St Andrews: Gold Rush Trail, Glass Art and Wood-Fired Oven Offerings

St Andrews brings together the history of the Old Caledonia Gully goldfields, handcrafted glass art and wood-fired oven offerings. A walking trail follows Smiths Gully Creek, while Jacqueline and Catherine make glass beads, jewellery and small objects from borosilicate glass. There are also offerings of bread, pastries and pizza. This brings together a range of interests: nature and history, craft and food.

Gold mining history on the walking trail

The Smiths Gully to St Andrews Nature Trail follows Smiths Gully Creek through the alluvial goldfields of Old Caledonia Gully, dating from the 19th and 20th centuries. The loop trail starts at the Peter Franke Reserve car park. At 3 km long and taking 1 to 1.5 hours, it can be factored into a day trip. The route connects the landscape along the creek with the history of the goldfields that shaped the trail.

If you include the trail in your day’s plans, you can take both the stated distance and duration into account. Check current trail conditions before your visit.

Lampwork and glasswork

Jacqueline and Catherine make lampwork glass beads that are used to create jewellery. They also blow small bud vases and perfume bottles from borosilicate glass. Their different creations show how glass can be made into jewellery and small functional objects.

bizu studio offers workshops where participants can explore lampwork glass art and jewellery making. If you’re planning to attend a workshop, check the current schedule. The handmade gift range includes scarves made using the Japanese shibori technique, soy wax candles, cast glass art, vintage glass and Japanese incense. The selection may vary.

Wood-fired bread, pastries and pizza

A Local Baker in St Andrews offers wood-fired breads and pastries, including chocolate-filled croissants. A Boy Named Sue offers wood-fired pizza. These two options offer different reasons to take a culinary break: sweet pastries or wood-fired pizza. Check whether the businesses are currently open before travelling there.

In the wider destination of Nillumbik Shire

As a regional setting, Nillumbik Shire offers a distinctive landscape: the towns of the shire lie between bushland and scenic hills. Nillumbik has an extensive network of trails for walking, horse riding and cycling. One example is the Panton Hill Bushland Reserve System. It consists of seven council-managed bushland reserves in the Panton Hill, Smiths Gully and Watsons Creek area, covering about 140 hectares in total. Activities there include bushwalking, birdwatching, horse riding and mountain biking.

Montsalvat is also part of the cultural offering in the wider Nillumbik Shire. Founded in 1934, the arts centre and artists’ community occupies a 12-acre site with more than 34 buildings. These include three galleries, 19 studios, a ceramics centre and event spaces for concerts. Exhibitions, studio programs and ceramics classes offer further insights into art and craft. In this regional context, these diverse cultural offerings sit alongside the glasswork in St Andrews.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Chelsea, Boneo, Smiths Gully, Yarrambat, Wallan, Cape Bridgewater, Keysborough, Somerville

Back to the main travel overview: Victoria.