The Convent Daylesford — Attraction in Daylesford

The Convent started out life in the 1860's as a residence built for the Gold Commissioner. In the 1880's the property was bought by the Catholic Church and used initially by the resident Priest before further building extensions and renovations were completed and the Holy Cross Convent and Boarding School opened in 1892. Over the next 80 years the school buildings and the boarding school were further enlarged and expanded until the school was closed in 1973 and alternate lodgings found for the remaining nuns.

The property was purchased by the current owners in 1988 and The Convent Gallery was established in 1991. Since that time more extensive renovations have been undertaken with the addition of function and conference rooms, commercial kitchens, a bar and more modern gallery exhibition spaces plus an enormous shop and cafe.

Entry was $5-00 per person and included a very good information sheet on the history of the Convent and a useful guide to the current buildings together with a suggested itinerary.

The Building is located effectively over four levels with the basement holding the small museum where there were a number of interesting documents, mementos and photos. There was a very narrow wooden staircase down to the basement comprised of 13 stairs (no lift access).

On the ground floor, at the front of the building was the cafe and the front desk and behind this some artwork and the very large shop. If you walked through to the back of the shop you came to a bar and a separate entrance which was obviously for the conference and reception areas, which were located on the first floor, and there was a lift here (but it only went to the first floor).

On the first floor (20 stairs if you don't take the lift) was quite a number of gallery spaces, a chapel (built in 1904) with some lovely stained glass windows, an original nun's cell and conference and reception areas with a very large balcony that gave a good view over the gardens. On the day we visited the reception and chapel areas were being decorated for a wedding to be held later that day.

On the small top floor (19 stairs and no lift access) was the old infirmary which had been left untouched plus the bell tower from which you gained a good view over a part of Daylesford.

Overall we found it to be an interesting place to visit and the gallery space certainly showcased a number of local artists.

One concern for some people may be the significant number of stairs. The buildings themselves are on the side of a rather steep hill and the pathway leading from the curbside parking up to the main Gallery/Cafe front entrance is quite steep and involves negotiating approximately 24 steps to get to the front desk. On the day we visited several of the elderly visitors who were part of a tour group required a rest part way up the hill. It appeared to me that if tour buses pulled up in the car park used for the reception/conference rooms that this path and the associated steps could be avoided.

Worth a look but be aware of the challenges that the stairs may have for...

Went here for Sunday high tea with two others. I've never done high tea before, but I can positively say that this was the best experience I could've have. To start off, we were welcomed and offered to have a browse due to being early. When it was time to sit down, we were shown to our table and were almost immediately offered our drinks once we were settled. The mimosa was delicious and the vibe was relaxing. Our food was delivered and we started with the savories, they paired perfectly with the mimosa and gave a perfect tasting into what they have to offer. After taking our time and got to the scones, the staff came over and asked if we wanted tea or coffee, I chose the plain green tea and my company both had coffees. The green tea was a great palette cleanser and was beautiful with the scones and jam. The jam is a whole other story, it was thick and sweet, one of the best jams I have ever tasted. We soon moved on to the sweets which were also a big hit for me. We also ordered mulled wines, I'm not a huge wine lover, but this was such an amazing experience. It was the perfect blend of tart and spicy, a perfect drink for winter time. The staff were attentive and kind, we adored the service and friendly conversations shared, the owner was also very kind and bubbly, definitely something you want to see when you go to a place like that. The gallery was gorgeous and I found myself revisiting rooms, it was great to see artwork done by people who participated in the workshops. All of them ended up beautiful and unique, each to their own. We spent nearly 5 hours there, and I highly recommend this place to anyone wanting to do high tea, a date, or is an art lover. I really do hope I have time one day to come back, because I definitely will be back...

We had a lovely morning wandering around the gardens and the art gallery at the historic Convent in Daylesford. Perched high above the township, the Convent offers sweeping views of Mt Franklin at the top level of the gallery.

Upon entering the convent, the staff warmly greet you and suggest that a tour of the gallery before lunch is a wonderful introduction to the hidden delights of the convent. We were early for our reservation for lunch and were eager to tour the art gallery. For a $10 entrance fee that covers access for three days, it’s well worth it. Lots of beautiful water colours and oil canvases, photographs and sculptures are on display. Art work is for sale too.

We even got the chance to chat to one of the residence artists, Monty Oswald! He took the time to discuss his extensive portfolio and some of his techniques! It was a very informative chat.

After wandering through the art gallery it was time to head to Bad Habits Cafe for lunch. Staff quickly escorted us to our table and presented us with menus and a carafe of iced water. Our party of three enjoy chicken snitzel, corn fritters with a side of bacon and freshly brewed coffee. Our servers were very attentive without being intrusive.

The only issue we had was a nasty blonde woman made her inner thoughts very clear that she wasn’t served first! There was no need for nastiness or rudeness. The staff remained calm and managed to look after everyone.

Despite this blip, we had a beautiful morning and lunch and highly recommend the Convent! Thank you, we hope to...