Just north of the Great Dividing Range the township of Yea is nestled in a beautiful valley at the meeting of the Yea and Goulburn Rivers. Only a 90 minute drive from Melbourne, Yea offers a relaxed country experience.
The Yea township boasts historic buildings, a thriving main street and a strong arts culture. It's also a key town on the Great Victorian Rail Trail. With a range of award-winning wineries, restaurants and accommodation options on offer, Yea is the perfect base to explore the area’s surrounding scenic and historic sites.
HIGHLIGHTS
RAIL TRAIL
The Great Victorian Rail Trail winds through much of this area making these townships a great stopping off point for cyclists wishing to explore the fabulous range of welcoming country pubs, great eateries, local art galleries and quirky stores.
YEA WETLANDS DISCOVERY CENTRE
Drop into the Alexandra Timber Tramway and Museum for a ride on one of the historic locomotives and learn more about the early history of rail in the area.
MURRINDINDI SCENIC RESERVE
One of the lesser known gems of our region, the Murrindindi Scenic Reserve, is a great spot offering a bit of everything. There's a range of bushwalking, multiple camping areas, waterfalls, a picturesque river for water play as well as bird watching and fishing opportunities.
EAT & DRINK
Sedona Estate
From Sedona Estate’s humble beginnings in 1998, Paul and Sonja’s vision has been to produce fine cool-climate wines from their vineyard north of the Great Divide in the Yea Valley. Their passion and dedication is reflected in the Sedona Estate range. Varietal purity makes each bottle of wine a true experience.
Tucked away in the rolling hills of Murrindindi, Sedona Estate offers a true country experience with stunning views and plenty of Australian wildlife around. The stylish cellar door and hillside terrace is a great place to enjoy a relaxing afternoon with fine wines and delicious artisan platters to share.
Winemaker Paul Evans employs a very hands-on approach to capture the essence of this emerging wine region. It is cool climate viticulture, but plenty of sunshine at the right times provides the perfect conditions for producing complex Shiraz and delightful Sangiovese. Their outstanding quality is reflected in many national and international awards at esteemed wine shows.
Paul and Sonja pride themselves in offering friendly country hospitality and authentic wine tasting experiences. Looking behind the scenes and experiencing the real winemaking world is one of many offerings at Sedona Estate.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Cycle Dindi 26
Cycle Dindi 26 is a joint project by the Rotary Clubs of Alexandra and Yea, together with Friends of the Great Victorian Rail Trail and is a charity bicycle ride along the trail.
It is centered on the lovely townships of Yea, Yarck and Alexandra and includes those towns as starting locations. Riders have a number of distances and options to choose from. This year the prices are again linked to the rider, not the distance. Included in your entry ticket is Billy tea and damper, a barbecue lunch at Cathkin and Tunnel Treats, a chance to pause and take in the historic Cheviot Tunnel whilst enjoying some refreshments.
Money raised will be used to support Rotary Youth Projects.
STAY
Murrindindi Scenic Reserve Camping
Whether you’re into camping, bushwalking, waterfalls, birdwatching, picnicking, fishing, or paddling in the gentle waters of the Murrindindi River, the reserve caters to all kinds of outdoor adventures. Just 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne, it’s perfect for a day trip or a weekend retreat.
There are six riverside camping areas along the river in the reserve, some of which are suitable for small caravans.
Flushing toilets are located at Ferns Camp and Bull Creek Camp and pit toilets are located at all other campgrounds. Flushing toilets can also be found at the Suspension Bridge day area at the start of the reserve near Wilhelmina Falls Road.
Most camping areas have fireplaces and picnic tables and some have wood-fired barbecues, however you will need to bring your own wood and check fire bans before use.
Camping fees apply but you cannot book or reserve your site. Sites are available on a first come first served basis. In peak periods, camping sites may be unavailable, so have contingency plans in place for these busy times.
The river is great for fishing and paddling but is generally not deep enough for swimming or canoeing.
Dogs are not permitted in the reserve.
The reserve is part of the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.