Make travel arrangements to get to Yarra Valley. Melbourne is the closest city, and you will find flights to Melbourne from all over the world. Once you are in Melbourne, you can rent a car and drive to the Yarra Valley. It's approximately 30 miles east of the city. You also can take a train from downtown to Yarra Valley, but then you still need to rent a car or take a tour with a local company. The wineries and attractions are spread apart too much to consider walking.
Pick a place to stay in Yarra Valley. You will find quite a varied selection of accommodations that include bed and breakfasts, cottages and apartments for rent, small motels; and the Yarra Glen Grand Hotel, built in the late 19th century. Chateau Yering is a good option, with Victorian-influenced suites, an award-winning restaurant and beautiful landscaping. It also is next door to the third-largest winery in Yarra Valley, Yering Station, which has a store, tasting room and restaurant of its own.
Plan to visit some wineries. Domaine Chandon Australia, which comes under the Moet Hennessy group, and the family-owned De Bortoli Wines are the largest wineries in Yarra Valley. Both have their own restaurants and tasting rooms, offering a vast selection of wines for sampling. The wineries also offer tours of their property, as do other producers in the area. You will find nearly 100 winemakers within the Yarra Valley, bottling everything from the syrah that Australia is famous for to sparkling white wines made in the champagne method.
Cuddle a koala, hold a platypus or pet a kangaroo. You can do any or all of those things at Healesville Animal Sanctuary, where you will only find animals and birds that are native to Australia. The zoo's "Magic Moments" program allows you to go behind the scenes for a closer look at some of the inhabitants. Plan to have lunch there because the restaurant has a gourmet selection of sandwiches, hot dishes, salads and coffees made with local ingredients. They even serve local wine.
