The town of DAYLESFORD, a popular weekend retreat for Melbournians, has a New Age, alternative atmosphere, with a large gay community and several gay-friendly guesthouses. Its well-preserved Victorian and Edwardian streets rise up the side of Wombat Hill, where you’ll find the Botanical Gardens, between Hill Street and Central Springs Road, whose lookout tower has panoramic views. Not far away, on the corner of Daly and Hill streets, is the Convent Gallery (daily 10am-5pm; $3), a rambling former convent which now has seven galleries selling high-quality arts, crafts and antiques, and a Mediterranean-style café open for lunch and coffee. There’s a great Sunday market (8am-2pm) just nearby, on the main road to Castlemaine, and another more artsy market, on the third Sunday of each month in Victoria Park. All your esoteric needs are effortlessly taken care of at places like the Yasodhara Spiritual Resource Centre, 107 Vincent St, which sells crystals and offers tarot readings and free meditation sessions.