Hepburn Springs - Mineral Springs
The Hepburn Springs area has seven significant springs - Soda, Locarno, Sulphur and Wyuna Springs are in the central area of Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve and Argyle Spring is to the east and Libery and Golden Springs are to the north.
Facilities
Soda, Locarno, Sulphur and Wyuna: Car parking, toilets with wheelchair access, tables and seats, tap water, BBQs, graded walking tracks. Adjacent Spa Resort.
Argyle: Rustic log seats
Golden: None
Liberty: None
History
In April 1838, Captain John S. Hepburn, who had travelled overland from Sydney with convict servants, took up a large grazing holding on the southern slopes of Mt Kooroocheang, naming the property 'Smeaton'. A family home was built there in 1849 and still stands today. Surprisingly, the spring Hepburn found was some 25 kilometres due west, in country which would have had few tracks at the time. Hepburn managed to interest the government analyst in the medicinal properties of the water.
Following Hepburn's discovery of the Pavilion Spring, mining commenced in the Argyle Gully Spring Creek Area, and the Soda, Sulphur and Wyuna Springs were rapidly uncovered by miners, followed later by Liberty, Golden and Argyle Mineral Springs. But the miners didn't develop these springs. In fact, mining by sluicing, particularly hydraulic sluicing, followed by a very thorough "clean up" by Chinese miners circa 1857, caused grave concern for the future of the springs. This lead Dr. Rosetti, later to become one of the first doctors at Daylesford Hospital, and Mr B Buttner, an apothecary (chemist), to call a public meeting to protect these mineral springs. Thus the Hepburn Springs Reserve, the first of its kind in Victoria, was created in 1865.
The sale of mineral water was permitted from 1868, followed by the construction of a bottling works which commenced operation in the late 1880s. A wooden pavilion was constructed in 1897, and replaced by the present brick pavilion in 1908.
By November 1911 the springs had ceased flowing, and this was traced to the nearby North Frenchmans Gold Mine which had struck a strong flow of gaseous mineral water, cutting off the flow to the pavilion. The mine was closed due to flooding and a new spring appeared in the creek bed, which was eventually sealed and piped to the pavilion by the end of 1912.
1926 marked the commencement of dances in the pavilion, causing some controversy among some residents who felt that "the promiscuous dancing" would keep away those visitors who did not approve of it.
Locarno, a more recently appearing spring, was named after a resort town in Switzerland's Italian speaking canton of Ticino. In 2002 the spring was refurbished, and the existing stone plinths were created.
How To Get There
Soda, Locarno, Sulphur and Wyuna Springs are located in the Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve. Head north from the main street of Daylesford (Vincent St), following the signs to Hepburn Springs. In Hepburn Springs, continue straight ahead at the Newstead turn-off. The road declines steeply before turning sharply to the right. Turn right into the Hepburn Spa Resort entrance, drive past the resort and the pavilion to the Springs Reserve carpark.
From here, walk down to the creek. Locarno Spring is set in a depression next to the creek bed. Mineral water pours continuously from many outlets near the bases of the sculptured stone plinths.
To reach Soda Spring, turn right at the creek and follow the footpath. The spring's hand-pump is visible on the right opposite the main entrance of the Spa Resort.
To reach Sulphur, Wyuna and Argyle Springs, follow the creek upstream from Locarno (Spring Creek is underground for a short distance). Sulphur is located 130m upstream, Wyuna is a further 110m upstream. Both are fitted with a semi-rotary hand-pump.
To reach Argyle Spring, cross Argyle Creek at Wyuna, walk 100m upstream and cross a low footbridge. The path then makes a fairly steep ascent of about 20m before descending to the bottom of a narrow gorge, followed by a steep 25m climb, and once again a steady descent to cross the creek over a footbridge (approximately 700m from Wyuna). Note the old adit (mine entrance). Cross a small side gully over a low footbridge and climb the steps to a track high above the gully, finally making a gentle descent to the mineral spring (approximately 1.4km from Wyuna), which is fitted with a standpipe and the familiar semi-rotary hand pump.
To reach Golden Spring and Liberty Spring: From the Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve (above) drive or walk back to the entrance to the Spa Resort. Diagonally across the road is a narrow, steep sealed road. This is Golden Springs Avenue. Follow this road to the end, past Lone Pine Ave, and park on the gravel. A signpost indicates the track to Golden Mineral Spring. Follow the DNRE walking track North-East. After approximately 1km you should see the spring down a path on your left, near the creek bed.
Access for Dogs:
Dogs are permitted on leash.
For more information about mineral springs in Victoria, see "From The Spa Country, A Field Guide to 65 Mineral Springs of the Central Highlands, Victoria", published by Edward and Maura Wishart
Location
Mineral Springs Reserve Road, Hepburn Springs 3461 Map
