Creswick

Discover the historic streetscapes of Creswick, a gold rush town set amid eucalyptus and pine forests just north of Ballarat in Victoria's Goldfields region.

Originally inhabited by the Indigenous Dja Dja Wurrung people, Creswick grew rapidly during the gold rush years and was to become the birthplace of reforestation and home to the school of forestry in Victoria.

Take a walk down the main street dotted with elegant and imposing gold rush-era buildings including the old Masonic Lodge, State Savings Bank (now an antique and gift shop), Creswick Library, Post Office and the Creswick Historical Museum.

The Australian artist Norman Lindsay is one of Creswick's most famous exports. Visit the Magic Pudding Playground, based around the characters and events of Lindsay's The Magic Pudding book and a delight for kids and adults alike. View a permanent exhibition of Norman Lindsay's paintings at the Creswick Historical Museum, which also displays paintings from other family members and historic artworks relating to Creswick's past.

Get outdoors and tour the Creswick Regional Park, which includes a 15-hectare koala park, trails through natural bushland, camp sites and picnic facilities. Follow the track around the shore of scenic St George Lake, home to waterbirds and the elusive platypus. Or, get yourself lost in the Tangled Maze, a garden maze grown from thousands of climbing plants.

Looking for the greens? Play a round at the Robert Allenby-designed golf course at the Novotel Forest Resort or try out the Tony Cashmore-designed course at the RACV Goldfields Resort.

Drop in a line at the Tuki Trout farm and have your catch cooked and served to you at the1850s sheep station turned country retreat. Creswick is 129 kilometres north-west of Melbourne or about 90 minutes by car on the Midland Highway.