Gisborne
Historic and attractive town in the Mt Macedon Hills
Gisborne is an attractive settlement with street plantings consisting of European trees which are at their best in spring and autumn. Recently bypassed by the Calder Highway, Gisborne is located 1 km west of the highway, 54 km north-west of Melbourne and 610 metres above sea-level. This was originally an agricultural district but it is now principally a commuter suburb for Melbourne.

Prior to European settlement the area was occupied by the Woiwurung people. The first European settlers were pastoralists who took up runs in 1836 or 1837. At the outset of the 1851 goldrushes at Castlemaine and Bendigo, prospectors starting out from Melbourne rested overnight at 'Bush Inn' before traversing the potentially dangerous Black Forest in the daylight. The nascent settlement was surveyed in 1851 and named after H.F. Gisborne, the Victorian Crown Lands Commissioner. Gisborne was declared a district in 1860, at which time it had 13 hotels, and a shire in 1871. There are several historic buildings, such as 'Macedon House'.

The Olde Time Market operates on the first Sunday of the month at the corner of Aitken and Hamilton Streets from October to May. An indoor market runs all year in the shopping centre.

Things to see:  

Macedon House
Macedon House is a single-storey stuccoed structure which has undergone various stages of development. The oldest section was erected in 1847 in a vernacular manner and served as an hotel. The timber and iron verandah, projecting wings and entrance gates were added later. The building is located at 1 Calthorpe St.

Courthouse/Police Station
Located at 2 Hamilton St this two-storey stuccoed Classical Revival structure features single-storey wings, a timber verandah and hipped roof.

Former Corner Store
At the corner of Hamilton and Aitken Streets is a substantial two-storey brick structure with hipped slate roof and surrounding verandah which is a fine surviving example of a traditional country store, built c.1860.

Artists Realm
Artists Realm, at 31 Brantome St, sells works by local and established artists. It is open weekdays from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., tel: (03) 5428 3614.

Botanic Gardens and Walking Track
The town's Botanic Gardens can be accessed by Frith Rd which heads west off Station Rd (the main north-south road). They are situated on the northern bank of Jacksons Creek and feature a New Zealand garden, owing to the town's sister city relationship with Gisborne in New Zealand.

A cycling/walking track extends east and west from Station Rd along the southern bank of Jacksons Creek - west to the intersection of Robertson St and Neal St and east to Kilmore Rd.

Mt Gisborne Wines
Mt Gisborne Wines produces chardonnay and pinot noir. It is open any time by prior appointment. To get there head south along the Melton Road, turn right into McConnell Rd and watch for the signs. It is located in Waterson Rd, tel: (03) 5428 2834.

Mount Aitken Estates
Mount Aitken Estates Winery, established in 1974, sprawls over a hilltop 6 km south of Gisborne on the Calder Highway. It specialises in ports and also produces sweet and dry wines and muscats. The estate has an a la carte and functions restaurant (open for lunch from Wednesday to Sunday, on Friday and Saturday evenings and for group bookings on other evenings) and a theatre restaurant (open on Friday and Saturday evenings and for group bookings on other evenings). There are plans to organise a herbal shop and there are parking, playground and toilet facilities. The cellar door is based in a fine bluestone building and is open daily from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., tel: (03) 9744 6122.

Ray-Monde
To the east of Gisborne, in Dalrymple Rd, is Ray-Monde which produces a pinot noir. They are open Sundays by appointment, tel: (03) 5428 2657.

Dromkeen Homestead Children's Literature Museum
Dromkeen Homestead is a museum devoted to children's literature. It is very comprehensive however, if there is an area of speciality, it is the illustration of literary characters. Most of the material pertains to Australian works though there are some international elements. The approach is educational, research-oriented and fun. They cater to school excursions from pre-school to high-school level and even have programs for tertiary students in the field. The activities are tailored to the requirements of particular groups. The focus is on the process of creation as much as the finished product and hence the changing exhibitions feature storyboards, sketches, doodles and ideas from works-in-progress.

Dromkeen has a bookshop, a reference library, an extensive collection of original artworks (including works by Norman Lindsay, Dorothy Wall, Elizabeth Durack and Peg Maltby) and an historical book collection, including first editions of classics such as May Gibbs' Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (1918), Norman Lindsay's The Magic Pudding (1918) and Dorothy Wall's Blinky Bill (1939).

The homestead itself was built for Judge Arthur Chomley in 1889. It features fine pressed ceilings and large fireplace and is surrounded by hectares of garden featuring sculptures of literary characters. It is open from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. weekdays and from midday to 4.00 p.m. on Sundays. There is an open day with in-house authors and illustrators on the last Sunday of each month and a series of special days throughout the year. Special events such as birthdays are catered for with activities such as story-telling and hunts for the statues of literary characters. Dromkeen has picnic and barbecue facilities and it is located 8 km north- east of Gisborne in Main Road at Riddells Creek. Access to Riddells Creek is via the Kilmore Road. Basic entry is free although there is a charge for group bookings (roughly $3 per head depending on the nature of the excursion), tel: (03) 5428 6701.

Mt Charlie Winery
About 12 km north-east of Gisborne along the Kilmore Rd (between Riddells Creek and Monegeeta), is a turnoff on the left into Mt Charlie Rd. It leads to Mt Charlie Winery, on the southern slopes of the Macedon Ranges, which produces chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and a cabernet-shiraz-merlot. It is open by appointment, tel: (03) 9344 5846 or (03) 5428 6946.

Horseriding
10 km west along the Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road (which starts as Robertson St) is Bullengarook. In Waterloo Flat Road you will find Taylor's Trail Rides who are open daily. They offer two-hour rides, pub rides and overnight rides to Trentham (see entry on Woodend). Bookings are essential, tel: (03) 5428 9233 or (0419) 148 170.

17 km south on the Gisborne-Melton Rd, is Toolern Vale where advanced lessons can be obtained from Catherine Shelley, tel: (03) 9746 1231 or (0418) 581 880.

	Motels
	Gisbourne Motel 106 Sheedy Rd Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 2414 Facsimile: (03) 5428 2949 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Telegraph Hotel 19 Hamilton St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 2310
	The Whistle Stop Tavern 283 Station Rd Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 3918
	Victorian Tavern 22 Aitken St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 2410
	Farm & Eco Holidays
	B & B Farm Stay RMB 10 Couangalt Rd Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 3610
	Restaurants
	Chameleon Theatre & Comedy Restaurant 20 Calder Hwy Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 9744 6077
	Gisborne Chinese Restaurant 29 Hamilton St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 3713
	Gisborne Pizza & Pasta 24c Aitken St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 4666
	Gisbourne Motel 106 Sheedy Rd Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 2414 Facsimile: (03) 5428 2949
	Green Valley Pizza 29 Hamilton St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 2142
	Hai Yan Chinese Restaurant 13 Hamilton St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 3222
	Jenny's Chinese Restaurant Aitken St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 2818
	Marianna's Restaurant 35 Aitken St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 4284
	Mt Aitken Restaurant Calder Hwy Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 9740 7877
	Cafés
	Cafe Bizanti 18 Old Cougalant Rd Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 3565
	Enyah's Caffe Brantome St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 4017
	Fleetwoods Gourmet Deli 26c Aitken St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 3972
	Hermans Cafe Gisborne Village Shopping Centre Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 3644
	The Woods Tea Room 36a Aitken St Gisborne VIC 3437 Telephone: (03) 5428 2779