The Hepburn Bathhouse was first created in 1890s & as you can imagine has been remodelled several times. It re-opened in Sept 2008 after an extensive A$13million redevelopment.
Hepburn Mineral Spring Reserve was created in 1865 by a conscientious group of residents who at a game changing meeting at the Savoia Hotel in 1864, petitioned the Australian government to protect the mineral springs from mining.
The 1st of the Spring fountains – this one is Soda which comes from a bore 11.5m deep redialed in 2002. The Soda Spring water when compared to the other springs in this area, contains the least Chloride, Calcium and Silica. It tasted bad to me.
Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve spans over 30 hectares and is located in Victoria, Australia. It is a great place to visit, enjoy the spa or just to have a BBQ or picnic in the great outdoors.
The mineral springs around Hepburn Springs have been used for drinking and bathing since the 1860s. Many of the immigrants who settled here in Hepburn Springs were from the “Spa” districts in Italy, Germany and England. They therefore appreciated these springs very much and rated the waters above gold.
This impressive, gigantic Redwood, also known as Giant Sequoia,(Sequoiadendron giganteum) a coniferous tree sits in the middle of this shaded picnic area. This is the most massive of trees on Earth and they can grow up to an average height of between 50-85m and have a trunk diameter of 6-8m.The greatest recorded specimen the “General Giant Tree’ has a 8.8m girth and record trees have measured at 94.8m or over 300ft in height.
The Pavilion seen here and the Bathhouse are 2 of the 7 sites registered under the Victorian Heritage Register. Hepburn Pavilion Cafe is set in this Edwardian building built in 1908 with stainless windows, beautifully tiled floors, a vaulted ceiling and great park views.
You can have Brunch, Lunch or indulge in their famous Devonshire tea with freshly baked scone, house made berry jams, add a dollop of double cream accompanied by coffee or tea of your choice. Locarno Spring takes its name from the Swiss Spa resort. It was not listed by Dunn in the Geological Survey of 1910 possibly because it was dry due to distant underground gold mining at North Frenchmans and Frenchmans Reef Mines. After the Closure of these mines the spring waters appeared again. During the 1970s and 1980s when spring water was in highest demand, the water was diverted at night from Locarno Spring to the bottling plant at Pavilion Spring.Though it was the miner’s who first discovered the mineral springs in this area, their preoccupation was to find gold. In the search for gold, many shafts, adits and tunnels were dug and the mines that operated below the water table created depressions in the spring waters. This affected surrounding areas as far as 2km away. Angered by this recurring water shortages, the citizens saw the co-relation with the mining activities and petitioned for the cessation of mining leases in 1910. Pavilion Spring gradually started flowing again after the mines were shut permanently 0n Oct 1914.
Recognised as the traditional land of the Dja Dja Wurrung, Hepburn Springs Nature Reserve is located in the middle of the largest concentration of Mineral springs in Victoria, Australia, just 48km northeast of Ballarat and 114km northwest of Melbourne. Welshmans Gully is bone dry in winter.
This Sulphur Spring seems quite popular. Seen some folks coming to collect the water using their own drinking bottles and happily drinking it. This is a sodium bicarbonate natural spring water or “soda water” extracted by means of a hand pump. I tried it but yikes, it tasted really bad to me!The prevalence of mineral water in Hepburn Springs Nature Reserve is due to its close proximity to the Great Dividing Range and the volcanic nature of the geology.Hepburn Springs Nature Reserve is not hugh but it is a lovely place that has something for everyone in the family to do. There is a playground, a park area where your dogs can run around, a BBQ area, a picnic area where I ate my lunch and a cafe and not forgetting the spa where you can go for a dip.This was the last spring I visited and it is named Wyuna. Wyuna Springs is also a sodium bicarbonate natural spring of “soda water” but it contains the least sodium compared to the other springs. Natural mineral water contains many of the minerals, trace elements and micro-nutrients missing from modern processed foods that are necessary for our health, strength and general well being. External applications like in a spa, can also help to relieve stress related illnesses.Attempted to get to Argyle Spring but I turned back halfway as it was climbing uphill and I was afraid I didn’t have enough time to get back before dark.Hepburn Regional Park is one of the six Aboriginal Title Parks in Central West Victoria that is jointly managed by the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation and Parks Victoria. Nestled around the famous mineral springs townships of Daylesford, Hepburn and Hepburn Springs, this regional park is a real treasure rich with picturesque waterfalls, spectacular views, natural springs and relics from the Gold Rush era.I discovered the beauty of the serene bushland and natural beauty of Hepburn Regional Park just gazing upwards.
I must confess that I am not one who is totally immersed in great outdoor activities like bush walking but the short visit to Hepburn Springs Nature Reserve and the even briefer walk in Hepburn Regional Park was totally enjoyable and highly recommended for those who are venturing out of Melbourne City.
Come for the fresh air, blue skies and just to be closer to nature!
travelikeme 