Warburton is one of the main towns to visit in the Yarra Valley

The Yarra Valley is known for being one of Australia’s premier wine regions. But amongst the many acres of vines growing there are also a number of many towns to visit in the Yarra Valley. While driving through the Yarra Valley, some towns you will miss if you blink, while others are great little hubs for the local communities.

In this post, come with me as I discover some of the best little towns in the Yarra Valley. Whether you visit the Yarra Valley for a day, a weekend, for a romantic getaway or for a family-friendly holiday, there is plenty to see and do in the towns, and their surrounds, within the Yarra Valley.

Living near the Yarra Valley, I frequent it often and visit many of the towns. Here are 7 of the best Yarra Valley towns to visit on your trip to the Yarra Valley, that I can highly recommend. You could visit them all on a tourist holiday of the Yarra Valley or choose to spend a day or two at one of them.

How to Get around the Yarra Valley

Public transport is limited in the Yarra Valley. There are some bus services but they are infrequent and not conducive to exploring the Yarra Valley. Best to have a car or go on a tour. You can rent a car through DiscoverCars that allows you to compare cars and costs before you rent.

7 Towns to Visit in the Yarra Valley

Kicking off with Lilydale, which is known as the gateway to the Yarra Valley.

Lilydale

Lillydale is referred to as the gateway to the Yarra Valley. This is because most who visit the Yarra Valley will travel along the Maroondah Highway to get there. And Lillydale is on the Maroondah Highway.

What is there to see and do in Lilydale

• The commercial centre of Lilydale extends for about one kilometre along the Maroondah Highway. There are shops on either side of this beautiful tree lined street, with more shops in the Lilydale Marketplace Shopping Centre that is located on Hutchinson Street.
• Lilydale has many coffee shops and restaurants to enjoy.
• Find many of Lilydale’s oldest buildings along shady tree-lined Castella Street. See Lilydale’s old shire offices built in 1889 which is now home to the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum. This little museum showcases Lilydale’s history.
• There are many parks in Lilydale to enjoy with the largest being Lilydale Lake. Here you will find much open green land surrounding a beautiful lake.
• If you love riding bikes, you could go on the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail.

Lilydale Lake

Where to Stay in Lilydale

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Coldstream

On leaving Lilydale follow the Maroondah Highway which turns left and follow it to the town of Coldstream.

Coldstream is only a small town with the biggest attractions being the 

• Coldstream Brewery. Yep, there is a brewery in the middle of this wine region of Australia. Great food from burgers to sniztels to pizzas.
• Coombs Estate which was once the home of the opera singer Dame Nellie Melba. At certain times the estate is open and you can tour around it seeing a lot of her memorabilia in the rooms.
• Yarra Valley Dairy. Pop in and check out the locally made cheeses.

Once the home of Dame Nellie Melba

Where to Stay in Coldstream

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Yarra Glen

Yarra Glen is a scenic town located in the Yarra Valley. It is also one of the larger towns in the Yarra Valley making it a hub for many people who live in the Yarra Valley.

Most shops are located along Bell Street, the main street of Yarra Glen. You will also find the beautiful Grand Hotel which was built in 1888. 

What to See and Do in Yarra Glen

• Walk up and down the Main Street of Yarra Glen taking in the old buildings which are home to many boutique shops, coffee shops and general services for the locals.
• Visit some of the best wineries in the Yarra Valley near Yarra Glen including Yering Station (south of Yarra Glen on the Melba Hwy) and De Bortoli winery (north of Yarra Glen on the Melba Hwy). 
• Spend time watching the chocolate being made at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery a short drive from Yarra Glen.
• If the horses are on, you could spend a day at the races at the Yarra Glen raceway.
• First Sunday of every month is the Yarra Glen Raceway Market. Held at the race track there are many locally made products and produce on show.

never enough chocolate at the Chocolaterie!

Where to Stay in Yarra Glen

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Healesville

Healesville town was first surveyed in 1864 with timber and farming being its first industries. But it was the arrival of the railway in 1889 that transformed this town into a tourist destinations. Yep, evening the 1860s people from Melbourne were heading to Healesville for day trips, weekend getaways and longer holidays. Today, Healesville is still a major tourist destination with plenty to see and do.

What to see and do in Healesville

• Walk up and down Nicholson Street, the main thoroughfare checking out the stores and coffee shops. 
• Head to the Healesville Animal Sanctuary to get up close and personal to many of Australia’s animals. First opened in 1934 and located deep in the Yarra Hills National Park this is a fabulous zoo to get up and close with the local animals. You can even book a swim with a platypus!  You can purchase your online entry ticket to the Healesville Sanctuary here.
• There are a number of wineries in the Healesville area along with Four Pillars Gin Distillery for gin tasting.
• Visit the renowned Beechworth Baker for many sweet delights and great coffee.
• Enjoy Badger Weir Park with its landscaped picnic areas and rotundas. Great for families visiting Healesville with kids to run off some energy.
• Just north of Healesville is the Maroondah Reservoir.
• Just north of Healesville is the beginning of Black Spur, a wonderful drive through tall Ash Trees.

Healesville main street

Where to Stay in Healesville

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Marysville

Marysville is located within the heavily forested mountains of the Great Dividing Range. It dates back to the mid-1800s when gold was discovered in the area. It was tragically burnt to the ground in the Black Saturday Fires of 2009 but now lovingly rebuilt. You can reach Marysville by driving along the Black Spur from Healesville through Narbethong to Marysville.

What to See and Do in Marysville

• Marysville is built on the banks of the Steavenson River, which runs through Gallipoli Park. In this park  you can relax, have a picnic, maybe a BBQ, listen to the water, go on a walk and just enjoy being outdoors. You can also walk through town and visit the numerous shops and cafes.
• Some 3km from the main town is Steavenson Falls. The drop is around 84 metres, making one of Victoria’s highest waterfalls. There is an easy 350 metre long track that leads from the car park to the falls where you can see them from several viewing platforms. At night the falls are floodlit until 11pm making for a beautiful site. 
• Marysville is an ideal bushwalking area with many tracks through the surrounding forest. One of the most popular is Keppels Lookout which can be accessed by driving along Paradise Plains Road or via the walking track from Marysville town or Steavenson Falls. You will get fabulous views over the area.
• Marysville is also the gateway to one of Australia’s snow areas – Lake Mountain. It rises to 1,433 metres and during the snow season many visit for cross country skiing and snowplay. But you can visit Lake Mountain at other times and if offers many walks.

reach Marysville after driving Black Spur

Where to Stay in Marysville.

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Warburton

Warburton is some 75km east of Melbourne. It is reached by turning right off the Maroondah Highway onto the Warburton Highway just after the township of Lilydale. The town is in the Yarra Ranges so is heavily treed and runs parallel to the Yarra River. It has been a popular mountain escape area since the early 1900s.

What to See and Do in Warburton

• Walk along the town’s main commercial centre and see the multitude of small business, services and a variety of eateries. It is a typical Aussie town – tree lined main street with all the services a small community needs.
• Visit the Visitor Information Centre to see the large replica of a water wheel used by the logging industry. Unfortunately thanks to covid lockdowns the wheel was halted and thus, the timber got cracks in it making it unsafe to turn. It is still impressive to see.
• The Yarra River is right on Warburton’s door steps and you can walk the 3 km long path passing by the town centre and crossing iconic bridges over the river. There is also some great fishing in the river.
• Being in the Yarra State Forest, there are many walking tracks. Take the short drive up Mount Donna Buang to the Rainforest Gallery where you can walk onto a 40 metre long elevated walkway through the tree tops or down to the valley floor. Then head to the top of Mount Donna Buang for views over the area. 
• There are also picturesque waterfalls to visit. La La Falls are found off Old Warburton Road, south of the town centre. There is a 1.5 km track to reach the falls.

Bridge over the Yarra River, Warburton

Where to Stay in Warburton

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Wandin

As you drive along the Warburton Highway in the Yarra Valley, there are many small towns you will encounter. Some of these towns you miss if you blink! One of note is Wandin. Wandin is well-known for its horticulture and today you can still find many fruit farms that allow you to come and pick strawberries, raspberries and other fruits. In the small township there are a few shops and coffee shops.

enjoying a coffee in Wandin

Where to Stay in Wandin

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Come discover Yarra Valley towns

The towns I’ve mentioned in this post are the largest and most notable towns in the Yarra Valley to visit. They are great to base yourself so you can enjoy all it has to offer, from the wineries to the walks to the small towns. So jump in your car and come for a day trip, a romantic getaway or a long weekend to appreciate all that the towns of the Yarra Valley have to offer.