Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
YARRA VALLEY
The lush Yarra Valley is Victoria's premier wine region and weekend getaway - partly for
its close proximity to Melbourne, but mainly for the 80-plus wineries, superb restaurants,
national parks and wildlife. This is the place to rise at dawn in a hot-air balloon over patch-
work fields and vineyards and kick back with a pinot noir at world-class wineries.
The Yarra River starts its journey in the upper reaches of the Yarra Ranges National
Park, passing through Warburton and close to Healesville before winding into Greater Mel-
bourne and emptying into Port Phillip Bay near Williamstown.
The valley covers a huge area from the ruggedly beautiful Yarra Ranges National Park in
the east to Kinglake National Park in the west, a huge eucalypt forest on the slopes of the
Great Dividing Range. In the centre of Kinglake National Park is Kinglake, a small town-
ship devastated by the 2009 bushfires (
Click here
)
but now rebuilding itself, with a great
country pub, a few shops and cafes, and an inspiring community spirit. Toolangi, 18km
east, was the home of CJ Dennis, who wrote 'The Sentimental Bloke'.
In between is the vine-covered valley itself. Coldstream is considered the gateway to the
Yarra Valley winery region and most of the wineries are found within the triangle bound by
Coldstream, Healesville and Yarra Glen. Further southeast, Warburton is the gateway to the
Upper Yarra Valley region. There's another knot of wineries around Wandin and Seville
along the Warburton Hwy (B380).
