Trentham is a small town in the Victorian Central Highlands, famous for its waterfall, cold weather and country charm.

It's located at an altitude of 700 metres (2297 feet), and it's only 87km from Melbourne. It was a one-hour and 71km drive for me today from Ballarat on sadly pot-holed roads, via Daylesford.

Trentham was first settled by gold prospectors in the 1850s, and according to Wikipedia, it was later developed for its timber resources from the surrounding Wombat State Forest.

The Post Office opened on 16 July 1862, and the railway arrived in 1880. At its peak, it carried up to 21,000 tonnes of freight annually, mostly timber. Two timber tramways once ran to the station from the surrounding forests and, in the early 20th century, there was a timber mill adjoining the station yard.

Before climate change, Trentham used to have eight snowy days per year, but I doubt if it has snowed there in the past 2-3 years.

By mean maximum temperature, it is the coldest proper town in Victoria, with an average July maximum of 7.7 (minimum 2.5).

The official record is from "Macedon Forestry", which is about 200 metres lower than Trentham, so it's reasonable to subtract two degrees.

Only the isolated rural localities of Tolmie and Aberfeldy are colder.

Trentham Falls is the highest single drop of any waterfall in Central Victoria. Plunging more than 32 metres down a basalt cliff, it has formed a ravine several hundred metres long.

I enjoyed a lovely mini-picnic there today, which was surprisingly mild at 11 degrees thanks to no wind and high humidity.

Trentham itself has some interesting shops, like a mini Daylesford or Kyneton, albeit much smaller.

We tried to have lunch at one of the local pubs, but they were all booked out because of Father's Day. My bad as a Planmeister for not booking in advance.

We did enjoy a 4km walk on the Domino Rail Trail towards Lynonville. It was somewhat muddy after winter rain, but very pleasant through lightly forested country.

The mostly flat trail runs 6km along an old railway line, starting at Trentham Railway Station.