. The smell of the wood-fired pizzas will make you want to linger in the cellar door, or outside at picnic tables with views of vines, Highland cattle and mountains. For one of the region’s best food and wine experiences, book the restaurant. If my sampling of the spring and summer menus are any indication, “local”, “seasonal” and “fresh” aren’t merely trendy words here. Just-launched autumn offerings include Macedon Ranges duck breast with roasted fig, celeriac puree and cress, and desserts such as roasted apple tart.
7 Inviting emporia
One of Woodend’s High St shopping highlights is women’s fashion boutique Think Alike, where cheery raincoats by Melbourne’s bul are among the new arrivals. Clothing and accessories are touted as ethical, sustainable (think recycled or dead-stock materials) and mostly local. At Country House Woodend, discover antique furniture mingling with new treasures for indoors and out, including a menagerie of eye-catching sculptures. Woodend General tempts with all sorts of quality products, from rustic-chic Society of Wanderers bedding to Heaven in Earth wood-handled secateurs to Dr Sleek Lab beard serum.
8 Autumn colour
Among Mount Macedon’s numerous grand homes and gardens, built as summer retreats for Melbourne’s 19th-century elite, only Forest Glade is open to the public year-round. Its lush trees, flowers, fountains and statues are always beautiful and popular with visitors, but never more so than when birch, beech and maple turn yellow, orange and red. A few other significant gardens open occasionally, but Mount Macedon Tours provides private access through spring and autumn. Its small-group tours visit four heritage properties, including the 1872 Duneira Estate. Lunch is served in the former stables, which stand beside maple trees that are the star attraction during the transition to winter. Shepherd’s Bush, which was destroyed by bushfire in 1983, is also on the itinerary. Replanted with autumnal colours top-of-mind, this now flourishing plot is notable for exotic species rarely found in Australia including disanthus, which displays every autumn shade simultaneously.
9 Spirit of place
The narrow dirt road doesn’t look promising, but just before the trail ends, Big Tree Distillery suddenly appears – and surprises with some of Australia’s finest craft gins. Browse awards in the simple tasting room before sampling the wares. Signature drops include the aptly named elegant dry gin and a cumquat-infused variety made with fruit harvested on and around the farming property. The nine-strong range, from sloe gin to elderberry liqueur, is sold in bottles decorated with bespoke botanical artworks; peel off the label and reuse the bottle, or return it for $5 off the next.
10 Find sanctuary
Kyneton’s Old Rectory combines a fabulous Piper St location with Country Style-magazine living. Built in the 1850s, this former residence for Anglican ministers provides private accommodation with a unified blend of heritage and contemporary features. Expect deep window ledges, antique furniture, plush soft furnishings and neat piles of coffee-table books that inspire sweet dreams. The lounge, dining room and three bedrooms (all with spacious ensuite bathrooms) are designed for comfort, while the modern kitchen ticks most culinary boxes. The extensive formal garden is divided into distinct sections by high hedges. Relax beside the sunken garden’s pond, wine and dine in the parterre, or read a classic romance novel in the secret garden.
Patricia Maunder was a guest of Daylesford Macedon Tourism.
