dotheyarravalley.com.au

For lovers of great food the Yarra Valley Dairy is a must do attraction.

On arrival wander over to the cows to say a quick hello before heading to the Cheese Shop where you can sample their handmade farmhouse cheeses.

The Cheese Shop is located in a one hundred year old milking shed and the first thing you notice upon entering is the immaculate presentation and attention to detail. The fine rustic decor combined with the gorgeous Yarra Valley views creates a warm and relaxed atmosphere. The friendly staff are keen to greet you and with their exceptional product knowledge it wasn’t long before we were sitting down to a cheese platter accompanied by a variety of breads and a glass of local Sauvignon Blanc.

The service was great and the prices were very reasonable. So if you love nibbling cheese in a friendly relaxed atmosphere we highly recommend a visit to The Yarra Valley Dairy.

The Cheese Shop is open 10:30am to 5pm – 7 days a week except Christmas Day.

The Yarra Valley Dairy is located at 70-80 Mc Meikans Road, YERING VIC – Phone 03 9739 1222

Congratulations -

Yarra Valley Dairy won 2 Awards at the Grand Dairy Awards on February 3rd 2010.

2010 – Champion Flavoured Cheese – Yarra Valley Dairy Persian Fetta.

2010 – Innovation in Dairy Manufacturing Award – Yarra Valley Dairy Cheesemaker Jack Holman.

It seems there are almost as many markets in the Yarra Valley as there are wineries.

Well….not quite, anyway the Farmers market at The Barn at Yering Station is one of the best. It’s not the biggest, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in quality. All the goodies are from Yarra Valley locals and there’s nothing like having a chat with the people who make the produce.

According to Frances, the Market organiser, this market is the longest running and only one of its type in Australia. Watch the video to see the interview and full details of the market.

	The market is held on the 3rd Sunday of each month from 9am – 2pm.
	The Market is held in The Barn at Chateau Yering, 38 Melba Hwy Yarra Glen.

Every now and then you come across a place that just makes you smile! The Cog Bike Cafe is one of those places and its now open in Warburton too!

What is it about the Cog Bike Cafe that’s so appealing? In a word – EVERYTHING.

Who would have thought you could turn a tin shed into a thriving business. Damian Auton, that’s who. Damian, a passionate bicycle lover, came up with the idea a bit over four years ago and has created one of the cleverest little businesses we have seen for a some time.

The Cog is perfectly located on the Warburton Trail at Mount Evelyn on the edge of the Yarra Valley. The “Warby” Trail is a 4okm converted railway that runs through beautiful bushland with sweeping views of the Yarra Valley and surrounding ranges, only about an hour east of Melbourne.

The cafe offers pretty much everything a Warburton trail user needs to have a great day out. Hot and cold drinks, energy bars and some of the best muffins we have ever had. Damian perfected his muffin recipes during the four months he waited for the council to approve his permit. On Sundays, the busiest day for the cafe, they bake two varieties of mouth watering egg pies. Nothing tastes as good on a cool morning after a ride than a hot cappuccino and a freshly baked raspberry and white chocolate muffin.

Apart from the refreshments, the Cog Bike Cafe offers some serious gear for cyclists. They even make their own bikes and as well as being superbly crafted bikes they also have personality. Each bike is hand painted and named.

If you don’t have a bike, that’s OK, they offer a bike hire service with very reasonable rates.

	Hot & cold drinks Smoothies Muffins – White Choc raspberry, apple cinnamon, carrot apple & walnut Egg pies (Sunday only)		4 Clancy Road Mt Evelyn VIC 3796
	03 9736 4999		Weekdays: 9am – 6pm - Weekends: 10am – 6pm

We can’t recommend the Cog Bike Cafe highly enough! It’s got personality, position and purpose. If you haven’t done the Warburton trail yet then make sure when you do you stop by The Cog Bike Cafe and enjoy their hospitality, delicious snacks and bike repair! What a great combination. Watch the video below to get an idea of why we love it so much.

Stay tuned for the new Cog Bike Cafe opening in Warburton in January 2010. In the mean time enjoy our photo gallery below.

With farmers produce markets becoming a popular feature of the Yarra Valley region, we visited one of the newest, the Lilydale Farmers Produce Market to see what’s on offer.

This market has been running for about a year and although it is relatively small in comparison to the Healesville market the quality of the produce on offer makes it well worth a visit.

The market is organised by the Rotary Club with all money going to charity including, the very worthwhile, Wheelchairs for Kids program.

The Market publicity says there are over 50 stalls. However, the day we visited there weren’t quite that many – 32 to be exact. OK, so it’s a small market, but if you are looking for top quality produce you won’t be disappointed. We wandered, sampled, sniffed, tasted and chatted for a couple of hours and came away with some beautiful wine, strawberries that tasted like they should, mouth watering custard & gin tarts and some spuds sold literally off the back of a truck by a couple of charming Aussie characters.

Market organiser, Bill Sutherland says, “the goal of setting up the market was twofold. To help support the regional producers and at the same time raise money for charity. In fact, money used from the market was used to help rebuild after the “Black Saturday” bushfires.”

	Bellbird Park Swansea Rd, Lilydale VIC Melways – 38 G8, Next to Lilydale lake.			1st Sunday of the month from 8am to 1pm
	Admission  – Gold coin donation			More information Contact Bill Sutherland Ph (03) 9727 0037