Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve
The reserve is a delightful picnic and walking area, with playground for the kids, barbecues, graded walking trails, the historic Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa and Pavilion Cafe.
Have a wander along the creek to each mineral spring and taste the famous mineral water from the pumps or free-flowing pipes throughout the reserve. Bring an empty water bottle and fill up on your favourite mineral waters from Australia's first mineral reserve which was created in 1865. Visitors can sample water from the Soda, Sulphur, Locano, Wyuna and (a couple of kilometres' walk away) Argyle springs.
Captain John Hepburn, John Gardiner and several convict servants left Sydney in search of holdings in the Port Phillip district and ended up taking a large 'run' at the southern slopes of Mt Kooroocheang. It is not entirely sure when Hepburn stumbled across the spring but in 1851 he supposedly requested the Government Analyst to test the water for mineral properties. The resulting test established the water was 'of great medicinal benefit in Hepatic, gouty rheumatic and similar afflictions'.
Near the Pavilion cafe (which has toilets) is a grassy area with seats (some shaded), Giant Redwood and Hepburn Soda spring.
The Locarno Mineral Spring is located between the playground and cafe and has three taps with mineral water.
Up the hill from the Sulphur Spring is a car park, shelter with tables, unshaded tables, BBQs and toilets.
Pavilion Spring
Pavilion Spring is the 'original' spring and has been known by several names, including: Main, Hepburn, Rotunda and Bottling Cellar.
By the 1860s, the eye of the spring had been dug out and a circular stone and brickwork pit built. Later a cellar with a concrete base was constructed and a bore added later. When a pavilion was built over the spring it became known as 'Pavilion Spring'. The main beneficiaries of the mineral water from this spring were the bottling plant (1867) and the bath house (1890).
When tile demand for mineral water was at its peak in the 1970s, overflow from Locarno was piped at night to the cellar of the bottling works.
Pavilion's mineral water
Pavilion Spring is a sodium bicarbonate natural mineral water or "soda water". It contains the third highest level of iron (14 mg/L) of all the Victorian Mineral Springs - about twice as much as the other Hepburn springs, though only half of Glen Luce at Vaughan. This accounts for much of its strong taste. Of the five Hepburn springs, Pavilion has the highest levels of chloride and silica too.
The European Connection
The gold rushes of the 1850s saw many thousands of of miners from all over the world arrive seeking their fortunes. Many who settled in the Castlemaine and Hepburn districts came from England, Switzerland, Germany and Italy where the culture of drinking and bathing in mineral water was well established.
In December 1864, a committee, including Dr Guscetti and Messrs Crippa, Lucini, Rotanzi and Hutton among others, was formed to protect the springs and promote their healing qualities.
Balneotherapy: an age old experience
Bathing in mineral water - whether it be in hot or in cold water or in a spa - is known as balneotherapy and has long been practised in Europe.
The word 'spa' comes from the Belgium town of Spa, famous for its mineral waters since the 1300s. But the history of balneotherapy goes back even further; to the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Bath, in England, was first established as a spa by the Romans and was the foremost spa in eighteenth century Europe. Wealthy patrons went as much for the hectic social whirl as for their health.
Today, spa centres offer the best in natural therapies for rest, relaxation and relief of stress-related illnesses.
Access for Dogs:
Dogs are permitted on leash.
Photos:
Location
Mineral Springs Reserve Road, Hepburn Springs 3461 View Map
