Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges

Just an hour east of Melbourne sits Victoria’s rolling land of emerald hills, full of breathtaking, magical enrichment. A wondrous, natural playground spanning vast areas of pristine wilderness, dotted with rustic villages, vineyards and mountain trails. Indulge in a myriad of gourmet restaurants and eateries.

Drink it in at world-famous cellars and distilleries. Cycle winding roads and endless mountain bike tracks. Or lose yourself amongst the towering trees, creek beds and sunlit clearings. This is where you can take a moment to breathe in the beauty of it all. Where the best of Victoria bursts through the soil, enriches the air and explodes in the sunlight. Delighting all who take the time out, to play.

A drive through the Yarra Valley takes in the Healesville and Yarra Glen vineyards and the green valleys and pristine rivers around Marysville and Warburton. Numerous cellar doors beckon for laid-back tastings and meals in their acclaimed restaurants, where fresh local produce and regional wines are the stars of the show.

There's also the opportunity to get up close to Australian wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary, home to dingoes, kangaroos, wombats and the elusive platypus.

Neighbouring Dandenong Ranges is a verdant realm of fern glades, towering trees and eclectic and artistic villages. Climb aboard Puffing Billy, Australia's much-loved historic steam train, for an alternative perspective of secluded bed and breakfast cottages, sun-kissed gardens and vast national parks.

Villages such as Belgrave, Sassafras and Olinda bustle with activity around their quaint shops and blend of contemporary and traditional cafes serving up decadent Devonshire teas and more. All of Melbourne lies before you when you look out from the Sky High Observatory.

The Yarra Valley is less than an hour by car from Melbourne along the Eastern Freeway and Eastlink tollway, exiting at Ringwood Bypass for the Maroondah Highway. The Dandenong Ranges are also less than an hour from the CBD, along the Eastern Freeway and Eastlink tollway, exiting at Burwood Highway for Upper Ferntree Gully, or Canterbury Road for Montrose and the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road.