Discover Beaufort

Beaufort combines lakeside attractions with a lookout and several places that showcase different chapters of its history. At Beaufort Lake, you’ll find water activities, walking and running tracks, and picnic and barbecue facilities. Camp Hill Lookout offers views of the town and surrounding bushland. Museums and a historic building add art, collections and local history to the mix. When planning your stay, you can weigh up whether you’d prefer to spend your time by the lake, enjoying the views or exploring cultural attractions.

Water and exercise at Beaufort Lake

Fishing, water skiing, canoeing and swimming are all possible at Beaufort Lake. These four activities offer different ways to enjoy a visit to the lake: you can focus on one or include several interests in your plans. Picnic and barbecue facilities round out what’s on offer. This makes it possible to plan a break outdoors at the lake, not just activities on the water.

For walking and running, there’s a 1 km or 3 km track at the lake, as well as fitness equipment. The 2 km difference gives you a simple guide when choosing the length of your route. You can compare the shorter and longer options directly; fitness equipment is also part of the lake’s exercise facilities. Together with the water activities, these offer a choice between exercising on a track and enjoying various activities on the water.

Camp Hill Lookout: views over the town and bushland

Camp Hill Lookout offers panoramic views over the town of Beaufort and the surrounding bushland. You can reach the lookout by car via Muntz Track or on foot via a walking trail. These are two ways to access the lookout when planning your day: drive via Muntz Track or walk. The views from above offer a different focus from the activities at Beaufort Lake and can complement your choice of places to visit.

Art, collections and Beaufort’s history

The Art Trax Gallery is housed in Beaufort’s historic railway station. The building opened on 11 August 1874. This date places the site in Beaufort’s history, while the gallery provides a cultural attraction in the same historic building. If you’d like to take in some art during your stay as well as the scenery and activities, this is a place to add to your itinerary.

The Cyril Callister Museum is also in Beaufort and tells the story of the man who invented Vegemite. On display are historic posters, advertising memorabilia, historic packaging and rare artefacts relating to the development of Vegemite over the decades. The collection brings together different kinds of objects: posters and advertising memorabilia offer insights into advertising, while packaging and artefacts provide further evidence of the product’s history. For trip planning, the museum is a specific place to visit if you’re interested in the story behind a well-known food product.

The Beaufort Historic Society is housed in the heritage-listed Court House on Livingstone Street. It’s open every Wednesday and on the fourth Sunday of the month, from 12 pm to 3 pm. As opening hours for volunteer-run organisations can change, check the hours before you travel. This lets you plan your visit, rather than assuming the stated hours mean the venue is always accessible.

The Lake Goldsmith Goods Shed Museum offers another perspective on the past. It displays rare historic equipment from rural rail and transport. While the Cyril Callister Museum focuses on the development of Vegemite, this collection explores the history of rail and transport in rural areas. The two museums therefore have different areas of focus: one on product history, the other on historic equipment and transport.

Discover more destinations: Alma, Markwood, Violet Town, Woori Yallock, Nyah West, Flinders, St Arnaud, Harcourt.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.