Leave the city stress in your wake and start your sojourn through Victoria’s historic goldfields and beautiful Mount Macedon with a visit to Gisborne, the gateway to the Macedon Ranges.

Enjoy a morning brew and country delights in a cosy café, savour a picnic lunch beside Jackson Creek or explore the lush botanic gardens, which have a distinct New Zealand influence. Plan your trip to the Macedon wine region, where you can meet winemakers and taste their vintages at cellar doors.

The ancestral home of the Woiwurung people, Gisborne was a stopping point for diggers on their way to the goldfields. Admire heritage buildings that detail the town’s 160-year history, wander the leafy streets searching for treasures in antique and craft stores, or time your trip to visit the popular Gisborne Market on the first Sunday of each month.

Venture into nearby Lerderderg State Park and spend a day bushwalking or rock climbing. Test your kayaking and rafting skills on the Lerderderg River, or just enjoy a spot of swimming or fishing. Discover 500 million years of geological history in the 300 metre deep slate and limestone gorge, or mountain bike along the tough trails.

Golf fans will not be disappointed. Stretch the legs on the fairways of the popular Gisborne Golf Course and be sure to watch out for the local kangaroos when you tee off.

Gisborne is about 45 minutes from Melbourne along the Calder Freeway.