Hepburn

The traditional land of the Dja Dja Wurrung, Hepburn Springs is a resort town located in the middle of the largest concentration of mineral springs in Australia.

The traditional land of the Dja Dja Wurrung, Hepburn Springs is a resort town located in the middle of the largest concentration of mineral springs in Australia. It is in Victoria, 48 km northeast of Ballarat. At the 2016 census, Hepburn had a population of 599 and Hepburn Springs had a population of 329. Total population of Hepburn-Hepburn Springs was 928. The town is named after Captain John Hepburn who was an early squatter of central Victoria.

Hepburn and Hepburn Springs are twin towns which are often badged together under the Hepburn Springs name.Hepburn Springs was originally known as "Spring Creek" and Hepburn as "Old Racecourse".Old Racecourse is the location of the recreation reserve and "new racecourse" is Victoria Park in nearby Daylesford. Both Hepburn and Hepburn Springs were located on the Jim Crow Diggings and the towns were settled by miners in the 1850s, predominantly from England, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France. The Hepburn Post Office opened on 1 January 1854 and closed in 1964. Later, the Hepburn Springs Post Office opened on 1 October 1908Today the village is known as a tourist destination spa town where visitors can sample the local mineral waters, and has spa and massage retreats, three cafes, six restaurants, four food takeaway venues, two pubs, a live music venue, three bars, a general store, shops and galleries.

Hepburn Springs is predominantly Edwardian architecture unlike the Victorian architecture of nearby Daylesford.This is due to the devastation of the 1906 bushfire which destroyed most buildings in the settlement.Hepburn Springs is located in the Wombat State Forest between former volcanoes - Mt Franklin and Wombat Hill.The prevalence of mineral water in the area is related to the distance from the great dividing range and the volcanic nature of the geology.