Healesville is a small town at the eastern end of Victoria's Yarra Valley near Melbourne.
Get in
By car
The town is only about half an hour from the outer eastern suburbs by the Maroondah Highway. Because of its proximity to the city, many people live in the area and drive into the suburbs for work, this makes the road very busy during rush hours, and there is a bottleneck around Lilydale. Outside of peak hours, it's an easy drive from the city to the peaceful bushland setting of the town.
By bus
If you don't want to drive, you can take a train from the centre of Melbourne to Lilydale, and then there is a regular (McKenzies) bus service which runs to Healesville via Yarra Glen. Although it is not directly connected to Melbourne, for public transport purposes Healesville is considered part of 'Zone Two' formerly Zone Three until zone reorganization, the outer-eastern transport zone, and it only costs around $10 for an all-day zone 1 and 2 rail and bus ticket.
Get around
See
- Healesville Sanctuary, Badger Creek Rd., 10 minute drive from Healesville; no public transportation, ☏ 61 3 59572800. 9 - 5. A world-renowned wildlife park. The sanctuary is run under the auspices of the Melbourne Zoo, and provides rehabilitation facilities for injured wildlife, breeding programs for several endangered species, and aims to educate the public about the unique and beautiful wildlife of Australia. $25.40 adults Children 4 - $12.60.
- Badger Weir.
- a tourist railway operates from the town on weekends and public holidays.
- the Maroondah Reservoir is just a short drive further down the highway.
Do
- TarraWarra Museum of Art, 311 Healesville-Yarra Glen Rd., ☏ 61 3 59573100. The museum has a wonderful collection of early Modernist Australian paintings in a location with sweeping views of the adjoining TarraWarra vineyards..
Buy
Eat
There are many cafes along the main street, so there is no shortage of places to eat.
- Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander Winery, 336-364 Maroondah Hwy., ☏ 61 3 59626111. Bakery and Restaurant within a wine-making operation.
Drink
Sleep
For those wanting to stay in the area overnight there are also plenty of guesthouses.