Cornish Hill - Thomas Lookout

Cornish Hill - Thomas Lookout Daylesford offers some of the best views in the town.

Located in the Cornish Hill Reserve, this picturesque spot is a popular destination for visitors.

The Cornish Hill Reserve is a bushland area in Daylesford that holds significant historical mining features. Mining operations began in the 1860s after thousands of prospectors arrived in the area in the 1850s. The reserve contains historical features from the 20th century mining operations, as well as a possible 1850s shallow open cut.

In addition to Thomas' Lookout, Cornish Hill Reserve boasts several notable features such as Bonnard's Shaft, Mitchell's Shaft, Argus Mine, Adit and water race, Water wheel site, and Scascighini puddler. Bonnard's Shaft, in particular, was a deep shaft quartz gold mine that extracted approximately $250,000,000 worth of gold between 1850 and 1925.

Cornish Hill is of historical significance and is managed by a Committee of Management and a group of volunteers called 'Friends of Cornish Hill'. Originally proposed for housing development in 1994, the reserve was saved by concerned residents who established it as a historic precinct for flora and fauna.

Near Thomas Lookout, there is a stone monument honoring the Cornish Miners who worked in the area. The monument acknowledges their contribution to the development of Daylesford and other towns in the district.

Visitors can find information signs around the lookout that provide details about Thomas' Lookout, the Cornish Miners Monument, and the history of mining in the area.

Cornish Hill Reserve is open year-round and offers stunning views of Daylesford. Spring and autumn are particularly