Travel
A weekend in Hepburn Springs: massages, memories and a little magic
What started as a long-overdue girls’ weekend in spa country turned into a joyful celebration of connection, good food and a secret waiting to be shared.
By Leonie Jarrett
Way back in 2018, I took my two daughters (then aged 17 and 14) to Hepburn Springs in regional Victoria for the weekend. My elder daughter was in Year 12 at the time and learning to drive, so she drove there and back (with me, white-knuckled as her driving instructor!)
We rented a holiday cottage, had a massage, ate out, explored a bit and declared the weekend such a success that we would make it an annual tradition. But, life got in the way.
My daughters clearly thought I needed a nudge to organise a repeat weekend so, last year for Mother’s Day, they bought me a voucher for a massage at Hepburn Bathhouse. A stroke of genius by them, I have to say!
Hepburn Springs: definitely worth going back to
In autumn this year, we finally all had a weekend free and away we went.
My daughters still live at home with me and my husband, so it’s not as if I see them rarely. In fact, I probably still see too much of their stuff draped all over the house! But spending time together when none of us are tired or in a rush? Now, that’s a rarity.
Argus Dining Room for dinner
We arrived at our cute cottage nestled in woodland on Friday evening, and settled in before a tiny drive down the road to the Argus Dining Room at the Mineral Springs Hotel for dinner. This sumptuously restored Art Deco hotel sits majestically in manicured gardens. It was the last gasp of daylight saving time so the light was truly golden as we arrived.
The Argus Dining Room is beautiful – moody and elegant. We were seated at a table with loads of space around us and we were treated to an excellent meal. My smoked beetroot was just about the prettiest dish I have ever eaten.
Hepburn Bathhouse…well, almost!
Next morning, we walked into Hepburn Springs (a huge effort of about five minutes) and bought a coffee from the Hepburn General Store. Whilst the coffees were being made, we wandered around the cute collection of grocery, deli and locally made items.
Next on the agenda were our massages. The 130-year-old Hepburn Bathhouse was being renovated when we visited, so our massages were enjoyed in a villa. The only downside of that was that the reception was shared by incoming and outgoing clients which was a little awkward.
The plus, though, was that we were all in the same room together. I asked my massage therapist to take a couple of photos for this story. The girls and I laughed out loud when we viewed the photos and saw three lumps (us) under swathes of white towels.
The massage experience from the foot bath to the house-made tea to the relaxing massages themselves was heavenly and we all left floating on air.
Lavandula Lavender farm
Next stop was the Lavandula Lavender Farm at Shepherd’s Flat (just outside Daylesford). It was the most exquisite day with a cobalt blue, cloudless sky. We spent an hour and a half or so wandering around the historic buildings, around the lake and through the gardens. Special mention to the very friendly Highland cows and alpacas!
The autumnal colour show was dazzling. Reds and oranges and yellows alongside the lavender and greenery. Every view was a postcard.
The café (indoor and outdoor seating) was pumping and there were groups having picnics too. We could easily have spent longer at Lavandula but we had a Cidery booking calling our names.
Groovin’ at Daylesford Cider
There was live music at Daylesford Cider in the outdoor “cider garden” from 3pm – a great singer and guitarist. With his music in the background, we shared a cider paddle with seven tastes and chose our ciders based on our favourites. Munching yummy house-made garlic bread and wood-fired pizza, we spent a lazy afternoon there, chatting and listening to the tunes.
Cider-maker and owner, Mackie, took us on a tour of the organic orchard and the shed where he makes the cider. We learnt that two hundred odd varieties of cider apples exist and that Daylesford Cider grows seventeen different varieties of heritage-listed cider apples.
We visited in the middle of the annual harvest and Mackie showed us how the apples are hand-picked. We commented on how small the apples were (something like the size of a supermarket variety truss tomato). Mackie told us that that is how apples grow naturally, that apples are now modified to be sweeter and larger because that is what we as consumers want. We three city-slickers were a tad horrified.
Can’t go wrong with a cozy night in
Relaxed and content, we decided to eat-in that night. Unable to keep the woodfire burning (none of the three of us have much fire-making talent!), we cranked up the ducted heating as the first chill of the year descended, chose a new release movie on Netflix and had a cozy night together.
By pure coincidence, the movie The Life List was about a mother and a daughter and about the mother’s influence on her daughter’s life. It was perfectly apt for our night in.
Looking for movies inspo? Check out these 10 forgotten Aussie movie classics.
The foodie tour continues: at Sault
Sunday, we had a lunch booking (we did have a bit of a foodie theme this weekend!) so, before lunch, we drove the short distance into Daylesford and walked both sides of the main street. Lined with pretty homeware stores, clothes boutiques and eateries, it is a very pleasant shopping experience. We stopped at Frango’s for coffee and then journeyed on to Sault.
Sault is a restaurant in Sailors Falls, about a ten-minute drive from Daylesford in the direction of Melbourne. I had admired the French Provincial style stone barn every time I had ever driven in or out of Daylesford and I had long wanted to visit. Co-owner, Jodi, met us and showed us the gardens. When Jodi and her husband, Damien, took over Sault 19 years ago, the garden was just lavender. Over the years, they have developed two acres of farm which supplies the restaurant and inspires the seasonal, local menus.
Recently, they also started selling mystery fruit and vegetable boxes to the local primary school. Jodi is passionate about sustainability and food that, “Nourishes us, not just fills us up.”
Like Daylesford Cider, Sault is organic. Jodi pointed out the white flowering bush planted underneath the tomatoes - a natural herbicide. I made a mental note to tell my husband who is currently creating and nurturing a veggie garden.
Finding flavour flowers
Jodi also pointed out various flowers that they use in the food and for decoration - “flavour flowers” she cutely called them. Sault offers tours of the garden – I can highly recommend it. All three of us enjoyed the visual beauty and what Jodi taught us. In fact, we had another walk around on our own after lunch, admiring the final flush of sunflowers.
The gardens are gorgeous but the star of Sault is the food. You can choose between a two or three-course menu including house-baked bread and house-made butter, accompanied by hops-infused salt. Even the hops are from the garden. You can also go “all out” and have a seven-course tasting menu, either meat-based or plant-based. It was an incredible farm-to-fork experience.
My daughters and I gasped as each course came out. It seems cruel to pick a favourite dish but, for mine, the lamb ribs were truly swoon-worthy.
As a bonus final treat, we were served house-made nougat featuring marigolds from the garden. Marigolds, Jodi taught us, are an antioxidant.
Our perfect country retreat
We drove home to Melbourne in a quiet bubble of happiness. Not even forty-eight hours since we had escaped Melbourne traffic, our little country break refreshed us as only a taste of nature (and some good food!) can.
My girls tripped over themselves saying what a great time they had had and I smiled, knowing that I had added a layer to our shared memory bank.
All weekend, I was harbouring a secret that I am to be a grandma for the first time later this year (my son and his wife are expecting!). I drove home full of gratitude. Grateful to have grown children who, as adults, want to spend time with me. Grateful, too, to have the chance to re-live the joyous experience of little children again, this time as a grandma and my daughters as adoring aunties.
Ahhh….all it took was a weekend away and my cup was brimming.
Planning your own weekend away? Here’s A taste of the Hunter Valley for somewhere NSW based.
Feature image: Leonie Jarrett
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