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| Where is the Yarra Valley? |  The Yarra Valley is about an hour’s drive north-east of Melbourne. Distances between the main towns of the region are not great - the valley is only about 25 km long, and at its widest point it is only approximately 15 km.
Please note that the Yarra Valley is not a town, it is a tourism sub-region. For a full list of towns in and around the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, please click here.
How do I get there?
The towns of the Yarra Valley are within easy reach of Melbourne and the area is a popular weekend destination for jaded citydwellers. Take the Maroondah Highway out of Melbourne to Healesville or take the turnoff towards Yarra Glen to start your tour of this delightful area. | | What are the main towns? | The main towns are Coldstream, Lilydale, Yarra Glen, Dixons Creek, Seville and Healesville.
These towns have most of the accommodation available in the region, and of course with Melbourne only an hour or so away there is no shortage of places to stay reasonably close by. For a full list of accommodation in the Yarra Valley and surrounds click here.
| | What's there to do? | The Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s premium wine regions - it has long been producing wine, but the since the 1980s the region has grown rapidly, not only in sales but also in the realms of taste and range. Sparkling wines, chardonnays, pinot noirs and cabernets are some of the Yarra Valley’s signature wines. There are more than 50 wineries in the region, many with cellar door sales and tasting. The majority of the wineries are dotted about the Coldstream, Yarra Glen and Dixons Creek corridor. They range in size from boutique to grand estates, with many of the bigger concerns offering winery tours and exceptional on-site restaurants. Standout vineyards include Domaine Chandon, Coldstream Hills, De Bortoli and Eyton on Yarra. An excellent time to visit is early March, when the two-day long Grape Grazing Festival takes place.
Often where there is good wine there is also fine food, and in this the Yarra Valley is certainly no exception. Restaurants and cafes abound, and the area is world-famous for its produce. The Yarra Valley Regional Food Trail criss-crosses the area, its members displaying a distinctive blue and orange sign. Whether its cheese, chocolate, bread, fruit, herbs, preserves, honey, ice cream and more, you’ll find something to excite your taste buds, and with the abounding natural beauty of the area you’ll have no trouble finding a picnic spot to enjoy your food and wine.
On the eastern side of the region, about a 20 minute drive from Yarra Glen and Lilydale, is Healesville, a town close to the Yarra Ranges National Park and home of Healesville Sanctuary, one of Australia's premier wildlife parks. More than 200 species of native birds, mammals and reptiles, beautifully displayed in their natural habitats. Its "Sidney Myer World of the Platypus", is the most comprehensive platypus exhibit in the world. For a historical perspective of the Yarra Valley, try the Museum of Lilydale, open Wednesday to Sunday. The museum has two gallery spaces, one featuring a Dame Nellie Melba exhibition and the other a rotating exhibition of local history. | | |
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