Things to Do in Healesville

Located in the scenic Yarra Valley, Healesville is a charming town known for its vibrant arts scene, renowned wineries and beautiful natural surroundings. Ideal for both day trips and longer stays, it offers a great a mix of cultural attractions and outdoor activities. This is a guide on the best things to do in Healesville.

How to Get to Healesville

By Car: Healesville is close to Melbourne with the journey time being approximately 1.5 hours. This makes for an easily accessible day trip from Melbourne! From Melbourne, take the M3 and Maroondah Highway to reach Healesville.

By Public Transport: The journey without a car is fairly straightforward, but will take longer. Take the train from Melbourne’s CBD to Lilydale Station. From Lilydale Station you’ll need to catch the 685 bus to Healesville.

Things to Do in Healesville

There are so many great things to do in Healesville, that you could easily spend a few days here. Here are some of my favourites:

Healesville Sanctuary

The Healesville Sanctuary is a fantastic place to explore Australian wildlife. You can get up-close encounters with native animals such as kangaroos, koalas and wombats in a natural bushland setting. It’s also a great place to see native animals that are much harder to see in the wild, such as the Tasmanian Devil and Platypus. There are a number of talks and presentations held throughout the day to help you learn more about the country’s wildlife.

I recommend keeping an eye out for events held at the sanctuary – I recently went to a ‘wine and wildlife‘ event and it was brilliant! This event had pop-ups with brilliant eateries and local breweries and wineries. Along with live music and ample seating area, we had a great time sampling some local wines without having to travel between multiple wineries. Then we got to enjoy the sanctuary afterwards! I’ve also seen the sanctuary doing free seniors buggy tours on weekends for specific months, so keep an eye on their site for what’s on.

Four Pillars Distillery

The Four Pillars Distillery is a must-do for gin enthusiasts! This award-winning distillery offers tastings, tours and a chance to learn about the gin-making process. There’s also things to do for non-gin drinkers, like their marmalade making experience and a collection of no-alcohol gin. Plus they have a really nice bar on site and a great gift shop for any other gin-lovers in your life. As someone who isn’t a huge fan of gin, I still had a brilliant time on their tour and trying some of the gins. Check out the Four Pillars Site for bookings or to buy gin.

Innocent Bystander

The area is home to a few wineries, but my favourite to visit is Innocent Bystander. This popular winery is perfect for wine tastings, wood-fired pizzas and a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a brilliant opportunity to try some local wines in a fun setting. They have a great variety of wines here including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Prosecco and Moscatos. You have the option of doing a full wine tasting or come for some great food and wine. The Innocent Bystander site has more information on what they do and the wines they specialise in.

Outside of Healesville are a number of other brilliant wineries. The whole Yarra Valley has an extensive range of different wineries to choose from to match your tastes and budget!

TarraWarra Museum of Art

The TarraWarra Museum of Art allows you to explore contemporary Australian art with a stunning vineyard backdrop. The museum has both permanent and rotating exhibitions on offer so keep an eye out for what’s on. They offer private and group tours or you can wander around solo. To note, some of the exhibits are outside so I recommend visiting on a sunny day.

Yarra Valley Railway

For something a little different, take a trip on the Yarra Valley Railway! This heritage railway operates on a section of the original Healesville railway and provides for a relaxed and scenic trip through the stunning Yarra Valley. The journey is approximately a 35 minute round trip. Be sure to check their site for availability as it varies depending on school holidays. Typically they run every Sunday, Wednesdays during school holidays and some Saturdays. Other brilliant train rides in Melbourne include Puffing Billy in the Dandenong Ranges with the beautiful 1000 steps hike nearby. You can find their timetable here.

Maroondah Reservoir Park

My favourite thing about living in Melbourne is how accessible it is to reach stunning nature spots. The Maroondah Reservoir Park is no exception! Spend time here enjoying a scenic picnic, walking trails, and views of the impressive dam wall and gardens. This is an ideal place for families and nature enthusiasts. Definitely bring a camera, if you’re interested in photography, as you can get some moody, atmospheric shots here! The park is huge so you could easily spend a day here exploring. Some things worth checking out with Maroondah Reservoir Park include the Black Spur Drive – an incredible Alpine forest driving experience!! Along with Mount Saint Leonard viewing platform, Maroondah Water Dam Wall and Selover’s Lookout. Visit their site for more information on the park and what to do there.

Free Things to Do in Healesville

There are a few great things to do in Healesville for free. I would say the best thing without doubt is exploring the Maroondah Reservoir Park. I am a big fan of exploring all of the nature and stunning trails Melbourne has to offer and this is a great place for nature and scenic picnics. Other great, free things to do in Healesville include strolling down Healesville’s Main Street. It’s a really cute street filled with local shops, boutiques, art galleries and cafes. I love exploring cute high streets within wider Victoria and Healesville is perfect for that. Albeit a bit small, you can definitely spend some time wandering around here. I particularly LOVED the cheese store and the ‘Laneway’ with a few cute boutiques and a distillers. Lastly you can spend some time viewing the Healesville Memorial Hall Murals. This comprises of local art commemorating Healesville’s heritage.

Best Cafes in Healesville

There are a number of great cafes and restaurants in Healesville to check out. My favourite place to eat would be at the Innocent Bystander. But if you’re looking for more cafe-vibes, consider the ones below;

Habituel Bakery & Coffee Roasters – Artisan coffee and fresh baked treats.

Mocha & Lime – Known for brunch, local produce and vegetarian-friendly options.

Healesville Harvest – Fresh, locally sourced ingredients in a cute, cosy setting.