Key tourism businesses damaged by major storms in western Victoria during January have taken big steps towards reopening, with expectations it will help meet high visitor demand.

Creswick's RACV Goldfields Resort will reopen to the public this week after a near six-month closure following flooding on January 5.

Meanwhile, work is underway to clear more than 800 trees from the Daylesford Spa Country Railway between Musk and Bullarto, which has been closed since June 2021 storms.

Daylesford Macedon Tourism chief executive Steve Wroe said visitation numbers were high after a strong COVID-19 bounce-back, but the region's operators were struggling to keep up due to labour shortages.

"The key impediment to business at the moment is people can't get enough staff," he said.

"Restaurants are opening at reduced capacity.

"Some places aren't open on a long weekend, for example, and that is not ideal but it is completely understandable."

Mr Wroe said the return of large tourism businesses like the RACV Goldfields Resort would fill a gap in the town's accommodation availability.

"Creswick really is a town that relies on that accommodation provider to serve other tourism businesses," he said.

Major player returns

The resort and golf course will reopen on Thursday following the completion of extensive repairs to flooding and storm damage.

Two floors needed a complete rebuild and two other floors were significantly damaged.

Completed works include an upgraded lobby and new gym equipment, carpet, curtains, furniture and children's entertainment facilities.

RACV Goldfields Resort Manager Martin Zumstein said its new Arthouse, a multi-purpose arts-focused building, would add to tourism offerings in Creswick.

He said resort staff were "really excited to get back and open".

"We really prioritised as best as we could to be open for school holidays," Mr Zumstein said.

"On a normal year we bring in between 50,000 to 55,000 guests through the property."

He said the resort was the largest accommodation provider in the region.

"It is also one of the largest conference resorts in western Victoria," Mr Zumstein said.

"We understand and respect the role we have for the community in trying to bring tourism to the region. That was a real push for us to try to get open."

Cleaning up to get back on track

Daylesford Spa Country Railway was hoping to reopen its entire line to the public by the end of the year.

Vice president Steven Fiume said volunteers who run the organisation cleared trees and reopened the railway between Daylesford and Musk after the June 2021 storm.

But the closure of the most picturesque section between Musk and Bullarto, which needed work well beyond volunteer capacity, had led to a drop in visitor numbers equating to approximately $180,000 in lost income.

Mr Fiume said the railway was a significant tourism drawcard for Daylesford.

"It is one of the largest if not the largest attraction any Sunday," he said.

"The market attracts over 200,000 people a year and the railway takes 20 to 30,000 passengers a year," he said.

"It is a great way to spend an hour, out on the train through the countryside and back."

Mr Fiume said the closure had also affected partner businesses Passing Clouds winery, which has its own train platform, Winter Sounds festival and weddings at Bullarto Hall.

He said storm recovery was a long and frustrating process but volunteers were thankful work had started to reopen the line.

"We would have liked to have been up and running and earning money again six months ago," Mr Fiume said.

"But all of these things take time and we are thankful we haven't been forgotten and the clean-up has started."