Macedon Ranges and Spa Country Attractions

Bacchus Marshes (pop. 11,000) lies in an area of drained marshland on the edge of a fertile valley between the Werribee and Lerderderg Rivers, a fruit growing area known as Apple Valley. The town takes its name from Captain WH Bacchus, a founder member of the Melbourne Club.

There are a number of historic buildings, including the old manor house, dating from the time when Bacchus Marsh was an important coaching station on the road to the goldfields.

7517ha.

Lying so near Melbourne, Brisbane Ranges National Park attracts many visitors. In spring it appeals particularly to birdwatchers and flower lovers, and it has an excellent network of trails for walkers. A favorite picnic spot is the Anakie Gorge. Nearby is Steiglitz Historic Park, with relics of the gold-digging period.

Daylesford (pop. 2470) is picturesquely situated on Daylesford Lake, is known as Australia's spa center.

Notable features of the town are a number of neo-Gothic churches, the Town Hall and the Post Office. In the Botanical Gardens on Wombat Hill is a lookout tower from which there is a good view of the volcanic crater of Mount Franklin, 13km away. A few kilometers north is Hepburn Springs, whose medicinal waters have been famed since the 19th C.