The City of Yarra Ranges is one of the largest metropolitan municipalities in Australia, encompassing fifty suburbs, townships, communities and rural districts.
With the area’s wineries now gaining world renown, it’s also one of Victoria’s premier tourist areas, attracting approximately 2 million visitors each year.
But unlike so many regions where tourism is a major industry, Yarra Ranges retains a true sense of “liveability”. The same things that attract sightseers – greenery, tranquility and beautiful natural produce – keep the residents happy, as well.
A Brief History
After European settlement, Victoria’s senior surveyor, Robert Hoddle was one of the first colonists to explore the area during an expedition to discover the headwaters of the Yarra River. That was in 1838.
White settlement in the area ensued, although not all at once. Communities and industries were established from the 1830s all the way through to the early twentieth century.
Some of the Suburbs:
Belgrave
Belgrave Heights
Belgrave South
Chirnside Park
Upper Ferntree Gully
Kilsyth
Lilydale
Montrose
Mooroolbark
Mount Evelyn
Narre Warren East
Tecoma
Upwey
Yarra Valley Wine
Although the borders of the Yarra Valley change depending on who you talk to, one thing isn’t in dispute. The wine is exceptional.
William Ryrie is credited with planting the first grape vines in the Yarra Valley in 1838. Nearly two centuries later there are around 40 wineries in the area (and that’s just the ones with cellar doors), which has become famous for the quality of its wine.
Due to the region’s relatively cool climate – “cooler than Bordeaux but warmer than Burgundy” says the region’s major wine website – pinot noir and chardonnay grow particularly well.
Learn more about the wine of the Yarra Valley
Transport
The majority of Yarra Ranges can be classed as rural, and yet the region is deceptively close to the CBD, especially when you take into account the public transport that services the area.
Both the Lilydale and Belgrave railway lines run through the municipality, while bus services are plentiful.
View Metlink’s guide to public transport in Yarra Valley