Visiting The Yarra Valley Wine Region For The First Time
If you’ve never visited the Yarra Valley Wine Region here are some tips to help you plan that first trip!
The Yarra Valley wine region is known worldwide for its beautiful Chardonnays, tasty Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Sauvignon, and of course, their bold Shiraz.
Additionally, this region is making some fantastic “méthode traditionnelle” sparkling wines.
Over the past 50 years, local producers have crafted a variety of flavorful ciders and distinctive beers, adding a delicious twist to the region’s offerings.
If you’re planning to visit South Australia and love wine, beer, cider, regional food, nature, or all of the above, be sure to visit the Yarra Valley.
In this blog post, we share essential tips to help you plan your first trip to the Yarra Valley.
Getting to the Yarra Valley Wine Region
The Yarra Valley is only 50km from Melbourne.
Since it is so close you can plan for a one-day visit or stay for a couple of days.
- By car – it takes between 50 minutes to an hour to reach the Yarra Valley from Central Melbourne. Via M1 or M3 to Maroondah HWY. Many of the best-known wineries are located on Maroondah Highway.
- By train – From Melbourne Central Station to Lillydale Station will take approximately 1 hour. Trains leave every 30 minutes. Then take a taxi or rideshare to your winery of choice.
- By bus – Line 906 leaves from Swanston St/Lonsdale St to Warrandyte Bridge/Yarra St. A bus leaves every 20 minutes, and the trip lasts around 53 minutes. From Yarra St take a taxi or rideshare to the winery of your choice
- By tour – Many tour options leave from Melbourne or the Lilydale train station. You can explore your options in Get Your Guide, Viator, or visit one of the Melbourne Visitor Centers in the city for some local suggestions.
- By Shuttle – Hopit, a Hop-on Hop-off service that services the Yarra Valley Wine Region with pick-up/drop-off at Melbourne Center and the Lilydale Train Station.
A note about taxis and rideshare in the Yarra Valley: this area has a low population so the availability of taxis or rideshare is low and can be extremely hard to come by.
Australians either drive or use the tour operators. We recommend you do as the Aussies do.
Of course, you can always stay in one of the small towns of the Yarra Valley and explore the many things the region has to offer.
Visit the Yarra Valley website to discover other things to do in this region.
Best Options for Touring Yarra Valley Wineries
The Yarra Valley has a long history of wine production, so it’s no surprise that they offer well-organized visiting options.
Make this a single-day stopover or take your time with a leisurely multi-day exploration.
With something for everyone, you’re guaranteed to find options that suit your taste and budget.
The Yarra Valley boasts over 80 wineries, offering plenty of ways to visit and enjoy them.
Visiting by Car
Driving yourself gives you the most flexibility when traveling the Yarra Valley.
If you have a rental car you can choose whatever winery picks your fancy, make a reservation online, and drive yourself there.
You can mix and match wineries, restaurant and brewery visits, and other activities in the area.
The caveat to driving is that you must be very careful with your drink. The fines for drinking and driving in Australia are steep, so have a designated driver.
Visiting on a Guided Tour
This is the most popular way to visit the wineries in the Yarra Valley.
You can enjoy everything from traditional wine and lunch tours to beer and wine-tasting tours.
Some tours even offer cheese and wine pairings or finish with a trip to a nature reserve where you can spot kangaroos.
Cycling the Yarra Valley
While there may not be as many cycling tour options as in some other countries, you can still find some tour operators providing this experience.
These tours provide you with everything you need—a bicycle, a map, and the chance to take in the beautiful scenery at your own pace.
As you pedal through the valley, you can stop to enjoy the breathtaking views and savor some of the region’s finest wines, making for a memorable and immersive adventure.
By hop-on hop-off bus
The bus service, Hop It, isn’t a wine tour company but a transportation service that offers shuttles from downtown Melbourne and pick-up at Lilydale Station.
Hop It offers two routes, the red and green, that take you to various wineries, breweries, and the Four Pillars Distillery.
Their shuttle visits each venue every hour.
The advantage is that you don’t have to drive and can choose the venues you want to visit.
The disadvantage is you’ll have to return to Melbourne at 3:45 PM or find your way back on your own.
For itineraries and timetables visit the Hop It website.
What You Need to Know Before Visiting the Yarra Valley
For your first visit to the Yarra Valley, you might want to take advantage of an organized tour that covers multiple activities.
Here are some things to consider when evaluating the offerings of the tour:
- Do they offer hotel pick-up in the city or will you have to meet them at a starting point?
- Where will they drop you off upon your return?
- Does the cost include lunch and wine tastings or will they be at your expense?
- Is there a specific winery you want to visit or are you happy with visiting whatever winery is on the tour operator route?
- What time do they leave Melbourne and what time will they return?
- Would you like to visit venues other than wineries, like breweries, a Chocolaterie, or a cider house?
- Are you interested in a unique experience like wine tasting and a visit to a natural reserve where you can spot kangaroos?
- Does anyone in your party have allergies or food restrictions?
If you’re unsure about joining an organized tour or want to customize your route, many tour companies offer private tours.
Below are some upsides of getting a private tour:
- A private tour provides the flexibility to visit one or two specific wineries.
- In addition, a tour company can organize food and wine tasting at local restaurants.
- When traveling with a large group of family or friends they can cater to your group’s needs and likes.
- They’ll know if the winery you’re interested in is hosting special events like bridal showers, weddings, or birthdays.
- Some tour organizers may require a minimum amount of people to book a private tour.
- The cost per person may be higher but if it fits your needs, it may be worth the extra expense.
Explore the Yarra Valley Beyond the Wineries
If you’re traveling with children or simply aren’t a fan of wine, you can still enjoy the other offerings in the Yarra Valley.
Cider and Beers
The Yarra Region is also famous for sparkling cider.
With an abundance of apples and pears and the wine traditions cider makers have made some delicious brews and cider.
One of the best things to do if you like beer and cider is to follow the Cider & Ale Trail.
Our day tour to the Yarra Valley included a visit to Napoleone Brewery and Ciderhouse.
We tasted two ciders and two beers, each one better than the last. They were incredibly tasty and refreshing.
Gin Distillery
Although stronger spirits are a recent addition to the region, the Yarra Valley is home to Four Pillars Gin Distillery.
They have tours and tastings and are part of the Hop-on Hop-off route.
They are also an optional add-on for some wine tours.
Chocolate & Ice Cream
We couldn’t leave you without ice cream!
Smack in the middle of all this wine, beer, and cider is a delicious place aptly called the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery.
The truffles are delicious and the ice cream is so smooth and tasty.
We can’t think of a better souvenir from your Yarra Valley trip than chocolates paired with your favorite cider or wine.
Our Experience in the Yarra Valley
For our Yarra Valley Wine Region experience, we joined an organized tour that first took us to an apple and pear farm with a beer and cider brewing venue.
From the cider house, we moved to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery before our first winery.
Before lunch we had our first wine tasting followed by a game of bocce.
We then enjoyed a delicious lunch of quiche, salad with a wonderful Shiraz.
We wrapped up the day with two more exciting wine tastings at different wineries.
The best part of the day was the stunning sunset at the final vineyard before heading back to Melbourne.
Quite simply a perfect day!
Yarra Valley a Prime Region for Wine Lovers
The Yarra Valley Wine Region is a scenic area in South Australia.
With its abundance of vineyards, orchards, and natural wonders it is a great alternative to visit solo or with friends and family.
The most common way to visit this region is on a day tour from Melbourne.
But if you want to make it a multi-day visit there are plenty of things to do besides checking out the local wine.
If you’d like more information on places to stay, eat, and play in the Yarra Valley visit the “Visit Yarra Valley” website for more information.
We hope these tips help you make that first visit to the Yarra Valley Wine Region unforgettable.
