Foodies flock to Castlemaine

Castlemaine's reputation as a popular food trail destination for day-trippers, weekend visitors and local residents continues to spiral to giddy heights.
In the past 18 months, the town's eateries have scored significant write-ups and rave reviews in the daily and national media, attracting an influx of the curious and hungry masses from Melbourne, across the region and even interstate to the historic town.
They bring their appetites and spending power to the goldfields, which they are happy to exchange for fine fare, good wine and a splash of local culture and history.
The publicity has not been by chance. It has been orchestrated by some well-known restaurateurs, who have a wealth of international experience and strong success from their previous ventures.
These include Alex Perry of The Good Table, Hayden Winch of The Public Inn, Joe and Rebecca Lim of A Taste of the Orient and Annie and John Stekerhofs of Apple Annie's Bakery and Cafe.
The media exposure ranges from regular salutes in The Age, reviews in the The Sydney Morning Herald and prime time exposure on television shows like Postcards.
Add to the mix, Castlemaine's Empyre Hotel, owned by John Ganci, which scored an impressive 14.5/20 in The Age Good Food Guide this year, to go within a whisker of getting the chance to flaunt a prestigious chef's hat, and you can understand why traffic on the culinary highway to Castlemaine is getting rather busy.
But it's not just the rave reviews and the award-winning chefs that lure people to eat in the goldfields.
A real buzz
Mount Alexander Shire's economic development and tourism manager, David Leathem says visitors want to know the story behind the eateries and the people who run them.
"They want to know about their passion for food and wine," he said. "It is also about the setting that visitors find themselves in when they visit local venues. In many cases the owners have incorporated the town's heritage and culture into their restaurants - many have been restored to their former glory and feature the work of local artists on the walls."
Mr Leathem says the shire has been working hard to get the media to visit the area and there is a real buzz occurring in the town as a result.
Healthy sign
The Public Inn owner, Hayden Winch has been in the industry for nigh on 20 years. He used to run the iconic Lake House at Daylesford and has also worked in Vietnam, Dubai and Hong Kong, running restaurants and hotels.
"We have been in Castlemaine for about 15 months and I would describe the Public Inn as a provincial bistro and bar," he said. "We try to use as much local produce as possible and the wine in our barrel wall is all sourced within 100 miles."
With two new restaurants opening in the town in the past month, and another on the way, Hayden says it's a healthy sign for the town.
"I don't think we are getting too many restaurants - you need a number of different venues to make a region grow."
Word spreads
John and Annie Stekerhofs opened Apple Annie's Bakery and Cafe just on two years ago and word has spread quickly about the John's outstanding pastries.
"We owned the French Lettuce in Carlton for 10 years and then went north to run a big restaurant on the Gold Coast," John said.
Annie says they came to Castlemaine mainly because they wanted their children to have a Steiner school education.
"It has a secondary component and that was important to us," she said.
John is obviously in his element, often waving to locals and greeting them with a big smile as he bakes a mouthwatering range of pies, breads and pastries at the front of the cafe.
He says Castlemaine is proving a popular food destination because it hasn't lost its quaintness.
"It has retained its historic feel and it's so diverse ... it's good to see the town grow."
Lively town
Alex Perry also opened his restaurant, The Good Table, just across the road from Apple Annie's, about two years ago.
Born and bred in Castlemaine, Alex moved to Melbourne after completing his VCE and completed his apprenticeship at the two-hat restaurant, Cafe di Stisio in St Kilda. He later worked at Ladro in Fitzroy and Movida in the city and gained valuable experience in Italian, French and Spanish cuisines which feature prominently on the The Good Table's menu.
"I love the fact that there is such a bountiful supply of great local produce - meat, eggs, honey and an endless supply of fruit," he said.
The Castlemaine food trail has a bright future, Alex says.
"I'm having the time of my life," he said. "What I like about Castlemaine is that it's a town that is just as lively on a Monday as it is on the weekends - it is not a town propped up by tourism."