6 stunning waterfalls near Daylesford

By Roxanne Andrews
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Don’t just imagine the perfect outdoor adventure exploring waterfalls near Daylesford. Make it happen!

Daylesford and its vastly beautiful surrounds play host to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in country Victoria. The positively charged energy that permeates from Mother Nature’s mega water fountains is truly astounding. It’s safe to say that anyone who witnesses these waterfalls up close will feel it.

Note: Please check the Parks Victoria website for safety updates and closures before you embark on visiting any of the below waterfalls.

1. Trentham Falls

Distance from Daylesford: 18-minute drive
Where: Coliban River Scenic Reserve
Parking: Yes
Difficulty: Easy
Swimming: No

Trentham Falls is one of Victoria’s longest single-drop waterfalls! Towering 32 metres high, the water heaves over impressive basalt rock structures. Upon arrival (it’s just a short, easy walk from the car park to the viewing platform) you can straight-up expect a breathtaking experience.

Watching the rapid force of natural hydropower in action is phenomenal. Note: there’s no access to the top or bottom of the falls as the cliffs are unstable – it’s best to stay safe on the platform and designated walking track.

the Trentham Falls in Coliban River Scenic Reserve

Trentham Falls drops from a 32-metre-high basalt cliff.

Trentham Falls form part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape in the traditional Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples. Overall, it’s one of the most magical waterfalls near Daylesford! Put it on your must-see central Victorian natural attractions list ASAP.

2. Stanley Park Waterfall

Distance from Daylesford: 46-minute drive
Where: Mount Macedon
Parking: Yes
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Swimming: No

This is such a cool (literally and metaphorically) little waterfall in the Mount Macedon region. So, it’s best to visit in the middle of the day and catch the sun’s rays splitting over the falls. The vertical drop is approximately 5-10 metres long, depending on the power of the water pushing through from the Turtiable Creek source. We love the sheltered BBQs here for visitor use, plus the kid’s playground and dogs are welcome on a lead too. The most reliable time to see the falls in all their glory is during winter/spring but if there’s been recent rainfall you can get lucky in summer/autumn too.

3. Sailors Falls

Distance from Daylesford: 7-minute drive
Where: Sailors Falls
Parking: Yes
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Swimming: Yes

Waterfalls and mineral springs in one place, yes, please. It’s a super accessible, almost roadside spot too. All you must do is take a lovely stroll along the forest-lined walkway and be greeted by the amazing scenery at Sailors Falls.

an aerial view of Sailors Falls, Hepburn Springs, Daylesford

Sailors Falls drops into a lush, fern-lined gully.

There’s a 1.37-kilometre loop track that takes about 30 minutes to walk and offers up mesmerizing views if getting up close and personal with nature is your thing or simply relax at the lookout (which is wheelchair and pram friendly) adjacent to the picnic area. Feeling thirsty? There are two mineral spring taps about, one at the start in the car park area and another along the walking track.

two women admiring the Sailors Falls, Hepburn Springs, Daylesford

Gaze at the stunning Sailors Falls in Hepburn Springs, Daylesford.

History buffs take note, gold was first discovered in this area way back in 1851 and with that, an influx of fossickers and their families arrived. Sailors Falls became (and remains) a popular spot for picnics.

a stunning view of Sailors Falls, Hepburn Springs, Daylesford

Sailors Falls is located just south of Daylesford.

4. Loddon Falls

Distance from Daylesford: 14-minute drive
Where: Glenlyon
Parking: Yes. Accessible by all vehicles in dry weather and by 4WD only in the wet.
Difficulty: Moderate
Swimming: Experienced swimmers only

Located along the Loddon River in Glenlyon, these lesser-known waterfalls are well worth the short trip from Daylesford. The water here spills over imposing hexagonal basalt rock columns that jut up from the gorge (which does indeed make for a lovely swimming spot in the right conditions) about 30-40 metres below. Native flora and fauna are bountiful in these parts! It’s a quick walk from the car park to the gorge lookout. From there, there are two paths to take – the high track to the top spot or, the low-slung, rock-hugging walk to the bottom. Either vantage point makes for excellent photo opportunities.

a spectacular gorge at Loddon Falls, Glenlyon, Daylesford

Loddon Falls is a spectacular gorge tucked within rolling hills and dirt tracks. (Image: R Reeve)

5. Colbrook Reservoir

Distance from Daylesford: 32-minute drive
Where: Wombat State Forest, Colbrook
Parking: Yes, best accessed by 4WD
Difficulty: Moderate
Swimming: Yes

Colbrook Reservoir is an off-the-beat destination suited to adventure seekers keen to see a seasonal waterfall spilling over the massive reservoir dam wall. It’s a gem of a setting for bushwalking, swimming, fishing and snap-happy photographers. Free bush camping sites are available here but there are no facilities; bring in everything you need and take it when you leave (including any rubbish please).

6. The Blowhole

Distance from Daylesford: 9-minute drive
Where: Hepburn Regional Park
Parking: Yes 
Difficulty: Easy
Swimming: Yes, seasonal – dependent on gentle water flow. No diving. Experienced swimmers only.

Hepburn Springs outdoes itself here with the Blowhole’s immaculate display of sheer beauty. Fact: people are surprised to discover that this is a manmade waterfall/ swimming hole, created by gold miners in the late 19th century for fossicking purposes.

The Blowhole and Sailors Creek (the water source that feeds into it) is part of the 210-kilometre Goldfields Track, which runs from Mt Buniyong near Ballarat and passes through Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine to Bendigo. Sure, the Blowhole becomes quite a turbulent show after high rainfalls, and then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s just as often an idyllically, pretty place to visit. Either way, we recommend packing a picnic and plotting your spot, for there’s plenty of space to spread out and relax.

Visiting Daylesford and its surrounds soon? Check out our Daylesford & Macedon Ranges guide for the top things to do, best restaurants and cosy accommodations in Daylesford.

Roxanne Andrews is a freelance travel writer and editor based in Yamba, Australia. Topics of expertise include; sports tourism, luxury travel, arts & culture, cuisine & dining, wellness, the adventure sector and all things marine. A professional scribe who occasionally goes gonzo to capture the moment.
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Hepburn Bathhouse reopens with new mineral baths and experiences

    By Chloe Cann
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    Slow the flow of modern-day life in Australia’s magical spa country with a stay at the new Hepburn Bathhouse.

    Sunlight spills across a large wooden table lined with a curious collection of essences, extracts, and pastel-hued powders in glass jars, each with a handwritten label. I pause at each of the small brown bottles, drawing their pipettes to compare the heady scents. Meanwhile, a spa therapist assuming the role of fragrance sommelier explains the formula for a perfectly scented soak: an uplifting citrus top note, a relaxing floral middle note, and a grounding, rich and heavy base note. I squeeze drops of bergamot, lavender, and a dash of frankincense into my bowl, stirring them with a scattering of rose petals, some pink Himalayan rock salt, and a sprinkle of ashwagandha in a small pot with a wooden spoon: it’s all a little bit meditative, ASMR and aesthetically pleasing.

    Custom ‘apothecary’ experience

    Each guest who opts for a private ‘Alchemist Mineral Bath’ at Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa is invited to make their own custom concoction. As my bath is drawn, I laze in the adjacent sunken timber lounge, sipping on an organic, herbal house-made tea that features some of the very same botanicals as the essential oils on the table (calendula, licorice root and spearmint, to name a few). Snug in slippers and a white waffle robe, I unfurl one of the curled blankets across my lap as melodic spa music echoes, and succumb to the serenity that permeates the spa’s every corner.

    Private mineral baths updated

    This hands-on ‘apothecary’ experience is one of the newest additions to Australia’s oldest spa (est. 1895), which reopened in August 2025 after a multimillion-dollar facelift. The entire space has undergone a refresh, from new tiling and lighting to refurbished changing rooms. But chief among the updates are the private mineral baths themselves, five of which were overhauled by contestants from the 21st season of The Block, each offering a wholly different vibe. One is vibrant and uplifting, plastered with pink subway tiles; another is awash with slate and captures a meditative minimalism; while a third is a riot of patterns, decked in veined marble, chevron-tiled floors, and an embossed copper-look ceiling.

    A woman bathes in the new Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa private bathing room with slate tiled walls

    A soothing soak in the mineral waters of Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa. (Image: Supplied)

    The therapeutic powers of mineral bathing

    A 45-minute soak in a private bath might feel like an eternity of solitude in an age defined by overscheduling, digital addiction, restlessness and hustle culture, yet the time slips by surprisingly quickly and proves unexpectedly restorative. There’s a sudden rosy glow on my long anaemic-looking cheeks, a softness to my skin, and, just maybe, a slower pace to my thoughts. The therapeutic powers of mineral bathing have, of course, been lauded for centuries: even the ancient Greeks and Egyptians extolled the virtues of mineral bathing for its relaxation properties and supposed ability to treat ailments. The warm, spring-fed waters here at Hepburn Bathhouse are rich in magnesium, calcium, silica and sulphur, helping to ease muscle tension and support skin health. But there’s a mindfulness element too.

    Communal bathing at Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa

    The benefits of bathing have long been praised. (Image: Supplied)

    In the main bathhouse, couples, friends, and mums and daughters all take to the waters, chatting, relaxing and generally enjoying each other’s company. Across history and cultures, bathhouses have acted as social hubs and anchors for local communities, and it feels profoundly refreshing to see people carve out time together, not a screen in sight; almost as if stepping into a time warp. Solo bathers find serenity here, too. Some resting their cheek on the pool’s edge and closing their eyes as their bodies float, others gazing straight out through the floor-to-ceiling windows to gorge on the abundant greenery beyond, and the occasional swamp wallaby.

    From bathing to dining

    With only a small cafe onsite, those coming to (rightly) make a weekend of it must venture beyond the bathhouse for dinner. Lucky then that noteworthy cafes and restaurants are in strong supply in Australia’s Spa Capital, with Lake House Restaurant, Bar Merenda and The Surly Goat among the region’s frontrunners. Few local restaurants promise a dining experience as mindful and holistically considered as Kadota, however.

    A kaiseki-style restaurant, Kadota invites diners to slow down and savour each elaborately plated morsel by honouring seasonality and exalting the provenance of every ingredient, all with typical Japanese modesty. Come winter, that might mean a pair of small, sweet mousse-like ‘pies’ made of slippery jack mushrooms, white chocolate and pine nuts, and moulded to resemble pumpkins that sit atop a dried oak leaf. Or a fermented kohlrabi and chive sauce that’s poured by teapot, tableside, onto local brassicas — the dish brightened by a cluster of cured salmon roe pearls and butterflies fashioned from daikon. Equal thought and care has been showered upon the dining room, which is a talking point in itself: light shades crafted by a local artist to mimic a lotus root; a feature wall of Daylesford pinewood, blackened using the traditional Japanese wood preservation method of yaki-matsu; hand-scribed scrolls made by co-owner Risa Kadota’s grandfather; and lemon balm stalks strung up along the wall to air-dry for tea.

    Like Hepburn Bathhouse, Kadota possesses a special kind of alchemy that’s greater than the sum of its parts, affording guests a deeper connection with the present. Somehow, even the drive from Melbourne to Hepburn feels like part of the experience, as if the spa’s founders dreamed it up that way. The city’s grit, grey and congestion gradually recedes in the rearview mirror, giving way to bucolic scenes and quiet roads: woolly sheep grazing on golden fields, gently rolling hills, winding roads flanked by forest, horses in paddocks, and family-run farmgate stalls. The drive itself becomes part of the ritual, nudging visitors into a more mindful state before they’ve even dipped their toes in the town’s magical waters.