Nature & wildlife

Encounter spellbinding surrounds that are either cultivated, landscaped or natural by design in the Goldfields region.

Postcard-perfect gardens
Stroll through one of the local botanical gardens in Bendigo, Ballarat, Buninyong or Castlemaine. Still thriving 150 years after being created by early residents of the region, these gardens are a great place to unwind and recharge. If you're visiting the area in March, be sure to explore the Ballarat Botanical Gardens and see the renowned annual Begonia display.

Off the beaten track
Take a drive beyond the towns to discover national and state parks offering dazzling wildflowers, abundant wildlife and stunning scenery. A centrepiece of the region's cultural landscape is the Goldfields Track. Part of the Great Dividing Trail, the track links Ballarat and Bendigo through Daylesford and Castlemaine.

Mountainbike or bushwalk across a series of landscapes including ironbark and stringybark forests. The track gets a burst of colour in late winter when the golden wattles are in bloom and in springtime hundreds of wildflowers pepper the trail.