Travel guide Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges

Good wine starts with good grapes. Learn from a Halliday-rated, five-star viticulturist/winemaker ab... Read more

Between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago, some humans settled down to farm. Grain was the first domestica... Read more

Tour Great Ocean Road with a maximum of 12 passengers. Enjoy wildlife, rainforests & shipwrecks,... Read more

Discover the largest underground 'Drives' in the Southern Hemisphere on this 1 hour tour at Seppelt ... Read more

The Dandenong Ranges are home to some beautiful towns and if you catch Puffing Billy, the historic steam train, you’ll come to a final stop at a real gem. Settled by Europeans back in 1873, Gembrook is a rural town with a deeply peaceful quality. Life moves at a comfortable pace in this former timber town, and friendly locals contentedly tend to their various farms and shops, and enjoy picnics in places like JAC Russell Park. The Gembrook Waratahs are a famous flower grown in the region, with the largest commercial Waratah plantation in Australia. These gorgeous blooms blanket the local farms, and were proudly used for the Sydney 2000 Olympic bouquets. But you can’t eat flowers, so thankfully the town is also famous for growing delicious potatoes and chestnuts, which you can wa... Read more

  Weddings are wonderful, glorious, exciting, romantic, memorable … and fraught!  It doesn’t matter how well-organised you/your partner/your mother/your wedding planner is …no-one can deny that arranging a wedding is an exercise in endurance, as well as joy. So, the honeymoon should be the time to wind down, enjoy one another and do as much or as little as you please.  But that brings up another problem, because these days, honeymoons are nearly a competitive sport!  Where are you going, how long for, is there a spa, is it 5 star, is it eco-friendly, can your furry family come too, can your normal family come too???? Whew! - honeymoon options need to be as modern and flexible as weddings have become. And they can be! First, decide what you want &... Read more

A haven for lovers ... Take the one you love to Linden Gardens Rainforest Retreat for a romantic break you will never forget.  Located on top of Mt Dandenong and less than one hour from Melbourne, it is the perfect place for weekend escapes, honeymoons, anniversaries and other special celebrations. Set on a three-acre estate of lush rainforest and historic gardens, Linden Gardens is a hills icon with unique plantings dating back to 1910.  You must be a guest to enjoy the gardens and tranquillity of the surrounds, so read on and decide which is the perfect escape for you! The feel at Linden Gardens is elegant, romantic and completely indulgent. The luxury suites are a combination of contemporary and antique pieces with all the modern amenities you could wish for, yet still reta... Read more

"The Blue Dandenongs is well known for its spectacular Mountain Ash trees and lush fern gullies... Read more

"Survivors of the 1939 bushfires, the tall trees of the Yarra Ranges National Park are simply spectacular. They are monuments to nature and something that should be experienced by everyone." Glenn Mawson, Ranger-in-Charge, Yarra Ranges National Park. The Yarra Ranges National Park is a vital catchment area for Melbourne's water supply and is home to forests of Mountain Ash, rainforest and fern gullies. Glenn Mawson, Ranger-in-Charge, Yarra Ranges National Park, recommends that if you are coming from Melbourne drive up to Healesville, where you can visit the famous Healesville Sanctuary and then on through the Black Spur. The Black Spur is an iconic stretch of road between Healesville and Marysville and one of the best road trips in the state. It cuts a snake-like black path ... Read more

Cheviot Glen Cottages Limestone Rd, Yea, Victoria Immerse yourself in rural tranquillity at Cheviot Glen! Cheviot Glen has two self-contained cottages right in the heart of its 430 acre grazing property, near Yea. We were impressed by the beautiful scenery as we drove up the winding driveway past a magnificent gum tree and the dam. We stopped to pick up the keys at the owner’s house and she took us the short distance to the cottage, where we could park right outside. Overall rating: Excellent What makes Cheviot Glen different? The best thing about Cheviot Glen is that it combines perfect tranquillity with its farm setting amongst beautiful scenery, with the convenience of being only minutes from the township of Yea and all its amenities, and close to several wineries.   ... Read more