This regional town sure knows how to pack a punch. Just north of the Great Dividing Range and only a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, Yea offers a relaxed country experience but with a progressive twist.
Boasting modern street art, award winning wineries, restaurants, historic buildings, a thriving main street and a strong arts culture, Yea Victoria is a key town on the Great Victorian Rail Trail.
HIGHLIGHTS
RAIL TRAIL
The Great Victorian Rail Trail winds through Yea, making it a great stop to wet the whistle, indulge the palate and inspire your inner creative, as cyclists can explore the fabulous range of welcoming country pubs, great eateries, local art galleries and quirky stores.
YEA WETLANDS DISCOVERY CENTRE
A trip to Yea, Victoria, isn’t complete without a wander through the Yea wetlands and the Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre
Situated on a 32-hectare floodplain the wetlands are home to platypus, koalas and many native and migratory waterbirds that watch over the billabongs. While the YWDC is an environmental learning and accredited visitor information centre, where you can also learn about the traditional owners, the Taungurung people.
The Yea Wetlands may be small on a world scale, but they provide inspiration in spades, opening your eyes to an abundance of bird life and fauna throughout the seasons.
MURRINDINDI SCENIC RESERVE
Pack a picnic, throw a line in, or even pitch a tent at the Murrindindi Scenic Reserve. Situated at the northern end of Toolangi State Forest, this large green oasis is less than 2 hours from Melbourne.
It includes tumbling waterfalls, Mountain Ash, fern-filled gullies and is the perfect place for bushwalking, bird watching, fishing and paddling in the shallows of the Murrindindi River.
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
Yea Garden Expo
The township of Yea is just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne. The Yea Rotary Club has organised a Garden Expo. This is just the time of year when interested gardeners are busy preparing their gardens for spring colour. The Expo provides an opportunity to view a host of garden-related products at the Yea Saleyards site (Flat Lead Road), just off the Yea – Whittlesea Road, a few kilometres on the south side of Yea. The site is flat, sealed and easily accessible for everyone. Dogs are permitted, provided on a leash.
Why not take advantage of the $10 entry fee if you prebook, a wide range of goods and services and a plentiful supply of food and drinks, much of it homemade. Over 70 vendors will be on site with exhibits ranging from bulbs, seeds, seedlings, flowering plants and trees to garden tools and equipment, garden art and ornaments, compost, fertilisers and more. Check out the the quirky horseshoe garden sculptures, produced by local Darryl Callander and which can be made to order.
STAY
Yea Springs Holiday Accommodation
Yea Springs has two large and luxurious holiday units of 100 square metres each, set on four beautiful acres in a peaceful rural area, only five minutes drive from the Yea town centre.
The property has direct access to the Great Victorian Rail Trail for cycling and wonderful views of the Goulburn River Valley and Strathbogie Ranges.
The two homes are of the same size and layout, comfortably accommodating up to four persons each.
Both have two well-appointed bedrooms with full wardrobes, ceiling fans and quality linen and bedding.
Wattleseed has one queen bed and two king singles, while Ironbark has queen beds in both bedrooms.
The fully equipped kitchen and exceptionally spacious lounge and dining areas are fully air conditioned, have large digital televisions (satellite transmission) and open onto outdoor covered decks.
Yea Springs is perfectly suitable for couples (or a family of three or four) sharing a single residence, or groups of up to eight people taking both.
And it’s especially great for cyclists wanting to ride Australia’s longest rail trail, which runs from Tallarook all the way to Mansfield.