 Visit the Yarra Valley, Dandenongs and the Ranges
In an hours drive east of Melbourne, you will find the Yarra Valley and the nearby Dandenong Ranges.
Take your 4WD or jump on a bike and experience three of the great forest drives of Victoria - the “Black Spur”, “Lady Talbot Forest Drive” and the “Acheron Way”.
For the trekkers in us, there is “Beeches Rain forest Walk” through 300 year old Myrtle Beeches it is beautiful, although not well known. Journey through the Ranges and National Parks on motorbike, horseback or backpack it on foot.
 The Dandenongs
You don't have to go far to be amongst the forests and fresh air of the majestic Dandenong Ranges. Its just an hour's drive from Melbourne, making it an ideal mid-week getaway or weekend retreat.
Explore the enchanting Sherbrooke Forest by day and in the evening curl up in front of a log fire in a luxury country house or cottage – this is the life.
Wandering around the little towns of the Dandenong Ranges is a treat. These lively and colourful villages are always bustling with people stopping for Devonshire tea, a Dandenongs' tradition, or a steaming hot cafe latte. Long lunches in classic restaurants or a pint in an old-style pub or tavern – this is the place to indulge.
Along the way you'll encounter antique shops crammed with treasures and galleries and studios filled with the creations of artists who have made their home here.
This is a nature lover's paradise with spectacular gardens. In fact six of the eight Great Gardens of Melbourne are found here along with hundreds of beautiful private gardens and specialist nurseries. Don't miss the famous National Rhododendron Gardens where 30,000 rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias burst into flamboyant colour in spring. Visit the fine and most formal Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens, with its huge old trees and stunning autumn foliage.
Bushwalkers will love the Dandenong Ranges National Park. Here you'll discover spectacular mountain ash forests, lush fern gullies, shady woodlands, pristine waterfalls and almost 200 species of wildlife.
Bird life and marsupials are plentiful in both the Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley. A Yarra Valley highlight is Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary, which houses probably the largest collection of Australian wildlife in the country, with more than 200 species of native birds, mammals and reptiles.
Dandenong Ranges National Park
In 1987 Sherbrooke Forest, Doongalla Reserve and Ferntree Gully National Park were combined to form Dandenong Ranges National Park. Covering 3,215 hectares, the park plays an important role in protecting a population of famous lyrebirds and other fauna, as well as protecting the forests and fern gullies of the Ranges. Since June 1997 Olinda State Forest and the Mt Evelyn Forest have also been included in Dandenong Ranges National Park.
Originally inhabited by the Wurundejeri Aboriginal people, the Ranges became an important source of timber for early Melbourne and much of the forest was cleared. Land was used for farming in the late nineteenth century as roads and railways were built. The 'Puffing Billy' narrow-gauge line from Ferntree Gully to Gembrook was opened in 1900.
The area became popular with tourists from the 1870s onw Fern Tree Gully was first reserved as a park in 1882 and other areas followed. The present national park was established in 1987.
Famous artists such as Sir Arthur Streeton chose to depict sites around the Dandenongs in their paintings. Reproductions of their works can be found in the park and around the Ranges.
 Walking Tracks of Interest in this region
Neds Gully Circuit - Cathedral Ranges
With craggy peaks and rugged escarpments of the Cathedral Ranges this track is not for the light hearted.
 Length: 8.5kms
Walk: 4 hours
Track: Moderate/Rough
Grade: Steep
Start/Finish: Neds Gully Campground
Nearby town is Marysville
Best time: Spring to Autumn
At 870metres Cathedral Range is a 7km ridge of sandstone jutting out a surrounding plain. Exciting views of spectacular peaks, lush vegetation and is abundant of native animals.
Ph: Parks Victoria 13 1963
 Visit Sherbrook Falls
This gentle walk along Sherbrook Falls will take you past tree ferns, sassafras and 200 year old mountain ask trees. See an abundant number of birds along crystal clear creeks. Birds you may see (or hear) include Lyrebirds, Bell birds, Whip birds, Kookaburras and Rosellas. At the end of this walk take a trip on “Puffing Billy” or visit a local berry farm.
Length 1.2km
Walk 30 mins one way
Track Good
Grade Flat
Start Sherbrook Picnic Grounds
Finish Sherbrook Falls
Nearby township Olinda
For more information regarding your next visit to Victoria, go to Visit Victoria.
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