Yarra Ranges National Park

Blessed with a range of magnificent natural attractions, the Yarra Valley is one of the most beautiful vacation spots in Australia. Apart from indulging in the excellent food and wine, come and enjoy the many sightseeing opportunities within the region.

For those looking to take a quiet stroll or a vigorous hike, then stop by the Yarra Ranges National Park which has some of the best walking tracks in Victoria.

Take a drive to Mt. Donna Buang where you can get the best panoramic views of the Yarra Valley. Halfway up the mountain, make sure to stop by the Rainforest Gallery where you can walk through the treetops on a 350-metre long walkway and stop on a 40-metre long observation platform. Here you will see the lush rainforest from 15 metres above the ground.

At the summit, there is a 21-metre high lookout tower which offers panoramic views over Melbourne, the Yarra Valley, Dandenong and Cathedral Ranges, Mount Baw Baw and the Alps. It is also a popular picnic area and starting point for many of the walks on the mountain. There is also a picnic area located here which has BBQ’s, picnic tables and toilets.

Lake Mountain is also a fun destination within the Yarra Ranges National Park which can be visited all year round. Offering many activities for snow lovers in the winter, there are also a number of activities that can be enjoyed by day-trippers in the summer including bushwalking, mountain biking, leisurely picnics and nature walks.

There are a number of picnic spots located within the national park including; Fernshaw Picnic Area, Donnelly Weir Picnic Area and Badger Weir Picnic Area. Each has picnic tables and Fernshaw and Badger Weir both have gas BBQ’s. There are a number of walking trails at the Badger Weir Picnic Area which are easy to moderate in difficulty:
Badger Weir via Slip Creek Track: Distance: 1.4km / Time: 30 minutes / Grade: Moderate
Badger Weir via Coranderrk Track: Distance: 1.1km / Time: 30 minutes / Grade: Easy
Badger Weir via Lyrebird Track: Distance: 1.1km / Time: 30 minutes / Grade: Easy

Those looking for a more challenging walking/cycling trail should try the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail which follows the historic open channelled O’Shannassy Aqueduct. This trail stretches for over 30 kilometres between fern gullies and creeks and gives some of the best views of the valley below. Walkers can hop-on / hop-off the trail from the main visitor areas for a shorter walk. The trail itself is a gentle grade however access from the valley is more challenging. See the maps below for further information.

For those wanting to take a scenic drive, then drive the world famous Black Spur between Healesville and Narbethong and see the beautiful rainforest on The Beeches Walk on Lady Talbot Forest Drive.