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Local activities and attractions near Warburton     

The Rover Memorial Chalet Warburton is ideal for local and interstate travellers alike.

Yarra Ranges National Park

Activities close to Warburton

The Rover Memorial Chalet Warburton is ideal for local and interstate travellers alike. Local activities and attractions you or your group could participate in while using the Chalet as a base, include:

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O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail

Parks Victoria PDF on the O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail (2MB) Now part of the Yarra Ranges National Park, the O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail is a long, step-on, step-off 27 km walking/cycling/horse route starting at Don Rd in Launching Place and ending at the O'Shannassy Reservoir, about 80 km east of Melbourne near Warburton.

The Aqueduct was constructed between 1911 and 1915, being decommissioned in 1997. The maintenance track - known as Road 18 - has been opened up progressively for walkers, horse-riders and cyclists, following transfer of land ownership from Melbourne Water to Parks Victoria.

The Trail passes through magnificent Mountain Ash forest, past fern gullies, with excellent views across the Yarra Valley towards Mt Little Joe and the mountains near Big Pats Creek. It winds its way around the base of Mt Donna Buang, Mt Victoria and Ben Cairn, passing many aqueduct engineering works, bridges, syphons, huts, distance marker posts and old maintenance sheds.

New access gates for management vehicles and walkers have been built at various locations along the route.

The Chalet backs on to the Aqueduct so for those using the Chalet as a base camp, this allows easy access for bikers and walkers, as well as providing a safer method of accessing the Chalet after exploring the area.

A set of Trail Notes and maps may be downloaded from the Parks Victoria Web site here.
The history and development of the aqueduct may be viewed by clicking here.
Thanks to Bob Padula's article on the worldisround.com.

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Warburton Bike Hike

The Warburton Rover Memorial Chalet is an ideal place to spend a weekend at whilst enjoying the Warburton rail trail. The rail trail is an easy-going 4 hour ride from Lilydale train station to Warburton. The trail actually starts at the highway next to Le Pine Funerals.

Ideally, you need a car with trailer to carry overnight gear and food. Two cars with trailers if you have a large group. Catering costs can be as little as $20 per person if you have a large group. Hot dogs for lunch, pasta bakes for dinner, cakes, chocolate treats, hot breakfast and cereals and sandwiches for the second day lunch are easily accommodated within a $20 budget. Alternatively, you can carry everything on your bikes and be catered for in the towns that you pass through.

If you leave Lilydale at 10 am, the first stop will be at Mt Evelyn where any necessary adjustments and repairs can be carried out at the bike shop/café. This section is the steepest part of the trail but still very easy to ride. A good place to stop for lunch is Woori Yallock. Public toilets are 100 metres up on the main highway and the old railway siding is a good place to set up and serve lunch if you are catering. An extra option is to have two bikers only do the first half and drive up with the cars to the chalet were they start to prepare dinner and food for the hungry bikers whilst the drivers do a hill shuttle.

The Chalet is on the Donna Buang Road and this is very windy and up hill all the way. This stretch can be a bit dangerous for bikers so a safer alternative is to use the now open O’Shannassy Aqueduct. The Aqueduct runs past the back of the Chalet and allows easier and safer access for riders than traversing the Donna Buang Road.

You can shuttle your bikers up after dropping off the food and overnight gear, as the Aqueduct is a good option for the return journey, but make sure you have a suitable marker on the Aqueduct so your bikers do not ride past the chalet!

A long and very steep option is via Surrey Road that runs alongside the golf course. Another option is via Yuonga Rd which is next to the Warburton Health Resort on the Donna Buang Road. This is also very steep but a shorter route to the Aqueduct.

Making use of the Chalet, the Aqeduct and the Rail Trail is very easy and a highly recommended activity for all social and family groups.

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Activities a little further away

For those a little more adventurous and don't mind some attractions a little furtehr away, check out some of Victoria's prime tourist attractions, such as:

  • If you're around in September to November, a train from Lilydale can take you straight to the door of some of Melbourne's best annual events:
    • The AFL football finals series is held through September, culminating in the Grand Final on the last Saturday in September.
    • The Royal Melbourne Show is held in the last couple of weeks of September each year.
    • Over October is the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, culminating in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington Racecourse.
  • Royal Melbourne Zoo.
  • Werribee Open Range Zoo.
  • Sovereign Hill and the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat.
  • Melbourne City, with it's free tram around the city centre.
  • The penguin parade at Phillip Island, see the seals at the Nobbies.
  • Of course if you love shopping, Melbourne has some of the bets in the country. You don't have to head into town. Some of the bigger ones you could check out, include:

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