Maldon: A Golden Heritage
Maldon lies at the heart of Victoria’s Goldfields, a region that bustled during the 1850s with miners from all over the globe seeking their fortune. Today the town boasts its own riches, with striking heritage architecture, fine food and wine, and a myriad of boutiques, antique stores and unique handicrafts.
This former gold mining town was recognised by the National Trust in 2006 as the 'most intact heritage streetscape in Victoria’. Take a stroll past stone buildings, decorative shopfronts and wooden homes that have stood for over a century. Continue the history with a journey on the Victorian Goldfields Railway. Every Wednesday and Sunday, historic steam trains run between Maldon and the goldfield town of Castlemaine. You can even book a Driver Experience Day where, after a day of instruction, you are allowed to drive (with assistance) your own locomotive.
Maldon boasts several fashion boutiques, antique and collectable shops, and galleries.
The Goldfields is home to a thriving food and wine scene. For the perfect introduction, sample some home-made chocolates at a café in town, before heading out to the ‘Taste of Gold’ Food Trail. Visitor Information Centre brochures will guide you along one or more of the five trails of the tour. Each will take you to farm-gates, vineyards, small food producers, farmers’ markets and restaurants. Sample the best in local wines, olive oils, farm produce, cheeses and hand-made chocolates. Be sure also to drive to the top of nearby Mount Tarrangower, for panoramic views from the lookout tower.
After devouring the best in local produce and immersing yourself in the rich history of Maldon, rest your head at one of the many charming, historic cottages in town; or if you prefer, you could try a self-contained apartment, bed & breakfast, or even a farm-stay.
