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
Yea Peppercorn Hotel
The Yea Peppercorn Hotel caters to many travellers passing through to Lake Eildon in the Summer and Mt Buller during Winter.
It is also a welcome overnight venue for cyclists exploring the 134 kilometre Great Victorian Rail Trail which passes through Yea, just across the road from the hotel at the old railway station.
Being only 1.5 hours out of Melbourne it is the perfect distance for a day trip or overnight stop. Serving delicious Indian food from 5.30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and more traditional pub fare from Thursday to Sunday, with lunch available on weekends only.
With boutique accommodation available as part of the premises, why not make the most of your visit and stay a night or two? With five queen rooms onsite and a two bedroom apartment nearby, Yea Peppercorn caters for couples and small groups.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Long Lunch – Harvest Picnic
End of harvest is always an exciting time of year for vignerons and a great excuse to turn the winery’s barrel room into a stylish Long Lunch!
Come and be part of the post vintage celebration with the return of the Harvest Picnic at Sedona Estate on the Murrindindi Wine Weekend on 4 May. Chef Angela Poulter will be preparing a delicious 3-course banquet-style autumn lunch featuring a fusion cuisine of entrees followed by hearty, nostalgic flavours for the main course and finishing with an array of traditional desserts. Matching Sedona wines, estate-grown and made, will be curated by the winemaker.
This annual culinary event will be completed with an afternoon of music by the talented singer and songwriter Amie Grisold. Amie’s smooth vocal tones and mature lyricism is bound to capture any audience’s heart.
The banquet-style Long Lunch is ideal for groups of 4 or more and is limited to 70 guests. Tickets can be booked directly by contacting the winery. Please visit the Sedona Estate website to see the full menu and to book.
They are looking forward to celebrate the end of vintage 2025 with you!
STAY
Cheviot Glen Cottages
At the gateway to beautiful north-east Victoria, Cheviot Glen Cottages sit in a hillside on a rural working farm just east of the Yea township, 110 kilometres or 1.5 hours from Melbourne and 400 metres from the Great Victorian Rail Trail.
Side-by-side the cottages are ideal for a relaxing escape from the city, a base for cycling, horse riding, walking the Trail or just exploring the beautiful rolling hills to the Dividing Range.
Each cottage offers one queen-size bedroom, a generous ensuite bathroom with double spa, separate shower, a fully-equipped kitchen. The living area includes a sofa bed for an extra two guests and a slow combustion wood heater.
Accommodation: Stays of two nights upwards and extended stays, includes a choice of breakfast provisions (Cheviot Glen Cottages aim to be sensitive to guests dietary preferences) and welcoming little touches such as freshly baked bread and a home-baked ‘welcome’ jar of goodies.