World-class wines and craft beers, manicured gardens and national parks, hot air ballooning and skydiving – the winding roads of the Yarra Valley have something for everyone.
Just an hour’s drive from Melbourne, it is one of Australia’s best wine regions, and while some people come here to spend a day in the cellars, there’s more to do in the Yarra Valley than taste high-quality wine. Here, you can go through the shops and village boutiques, visit art galleries and nature reserves, and sample chocolate, cheese, tea and much more.
Here are some of the best things to do in the Yarra Valley!
Contents
- 1 Get active in the great outdoors
- 2 Embrace the culture
- 3 A taste of the Yarra Valley
- 4 You may be interested in the state of Victoria
- 5 FAQs
- 5.1 When is the ideal season to explore the Yarra Valley?
- 5.2 What's the distance from Melbourne to the Yarra Valley?
- 5.3 Is the Yarra Valley suitable for a family trip?
- 5.4 Is it possible to experience Yarra Valley's wineries without booking a tour?
- 5.5 Can one enjoy the Yarra Valley on a tight budget?
Get active in the great outdoors
Get your blood flowing in fresh, clean air, whether it’s on two feet or a little higher.
Go for a hike
Whether you prefer ease or intensity, there’s a trail to suit you in the Yarra Valley.
For an easy walk and picnic, the Badger Weir Picnic Area Trail near Healesville is a 2.6-kilometre loop among trees and ferns to a shady picnic area, while the La La Falls Trail is a medium 3.2-kilometre walk through a large mountain ash forest to a small waterfall.
The Riverside Tracks, a 5.5-kilometre loop from Warburton that runs along the riverbanks and over bridges, is suitable for a family outing. Dogs are also welcomed as long as they are kept on a lead.
For a more serious challenge, the 14.8-kilometre Mount Donna Buang Track starts on the banks of the Yarra River and climbs 1,100 metres through mountain ash and myrtle trees into dense rainforest with substantial tree ferns. This route is for experienced trekkers who should bring enough food and water for the day.
Gardens of Yarra Valley
The gardens of the Yarra Valley are another way to enjoy the outdoors, and the valley’s rich soils make for some stunning gardens.
At Alowyn Gardens in Yarra Glen, you can visit seven gardens in one, including a formal parterre garden with strictly carved geometric shapes, an edible garden, and a woodland garden. You can also stroll under an arch of wisteria.
When over ten thousand lavender plants bloom from late November to February, Warratina Lavender Farm becomes one of the Yarra Valley’s most popular photo spots. But if you miss the summer spectacle, you can see Ploughman’s Blue Lavender in the gardens all year round and enjoy lavender scones at the Lavender Tea House.
From Boxing Day to 18 April, one of Australia’s best seasonal gardens, Blue Lotus Water Garden, welcomes visitors to its tropical-themed water garden, where dozens of ponds and two lakes showcase giant Amazon water lilies, a display of water lilies from Kakadu Lagoon and more.
Take a walk along the railway track
The Lilydale to Warburton railway runs from the suburbs of Melbourne to the Yarra Valley. You can walk the entire route or choose one or two sections on foot or by bicycle.
Following the historic broad gauge railway that closed in 1965, the route passes through bushland and villages, and the gentle gradient makes it easy and enjoyable to cycle or walk.
Cog Bikes Australia offers bike hire for adults and children, and bikes can be dropped off and picked up at various locations along the trail.
The trail is 40 kilometres one way, so if you intend to walk the whole thing, you’ll need to spend a night or two in the valley. Our top accommodation options in the Yarra Valley can be viewed here.
Although the entire Warby Trail is wheelchair accessible, the 8.5 kilometres between Yarra Junction and Warburton is a main tarmac section that passes through dense forest before ending at the trail’s end.
A horse for a walk
Horse riding in the Yarra Valley isn’t just for the experienced. Chum Creek Horseriding and Huts has horses for all, whether beginners or experienced riders, and you can be out in the bush within minutes of saddling up.
Options include a 2.5-hour ride with wine tasting in a mountain hut, a three-day adventure with two nights’ riding, a traditional Australian campfire meal and an overnight stay at Chum Creek Huts.
There are also one-hour hikes for younger children aged six and over.
Parachuting
For more adrenaline, you can also skydive in the Yarra Valley. Tandem jumps up to 15,000 feet are available for ages 16 and over (under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).
See Melbourne and the bay in the distance before jumping out of the plane and free-falling for around 60 seconds. Then, when the parachute opens, you have about five minutes to slowly return to the ground and enjoy the views only a skydiver can.
Hot air balloon
Although a hot air balloon ride isn’t the most strenuous activity, as you’ll be up well before dawn, we consider it part of a more active holiday.
Hot air balloons are magnificent in the Yarra Valley, even more, if you’re in a basket and looking down.
The mountain ranges surrounding the valley help create stable conditions at dawn, and as you fly over the valley, you can admire the vineyards, farmland and forests below.
Embrace the culture
From world-renowned artists to young local talent, the Yarra Valley has plenty to offer art lovers.
TarraWarra Museum of Art
The Tarra-Warra Museum of Art, designed by renowned Australian architect Allan Powell, is a work of art, its contours and colours accentuating the surrounding landscape.
Step inside these earthen walls, and you’ll discover modern and contemporary art exhibitions, including paintings, sculptures and drawings by some of Australia’s most renowned artists.
Regular visitors may notice that the artwork has changed since their last visit, and the walls have also changed.
No visit would be complete without a tour of Valhalla, an installation by Callum Morton initially created for the 52nd Venice Biennale and moved piece by piece to his new home in the Yarra Valley in 2016.
The Wurundjeri Walk
The Healesville Reserve is known as a place to see Australian animals. Still, it also has a special section where you can learn more about the land’s traditional custodians.
The Yarra Valley is home to the Wurundjeri people of the Coolin tribe. The self-guided Wurundjeri Walk has been created with the help of a Wurundjeri elder and spiritual guardian of the land, Murrundindi.
Visitors can listen to a soundtrack in which Wurundjeri elders, past and present, share their stories, read plaques explaining the perspectives of Wurundjeri plants throughout the walk, and sit in a place of dreams. On Sundays, public holidays and school holidays, you can meet Murrundindi and hear his stories first-hand.
Hubert Art Gallery
When the new Hubert Estate opened in March 2022, it included a new winery, restaurant, and the brand new Yarra Valley Gallery of Art. Adam Knight and Gerry Ryan OAM founded the Hubert Gallery of Art, which reflects their passion for Australian Indigenous art.
The gallery features works from over 20 Indigenous communities, including paintings, sculptures and marabou (woven rugs). The gallery is open seven days a week and just under the elegant cellar door. So it’s easy to visit as part of a wine tasting or on your own.
YAVA Gallery & Arts Hub
YAVA Gallery & Art Centre is a non-profit, volunteer-run organisation that brings artists and art lovers together in Healesville. As well as hosting shows by local, national and global artists, YAVA offers workshops and live events, ranging from fine art to music, poetry, theatre and even movies!
Puffing Billy
Puffing Billy has been working for over 120 years on the same track from Belgrave to Emerald and Gembrook. While it used to carry people, livestock and food up to the neighbourhoods that lived on the cliffs, these days, it’s a fun day out for the whole family, including four-legged friends, on fixed pet-friendly days.
Travel through pure forests and fern gullies and rumble across historic timber trestle bridges. For a first-class experience, you may be interested in booking a Steam & Cuisine trip that proposes a three-course meal in the first-class carriage with pressed metal ceilings.
A taste of the Yarra Valley
Four Pillars Distillery
One of Australia’s finest craft spirits, Four Pillars has a long list of international gold awards and best gin recognitions. Book your place in advance for one of the tastings and masterclasses at the Yarra Valley distillery, where you can learn about the botanical ingredients behind their iconic and limited edition gin.
With Bandwagon’s non-alcoholic range, the designated driver will also be able to enjoy a cocktail of botanical flavours without worrying about keeping track of their drinks.
Cheese tasting
Wine and cheese are a winning mix, and in the Yarra Valley, you can taste both! Yarra Valley Dairy uses fresh cow’s milk from Yarra Valley farms and goat’s milk from neighbouring Mansfield to maintain a vast range of cheeses inspired by farmhouse cheeses from France and Italy.
Choose the Premium Tasting option to test the full range of handmade cow’s and goat’s cheeses, or opt for a cheese platter accompanied by freshly baked loaves of bread and meat.
Craft breweries
Visit several microbreweries in the Yara Valley. At Matilda Bay Brewery, you can learn about sustainable beer production on a brewery tour and taste the freshest beer in stainless steel tanks. Sample beer and cider at Coldstream Brewery, where you can enjoy a pub-style lunch with parma, pizza and more.
Hop Hen Brewery, which began as a hobby, is now a small family brewery in Lilydale, where 100% of production is in-house. Watts River Brewing has brought together two young families to create a brewery and winery in Healesville.
Ice cream and Chocolate
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery makes over 400 different chocolate products. You can watch the chocolatiers at work through large windows and enjoy a free chocolate tasting.
Learn how to make your chocolate at one of the hands-on classes, or let the kids lick their fingers at the Junior Chocolatiers course, aimed at children aged 6 to 12.
When it’s time to burn off all that sugar, the kids can play on the lawns, in the gardens, orchards, and bogs, and you can relax with a snack in the all-day café.
Cherry Hill
Eat cherries straight from the tree at Cherry Hill Orchards cherry picking. Not only can you eat all the cherries in two hours, but you can also buy hand-picked cherries to take home.
Bring a picnic for a cherry feast, or enjoy wood-fired pizza and Rochford wine tasting at Coldstream Orchards and various food trucks at Wandin Orchards.
Silva Coffee Roasters
You may be interested in the state of Victoria
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula is situated just 90 minutes from Melbourne. There are 5 hatted restaurants located in wineries just 15 minutes from each other. Choose to lunch at a local farm or Mornington Peninsula Wine Tours!
Penguin Parade
Two hours from Melbourne’s CBD, Phillip Island, there is a day trip dream. Visit this heaven on Earth, beaches, walk through the shops and take your loved ones to see the extremely cute Penguin Parade. Join Philip Island Tours for a fantastic viewing of the Penguin Parade!
The Pinnacle
No visit to Grampians National Park is complete without a tour of the Pinnacles. The 9.6km walk starts at the Halls Gap Caravan Park and rises steeply until you feel you’re on top of the world! Check the regular Torys Australian Tours Grampians Tour from Melbourne.
12 Apostles
Eight may only be left; however, the 12 Apostles are a must-visit on every Great Ocean Road trip. Plan to get there during the late afternoon so you can watch the sea drizzle glowing gold until dawn. If you’re short on time or wish to see the Great Ocean Road from a different view, you will see scenic flights and tandem skydives over the coast!