Don't forget that any of our tours can me modified to suit your sightseeing preferences, or personal interests........

The Sights, Shopping and a VERY nice spot of Lunching.......

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MAIN FEATURES OF THIS TOUR Gisborne Woodend Kyneton Fine China and Wattle Ceramics Meskill's Woolstore & Mill Historic Piper Street Malmsbury & The Tin Shed Gallery Please refer to the map at the bottom of the page And of course, all the extras you get with a Daytours Victoria, private, escorted tour.

You don't have to venture far from Melbourne to get an idea of Victoria's colonial past. Off the Calder Freeway, to the north, are the pretty viillages of South Central Victoria.

Heading out from Mebourne, we bypass the airport and travel past Melbourne's home of Nascar - Calder Park.

Continuing North, brings us to to:

Gisborne, a very "villagey" sort of town, set in a pretty valley, which still manages to retain a naive charm. We take a drive around Gisborne and exit through a wonderful avenue of trees, which is the envy of many towns. Rejoining the Calder Freeway, we come to:

Woodend, which has embraced just enough progress not to interfere with its country town feel. We stop in Woodend, for tea or coffee, or a boutique brewery tour at Holgate Brewery. Unfortunately, your guide will have to stand by and watch you enjoy a taste or two.

Woodend is worth a stroll along the main strip.

After you stretch your legs, we rejoin the Calder and head to:

Kyneton, has had a number of rises and falls in fortune over the years. Thankfully, there is a resurgence of interest in bringing back the Historic Piper Street, to some semblance of its former glory. The progress is slow, but enough to keep you busy.

An essential visit is to Kyneton Fine China and Wattle Ceramics, which are made in the English tradition. Not surprising, as the company is owned by Rita Daniel, who trained at Royal Worcester. Exquisite pieces to adorn your home.

Just down the road from the china, is Meskill's Woolstore and mill, still using antique machinery to produce an interesting selection of quality woollen products, as well as recycled genuine English overcoats.

Back into Piper Street for lunch at Annie Smithers which also has a good selection of home made preserves, chutney, etc. and then a wander down Piper Street to browse in some very distinctive shops.

We then take a tour of the older and slightly grander homes in Kyneton, before heading north again to:

Malmsbury

to visit the Tin Shed Gallery and a very fine botanical garden, designed by Baron Von Mueller, who also designed the Melbourne Botanical Gardens. The gardens feature the original and historic railway viaduct.

Time and your inclination permitting, we can return via Hanging Rock, or the Macedon area, for a mansion drive-past.

Part of the Malmsbury Botanical Gardens

See a more detailed map, with the other towns of the "Macedon - Spa Country" area here.