Lexton: Hills, Gardens and History

Rolling hills, eucalyptus trees and historic sites give Lexton a varied character. If you’re planning a trip through Victoria and want to combine landscapes with local history, you’ll find plenty of ways to do so here: gardens on Mount Mitchell, a recommended Historic Town Walk, and several historic buildings and memorial sites.

Hills, Creeks and Gardens

Red gum trees line the creeks in Lexton, while eucalyptus trees shape the rolling landscape around the town. Nature here is therefore not just a single lookout point, but part of the town’s character. When planning your trip, you can decide whether you’d like to discover Lexton mainly for its landscape, its historic sites, or both.

Mount Mitchell has its own garden landscape: here you’ll find more than 10 acres of well-kept gardens, including formal rose gardens, impressive kitchen gardens, parkland and an extensive orchard. Each area has its own character—from the orderly rose beds to the kitchen gardens and orchard. Mount Mitchell also has a lake with views to the west, with the Pyrenees rising in the background.

A Town on the Touring Route

The Pyrenees & Grampians Touring Route passes through Waubra, Lexton and Avoca, and describes Lexton as one of Victoria’s earliest inland settlements. The route recommends picking up a Historic Town Walk brochure at Lexton’s Community Centre and exploring the town. This gives you a specific walk and the town’s history to shape your time in Lexton, rather than treating the route simply as a road connection.

The town’s location also helps you plan your trip: Lexton is on the Sunraysia Highway between Ballarat and Avoca. If you’re including a holiday rental in Lexton in your plans for a drive through the area, you can make the town a destination in its own right and focus on exploring its landscapes and history. The touring route and the highway are different reference points: the route passes through Waubra, Lexton and Avoca, while the highway runs between Ballarat and Avoca.

Historic Traces in Lexton

The historic Mount Mitchell homestead was established in 1838 and is one of the local landmarks that connects Lexton with its early history. The Burnbank Inn & Store stood on the grounds of the Pyrenees Hotel and operated from 1845 until around 1859. The approximate closing date refers to this historic site; it does not describe the construction date of a present-day building.

Other dates offer insight into the history of the buildings and memorials: Lexton Court House was built in 1874, as was St Mary’s Anglican Church. St Joseph’s Catholic Church was built in 1894. The Major Mitchell Memorial Plaque was unveiled in 1930. Together, these buildings and the plaque offer several different points of interest on a historic walk around town. If you’re particularly interested in religious buildings, you can take a closer look at the two churches and their different construction dates; if you’re more interested in public history, the courthouse and memorial plaque offer further points of interest.

Which Accommodation Is Right for Your Stay?

When choosing a holiday rental in Lexton, your interests can help you decide: the hills and eucalyptus trees shape the landscape, while the gardens, homestead, churches and other historic sites offer different things to discover. The recommended Historic Town Walk is a practical starting point if you’d like to learn about the town’s character and history. For a trip focused more on gardens and landscapes, Mount Mitchell, its gardens and the western views take centre stage. You can choose what to explore in Lexton based on what interests you most during your stay.

If you’d like to explore more places, you can also find pages for Colac, Falls Creek, Nathalia, Yarrawonga, Skenes Creek, Strathmerton, Lockington and Anglers Rest.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.