The Pyrenees & Grampians Touring Route passes through Waubra, Lexton and Avoca; Lexton is also on the Sunraysia Highway between Ballarat and Avoca. Lexton is on the Sunraysia Highway between Ballarat and Avoca and is part of the Pyrenees & Grampians Touring Route. The route also presents Lexton as one of Victoria’s earliest inland settlements. This connects the town’s location on the regional route with its place in history and its own attractions.

Town Walk and Historic Traces

To explore the town, the Pyrenees & Grampians Touring Route recommends picking up a brochure for the Historic Town Walk at the Community Centre in Lexton and exploring the town. Brochure availability may change; if needed, check with the Community Centre in advance. This gives the town walk a specific starting point before you consider individual buildings and historic connections in chronological order.

Buildings and Dates

The historic Mount Mitchell Homestead in Lexton was established in 1838. The site of the Pyrenees Hotel in Lexton was the location of the Burnbank Inn & Store, which operated from 1845 to about 1859. Lexton Court House and St Mary's Anglican Church were built in 1874; St Joseph's Catholic Church followed in 1894. The Major Mitchell Memorial Plaque was unveiled in 1930. The Court House and St Mary's Anglican Church share the same construction year, 1874; St Joseph's Catholic Church was built twenty years later. The dates refer to different historical events: the Homestead marks an establishment, while the Burnbank Inn & Store represents a time-limited use of the Pyrenees Hotel site. The Court House and churches have construction years as their dates, while the plaque has its unveiling year. Thus, establishment, former use, construction and commemoration are distinct. The establishment in 1838 is the earliest date.

Mount Mitchell and the Landscape

More than 10 acres of well-kept gardens extend across Mount Mitchell in Lexton. They include formal rose gardens, impressive kitchen gardens, parkland and an extensive orchard. A lake on Mount Mitchell offers views to the west, with the Pyrenees rising in the background. Mount Mitchell combines landscaped garden areas with views west from the lake towards the Pyrenees. A formal rose garden has a different horticultural focus from a kitchen garden. The extensive orchard complements the kitchen gardens, while the parkland offers another type of garden. This layout combines ornamental gardens with the cultivation of vegetables and fruit. The variety appeals to a range of garden enthusiasts.

Lexton’s landscape is characterised by river red gums along its waterways; eucalyptus trees shape the gently rolling countryside around the town.

Discover more destinations: Marlo, Warrnambool, Mitiamo, Moutajup, Cavendish, Kyabram, Dalyston, Nicholson

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.