Kid Tested Adventures in Nillumbik

Wondering what to do with kids in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong region? Kid-tested and parent-approved, the Nillumbik Shire is packed with activities for families who love getting out and exploring. Kids of all ages and parents alike are certain to have a great day out.

There's nothing cuter than a baby alpaca. And when you visit one of Omaru Alpaca Farm’s Open Days, you're in for a hearty dose of cuteness.

An ideal spot for a picnic; feed the alpacas and pat the gentle babies before venturing along one of the walks to experience the farm and take in the views. There’s also a farm store brimming with beautiful products made from alpaca fleece.

The nearby village of Hurstbridge is a historic township with an enticing array of cafes and restaurants, boutique gift shops, parks, walking trails and oodles of charm.

If you're visiting on the first Sunday of the month, don't miss the Hurstbridge Market, where a huge selection of locally-made goodies, food trucks and more await you. The market is on the first Sunday each month except January, from 8.30 am to 1 pm.

At Edendale Community Environment Farm, families can wander the gardens, pet the friendly goats and alpacas, visit the poultry pens, feed a guinea pig, pop into the indigenous nursery or kick back at the alfresco Eden Café.

A unique and educational day out for kids where they can encounter guinea pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, turtles, lizards and more. Kids can also get their hands dirty in the veggie gardens and explore the orchards while learning about sustainability and the critical role that all creatures play in our ecosystem.

Walk along the Diamond Creek Trail to the Eltham North Adventure Playground, an impressive park where kids can explore, climb and swing on the new state-of-the-art equipment.

A complete kid paradise just across the road from Edendale Community Farm, the Eltham North Adventure Playground provides an incredible playground as well as ideal picnic spots with BBQ facilities, a large shelter for shaded lunch spots, bike trails, and waterplay troughs, cubby houses and an accessible liberty swing explicitly designed for wheelchair users.

Kids of all ages (even kids at heart) and train enthusiasts adore the collection of miniature trains at Diamond Valley Miniature Railway. Volunteer-run every Sunday, adults and kids alike can enjoy a 2-kilometre (or roughly 10-15 minute) train ride through natural bushland and tunnels along the banks of Diamond Creek in Eltham. A fantastic experience for the whole family.

More than just a mini train ride, the railway features three stations, two signal boxes, four bridges, two tunnels and many lineside features.

If it's a hot day, the nearby Diamond Creek Outdoor Pool is an excellent place to cool off. The heated 25-metre pool is shaded and offers a toddler splash and play area that's under a shaded structure as well as change rooms, a kiosk and on-site BBQ facilities and a picnic area.

Outdoor swimming season typically begins in early November and they're open daily with adult, child and family swim passes available. They can also host children's birthday parties, as well as offer swim lessons too. Click here for more information.