By the time the Yarra River gets to Melbourne, it’s sluggish and brown, but if you follow the river up towards its origin, it transforms into a rushing mountain river, with crystal clear water. It’s on the banks of this river in the upper Yarra Valley, just 75km from Melbourne’s CBD, you’ll find the town of Warburton.

While the Yarra Valley is home to many fine vineyards and restaurants, attractions of a different kind bring tourists to Warburton. For here, you can get a glimpse back in time to what this region was originally known for – the timber industry.

A highlight was the Redwood Forest at nearby Cement Creek. Less than 10km out of town, this tract of over 1400 trees were planted in the 1930s after the clearing of the original eucalypts. Several species were planted as part of research into the makeup of future plantations. The Californian Redwoods have now matured into massive trees up to 55 metres in height and, as they were planted in a grid, are easy to walk amongst. Silence descends as you enter the plantation – the carpet of leaves muffles any footsteps and in the filtered sunlight you’ll find yourself whispering. Just wander around, coming across ‘dragon’s nests’ of varying sizes and taking photos. It’s a unique place.

If you have time, drive to the summit of 1265m Mount Donna Buang and climb the observation tower for great views (on a clear day!). There are occasional snowfalls here in winter. For the truly energetic, there is a walking track that starts in Warburton. The track is 7km up the mountain and then 7km down, but be warned, this is a walk for the very fit only, in fact, it is primarily used by trekkers in final training for Kokoda or Kilimanjaro.

Warburton is a pleasant place to visit, with lots of natural attractions and things to do. Slow down and enjoy what it has to offer. You’ll have a great time.

Continue reading about all that Warburton has to offer in the current issue of What’s Up Downunder.