Yarra Valley Spring Garden Party

Overview

Melbourne's lockdown is slowly easing, but travelling out of town isn't a reality just yet. It's spring, so we know the urge to soak in Victoria's wonders is bubbling — which is where the Yarra Valley Spring Garden Party comes in.

Across Saturday, October 3–Sunday, October 4, this free virtual event will whisk you away to this scenic patch of the state — all while you're still in your own home. It'll also do you a huge favour in another way because, by now, you're probably sick of trying to work out what you're going to do during yet another weekend spent within your own four walls.

First, kick off your Saturday with a yoga class streamed from Alowyn Gardens. Also on offer that day: a walk through Healesville Sanctuary with Elder Murrindindi, a succulent-focused garden workshop, a wander around Seville Estate with winemaker Dylan McMahon and landscape designer Phillip Johnson, and moseying through the blossoms at CherryHill Orchard. Still keen on making sourdough? There's a class for that. And, come 5pm, there's also a spring cocktail session with Four Pillars.

Then, on Sunday, you'll start out with a coffee-making class with Silva Coffee. Next, get your blood pumping as Adam Horgan bikes the Aquaduct Trail and streams the results via GoPro. You'll then take a peek at a few secret — and beloved — gardens in the Dandenong Ranges, learn all about pasta and discover how to improve your wine-tasting skills. Plus, thanks to both the Tesselaar Tulip Festival and the Yarra Valley Opera Festival, you'll get treated to a heap of songs among the tulips.

Watching along is free, but you can also bring a bit of the Yarra Valley to your door, too, via a garden party six-pack. It'll cost you $165 and includes six bottles of wine, recipe cards, sweet pea seeds and, in January, your own tulip bulbs to plant.

The Yarra Valley Spring Garden Party takes place virtually from Saturday, October 3–Sunday, October 4.