Things To Do
Have a Look Around
You don't need to look far to find things to do in and around Warburton. The Redwood Forest is a beautiful spot to take walk at the feet of towering giants, as is the elevated Rainforest Gallery Walk which takes you through a 200 year old growth rainforest at the foot of Mt Donna Buang. The summit of Mt Donna Buang sits at 1250 meters and with a look out tower at the top affords glorious views of the surrounding mountain ranges. The Yarra River Walk is a must and is the perfect stroll to combine with a coffee or lunch in the Village. If it's warm, jump in for a swim in the beautiful clean water of the upper Yarra, or grab a floaty and go river tubing.
Warburton Mountain Bike Park
If you like mountain biking the totally awesome Warburton Bike Park is one of the best places for MTB riding in Australia. Over 90kms of incredible trails built by World Trails are on offer, with more still to come. The trails cater to all skill levels from Green runs ideal for the whole family, up to the gnarliest Black Diamonds that will test out the most aspiring World Cup Downhill shredder. The fifteen plus years of waiting for these trails was worth every bit, these trails are just off the charts.
If you don't catch yourself screaming with joy flying down the flowy Mad Max line for 6 or 7 minutes of pure heaven than you're just not a mountain biker. The Warburton Bike Park is the culmination of meticulous planning, curation and environmental impact studies over years, and the trail construction is a work of art. So if you're a mountain biker, get ready to shreddy! In addition to the Bike Park trails, the pump track at the trailhead in Wesburn is perfect for kids and all abilities.
If you're not a mountain biker, and just want a relaxing cruise, the Warburton to Lilydale rail trail is a very chill option, with stops and cafes along the way. Bring your own bike or hire one from COG in the town centre, or at Yarra Valley Cycles on the way up in Yarra Junction. The house even has a bike washing station and under cover storing facilities.
Eat and drink yourself stupid
There's heap of options in Warburton to eat and drink, if you don't feel like cooking up a storm in Wally Jane's gourmet chef's kitchen. The coffee at Silva's is next level good for caffeine snobs, and sipping on a local Pinot Noir or a Cocktail from the guys at the Yarra Valley Wine Co bar in town is a very cool vibe.
The Alpine Hotel beer garden is a great way to while away an afternoon over a beer or three, and authentic South Indian cuisine is a short stroll at the bottom of the hill at Babaji's, it's awesome! Also the nearby Warburton Hotel at Wesburn (6min Drive) does great pub meals, or the historic Home Hotel at Launching Place has an amazing selection of locally sourced Yarra Valley wines and food (12min drive and you’ll need to book before you go). Other options include the Thai Dinner Truck and the Wood Fired Pizza Truck. And oh yeah, try getting through your visit without going the Rainbow Ice Cream Shop!
Wally Jane's top ten things to do around Warburton
1. Go for a walk in the towering Redwood Forest.
2. Shred the Warburton Mountain Bike Trails or ride the Rail Trail
3. Drive up to the Mt Donna Buang look-out and do the Rain Forest Gallery walk on the way
4. Swim in the Yarra River, go river tubing or walk along the riverbank trails
5. Have a coffee at Silva's
6. Hike up Mt Donna Buang, along the Aqueduct Trail, out to the Ada Tree or up to LaLa Falls
7. Beers and dinner at the Alpine Hotel
8. Lunch or breakky at BT Dubs cafe
9. Golf at the Warburton Golf Course at the end of the street
10. Check out the home-wares shops in the main street (special mention Blue Scooter and Bowery Room)
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