Melbournians, and Australian city dwellers in general, are pretty lucky to be able to drive just a couple of hours and be in the midst of history. Jump in the car and in the same time it takes to get through Madonna’s Greatest Hits and an argument over who is better – 2000 Ricky Martin or 2013 Ricky Martin (correct answer is 2013 Ricky Martin) – you can be smack bang in what was once a bustling gold mining town but is now a stunning relic of days gone by.
Blackwood, just over an hour northwest of Melbourne, is one town in particular that holds its own against its big sister town Trentham 15 minutes up the road.
Yes, maybe Blackwood doesn’t have a wicked Sunday market packed to the teeth with homemade preserves and bags of potatoes, a 140 year old bakery, a famous town pub or even a weird little shop that specialises in enormous plastic replicas of animals that may or may not actually exist (looking at you, Two Fat Wombats). But it does have a charm and character rarely found anymore. I think it’s called modesty. You may have heard of it – it’s something country Victoria unassumingly shares with visitors.
Unsealed roads encased in blackened trees allow only a flicker of warm spring sunshine to poke through. The road leading into town to the right of the main highway is marked clearly, but the small strip of shops peppered along a small ‘main road’ can pass by in the blink of a weary eye. Gum leaves scatter across the pathways and into each shop, a true reminder that you’re in country Victoria. The town snuggles into the bosoms of both Lerderderg State Park and Wombat State Forest and although the scent from the forest is palpable, no wombats (or Lerderdergs, for that matter) were spotted on the trek this particular day. The town air, crisp and calm, smooths out the rough edges of visitors with a serenity usually only found in Bonnie Doon. We’re lucky – so lucky – to have this on our doorstep.
In Blackwood, the pub doesn’t open til 12pm. There’s no petrol station, no daggy trinket shops (that I could find) and no random claims to fame. But it has everything anyone could ever want in a town, including a restaurant well known and highly regarded amongst food critics and dozens of locals keen to chat and genuinely rave about their town and surrounding locations. They’re a true reflection of ‘good old country folk’, and it’s the least you can expect from a town steeped in Australian history since the 1850s.
It’s beautiful, tranquil and kind to the soul, but the more digging you do, the more of a thrill Blackwood becomes. The beautiful forests, delicious food, friendly locals, genuine country pub and rickety old fences set the tone, but the mineral spring, tucked away along the Lerderderg River, is a quiet and genuine delight in this town.
Squishy, moss laden pathways lead to the springs and a handful of enchanting nature walk which, if taken, will leave you keen to head straight back to Blackwood Merchant for a wine in front of a cosy open fire.
Sip, recline and enjoy a casual chat with locals and visitors alike within the heavily stained wood decor, and when it’s time to go home, be sure to grab a cake for the drive – you’ll want to take a piece of this town home with you in any way you can.
