What to see, do and eat in the Yarra Valley

The best things to see, do and eat in the Yarra Valley

Healesville: the heart of the valley

Nestled among lush hills, Healesville has long been the cultural and culinary heart of the Yarra Valley. Famous for its wineries, wildlife sanctuary and buzzing food scene, the town offers an ideal mix of nature and indulgence.

Best activities in Healesville

A must-visit is Healesville Sanctuary, where you can see Australian native animals up close, from platypuses and echidnas to kangaroos and koalas. The sanctuary's natural bushland setting makes it feel more like a walk in the wild than a traditional zoo. Don’t miss the Spirits of the Sky show, where native birds fly overhead.

Art enthusiasts can explore the TarraWarra Museum of Art, set within a vineyard estate. Its rotating exhibitions focus on Australian contemporary art, and the vineyard itself produces elegant pinot noir and chardonnay.

Head into Toolangi State Forest for beautiful rainforest walks. Families will enjoy the Wirrawilla Rainforest Walk (2km), a gentle boardwalk through ferns. More serious day hikers can tackle Myrtle Gully Circuit (9.5km) for an adventurous trail filled with lush forest and creek crossings, or Tanglefoot Track (10.5km), which is named for its thick undergrowth as you hike up Mount Tanglefoot.

The Yarra Ranges National Park is also nearby, offering mountain ash rainforests and fern gullies to explore to your heart's content. The Badger Weir (2.7km) loop follows Coranderrk Creek, with plenty of ferns, fungi, tall trees and wooden bridges to traverse. Donnelly's Weir (7km) is a longer loop that offers views of Maroondah Dam and Watts River. Or there's Dom Dom Saddle Picnic Ground, from which multiple longer walks start and finish.

Rather ride than walk? Take a historic train trip aboard the Yarra Valley Tourist Railway. Hop on the Walker Railmotor to ride from Healesville Station to the historic brick tunnel at Tarrawarra and back in about 35 minutes return.

Best restaurants and wineries in Healesville

Food lovers will be in heaven in Healesville. Riddell's Green is a modern Australian bar and bistro, with an alfresco dining space overlooking a beautiful golf course and a drinks menu packed with local beers, wines and ciders.

If you're after an elevated dining experience, secure a seat at the one-hat restaurant, No. 7 Healesville, or Banyalla, which offers first-class dining complemented by an expansive wine list and views of Mount Riddell. For pub grub, Healesville Grand Hotel is a perennial favourite.

Healesville abounds in quality wineries, including Tokar Estate, Soumah Wines, Rochford Wines, Oakridge Wines, TarraWarra Estate, Dominique Portet, and Boat O'Craigo. All offer excellent cellar doors featuring tastings, glasses and bottles of their varietals. Many also have onsite restaurants, although check opening hours as they are often not open every day.

But it's not all wine in Healesville. Four Pillars Gin Distillery has become internationally acclaimed for its small-batch gins, best enjoyed in their tasting room over a shared plate. You can even join a cocktail masterclass to master making some fabulous gin-based cocktails.

Lilydale: gateway to the Yarra

At the western edge of the valley, Lilydale acts as a starting point for weekend escapes. While often overlooked, Lilydale offers historic charm, lakeside serenity and plenty of local character. When you've finished exploring Lilydale, take the stunning Black Spur Drive up to Marysville.

Best activities in Lilydale

Begin your visit at Lilydale Lake, a favourite spot for walking, cycling, kayaking or picnicking. The 3km circuit around the water is an easy stroll, and the lake is home to swans, ducks and even turtles basking on logs.

Visit the Warratina Lavender Farm between November and January, when the lavender is in full flower, to stroll the fields and buy lavender treats like hardboiled lollies, teas, honey, jams and body care. If the lavender isn't in season, stock up on native plants and gifts, join a workshop or get brunch at the Paperbark Café at Kuranga Native Nursery.

A short drive out of town is Mont de Lancey, a historic homestead built in the 1880s by an early settler family. Tour the gardens and buildings or explore on your own, sip and munch at the Two Peas Café, and see live blacksmithing and woodturning on select days.

The 40km Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail walking and cycling path begins in Lilydale, tracing the old railway line through forests, farmland and villages all the way to Warburton. You can hire bikes in town if you don't own one yourself.

After a shorter walk? Warrandyte State Park is close by, with options like the Gold Heritage Walk (3.5km loop) exploring gold rush remnants, the gentle Pound Bend Loop (3.4km), spectacular views at the top of Mount Lofty Circuit Walk (4.8km loop), or cliffs, riparian forest and creeks on the Jumping Creek Nature Trail (3.5km return).

Best dining and wineries in Lilydale

A short drive out of town brings you to boutique wineries like Billanook Estate and Helen's Hill Estate, where you can sip wine overlooking rolling vines. Billanook Estate has been run by the D'Aloisio family for decades, with an Italian lunch available at their cellar door, open Friday to Sunday. At Helen's Hill, the cellar door is open from Thursday to Monday and offers a 10-wine tasting for just $10 - plus an onsite bistro offering lunchtime deck dining.

If beer is more your style, hop over to Hop Hen Brewing for a small, family-owned taproom featuring genuine hand-crafted beers. One of the brewers is usually on hand to chat all things brewing, and there's tasty pizza and snack options to nibble on.

In town, explore specialty stores and cafes along Lilydale's Main Street. Round Bird Can't Fly has built a loyal following for its creative brunches and house-made cakes. Visit Crown Hotel Lilydale or the Olinda Creek Hotel (surprisingly, not located in Olinda) for comforting pub classics.

Marysville: mountain air and waterfalls

Surrounded by lush rainforest and misty mountain peaks, Marysville offers a tranquil escape and a story of resilience. After being devastated by the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, the town has rebuilt, welcoming visitors to discover its natural wonders and serene atmosphere.

Best activities in Marysville

One of Marysville's biggest drawcards is Steavenson Falls (2.3km return), a stunning 84-metre cascade just a short drive from town. An easy, wheelchair-accessible path leads to the base of the falls, while visitors up for a moderate walk can continue up to the top viewing platform for sweeping forest views.

The Marysville State Forest and surrounding areas are laced with walking trails, from gentle strolls along the river to the more challenging Keppel Lookout Trail (15.5km loop), which rewards hikers with panoramic views of Marysville, Cathedral Range and Lake Mountain. Embark on the Lady Talbot Drive for a scenic rainforest car journey, during which you can stop to see Whitehouse Creek on the Beeches Rainforest Walk (1.5km one way), Phantom Falls (800m) and Keppel Falls (2km return).

The nearby Lake Mountain Alpine Resort offers cross-country skiing and tobogganing in winter, while summer brings mountain biking and wildflower walks. The drive to Lake Mountain is beautiful year-round, winding through regenerating forest that bursts with green in spring. Tackle the Lake Mountain Summit Walk (4.5km return) in summer, during which you'll see snow gums, lichen-covered granite, a small alpine bog and three lookouts.

There's also the Cathedral Range State Park, full of sharp ridges with views over forests and farmland in the surrounding valleys. Dabble in the park's landscape on the Friends Nature Trail (2.6km circuit), which winds through manna gum forest, passes an old sawmill and crosses footbridges over creeks. Sugarloaf Saddle is a great day visitor area for a picnic, with several short but challenging summit hikes starting from the area.

Best dining and wineries in Marysville

In town, enjoy local produce and homemade treats at Fraga's Café or sample craft beers at the Duck Inn Pub. Relish quality Italian food at Andiamo Restaurant & Bar in the Peppers Marysville hotel. For a cosy country meal, you can't go past the family bistro at Black Spur Inn.

The Marysville Lolly Shop is a nostalgic favourite, selling old-fashioned sweets and handmade fudge.

Yarra Glen: wine country charm

At the centre of the valley’s wine region, Yarra Glen blends country charm with sophisticated cellar doors, artisan produce and historic architecture. Its location makes it the perfect base for a wine-tasting weekend. In autumn, the vineyards glow with golden hues, making it one of the most photogenic times to visit.

Best activities in Yarra Glen

Start your visit at the Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can taste creamy marinated fetas, ashed chèvre and rich soft cheeses made from local milk. Their shop also stocks jams, relishes and local wine. Pack a picnic basket that includes these goodies and lunch at Sugarloaf Reservoir, which has BBQ areas and walking tracks around the great dam wall.

Enter a world of chocolate at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery, where you can watch chocolatiers at work and sample a seemingly endless array of chocolates. Join a chocolatier workshop, treat yourself to a high tea, or enjoy a hot chocolate from the café. Prepare for a sugar high!

Stroll around the themed display gardens over seven acres at Alowyn Gardens, complete with a plant nursery and the Wisteria Café & Courtyard to sit and savour the view over a cup of tea or coffee. The Parterre Garden is particularly impressive.

There's also Gulf Station, an 1840s timber farm complex that prospered for a hundred years. Discover what life was like for the Bell family living on the land in nineteenth-century Australia, including during the gold rushes. It has open days on the first Thursday and last Sunday of the month, with guided tours or free-form roaming available.

Finally, explore Kinglake National Park on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range. There are several lovely shorter trails here, such as Wombelano Falls (1.5km circuit), Masons Falls (1.9km return), and Jehosaphat Gully (1.6km loop).

Best dining and wineries in Yarra Glen

Yarra Glen's town centre is anchored by the historic Yarra Valley Grand Hotel, dating to the late 1800s. Enjoy lovely pub meals from this hotel bistro, with multiple dining rooms, an outdoor beer garden, regular live music and a billiards table cementing the Grand Hotel's reputation as the best pub in the region.

For beautiful fine dining, book in to Eleonore's Restaurant at Cheateau Yering. Its modern Australian menu showcases the very best of Yarra Valley produce. It's named after the mother of Paul de Castella, who built Chateau Yering.

Just minutes away from Yarra Glen is Yering Station, Victoria's first vineyard, established in 1838. The estate features a contemporary cellar door and a fine dining restaurant. The walk-in only garden bar serves wines along with cheese platters: perfect for a sunny day. 

De Bortoli Wines is another highlight, with its Tuscan-style cellar door and restaurant serving Italian-inspired dishes paired with estate wines. Book a wine and cheese pairing for a memorable afternoon. Zonzo Estate also offers an Italian restaurant, plus estate-grown wines and house gins, limoncello and vodkas.

Coombe Yarra Valley is a winery set on stunning grounds designed by William Guilfoyle reminiscent of an English cottage garden, with Devonshire tea available for guests. This was once the private home of Australia's beloved opera star Dame Nellie Melba. There's a cellar door for estate-grown wine tastings, a sesonal menu at the restaurant, and tours of the Coombe home and art collection.

Other good wineries in the region include Balgownie Estate, Punt Road Wines, Fergusson Estate, Sutherland Estate and Yering Farm Wines.

Warburton: forests and riverside serenity

At the eastern end of the Yarra Valley, Warburton is a haven of towering mountain ash, lush ferns and river views. This laid-back town is perfect for those who love nature, slow travel and hidden gems.

Best activities in Warburton

Warburton's main street offers vintage bookshops, artisan galleries and cosy cafés. Don't miss Warburton Waterwheel, a visitor centre that doubles as a gallery for local crafts and photography.

A must-see is the Redwood Forest in nearby East Warburton, where hundreds of giant Californian redwoods planted in the 1930s create a magical, cathedral-like atmosphere. Sunlight filtering through the trunks gives the forest an almost otherworldly glow, especially on quiet, misty mornings.

Outdoor lovers can tackle Mount Donna Buang, where a 21-metre observation tower offers 360-degree views of the valley and - on clear days - glimpses of Melbourne's skyline. In winter, the mountain becomes a snowy playground for tobogganing. Nearby, the Warburton Rainforest Gallery in the Yarra Ranges National Park is a free skywalk through the rainforest's canopy.

For something gentler, head to La La Falls (2.7km return), a short but scenic forest walk leading to a tranquil cascade over Four Mile Creek. The trail is shaded by tree ferns and mountain ash, making it cool even in summer.

From late December to mid April, visit the Blue Lotus Water Garden: a spectacular seasonal garden that hosts the lotus flower season followed by the autumn flower season over 14 acres of tropically themed water gardens.

Warburton features several lovely bends of the Yarra River for swimming on hot summer days. You can also book into a river sledding or river tubing adventure with Warburton Adventure Co. to drift down the Yarra over gentle rapids.

Best dining and wineries in Warburton

Warburton isn't particularly known for its dining institutions, but there are a few cute places around to grab a bite at. Hit up the Alpine Hotel, established back in 1885 and serving aromatic meals like beef cheek with red chilli vinegar.

Babaji's Kerala Kitchen serves up South Indian cuisine full of spicy fried meat, curries and dosa set in a 1930s dance hall, with open fires and a beer garden on the river.

For brunch, head to Cog Bikes & Brew Café for great coffee, simple food like toasties and muffins, and bike hire and repair services. The Riverview Café has a lovely rear deck overlooking the Yarra River while you enjoy breakfast, lunch or (on Friday and Saturday nights) dinner.