Friday 15th – Monday 18th April, 2022

Our very first trip away!

The town of Daylesford is located approximately 115km north-west of Melbourne. I had heard many good things about Daylesford (its hot springs and beautiful lake are drawcards) however it took me living in Melbourne for 13 years before I finally made it!

With most Australians having a 4-day weekend over the Easter period, it is a popular time to go away, and I had originally planned to take Taylor to Daylesford for Easter the year before, in 2021. I had found a nice little Airbnb for the 3 nights, bought food and treats to take and was really looking forward to the adventures I had planned for the weekend!

Unfortunately, the morning before we were due to head off, Taylor was horrifically attacked by 3 dogs while we were out on our morning walk. After hours of specialist surgery to mend her leg and abdomen, our plans were put on hold while Taylor recovered for the next 4 months. The hosts of our Airbnb were very understanding about our late cancellation and were even kind enough to refund one night’s accommodation, as they were able to re-book their house for the weekend that same day.

So, when Easter 2022 came around, I was determined that we were going to have our weekend away in Daylesford!! The house we’d booked the year prior was already booked for the 2022 long weekend, however thankfully I was able to find another dog-friendly house – ‘Chestnut’ Daylesford. This super cute, open plan little cottage was perfect for our stay. The fully fenced garden meant I could let Taylor out to do her business and sniff around, and while the loose stones were a little uncomfortable for her paws, they certainly didn’t stop her exploring.

Our first stop on Saturday morning was a short drive out of town to the Lavandula Lavendar Farm. Well-behaved, on lead dogs are welcome on this 100-acre property, however only outside in the grounds, so if you’re a solo pawrent like me you may need to forego the homestead tour and a look inside the gift shop, or else find someone to kindly watch your furbaby for you.

But don’t let being a solo pawrent stop you from visiting – there is still lots to explore around the grounds, including the lavender gardens and farm animals, and there is outdoor seating at the La Trattoria Bar & Eatery so both you and your furbaby can re-fuel while you’re there.

This was the first time Taylor had ever seen llamas and an emu – and fair to say, she was absolutely fascinated by them!!

A short 8-minute drive away from Lavandula Farm, on the way back to Daylesford, is The Blowhole and nearby Sailors Falls. Unfortunately for us, the blowhole was quite dry when we visited as there hadn’t been much rain recently. We still went for a short walk down to see it, and it was good to see Taylor take the stairs in her stride (Taylor knows how to walk up and down stairs, but whether she will or not very much depends on what material the stairs are made from (wood, stones, concrete, tiles etc.)) You can see from the pictures they were a wood / dirt combination with open backs on the stairs – so bare that in mind if your furbaby doesn’t like open-backed stairs. Taylor drew the line at the stairs down to Sailors Falls, as they were made from metal. Apart from being more slippery, I suspect the cut of the metal (designed to give us pawrents more grip underfoot) probably hurt her paw pads as well. So, in the end, we didn’t actually manage to see Sailors Falls.

After a full-on morning of exploring, you probably could have started a jackhammer and I’m pretty sure Taylor wouldn’t have woken from her nap!! It was the perfect time for some human indulgence – a bubble bath with a (big) side of bubbles 😉

Easter Sunday started with a 20-minute drive out to another tourist drawcard – Trentham Falls. These falls are known to be one of the most spectacular in the area, with a drop of 32 metres, so I wanted to get there early in the day and hopefully beat some of the crowds. The falls themselves are a short, easy walk from the car, and the viewing platform was quite small so I would recommend getting their earlier rather than later if you want a clear view and a chance of a photo without strangers in the background! Similar to Sailors Falls and the Blowhole the day before, the falls weren’t at their peak flow, but they were still lovely to see.

After a short rest after the morning’s exploring, we headed to the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens which I’d worked out were only a 5-minute walk from our accommodation. With all the different plants, birds and bugs that make their homes in the gardens, it was so incredibly stimulating for Taylor. I put her long lead on and let her wander the length of it (15 feet) while I sat on a park bench and watched her nose go into overdrive and her eyes dart across all the movement!

We eventually wound our way to Wombat Hill House, where we grabbed a table in the beautiful courtyard and I had some lunch. This was a little nerve-wracking for me at first, as I had to leave Taylor alone at the table, in a new place, while I went inside to order – something I’d not done before. Thankfully the table was in the corner of the courtyard, so Taylor didn’t have to worry about anything / anyone coming up behind her, so I spoke to her (as I always do!) and told her I’d be right back. Ordering didn’t take too long, and when I came back outside she was right there on her blanket waiting for me like the goodest girl she is!

At this point in our trip, we still hadn’t been to one of the things that Daylesford is most known for – Lake Daylesford. The forecast for the next day was for significant rain, so I was keen to see it on Sunday, and then Monday, the last day of our trip, we could just pack up and head straight home. If it was the only thing we did that day, we could have walked, but given how tired Taylor already was from that day’s adventures we jumped in the car and drove the short distance from our accommodation. We managed to park on the side of the road in Leggatt Street, but it was extremely busy so parking was definitely a challenge.

The loop around the lake is approximately 2.8km, and it’s a wide, well-maintained path and boardwalk. We took our time, walking quite slowly as Taylor was sooo tired, but she definitely enjoyed all the sniffs, and even found a spot for a little dip!

The long weekend over, it was time to head home. After so much stimulation over the past couple of days, Taylor jumped in and snuggled right up in her car hammock. The excitement of the weekend wasn’t over yet, however, as on the drive home we started a new tradition – road trip chicken nuggets!! The look on her face says it all!!

Links (current as at 24 August 2024):

1. Chestnut Daylesford: https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/639894465728669576?adults=2&children=0&enable_m3_private_room=true&infants=0&pets=1&search_mode=regular_search&check_in=2024-09-01&check_out=2024-09-06&source_impression_id=p3_1724458636_P3tP2RKLcKI86HJ6&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_search_id=65d8160f-64ec-42b6-9c07-73d48913ec8a
2. Lavandula Farm: Lavender Farm | French Lavender – Lavandula Farm Daylesford
3. The Blowhole: The Blowhole | Daylesford Macedon Life
4. Trentham Falls: Trentham Falls (parks.vic.gov.au)
5. Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens: Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens Hepburn Shire Council
6. Wombat Hill House: Home – Wombat Hill House
7. Lake Daylesford: Lake Daylesford – Wikipedia