Things to do in Castlemaine, Victoria: What are the best attractions?

The best things to do in Castlemaine, Victoria, include the Forest Creek Historic Gold Diggings, shopping at the Mill and riding the Victorian Goldfields Railway.

6 best things to do in Castlemaine, Victoria

The best things to do in Castlemaine are:

Panning for gold in the Forest Creek Historic Gold Diggings.
Browse the Castlemaine Art Museum.
Combine arts, food and craft beer at The Mill.
Hop between the historic pubs.
Feel the serenity in the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens.
Take a ride on the Victorian Goldfields Railway.

Why visit Castlemaine, Victoria?

Amongst the Goldfields towns of Victoria, Castlemaine tends to be something of a third wheel. Ballarat and Bendigo are bigger, and tend to hog the attention. Nevertheless, there are a few things to do in Castlemaine, Victoria, that are worth a look.

Castlemaine doesn’t play up its gold rush heritage quite as much as Ballarat and Bendigo, but you can still visit the Forest Creek Historic Gold Diggings. There’s a lot of old machinery on display here, but the interpretive signs on the self-guided walk are of more interest. And, if you buy a pan from the visitor information centre, you can try panning for gold in Forest Creek.

Things to do in Castlemaine, Victoria: Castlemaine Art Museum and the Mill

These days, Castlemaine has a surprisingly arty streak. The Castlemaine Art Museum is pretty good as regional art museums go, with plenty of late 19^th century landscapes. And the Theatre Royal, built during the gold rush era, is Australia’s oldest continually operating theatre. The Theatre Royal is really a cinema and music venue rather a venue for stage productions, though.

The top arty attraction in Castlemaine, however, is the Mill. This former woollen mill is home to several small businesses, and has a market-like vibe. Inside the Mill, there’s a bakery, vintage clothing ships, a coffee house, and the Shedshaker Brewing tap room.

What to do in Castlemaine, Victoria: Castlemaine Artists Market

For a real market, the Castlemaine Artists Market takes place on the first Sunday of every month. The Castlemaine Artists Market is held at Castlemaine Western Reserve, on the corner of Forest and Wheeler Streets.

Other things to do in Castlemaine, Victoria, include ambling around the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. Close to the Mill, these gardens are built around Lake Joanna. Castlemaine also has some great pubs. The Bridge Hotel offers high quality pub classic meals and live music, while the Railway Hotel has the mid-1800s looks.

Things to do in Castlemaine, Victoria: Victorian Goldfields Railway

Top of the list of things to do in Castlemaine for most visitors, however, is probably the Victorian Goldfields Railway. This tourist railway shamelessly plays for the nostalgia market, sending steam trains chugging between Castlemaine and the nearby town of Maldon.

Castlemaine accommodation

Top Castlemaine accommodation options include the family-friendly Big4 Castlemaine Gardens holiday park, the handily-located Albion Motel and the characterful Northern Arts Hotel.

More towns in Victoria

Goldfields things to do Victoria