Daylesford
Mineral springs, bathhouses and the food producers of the Central Highlands — about ninety minutes from Melbourne, with a driver who waits while you soak.
Discover Daylesford
Daylesford and Hepburn Springs sit on one of the densest concentrations of mineral springs in Australia, which is why the bathhouses are here. It is roughly ninety minutes from Melbourne, and it is exactly the kind of day that goes wrong when one person in the group has to stay sober and drive.
Hepburn Bathhouse is the best known. There are smaller private bathhouses nearby if you would rather not share a pool. Bookings matter here — weekend sessions fill weeks ahead — so tell us the date early and we hold a time for you.
Around the soaking there is Lake Daylesford, the Sunday market, the springs reserve where you can taste the water straight from the pumps, and a food scene that is small but serious. Tell us whether the day is mostly spa or mostly eating, and we build it that way.
Tour Highlights
- ✓Hepburn Bathhouse, or a smaller private bathhouse nearby
- ✓The mineral springs reserve, tasting the water from the pumps
- ✓Lake Daylesford and the walk around it
- ✓Daylesford township — galleries, antiques and food shops
- ✓Local producers: cheese, chocolate and preserves
- ✓Time at your own pace, with the car waiting between stops
- ✓Door-to-door chauffeur service from your Melbourne address
What's Included
- ✓Private vehicle and professional chauffeur for the full day
- ✓An itinerary planned with you before you travel
- ✓Bathhouse and restaurant bookings arranged in advance
- ✓Child seats fitted on request, free of charge
- ✓Tolls and GST in one fixed price, quoted before you book
- ✓Entry tickets, attraction fees and meals are not included — you pay those on the day
Reserve Your Daylesford Tour
Every MPJ Australia tour is private — your group only. Tell us the date, who is travelling and whether you want a bathhouse session held, and we will come back with a fixed price.
Get a QuoteOther days out from Melbourne
Goldfields history, half an hour further west.
The other great goldfields city, and a full day in itself.
If the food and wine was the point rather than the springs.
An evening in the city — laneway bars, rooftop views and dinner, with nobody driving home.
Tour Essentials
- Duration
- 10–12 hours, door to door. Daylesford is close enough that a bathhouse session and a long lunch both fit without rushing. If your day runs longer, the additional time is charged at your vehicle's hourly rate.
- Departure Time
- Agreed with you when you book. Bathhouse sessions are booked to a set time, so the pick-up is arranged around the slot you hold. Daylight hours change through the year, so we set the pick-up time to suit the season and your itinerary rather than fix it in advance.
- Vehicle & Capacity
- Matched to your group: Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 for couples; Toyota Alphard, Alphard 40, Mercedes-Benz V-Class or Kia Carnival for families and small groups; Mercedes-Benz Sprinter for larger parties. Tell us the group size and roughly what luggage you have, and the vehicle is confirmed with your quote.
- Included
- Private vehicle and chauffeur for the full day, tolls and GST. One fixed price, quoted before you book — no surge pricing and no per-kilometre extras.
- Not Included
- Entry tickets, tastings and activity fees are not included. Meals and drinks are not included. On this route that includes bathhouse and spa sessions. You pay these directly on the day, so you decide where you eat and what you spend.
- Child Seats
- Baby capsules and booster seats are supplied free of charge on request. Tell us your children's ages when you book so the right seats are fitted before pick-up.
- Payment
- Payment in full confirms the booking. Major credit cards and bank transfer accepted.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation more than 24 hours before pick-up. Within 24 hours, 50% of the fare is charged. Tours run in all weather. If a tour cannot go ahead on the day because of an official closure, we reschedule it at no cost.
Full terms, luggage guidance and payment detail: Booking Information. Common questions are answered in our FAQs.
Soak, Eat, Don't Drive.
Ninety minutes out, ninety minutes back, and a bathhouse in between. Nobody in the group has to be the designated driver.