AUSTRALIA GOLDFIELDS & SPA TOUR

Day 1 - Trentham to Castlemaine 63 kms

Depart at 10 am from Trentham Central Villas. The cycling is through rolling green countryside and wet sclerophyll forest before we descend to the drier goldfields region. Fill your water bottle with tasty mineral water from Taradale Mineral Springs and enjoy lunch at the nearby wine and produce store. After lunch you head into apple orchard and wine country east of Castlemaine with a vineyard rest-stop, prior to arriving at your Castlemaine accommodation. Dinner is at The Mill, a place for food and artisan production and a good place to tap into the town’s artistic pedigree. There is even the option to enjoy a (mostly quirky) film at the regular Sunday evening film night back at our hotel.

Day 2 - Castlemaine to Maldon 24 kms

After a leisurely breakfast time to explore and uncover some of the historic and artistic nuances of Castlemaine. Take a walking tour with a local guide who highlights many of the town's notable landmarks in addition to various sites of historical significance. Post lunch the cycle to Maldon is relatively short through dry forest and farmlands before you reach the historic village. Accommodation is at the Eaglehawk Motel, a charming facility in keeping with the rich history of Maldon. It is an excellent place to explore historic gold diggings, browse the numerous art, craft and fashion stores and enjoy the beauty of the historic streetscape over a wine or beer from the region before dinner.

Day 3 - Maldon to Maryborough 38 kms

After a leisurely breakfast and time to explore the town you head through more of the dry sclerophyll forests and into open dry-land farming country. Lunch is with a local farmer who is a leader in the local community. You then cycle quietly on bush tracks through the Havelock Nature Conservation Reserve where over 50 bird species have been identified including this year; four species of both Thornbills and Honeyeaters. The night’s accommodation is at The Bull and Mouth Hotel. It is an architecturally impressive and recently restored property in the centre of town. The location is ideal for exploring attractions such as the magnificent Maryborough Railway Station which includes the Museum of Australian History.

Day 4 - Maryborough to Daylesford 67 kms

After a hearty breakfast at the Bull and Mouth your day’s cycling takes to the back roads with distant views to the many extinct volcanoes including Mt Moorookyle and Mt Kooroocheang. You pass through small settlements including Yandoit, where Swiss-Italians settled in the 1800’s and built their homes from the local stone. Lunch is a rewarding affair at a boutique winery. Your charming hosts produce several Italian varietals plus excellent olive oil. Back on the bikes and for cricket buffs, a visit to Cricket Willow to see hand crafted cricket bats being produced. The final ascent into Daylesford is challenging and a ride in the support vehicle may appeal to some!.

Day 5 - Daylesford: optional 12 kms

A day to enjoy the spa capital of Australia (there are 72 mineral springs and over 30 spas) including the Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa where for $40-$55 you can enjoy bathing in the Bathhouse, massages, water and stream therapies or even a ‘wellness magnesium experience’. Should you wish, there is also time to take a 12 km cycle on the Two Lakes Trail to the scenic Daylesford and Jubilee Lakes and to sample the mineral spring water at Wombat Flat Mineral Springs. There are many good cafes and restaurants in Daylesford and during our two night stay you have plenty of time to enjoy the regional cuisine. The final night’s dinner is at one of the best restaurants in regional Australia.

Day 6 - Daylesford to Trentham 40 kms

The day’s cycling traverses a variety of scenic landscapes. You travel mainly on quiet back roads. Time for a leisurely coffee at Glenlyon General Store which stocks a full range of quality regional produce. The areas rich volcanic soil and cool climate supports the cultivation of chestnuts, potatoes, heirloom fruits, flowers and even truffles. Enjoy a picnic lunch in beautiful old church grounds under giant Manna Gums. You arrive back in the attractive village of Trentham early afternoon to conclude the tour with time explore the art, craft and produce stores along the main street.

You’ll mostly cycle on sealed lightly trafficked country roads and back-roads in good condition; expect a few charmingly narrow lanes through towns, and some lightly trafficked rural stretches. There may be short unsealed or graded gravel sections on farm roads or when accessing less-visited sights, but nothing overly technical — the emphasis is on scenic riding, not rough terrain.

The terrain is a mix: gentle undulations across rolling farmland with the ascent to Daylesford being the tour’s significant climb.

Plenty — the tour is designed so that each day includes stops in gold-rush heritage towns, visits to museums or historic sites, tastings at artisan food producers, and lunch in town. Evenings allow time to relax, experience local restaurants or soak up regional culture, so it’s not just about the cycling.

You’ll ride through landscapes rich with history: rolling past orchards, vineyards, fields, and past ornate heritage buildings, fine gardens, old railway architecture. Look out for mature trees, pockets of bushland, tranquil lake views, and the golden light in the late afternoon that brings out textures in the stone and timber of old town façades.

Nights are spent in boutique-style lodgings and comfortable hotels in heritage or town-centre locations, chosen for character as well as amenities with all rooms having en-suite bathrooms. Think good quality beds, restful rooms, pleasant communal spaces, attentive service — places where after a ride you can unwind in comfort, maybe soak your legs, and enjoy a fine meal without fuss.