Explore Beechworth

Bright ~ Victoria High Country

Beechworth is a beautifully preserved historic gold mining town in Victoria’s High Country. It is located 285 kilometres north-east of Melbourne. 

Beechworth has lovely tree-lined streets, grand 19th-century heritage buildings, bakeries, breweries and fascinating history.

During our stay in Beechworth, we wandered around the town centre, enjoyed morning tea at Beechworth Bakery and explored the Old Beechworth Gaol and Heritage Precinct. We visited Last Street Brewery, Lake Sambell and the old Beechworth Asylum. Then we discovered Woolshed Falls and Beechworth Berries.

Town Centre

Beechworth's town centre includes Camp Street and Ford Street, and has lovely historic buildings and shop-fronts which date back to the 19th century. 

There is a great selection of cafes, restaurants, and interesting shops to browse in.

The grand old Beechworth Post Office is a landmark in the town centre and was built in 1870, and used as a post office until 2018.

The former Bank of Victoria, built in 1861, is now Beechworth Gold, a family-owned jewellery shop. Inside, you can see the original gold vault, which was used to hold the gold discovered during the gold rush in this area.

Beechworth Bakery

Next stop was the iconic Beechworth Bakery for some morning tea; they are open daily from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm. Beechworth Bakery was established in 1984 as a small country bakery, and today it has 8 bakeries in great locations across Victoria. They still use traditional recipes for their huge range of products, and everything is baked fresh using the finest ingredients.

The historic Christ Church on Ford Street was completed in 1859, and the tower was added in 1864. It is still in use today.

Beechworth Honey Shop

The iconic Beechworth Honey Shop is located at the top of Ford Street and is open daily from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm. The shop has a huge selection of honey, honey products, gifts, books, confectionery and beeswax skin care products. You can also taste more than 40 different single varietals of honey. The honeys range from light and delicate to fruity, warm and bold flavours. There is also an interesting display about the history of honey and bee-keeping, and you can watch the bees in the working beehive.

The Hotel Nicholas on Camp Street is Beechworth’s oldest pub. It was established around 1855 during the height of the gold rush and was originally known as the Alliance Hotel.

Also on Camp Street is the Beechworth Sweet Co., a fantastic old-style lolly shop that is open daily and has a huge selection of traditional lollies, handmade fudge, chocolates, licorice, and so much more.

The Old Beechworth Gaol

Construction of the Old Beechworth Gaol began in 1857, and when it opened in 1860, it could house 36 prisoners. When the building was completed in 1864, it could hold 72 prisoners. It operated as a medium security prison until its closure in 2004.

Now the Old Beechworth Gaol is open daily from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm with a lovely cafe and interesting historic tours. During the guided tours, you will learn about its grim but compelling history, explore the original cell blocks, and hear stories of escape attempts and notorious inmates. 

The old Beechworth Goal is famous for its link to the Kelly Gang. Ned Kelly was imprisoned there three times, and his mother, Ellen, his brother Dan and other associates were also held there.

Beechworth Historic Precinct

The Beechworth Historic Precinct along Ford Street is a collection of authentic 1850s administration buildings, including the Court House, Telegraph Station, Chinese Protectorate Office, Gold Wardens Office, Police Stables and the Stone Lock-Up.

We enjoyed wandering around and reading the information signs about the buildings and their history.

Beechworth Courthouse

The Beechworth Courthouse was built in 1858 from local granite and served as the region's main courthouse until 1989. More than 40 trials and hearings connected to the Kelly Gang took place here, including Ned’s committal hearing before his final trial in Melbourne.

Today, it is home to the Kelly Trials Exhibition, an immersive 270-degree, wrap-around multimedia experience that tells stories of crime and punishment, governance and law, and bushranger Ned Kelly. Sessions run daily and tickets are available to purchase online or from the visitor centre.

Telegraph Station

The Telegraph Station was built in 1858 and was the region’s main communications hub between Melbourne and Sydney, using Morse code. It played a key role in relaying updates about the Ned Kelly manhunt, the Glenrowan siege, and the Beechworth courthouse hearings to the wider world.

Today, the Telegraph Station features historical displays, and you can still send a telegraph. It is open daily from 11.00 am to 2.00 pm and entry is free.

Stone Lock Up

The Stone Lock-up was built in 1867, replacing an earlier timber structure. Each cell was designed to house up to 20 prisoners, with men in the left cell and women in the right cell. Some of these prisoners would be here for months while they waited for trial at the courthouse. Both Ned Kelly and his mother were held here.

Town Hall 

The Beechworth Town Hall was built in 1859 and now houses the Visitor Centre. The Visitor Centre is open daily from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, and you can admire the inside of this lovely building with its stunning vaulted ceiling.

Last Street Brewery

We visited the Last Street Brewery, which is open daily from 12.00 noon to 5.00 pm. It was formerly Billsons Brewery, and is housed in a stunning red-brick Victorian ‘tower brewery’ building that was completed in 1873.

Today, you can take a guided tour through the brewery, and you can taste a huge range of traditional cordials, syrups and limited edition and small batch liqueurs. Last Street Brewery also has a family-friendly taproom and restaurant, and a great seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients.

Lake Sambell

Lake Sambell is a lovely lake surrounded by a recreation reserve on the outskirts of Beechworth. It is a popular spot for fishing, boating, cycling and swimming in the warmer months.

This area was originally the site of the Rocky Mountain Mining Company, and it was a busy gold sluicing area during the gold rush days in the mid-1800s. In the 1920s, the large excavated area was created into a recreational lake and reserve for the residents and visitors of Beechworth.

There are walking trails through the reserve as well as a playground, swimming area, BBQs, barbecues, picnic tables and seats. Near Lake Sambell is Beechworth's Chinese Garden, a small, tranquil garden that was created to celebrate the town’s rich Chinese heritage from the gold rush era. The gardens feature statues, ornamental ponds, pathways, and shady trees.

Beechworth Asylum

The Old Beechworth Asylum is located on Albert Road, surrounded by 11 hectares of lovely heritage gardens. The Beechworth Asylum was built in 1867 and comprised 67 buildings that housed more than 1200 patients and 500 staff members at its peak. 

It was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Victoria and was surrounded by more than 100 hectares of farmland. The hospital was self-sufficient, with its own piggery, orchards, kitchen gardens, fields, stables, and barns.  It also had tennis courts, an oval, a cricket pavilion and a theatre.

It was also called the Mayday Hills Lunatic Asylum and operated for more than a century before closing in 1995. Today, the Mayday Hills Heritage Gardens are open to the public from dawn to dusk, and you can wander around the gardens and the historic Beechworth Asylum precinct. Asylum Ghost Tours also offer ghost, paranormal, and historical tours of the old asylum.

Woolshed Falls

Woolshed Falls are located in the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, approximately 6 kilometres from Beechworth. It's a short walk to the lookout where you can see Woolshed Falls cascading over the granite rocks into a deep pool below. This area was once the centre of one of the richest goldfields in Australia, and up to 8,000 prospectors camped along the banks of Spring Creek in search of their fortune. There are 2 car parking areas, toilets, BBQ’s and picnic tables.

Beechworth Berries

Beechworth Berries is a small-scale berry farm located approximately 7 kilometres from Beechworth, where you can pick your own berries. They usually have strawberries available, and sometimes they will have raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Check their Facebook page to see what is available before you visit. You can also enjoy a strawberry ice cream, and they have Jams, sauces, relishes, cordials and more lovely products for sale.