Woodend
Nature · Mountains · Relaxed · Good for families and couples
One of ambleo's Nature spots - loved by travellers planning their next weekend away.
A weekend here might look like
- Morning: Hanging Rock - A jumble of weathered volcanic pillars standing above the plains at Newham, and the setting of Picnic at Hanging Rock. Allow about an hour to climb to the summit and poke around the formations at the top, pay per car on the way in, and check the forecast because the trail shuts on extreme fire danger days and in high wind.
- Lunch: Holgate Brewhouse - A family brewery started by Paul and Tash Holgate in 1999, in an old High Street hotel in Woodend with the bar and restaurant downstairs and rooms above. The taproom pours limited releases and there are brewery tours; the Temptress choc porter is the one to try.
- Afternoon: Woodend Children's Park - A big playground on the edge of town in three parts: swings, merry-go-rounds and climbing forts in the main area, a flying fox and tall rope pyramid for older kids, and a fenced section with a sandpit digger for toddlers. Shaded by gum trees with barbecue shelters scattered through it.
More to explore
- Mount Macedon Memorial Cross - A 21-metre cross on the summit of Mount Macedon, first raised in 1934, burnt in the Ash Wednesday fires and rebuilt by 1995. It is the largest war memorial in Victoria after the Shrine, and on a clear day you can pick out the Melbourne skyline and Port Phillip Bay from the lookout.
- Bourkies Bakehouse - A country bakery on High Street that has been going since 1989, selling pies, scrolls, cakes and pastries. The vanilla slice is what people drive in for.
- Fox in the Chamber, Woodend - Tucked inside Woodend's old council chambers, Fox in the Chamber pairs heritage character with a bright, modern café buzz. The toasties are the stars here, backed by great coffee, a well-loved chai and matcha, and a tempting cabinet of pastries and cakes, including plenty of vegan and gluten-free treats. Friendly, switched-on staff keep things humming, even on a packed weekend. Pull up a seat and settle in.