Whether you’re into fast paced adrenalin sports, sniffing out the best culinary fare or experiencing a gentler pace, Kinglake Victoria has every intrepid explorer covered. From fresh local produce, fine wines, forest walks, secluded camping spots, picnic spots, horse riding and mountain biking trails, and wildlife at every turn - and all only 50 minutes from Melbourne!
Situated on the majestic slopes of the Great Dividing Range, Kinglake National Park is the largest, and closest national park to Melbourne, making it an ideal spot for a day trip or a weekend getaway.
Highlights include Bollygum Park Adventure Playground, Wirrawilla Rainforest Walk, Masons Falls and Frank Thomson Reserve.
Kinglake, Victoria: a slice of nature with a sprinkle of serenity.
HIGHLIGHTS
BOLLYGUM ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
Step into a storybook setting full of wonder, awe and enchantment at Bollygum Park, Kinglake. This two-and-a-half-acre wonderland, based around the award-winning children’s book ‘Bollygum’ by Garry Fleming, features a climbing wall, monkey bars, rope bridges, flying fox, wave slide, bird nest swings, dual metal slide and an architecturally designed skate park, all set within natural bushland.
WIRRAWILLA RAINFOREST WALK
Unleash your inner Tinkerbell and feel right at home here within the fern gullies and sassafras trees in the Toolangi State Forest. This enchanting walking trail takes in the sounds and scents of the cool, temperate rain forests, providing a magical experience for the young at heart. The boardwalk circuit is a gentle easy walk (approximately 2km in length), so a great one for families with little ones in tow, including the four-legged variety. Just beware of those rowdy goblins!
FRANK THOMSON RESERVE
Lady Stonehavens Lookout is located within the Frank Thomson Reserve, and boasts an elevation of 630 metres, offering spectacular views of Melbourne’s skyline rising from the southern plains and the rolling hills of the Yarra Valley to the east.
EAT & DRINK
Kinglake Distillery
Kinglake Distillery, hard to find, impossible to forget.
Visiting Kinglake Distillery is to immersive yourself in the taste and processes involved in making one of Australia’s most distinctive new world single malts.
Kinglake Distillery set out to make a single malt that was discernibly different from other Australian whiskies, something where regardless of barrel ageing, the characteristic Kinglake spirit can be picked out.
The most important Kinglake variable that allows us to make a very distinctive spirit is their use of local Spring Water. Chyser Creek rises from a natural spring located on the distillery property and is used untreated and unfiltered.
They are one of only a handful of distilleries using open ferments for their whisky wash. They are surrounded by towering Mountain Ash, Messmate and Peppermint gumtrees. The open ferments and open-door distilling allows these natural pollens and yeasts to become part of the fermentation process.
The final piece of the jigsaw in translating these local features into a new-make spirit is their approach to distillation and the final cut runs deep into the tails or feints. This not only means that they harvest the maximum impact from the chocolate and peat in their four-grain mash-bill but that all the richness and depth from foibles of using unfiltered water and open fermentations are given a chance to shine.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Yoga, Pilates and Pampering Retreat
If you are looking for a unique Wellness Retreat with a twist, you’ve come to the right place. This women’s only Yoga and Pilates retreat is carefully designed to help you unwind and recharge in a down-to-earth environment.
Over three-nights you will experience a perfectly balanced escape where everything is organised for you. Fuel your body with goodness thanks to an on-site private chef and pamper your tastebuds with a fun wine tasting (optional, of course). Expect a welcoming environment, all-levels Yoga and Pilates, an optional relaxation massage, and the right balance between scheduled time and free time.
Whether you are looking for a relaxing girlfriend getaway or want to join alone, with space for only nine guests, this boutique retreat is the perfect opportunity to share a unique experience with likeminded women.
STAY
Kinglake Pub
The Kinglake Pub sits on top of the Kinglake Ranges, surrounded by the National Park. This spot has been a favourite place to stop for locals and visitors enjoying a weekend of bushwalking, mountain or dirt bike riding. It offers accommodation, food and refreshments with old fashioned country hospitality since 1906.
Rebuilt after the 1926 bushfires the hotel has continued on with refurbishments over the years updating the facilities but maintaining its original charm with open fires and wood heaters.
Along with Harrys Sports Bar, the Kinglake Pub has a separate bistro, Lawsons Function room and six motel units with parking at your door.