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 for a meditative walk around the feet of towering giants, and not far from there the Rainforest Gallery Walk winds through a 200 year old growth rainforest at the foot of Mt Donna Buang. Further up, the Mt Donna Buang summit is great for Tobogganing and snow play in winter and the look out tower at the top affords glorious views of the surrounding mountain ranges. The Warburton Yarra River Walk is scenic and accessible at the bottom of the street, 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 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 now 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 racer. 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 then you're pretty hard to please. 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, pack the bike and get ready to shreddy! In addition to the Bike Park, there is a great pump track at the trailhead in Wesburn which is perfect for kids and all abilities.
If you're not a mountain biker and are more up for a nice relaxing cruise, the Warburton to Lilydale Rail Trail is a perfect option, with stops, pubs and cafes dotted along the trail. 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 also 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 (that is if you don't feel like cooking up a storm yourself 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 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 the famous Babaji's (it's awesome). Also the nearby historic Home Hotel at Launching Place (10 min drive) has an amazing selection of locally sourced Yarra Valley wines and great food (you’ll need to book before you go). Other options include the Thai Dinner Truck and great pizzas at CJ's. 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. A cocktail at the Yarra Valley Wine Co overlooking the river
8. Lunch or breakky at Little Joe's 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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