Maryborough

Set in the heart of the Victorian goldfields, Maryborough offers a rich blend of history, charm and natural beauty. Once a bustling hub during the 1850s rush when people arrived to find their future, the town still showcases its golden past through 19th-century architecture, including the Maryborough Railway Station. Built in 1890, this grand, red-brick affair has 25 rooms and a clocktower. Mark Twain once unkindly said it was “a railway station with a town attached”.

There are more elegant heritage buildings at McLandress Square, including one of the largest courthouses in Victoria outside of Melbourne. 

Check into your accommodation – the refurbished Edwardian baroque Bull and Mouth Hotel has 12 smart, comfortable rooms. Or you could stay in either Gilbert or Ruby, two character-filled, three-bedroom houses – then take a walk around the town and discover some of the heritage sites like Worsley Cottage and the Bristol Hill Pioneer Memorial Tower.

The Dja Dja Wurrung people have been caretakers of the land of which Maryborough now sits for tens of thousands of years. After you’ve admired the work at Central Goldfields Art Gallery, explore the adjacent garingilang gatjin wii. This interpretive garden is home to Indigenous artworks and significant plantings.

There’s more culture at the restored Paramount Theatre, built in 1926 and these days showing blockbuster and art house films. At Maryborough Railway Station, drop into the Central Goldfields Visitor Centre. You can collect information on what to do in the region, as well as check out the immersive digital animation that explores local history. Every Saturday afternoon, there’s also a guided tour of the historical station.

One of the most popular areas near Maryborough is Lake Victoria. A walking trail goes right around the lake, where you can feed the flocks of ducks and swans. Bring your fishing gear if you fancy trying your luck hooking a trout.

Just south of town, nature lovers can explore the tranquil beauty of Paddys Ranges State Park. Here, box ironbark forests provide a peaceful retreat where bushwalkers might spot a flash of colour from a rare swift parrot. In spring, the forest floor bursts to life with wildflowers in full bloom, creating a colourful natural spectacle that’s not to be missed. 

Within the historical surrounds of one of the railway’s finest buildings, find The Station, a Maryborough restaurant, cafe and bar that serves a range of crowd-pleasing dishes. Sit in the main dining room beneath the glass ceiling or at tables on the platform.

Updated pub classics, as well as smaller meals, are on offer at the Bull and Mouth Hotel, which is also an open for breakfasts of waffles, pancakes and different varieties of eggs.

Pipes Bistro at Maryborough Highland Society is a popular local spot, with a menu influenced by modern Australian cuisine and traditional pub fare. Another locals favourite is the Maryborough Golf Club, which offers meals daily within Fairways Bistro. Looking for something lighter? Try Storm Cafe, Rustorations or Daily Dose Cafe.

The best Maryborough events

Many Scottish immigrants came to the goldfields to seek their fortune and, in 1857, the Maryborough Highland Society was formed to continue their traditions. Now, every New Year’s Day sees pipe bands, highland dancing, traditional strongman events and a street parade form the basis of the Maryborough Highland Gathering. The day’s highlight is the Girl on the Drum, a highland dancer atop a bass drum held aloft by three burly Scots.

Every November, students and teachers from around Victoria flock to Maryborough for Energy Breakthrough, where they compete against each other, designing and constructing a vehicle, a machine or an innovation in technology.

Getting to Maryborough

There are several daily V/Line train services between Melbourne and Maryborough, via Ballarat. The journey generally takes about two hours and 15 minutes. It’s about a two-hour drive from Melbourne. V/Line Coach services also operate between Maryborough and Castlemaine.