The Towns
Culture and history await you!
The Goldfields Track passes through many towns, some that were once bustling mining hubs, and others that have survived, transformed and are now vibrant regional centres.Â
To get to the Goldfields Track, VLine trains will take you to either Ballarat or Bendigo train station, and then simply walk outside to begin your adventure!
- Eureka Track (Mount Buninyong to Creswick)
- Wallaby Track (Creswick to Daylesford)
- Dry Diggings Track (Daylesford to Castlemaine)
- Leanganook Track (Castlemaine to Bendigo)
Ballarat
Begin your journey in the City of Ballarat! The Ballarat Line will take you to Ballarat Station, from where the Eureka Track emerges. Ballarat was an epicentre of wealth and cultural influence during the goldrush, and the buildings and architecture from that time can still be seen today.
Or if you want to start at the very beginning, Mount Buninyong is approximately 18km south-east from Ballarat from where the Goldfields Track starts (or ends) – a charming township with gold rush-era buildings, quality cafes and shops and a seasonal market.
Ballarat Visitor Information Centre
Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm
Saturday to Sunday 10am to 4pm
Creswick
Heading north from Ballarat for 18km, is the town of Creswick. It started as a sheep farming town, but was soon consumed by the gold rush and boasted a population of 25,000 at its peak. The Creswick train station is the end/start point of the Eureka Track and if you’re heading north, the start of the Wallaby Track to Daylesford.
Today, Creswick has plenty to see and do, including a regular market and the Creswick Woollen Mills – the only coloured woollen spinning mill of its type in Australia. And if you are riding the Goldfields Track, hop off and try the Djuwang Baring – Creswick Trails, a series of skill-rated riding experiences along approximately 70 trail segments.Â
Creswick Visitor Information Centre
Open every day 10am to 4pm
(Closed 25 December)
Daylesford & Hepburn Springs
The Wallaby Track becomes the Dry Diggings Track just outside of Daylesford, a spa town nestled in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. In 1851, gold was found on ground now covered by Lake Daylesford, starting the local gold rush.
And only 4km to the north, is Hepburn Springs. In 1864 local residents petitioned the government to protect the mineral springs from mining and the Reserve was set aside in 1865. Stop off for a soak at the Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa, or try one of the restaurants and cafes in town and as you head north, the Chocolate Mill will help replenish your energy reserves.
Daylesford Visitor Information Centre
Open everyday 10am to 4pm
Castlemaine & Chewton
Gold found near Castlemaine and Chewton was responsible for the worlds largest 19th century, migration gold rush. It was different to other gold rushes in that it bought women and children as well as men.Â
The Market Building in Castlemaine was built in 1865, and ran a market for 155 years. The Theatre Royal, built in 1854, is one of the longest running theatres in the Southern Hemisphere. It provided live entertainment for the thousands of diggers and their families who migrated to the region.
Castlemaine Visitor Information Centre
Open every day 9am to 5pm
(Closed 25 December)
Bendigo
From Castlemaine, the Leanganook Track heads north to Bendigo. It passes over the scenic Mount Alexander, and follows sections of the Coliban Water Channel, an engineering feat of the gold rush, built over many years, to bring a regular water supply to Castlemaine and Bendigo during the hot, dry summer months.
During the gold rush, Bendigo became one of Australia’s largest 19th-century gold-mining centres. The wealth from that time can be seen from the Town Hall, to the Post Office (now the Visitor Information Centre), to Pall Mall and Rosalind Park.Â
Bendigo Visitor Information CentreÂ
Open every day 9am to 4:30pm
(Closed 25 December)