Located less than an hour's drive from Melbourne, the Yarra Valley & Dandenongs is bustling with cellar doors, cider and farmgate trails, art spaces and galleries, special events, adventure activities and unique experiences guaranteed to create lasting memories.

 

Cuddle up to a koala, zip line through the trees or float over vineyards in a hot air balloon. Sip world class wines aboard the iconic Puffing Billy steam train, pick your own fruit straight from the orchard, try your hand at glassblowing, or follow the Cider & Ale Trail for some specialty brews.

 

Here's whats new and exciting in the Yarra Valley & Dandenongs:

 

The new Yarra Valley Farm Gate Trail allows you to visit the best of the Yarra Valley's farm gates to get your hands dirty, pick and taste the freshest of produce and take home some delicious goodies - fruits, jams, icecream, lavender and more!

 

Families can come out to to Valley for an old fashioned, fun day out on the farm - and maybe even take a tractor ride! Spend a weekend picking, tasting, riding and enjoying the great outdoors together!

 

For more information visit: www.farmsoftheyarravalley.com.au

 

The renowned Yarra Valley wine region has recently seen an infiltration of a different kind of drop! Giving the Yarra Valley winemakers a run for their money are a handful of brewers and cider makers who are producing unique and intriguing local beers and ciders.

 

Visitors can now follow the Yarra Valley Cider & Ale Trail to places including an eco-friendly brewery, family owned and run businesses, a distiller producing kiwi fruit ciders, a winery producing the golden drop and a brewery shipped in all the way from New Zealand.

 

For more information visit: www.ciderandaletrail.com.au

 

The Yarra Valley has a new annual signature food & wine event - The Yarra Valley Food & Wine Festival - set to showcase the best of the region's quality local produce and producers each year in Autumn.

 

The four day festival will return in April 2013 to showcase the Yarra Valley's top wineries and restaurants, allowing festival goers to experience 'behind the bottle' winery tours, beer brewering master classes, gourmet tastings, insightful cooking classes, sumptuous high teas, organic edible gardening tips and many other gastronomic wonders.

 

For more information: www.yarravalleyfestival.com.au

During Winter in the Yarra Valley there's a chill in the air, the sky's grey, and it's wet underfoot - but every year in July Yarra Valley Gumboot Season is all about dry feet, warm coats, and cosy hats!

It the time to rug up, pull on your gumboots and have a splash around the Yarra Valley's wineries and restaurants - with warm welcomes at Cellar Doors, hearty winter food at cosy restaurants and brisk walks in the country.

 

For more information: www.gumbootseason.com.au

 

Healesville Sanctuary is all about nature and wildlife with a range of memorable experiences such as the Brekky with the Birds daily at 9.30am and Land of Parrots; a spectacular new walk-through aviary home to Australia's best-loved birds, and programs such as Wash for Wildlife promoting clean water ways for our native animals.

 

Be kept on the edge of your seat at the new arena show Fearsome to Awesome displaying the diverse range Australian reptiles, or get up close to a favourite Aussie animal with a Magic Moments pass.

 

For more information: www.zoo.org.au/HealesvilleSanctuary

 

Visitors to Hedgend Maze in Healesville can now take part in a game of Laser Strike - Hedgend's new attraction. Bring the whole family for a day of fun; run through the mazes, play unlimited minigolf, solve the visual brain teasers in the the rainbow maze and giant eyespy.

 

For more information: www.hedgend.com.au

 

Lake Mountain Alpine Resort is gearing up for snow season by declaring a war on snow prices. This year there will be NO EXCUSES for not sharing with your family one of life's great memorable moments with a Family Snow Play Package only $99 (two adults and two children) with the early bird "No Excuses" deal including resort entry, carparking, family lunch and toboggan hire.

 

For more information: www.lakemountainresort.com.au

 

Rochford Wines in the Yarra Valley recently launched two experiences - the Segway Guided Tours will have you cruising among the grapevines, while learning a little about vineyard practices and what goes into making award-winning wines, and the Mulled Wine Making session allows participants to learn industry techniques from Rochford's expert winemakers and create their own unique blends of wine.

 

For more information: www.rochfordwines.com

 

Artists have long turned to the Yarra Valley & The Dandenongs for inspiration - and now the public can view, purchase and even be involved in these artists' work. Healesville is home to unique specialist silversmiths at Silvermist Studio, glassblowers at Healesville Glassblowing Studio and art spaces such as Healesville Contemporary Art Space, Artists' Lounge and Mud Glass Metal.

 

Galleries showcasing local and international art include Burrinja Gallery in the Dandenongs and TarraWarra Museum of Art which will again play host to the Archibald Prize Exhibition in June 2012.

 

For more information: www.experienceyarravalley.com.au

 

Specialist Yarra Valley hot air ballooning company Global Ballooning now has a new range of accommodation and flight packages with Balgownie Vineyard Resort & Spa. Stay overnight in the deluxe accommodation and enjoy a spectacular sunrise flight over the Yarra Valley before returning to Balgownie Restaturant for a champagne breakfast. Prices start from $375.

 

For more information: www.globalballooning.com.au

 

Trees Adventure in The Dandenongs is an awesome eco-adventure situated in a beautiful heritage garden. Zip-trek high above the ground and take on the thrilling tree-top obstacles. There are 12 mammoth flying foxes and 65 aerial challenges ranging from beginner to intermediate and the black diamond extreme course that features a giant aerial skateboard and a 100m flying fox.

 

For more information: www.treesadventure.com.au

 

The iconic Puffing Billy Railway now has fantastic new additions to it's daily train journeys through the spectacular Dandenong Ranges - choose from the new Natter Platter Menu on the Steam & Cuisine Lunch Train daily, climb aboard the Dinner & Dance Trains for a great meal and musical entertainment or join in some swinging jazz aboard the Puffing Billy Jazz Trains.

For more information: www.puffingbilly.com.au/news-events

Visit these great websites to plan your trip to the Yarra Valley & Dandenongs in Victoria:

www.experienceyarravalley.com.au

www.experiencethedandenongs.com.au


MEDIA CONTACT
Leah Furey
leah@tyrrellpr.com.au
0396297000