City & Country: Melbourne

Melbourne has all the makings of a great city getaway—serious coffee and food, grand Victorian architecture, charming hotels, independent shops, pristine beach paths and public gardens. But part of its appeal lies just beyond the city limits, where a couple of hours in nearly any direction leads you to an entirely different landscape: mineral springs and misty walks in Daylesford and Macedon, vineyard-dotted coastlines on the Mornington Peninsula, the cinematic bends of the Great Ocean Road, or the alpine scenery and old gold-rush towns of High Country. To help map both the city and countryside escapes beyond it, we turned to some of Melbourne’s creatives for their most beloved hometown spots and favorite places to slip away. 

TLDR & to get your bearings…

• Daylesford & Macedon Ranges – Beginning about 90 minutes northwest of the city, this pocket of central Victoria is known for its mineral springs, spa culture, rolling farmland, and small villages with vineyards and forests scattered throughout the ranges.
• Lorne – A beloved surf town along the Great Ocean Road, Lorne is roughly two hours southwest of Melbourne, with dramatic cliffs and a laidback beach culture that make it a great coastal escape.
• Beechworth – About a three hour drive northeast of Melbourne, this beautifully preserved gold-rush town in Victoria’s High Country is known for its alpine landscapes, heritage architecture, and cool-climate wineries. 
• Hepburn Springs – Just adjacent to Daylesford and around 90 minutes northwest of the city, Hepburn Springs is a smaller, wellness-driven enclave with historic bathhouses, rich mineral waters, and forested surroundings.   
• Mornington Peninsula – About an hour south of central Melbourne, this long coastal peninsula is often compared to ‘the Hamptons of Melbourne’, where charming towns, vineyard-lined hills, and windswept beaches make an easy city getaway for a daytrip or week long stay. 

MELBOURNE + DAYLESFORD/MACEDON RANGES

Brahman Perera, interior designer

Melbourne-based interior designer Brahman Perera (aka Brem) is known for his work creating richly layered, deeply atmospheric spaces. With projects spanning some of Australia’s most beautiful homes, boutiques, and restaurants, he’s an ideal guide to the city’s most inspiring addresses. He and his partner also have a home in the Daylesford & Macedon ranges, an area made up of small towns that each have their own charm.  

Brahman’s Melbourne

Food + Drink

Entrecôte – Entrecôte has become something of a Melbourne institution, and this year marks its tenth anniversary. It’s my idea of a proper celebratory dinner: classic French bistro ritual done well, without fuss. The dining room strikes that rare balance between elegance and ease; polished parquet floors, soft lighting, and the hum of conversation that builds as the evening goes on. Melbourne does French bistro culture particularly well, and Entrecôte captures that spirit beautifully.

Above Board – Above Board is one of those rare bars where the experience feels almost choreographed. The space is intimate, just a handful of seats arranged around the bar, and the cocktails are executed with almost obsessive precision. It reminds me of the first truly serious cocktail bar I visited in London: A Bar With Shapes For A Name. There’s something of that same feeling here: minimal, slightly mysterious, and perfect for a glamorous date-night drink.