Yarra Valley
Wine Tasting
Strewth! When it comes to wine tasting in the Yarra Valley you really are completely spoilt for choice! Visit the expansive Yering Station – the estate containing Victoria’s first vineyard, planted in 1838 – and taste exceptional Shiraz, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. To add something extra to your visit, sample some of the contemporary French-style cuisine served up in the excellent restaurant, with its romantic outdoor terrace. Get behind the scenes at De Bortoli, where you can sample local wines matched with four different cheeses. Or, visit Balgownie Estate and soak up some of the refined knowledge offered by its passionate and well-informed cellar door staff.
For a truly unforgettable experience, get above the misty rolling hills and vineyards in a hot-air balloon before indulging with a Champagne breakfast at the Balgownie Estate.
Other culinary treats
It’s not just wine that this region does well, there is also a host of excellent breweries and cider producers worthy of a visit. In Healesville you can go on a free tour of the Buckley’s Brewery, the Yarra Valley’s first micro-brewery, where you can taste excellent hand-crafted lagers and ales.
It’s not all about the drink in the Yarra Valley, the region is also home to an array of excellent food. Freshwater salmon and trout are farmed here and the area has innumerable cheeses that are garnering praise, such as those produced by the Yarra Valley Dairy. Indulge your sweet tooth at Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, where there are over 250 different chocolate products.
Spa Experiences
The Yarra Valley is by no means a one-trick pony – there’s far more to it than just food and wine. Indeed, there are some excellent spa experiences to be had. Treat yourself at the lavish Piaf Day Spa. Here, visitors can truly unwind in peaceful rainforest surroundings, making the most of a selection of calming treatments awakening every sense, and tailor made to suit your specific needs.
Fraternise with the wildlife
The Yarra Valley is a great place to see some of Australia’s unique wildlife without having to spend hours searching through the bush. Pay a visit to Healesville Sanctuary – a bushland haven – and get acquainted with iconic species such as the dingo, enchida, koala, emu, wallaby, platypus, wombat and kangaroo.
Hiking
If you would like to discover wilderness and wildlife, then the Yarra Valley has some excellent places to take a hike – especially if you're in search of lyrebirds and kookaburras amongst fern groves, mountains shrouded in mist and luscious ash forests. If you would prefer to see more epic landscapes then stop in the village of Marysville to hike the epic Steavenson Falls or the enchanting Keppel Falls.
Visit the Yarra Valley
Speak to a Flight Centre Travel Expert to find out more about the best way to visit the Yarra Valley or incorporate it in your itinerary.