Melbourne to Daylesford drive: Distance, best route and road trip stops

The Melbourne to Daylesford drive in Victoria, Australia, is 112km long. There are better road trip stops along the Calder Freeway route than the Western Freeway route.

The drive from Melbourne to Daylesford is short enough to make the Victorian Goldfields spa town a popular weekend break destination.

Before leaving, you may want to tick Melbourne Cricket Ground tours, Yarra River dinner cruises and cross-city hot air balloon flights off your Melbourne wish list. For a great range of Melbourne tours and experiences, explore here. To track down the best value Melbourne accommodation, come this way.

Book in advance for the best Daylesford accommodation deals and Melbourne car hire rates.

But if you are planning on a weekend in Daylesford, there are a couple of road trip stops worth making along the way. The best option depends on which route you take, however.

14 fantastic experiences that make the most of your free time in Melbourne

Get the very best views – on a hot air balloon flight over the city.
See the changing colours of the river – on a sunset kayaking tour – with dinner. (Highly recommended ✅)
Feast and see the sights at the same time – on a four course dinner cruise along the Yarra River.
A genuinely excellent street art tour, led by prominent street artists. (Highly recommended ✅)
The also superb Aboriginal heritage, plants and bush food tour in the Botanic Gardens. (💲 Great value 💲)
Best of Melbourne bike tour – you can see more on two wheels than walking.
Hidden laneways bar crawl OR foodie discovery tour OR chocolate and dessert tour.
Combo ticket for Australian Sports Museum and MCG tour.
Hassle-dodging advance tickets for the Melbourne Skydeck, Melbourne Zoo, the Ice Bar (with cocktails) and Sea Life Aquarium.

Melbourne to Daylesford driving time and distance

The quickest route from Melbourne to Daylesford goes along the Western Freeway through Melton and Bacchus Marsh. Then, at Ballan, you turn north along the Ballan-Daylesford Road.

👇 7 great day trips while you’re in Melbourne 👇

Great Ocean Road tour – with koalas 🐨.
Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island tour – with penguins 🐧.
Yarra Valley wine tour – with gin, cider and cheese 🍷.
Grampians National Park tour – with bushwalks and LOADS of kangaroos 🦘.
Mornington Peninsula tour – with hot springs bathing 🛀.
Wilsons Promontory tour – with all manner of native wildlife 🦘🐨.
Dandenong Ranges steam train ride – plus wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary and chocolate-tasting in the Yarra Valley.

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Take the route via Ballan, and the Melbourne to Daylesford drive is 112km long, with a driving time of around one hour and 23 minutes. The main attractions close to this route are the Lerderderg State Park, Korweinguboora Reservoir and Hepburn Regional Park.

Melbourne to Daylesford drive via Calder Freeway

However, there is another route which is exactly the same in distance, but takes about four minutes longer. This is via the Calder Freeway, leaving Melbourne near Taylors Lakes and going through the Organ Pipes National Park.

The Calder Freeway route from Melbourne to Daylesford has more interesting road trip stops. After skirting Sunbury, you can visit the wineries of Gisborne and Macedon. The Macedon Regional Park and Mount Macedon are very short detours off the highway, too.

Top Gisborne accommodation choices

The best places to stay in Gisborne are:

For cottages amongst the vineyards: Gisborne Peak Winery Short Term Stays.
For a private lake, tennis court, golf driving net and sauna: Cleggett Estate.
For quirk factor and four poster beds: Galahad’s Animal Sanctuary B&B.

The Gisborne Peak Winery is one of the best things to do in Gisborne, Victoria.

Melbourne to Daylesford road trip stops: Woodend and Hanging Rock

The turning off the Calder Highway for Daylesford is just before Woodend, but Woodend is a lovely town to venture into. This is also where you’ll find the famous Hanging Rock.

The best places to stay in Woodend

The best Woodend accommodation options are:

For overall quality: Northfield Boutique Apartments.
For style meets homeliness: Silverwood House.
For kangaroos grazing outside: Hanging Rock Views.

From Woodend to Daylesford, it’s mainly agricultural land along the C317 then C316, but the Wombat Forest Vineyard and Red Hare Estate Vineyard around Denver are worth a look.

Daylesford hotel options include the centrally-located Hotel Frangos and the gardens-shrouded Dudley Boutique Hotel.