General Information
Tickets and programmes are available at all gardens over the weekend and you are welcome to commence your journey at any garden most convenient to you. Tickets etc are also available from the Yea Visitor Information Centre located at the Eastern end of the Main Street, beside the Police Station. Whether commencing your journey from Melbourne or in Yea township, country gardens have been grouped for ease of travelling from garden to garden.
The Yea Garden Club Annual Plant Sale, which is held in conjunction with the Open Gardens weekend, can be found at “Abutilon” the lovely garden of Kevin and Myrna Patterson at 5 Welch Street, Yea. Hundreds of potted treasures at bargain prices.
Please Note:- As plastic bags are no longer in use, please bring your own bags or boxes for the plant sales
Visitors to the Rotary Open Gardens weekend will find public toilets and a variety of food outlets in Yea. If visiting the High Street toilets take the time to admire the ‘ToilArt’ project which transformed this ordinary toilet block into a destination show-piece. Many of our restaurants have lovely courtyard gardens. Visit the Galleries which include garden art from local artists. Yea Railway Park, John Cummins Reserve and Apex Park all also favourite picnic places.
For those travelling around the Strath Creek area, the Strath Creek Pioneer Reserve has excellent facilities including toilets, playground, picnic tables and barbeques. Morning and afternoon teas as well as light lunches are available in two of the local open gardens. NB: there is no other food outlets available in the tiny hamlet of Strath Creek. Take the time to visit the “Valley of a Thousand Hills” Lookout, built and maintained by the local community, for magnificent views which live up to its historic name.
If staying overnight, take a stroll through the Yea Wetlands on the Eastern edge of town. Water views and bushland, bird hides and nesting boxes as well as story boards highlighting the aboriginal and natural history of the area. With both evening or early morning strolls you may have the pleasure of seeing one of our resident platypus. Walk the Fossil Path Timeline around the Visitor Information Centre which commemorates the Baragwanathia Fossil, the oldest plant fossil found in the world, the local site of its discovery is World Heritage listed. A step further brings you to the newly planted Taungurung Indigenous Bush Food Garden ‘Badji Baanang’ planted by descendants of the local Taungurung tribe. The Great Victorian Rail Trail, passing through the centre of town, also offers lovely walks or a refreshing early morning bike ride to the historic Cheviot Rail Tunnel