Pack an esky and gather the kids for an enjoyable family picnic in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Pack quality fare from local delis (such as Deli Platter in Olinda or Chieftains Fine Foods ) before setting out on your journey towards your desired picnic spot.
Discover scenic attractions ranging from snowgum woodlands on the Black Spur to rainforest near Marysville, forest trails such as Tree Fern Gully or Steavenson Falls, forest walks such as Tree Fern Gully or Steavenson Falls, forest walks such as Tree Fern Gully or walking to Steavenson Falls.
Wineries
With stunning vineyards teeming with wineries, Yarra Valley is one of Victoria’s premier picnic spots. Enjoy wine tasting, culinary adventures or simply basking in the summer sun while planning your gourmet picnic in style this season.
Yarra Valley boasts more than 80 cool climate wineries and cellar doors, from boutique family operations to large international names. Pack a picnic, load up your car with bottles, and head out for an afternoon of relaxing wine tasting in one of its gorgeous vineyards – many offer beautiful gardens or manicured lawns where guests can spread out and unwind with an excellent bottle of vino.
Set your picnic blanket down in an open meadow or vineyard and take in breathtaking views over hills and mountains that characterise the region. Some wineries also offer stunning restaurant and cafe spaces where you can enjoy lunch or dinner al fresco!
Spring gardens brimming with daffodils and tulips, picturesque vineyards, breathtaking panoramas and panoramic vistas that will have you feeling all of those “big sky feels”, make Yarra Ranges an endless source of outdoor adventure this season. Skate around Coldstream Station Pump Track or challenge yourself with a Yarra Ranges Scavenger Hunt; discover hidden gems off-beaten-path and unravel personally curated clues to uncover hidden treasures – perfect spots for picnicking!
The Yarra Valley is an idyllic destination for wine enthusiasts, offering gorgeous vineyards set amid rolling hills, charming small towns and charming villages. Conveniently accessible by car from Melbourne, making Yarra Valley an ideal day trip or mini-getaway – no matter whether you prefer sparkling, chardonnay or pinot noir wines there will definitely be one to suit you in Yarra Valley.
Forest Walks
Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges offer stunning forest walks and picnic spots for exploring nature in all its glory, from shaded fern gullies and tall tree eucalypts to mountain vistas and cascade waterfalls – there’s so much to see and do here. There are peaceful woodlands and open lawns perfect for spreading out with a basket full of delicious food and wine for a delightful picnic outing!
Yarra Ranges National Park boasts many scenic walking trails, such as the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail which extends from Dom Dom Saddle to Fernshaw Picnic Area. Perfect for leisurely morning and afternoon strolls alike, its entry and exit points make this trail easy to access from various points. This lush trail boasts wildflowers galore along its route as well as possibly seeing rosellas, kookaburras or yellow-tailed black cockatoos in trees as you stroll by.
Silvan Reservoir Park offers another great picnic spot with an expansive lawn surrounded by breathtaking eucalypt forests, providing the ideal setting to unwind and have a picnic with your children. Additionally, barbecues and sheltered picnic tables can also be found here – and for spring visitors it may even be worth visiting to witness rhododendron blooming at their peak!
Snobs Creek Falls near Eildon is an often-overlooked gem. This small cascade cascades over boulders to form an exquisite display after rainfall; plus its short walk is beautiful, passing tree ferns and eucalyptus trees along its route.
Other popular picnic spots for hikers and families include Baynes Park Reserve in Monbulk and Yarra Valley Regional Park in Warburton. Both offer picnic grounds, barbeque facilities, playgrounds, BBQ sites, toilets, picnic tables, play equipment as well as lookout towers – making these destinations great destinations to take the family on outdoor excursions or picnics!
If you’re planning a longer day trip from the Yarra Valley to the snowgum and rainforest trails of Black Spur, it’s wise to first check current bushfire conditions here and ensure your safety by consulting current bushfire warnings before setting out.
Urban Parks
The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges are world-renowned for their wine and food offerings, but also offer incredible nature in these mountainous regions of cool temperate rainforest. Discover cascading waterfalls, spectacular picnic spots, and curios wildlife; or venture on foot along one of many trails shaded by Towering Mountain Ash trees to find breathtaking scenery and tranquil escape.
George Tindale Memorial Gardens are an idyllic horticultural paradise and are the perfect spot to relax with a picnic blanket and soak in the beauty of flowers. Here you will find magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias abound – you can stroll the gardens all year round!
Cement Creek Redwood Forest is an idyllic sanctuary within Yarra Ranges National Park. A forest of 1467 Californian Redwood trees surround the tranquil banks of Cement Creek and offer plenty of picturesque spots for summer picnics. Accessible by car, this magical wonderland allows visitors to spend hours discovering this magical realm together or with someone special.
The Yarra Ranges National Park is the largest protected area in Victoria and an attractive destination for hiking, camping, and sightseeing. Take in breathtaking views from Mount Donna Buang or drive along Black Spur to Marysville to experience more of this vast protected area, comprising wet Mountain Ash forests and cool temperate rainforest with an array of flora and fauna species.
Yarra Ranges Parklands are an integral part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape and located within the traditional country of the Wurundjeri People. Parks Victoria respects this deep connection that Traditional Owners have with this place and their ongoing role in caring for it. Parks Victoria provides park management to protect and enhance natural, cultural, and environmental values that all can enjoy; specifically with regard to the Yarra River which plays a pivotal role for its users with drinking, cooking and washing water supplies, recreation as well as habitat for native flora and fauna species thriving here.
Mount Donna Buang
Mt Donna Buang was once a popular ski resort from the mid 1920s to early 1950s, featuring walking tracks, picnic shelters and toboggan runs at its summit that offered breathtaking views across Warburton. Today the site stands as a scenic reserve, featuring hiking tracks, picnic shelters and toboggan runs; during winter this area provides families with endless snow-based fun.
Warburton township can easily access Mt Donna Buang via walking track, and then uphill via Mt Donna Buang’s Observation Tower for an impressive lookout of Cathedral Ranges on one side and towns, farmland and forests of Yarra Valley on the other.
Timber was extracted from Ben Cairn- Donna Buang Mountain between the early 1900s and mid 1920s using seven cable-hauled tramways which transported logs down from Ben Cairn- Donna Buang Ridge down to sawmills near Warburton. Today, its forest has grown back over time but remnants of this system can still be seen along walking tracks.
Mount Donna Buang’s summit is an attractive picnicking location, featuring a 21 metre fire lookout with breathtaking views to Mt Buller in the north, Mt Baw Baw in the east, the Yarra Ranges and Dandenong Mountains in the west and finally, the Yarra Valley itself. Additionally, winter visitors can use its toboggan run; other facilities available at Mount Donna Buang include parking facilities, toilets and picnic shelters.
Mt Donna Buang is a beloved mountain, beloved for recreational cycling, horseback riding, mountain biking, and triathlon training in summer months. From Warburton it can be reached via sealed roads until reaching Mt Donna Buang Summit Road junction with Acheron Way leading further up the mountain towards Marysville.
Mount Donna Buang Wingless Stonefly (Riekoperla darlingtoni) is Australia’s sole known Gripopterygidae species, found exclusively in Victoria Central Highlands forests at Mount Donna Buang. This rare and stunning insect can only be found here; only 120 bird species inhabit these mountains which also host native mammals like Leadbeater’s Possums as well as providing refuge to native mammals like Leadbeater’s Possum. All this can be reached within an hour’s drive of Melbourne city center!