dotheyarravalley.com.au

Looking for a place to revive your spirit? Then look no further than Alowyn Gardens.

Alowyn Gardens is situated smack bang in the middle of the Yarra Valley just outside Yarra Glen. In 2008 the garden was named ABC Garden of the Year and deservedly so! As you meander through the 4 acres of visual and sensory delight, it’s hard to believe it was once a barren horse paddock!

The garden is designed along strong symmetrical lines that become blurred by the softness of the spaces and the grace of the trees. There are 5 clearly defined areas within the gardens; a perennial border designed for Spring and Autumn, a silver birch forest consisting of about 500 trees, an edible garden of generous proportions with avenues of fruit trees, a berry garden, beds of organic vegetables, flowers and herbs.

The formal area of the garden is built along 17th century design principles, that leads you through a series of small individual courtyards and garden spaces. Through all of this runs a wisteria and 100 metre rose covered arbor with a sunken rose garden and classical fountain as a centre piece.

	1210 Melba Highway, Yarra Glen Melways – 267 G9, 3.5 kms North of Yarra Glen. Look for the sign on the right.			Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Closed Weekdays – Closed Winter (June, July, August)
	Coffee, Tea & Cold drinks available.			Admission : Adults – $ 7.50 Children : Free
	Ph (03) 9730 2400 Fax (03) 9730 1404			Alowyn Gardens 1210 Melba Highway, Yarra Glen VIC 3755

Up until this summer Mountain Biking on the Lake Mountain plateau was limited to the 30km of undulating cross country ski trails. Now don’t get me wrong, for the family and those enjoying a scenic ride these trails are perfect, however for the die hard mountain biker they left a little to be desired, especially given the terrain and potential for mountain biking nirvana.

Well the exciting news is, this summer Lake Mountain is stepping it up. Works are currently underway on an extensive network of singletrack trails suitable for all skill levels.

Whilst Australia’s trail building guru Glen Jacobs doesn’t seem to be involved with this project and with one local building the trail saying “there’s no $10 million dollar budget here like Mt Stromlo, in fact we have no budget” It seems the guys are intent on building trails to International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) standards.

Currently the first stage of the intermediate trails is almost complete with the trail leading from the car park to the summit. The beginner and advanced singletrack will be online soon with Lake Mountain holding it’s first ever Mountain Biking event The Granite Grind on 20th February 2010.

The Granite Grind race will be held on the brand new 9km singletrack loop with 1 and 2 lap options available. This event will be a fantastic opportunity to not only try out the new trails on offer but also support the bushfire recovery for a region that was devastated in January 2009.

Healesville Sanctuary is one of Austraila’s most popular wildlife sanctuaries and one of our favorites. It really is a ‘must visit’ attraction if you are planning a holiday in Victoria.

The sanctuary was founded in 1921 by Dr Colin MacKenzie with the aim of studying native fauna for the purpose of medical research. Over the years the park has undergone many changes and has  lead the way in many areas of animal conservation including being the first organisation to successfully breed platypus in captivity.

There are 200 species of Australian wildlife on display and if you enjoy photographing animals up close, you will love Healesville Sanctuary!

Stroll through the meandering paths (it’s around 3km walk) and soak in the natural beauty and magnificent design of these unique creatures.

Sanctuary Highlights

Don’t miss the spectacular Birds of Prey Presentation every day at noon and 2.30pm.  It is a free-flying display featuring raptors such as falcons, kites, owls, the Wedge-tailed Eagle and the amazing Emu egg breaking buzzard.

Parrots in Flight

Parrots in Flight is a free-flying display in the Sanctuary’s outdoor amphitheatre. This fun show features a Long-billed Corella and a Eclectus Parrot.

Presentations are free of charge and are held daily at 1.30pm. Presentation time is approx- 20 minutes.

Meet the Keeper

Meet the Keeper presentations are a great way to find out more about Australian wildlife from the people who really know the animals. These presentations are scheduled at various locations and times. As these times are often dependent on the animals, you can find out all the details on entry.

We caught up with renowned Australian Wildlife Photographer Steve Parish at the Sanctuary and he kindly agreed to share his Top 3 tips for photographing wildlife.