Set in lush dairying country on the banks of a Goulburn River tributary, about 105km north-east of Melbourne, Yea is an area of great natural beauty where forests, ferneries, waterfalls and cascades abound.

There is some spectacular gorge country between Yea and Tallabrook, where verdant fern gullies play a significant role in making this one of Victoria’s most picturesque regions.

Kinglake National Park, 30km south-west of Yea, is an especially beautiful and tranquil reserve. There are some great camping spots along the nearby Goulburn River, and Yea provides easy access to the mountain country south of Eildon Weir, which is only a short drive away.

Look for the local wineries, too, for a cellar-door purchase to go with the specialty cheeses on sale at Ballantyne’s Cheeses. You can meet wombats, platypuses and lyrebirds and wonder at the spectacular waterfalls at the Murrindi Reserve, 11km out of town.