The Larwill Studio is the perfect springboard for guests wanting to take a day trip to experience Victoria’s much loved country towns. Daylesford would be our top choice, close enough for a day trip, yet far enough away to be the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne.
We’ve taken the liberty in planning your road trip, mapping out a comprehensive agenda of spa locations, mineral springs, list of award winning restaurants to wine and dine at and more. We also set you up with an Art Series Smartie to get you there.
Parkville
Kick start your day with a heathy hearty breakfast at one of our favourite local haunts, Auction Rooms Café. Cure your coffee cravings with a delicious brew or go all out with egg and soldiers, brûlée French toast, corned beef brisket or a slice of delicious banana & walnut loaf- perfect as a car snack for the journey ahead.
Auction Rooms Café: Map Link
Daylesford
After roughly an hour and a half’s drive from Parkville, you will arrive at the picturesque town of Daylesford. To truly experience all Daylesford has to offer, one must re-energise in the natural mineral waters, sample local gourmet food and wine, visit boutique shops and peruse the art scene and Daylesford galleries.
Daylesford: Map Link
The warmed mineral waters at Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa make the perfect first stop. Step into their communal relaxation pool heated to 32°c or try the salt therapy pool and spa couches submerged in mineral waters – horizontal bliss. Hepburn’s steam room, heated to 43°c, are gently perfumed by essential aromatherapy blends leaving you feeling rejuvenated and refreshed for the day ahead.
Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa: Map Link
On Daylesford’s King Street, the Lake House Restaurant is on every foodie’s radar, for good reason. The restaurant is the life’s work of renowned chef Alla Wolf Tasker, an Age Good Food Guide two-hat award winner who leads a dining destination that is a magnet for those who appreciate both the best in food and the best in service. For a fine dining experience with a picturesque backdrop, this is our pick for you.
Lake House Restaurant: Map Link
If a casual picnic sounds more appealing, head to Istra Smallgoods. Servicing Melbourne’s finest restaurants and cafés, Istra Smallgoods also offers cured meats, jars of pickles, homemade pasta sauce and Slavic sweets direct to the public. Gather up a selection of delicious gourmet goodies and enjoy a lakeside picnic.
Istra Smallgoods: Map Link
Beyond the hushed interiors where healing waters and expert hands dwell, the Daylesford region is peppered with back lanes, bush walks, lookouts and places to explore and dine. Visitors often fan out from the lake, walking the undulating hills of the Hepburn Regional Park on the outskirts of Daylesford, Hepburn and Hepburn Springs. A self-guided walk with maps can be downloaded from Parks Victoria or a GPS hired from Secret Forest Walks.
Hepburn Regional Park: Map Link
Book our ‘Get The Smarts’ package and we'll have your Smartie ready to get you out exploring regional Victoria.
Did you love your stay at The Johnson? Now you can paint yourself in a little bit of The Art Series with luxurious linen robes, comfy sleepwear, stunning art prints and comfortable beds – delivered straight to your door and into your home.
