Yarra Ranges offers an escape within just an hour’s drive of Melbourne – boasting sensational wineries, lush rainforest scenery and indulgent escapes. Pop by cellar doors for bubbles or explore native tall-timber forests before taking the thrilling Puffing Billy ride!
Urban green spaces (UGSs) offer numerous benefits, some of which are listed here.
Parks and Reserves
The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges are well known for their vineyards, world-class cuisine and wine, charming small towns and abundant nature – making these regions perfect destinations for day trips, romantic weekend breaks or family vacations.
Yarra Ranges National Park is an expansive forest featuring stunning waterfalls and trails for hiking. Perfect for picnicking, sightseeing and photography; with tree ferns, myrtle beech trees, mosses and many other plants flourishing here; plus walking, hiking and mountain biking opportunities too!
If you prefer exploring by car, Black Spur Drive provides spectacular scenic drives through the Yarra Ranges. Pass through mountain ash forests and over breathtaking waterfalls while admiring breathtaking views in clean air – this drive is a popular tourist attraction and should not be missed when visiting Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.
Yarra Valley boasts several wonderful parks, including Healesville Sanctuary where you can meet native Australian animals and learn more about Australian wildlife and get up close and personal with nature. One of the top things to do in Healesville for kids, tickets for Healesville Sanctuary can be bought right at BIG4 Yarra Valley Park Lane’s front office.
There are numerous great parks in Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges for exploring bush trails or visiting one of many gardens or vineyards. Additionally, Healesville boasts another family-friendly attraction called Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery that is on a mission to change how food is grown and sold – they even offer year-round pick-your-own strawberries! Plus there’s an on-site cafe/ice cream shop!
Yarra Ranges National Park boasts many walking and cycling trails for all ages, and The O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail provides an amazing walking experience for the whole family. Winding alongside scenic creeks and an historic open channelled aqueduct dating back 100 years, you’ll discover beautiful fern gullies while watching for native wildlife; though after rain, this walk may become slippery or muddy.
Community Gardens
Community gardens are urban green spaces open to the public that are available for their use and enjoyment. Typically designed as either group gardens with shared activities or individual plots for cultivating produce or flowers (e.g. the Food is Free Tecoma Community Garden shown), community gardens allow anyone who visits to use and appreciate nature while getting exercise at the same time.
Community gardens serve a key function by encouraging and facilitating participation in gardening, leading to positive effects on health and wellbeing such as increased physical activity, sharing seasonal fruits and vegetables among community members, socializing within their localities, as well as cultivating skills and knowledge.
As urbanization has advanced, community gardens have emerged as an effective means of addressing environmental and social concerns. Recognised for addressing socio-ecological determinants of health as well as food insecurity and climate change issues, community gardens offer a powerful solution.
The Yarra Valley region features numerous community gardens and an active grow-your-own movement, providing educational opportunities and practical hands-on experience in gardening, food production, sustainability and preservation of biodiversity. They’re an invaluable resource to support local biodiversity as many feature locally indigenous, Australian native, or suitable introduced species that fit with the environment.
Yarra Ranges Council provides resources that assist residents in creating and maintaining community gardens, with links to groups like ACFACGN, Grow it Local, Landshare and Permaculture Melbourne on its website. Together with Goal 5 of its Health and Wellbeing Strategy (“Our communities are resilient in response to climate change”) these resources demonstrate Council’s interest in supporting community-based food production systems.
Literature review revealed that there have been few studies exploring the health benefits of community gardens, with most research using qualitative methodologies and only few case studies being available for evaluation. A recent Australian-focused study (Buse et al., 2016) on the health benefits of community gardens interviewed 23 participants from six Melbourne community gardens. This study employed both phenomenological and epistemological methodologies, and then analysed its data through a thematic framework. Researchers discovered that community garden plot structures, designs, and species composition reflected their gardeners’ identities while simultaneously contributing to social capital (weak ties between organizations or communities) and psychological capital (wellbeing, meaning and self-esteem).
Recreational Areas
The Yarra Valley boasts an array of recreational areas suitable for visitors of all ages and interests. Ranging from kid’s playgrounds to forest dreaming, there are countless places for visitors to discover and explore. If you’re searching for your ideal picnic spot, vineyards may provide ideal spots for relaxing or strolling through township parks are great places to discover new spots or simply relaxing by yourself in nature.
Yarra Ranges Trail Stage 1 provides the ideal opportunity to get active while enjoying exercise in an enjoyable way. It takes you through part of Yarra Ranges National Park and includes flat eucalyptus forests as well as gentle hills – ideal for all ages and abilities. This well-maintained pathway makes a perfect adventure!
There are also walking tracks designed to present more experienced walkers with an exciting challenge. The Yarra Ranges National Park stretches across Marysville, Healesville and Warburton and boasts mountain ash trees towering over lush tree ferns and Myrtle beech as well as crystal clear streams that flow into the Yarra River and major reservoirs from which Melbourne gets its drinking water supply. Hiking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking trails abound here too.
Explore Yarra Valley Park on foot, bike or horseback with your own two feet or join one of our tour operators to experience it from an expert’s viewpoint. Spring and early summer are popular times to take in our breathtaking scenery; hot air balloon rides, cycling trips or walking through forests make these activities particularly appealing.
Just an hour away from Melbourne you’ll feel transported into another world when visiting the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. Experience exquisite wines, food and experiences exclusive to this region while taking advantage of quality local produce, breathtaking landscapes, romantic retreats and indulgent adventures – make time to visit now and experience all this region has to offer! So come discover it for yourself.
Waterways
The Yarra River and its tributaries are an essential feature of the Yarra Ranges landscape, providing a vital link between nature and culture. Their existence supports recreational opportunities as well as providing habitat for native flora and fauna – they even form an integral part of our water supply system! Their catchment area boasts rich biodiversity with numerous fish species inhabiting its waters as well as other forms of wildlife such as birds.
Since European settlement, both natural and human activities have had an effect on the river. Dredging and widening have altered its course in some areas since European settlement, while its catchment area is compromised by pollution from urban development, mining and agriculture. Contaminants such as E. coli, fats, oils and chemicals entering through storm water runoff may cause illness when consumed through eating fish from this source; so residents in Yarra Valley are strongly advised to dispose of rubbish properly and refrain from depositing it into stormwater drains to minimise its spread further.
Yarra Ranges Council actively discourages subdivision of rural land that does not respect its primary values or support sustainable land management practices, and works closely with farmers in the local farming community to develop initiatives which improve soil health and foster development of high value agricultural enterprises.
The Yarra Valley, less than an hour’s drive from Melbourne, offers breathtaking national parks, mountain ranges and woodlands to explore. Visit spectacular cellar doors or sample local produce at one of its excellent restaurants before taking in its picturesque landscapes.
The Yarra Valley offers some of Australia’s finest wines and cuisine, as well as providing a relaxing getaway from city life. Explore the magnificent Yarra Ranges by hiking or cycling between winery cellar doors; stroll along beautiful Healesville Sanctuary to observe some of Australia’s unique wildlife; or just unwind and take it all in.
Melbourne Water and Yarra Ranges Council collaborate to protect the Yarra River and its parklands. Melbourne Water releases managed environmental flows from Sugarloaf, Maroondah and O’Shannassy Reservoirs to meet flow targets in the Yarra River and Yarra Stream – helping restore ecosystems while improving downstream reach wetlands quality – helping protect its ecosystem as a result of restoration flows released through Amendment GC48 in 2017 and Amendment VC197 in 2021. These efforts help preserve Yarra Valley Parklands as well as surrounding rural landscape through strong planning controls including height setback and setback restrictions implemented through Amendment GC48 in 2017 and Amendment VC197 respectively.