Yarra River Visitor Guide

YarraRiver

Visitors Guide

TheYarraRiverismoreandmorerecognisedasoneofMelbourne’sgreatestrecreationandlandscapeassets.BoardoneofthemanyrivercraftatSouthgateorPrincesWalkortravelalongtheriverinyourownboattovisitattractionsincludingMelbournePark,theRoyalBotanicalGardensandHerringIslandSculpturePark.

TheriveristhefocusfornumerousspectaculareventsincludingthefamousMoombaFestival,rowingregattas,theMelbourneFestivalandDragonBoatFestivals.

Thingstoseeanddo

Walk,cycleorcruisealongtheYarraandviewthehistoricsailingshipPollyWoodside,theExhibitionCentre,theTurningBasin,theCrownEntertainmentComplex,Southgate,BotanicGardens,MelbourneParkandtheRiverWalkCafe.Upstreamfromthecitycentreenjoythefollowingattractions;

HerringIslandEnvironmentalSculpturePark

Accessibleonlybyboat,HerringIslandistheonlysubstantialislandintheYarraRiver.ExploreSculptureTrailcreatedbyartistsusingmaterialsharmoniouswiththebushsetting.Enjoythevegetation,birdlifeandHerringIslandGallery.

DightsFallsandMill

A weirwasbuiltatDightsFalls onanaturalrockbarintheearly1840stosupplywatertotherecentlyrestoredhistoricDightsFlourMill.

YarraBendPark

YarraBendParkhasauniquecombinationofnaturalfeaturesandremaindersofAboriginalandEuropeanoccupation.Steeprockyoutcropsand235hectaresofnativevegetationwraparoundtheriver.

Facilities

Thebanksoftheriverhaveanumberofbarbecueandpicnicfacilities,fishingplatformsandjetties.Inadditiontherearetrailsandpathswhichcaterforcyclists,walkersandjoggers.ForbarbecuesandfunctionscontacttheCityofMelbourne.

Heritage

TheYarraRiverwasveryimportanttoAboriginalpeople,anditsnameisthoughttoderivefromAboriginalwordsmeaning"everflowing".

In1803,CharlesGrimes,ActingSurveyorGeneralofNewSouthWales,ledthefirstpartyofEuropeansuptheYarraRiver.

WiththeestablishmentofMelbournebesideitsbanksin1835,theriverprovidedshelterforthefirstshipsanddrinking waterforthe

firstinhabitants;itdrainedtheneighbouring

land;it wasareadymadesewer;anditgaveearlyindustriesthewaternecessaryintheirprocesses.Afterasteadydeteriorationinwaterqualityduringthe19thcentury,measureswereundertakenmorerecently tocleanuptheriver.

Overtheyears,themouthoftheriverhasbeencompletelytransformedbyrealignment,wideninganddeepeninginordertocreatealargemodernport.

Vegetation

TheYarraRiverriseseastofWarburtonandflowsthroughMelbourne'seasternsuburbstoPortPhillipBay.Mannagumswiththeirtallwhitetrunkscanbefoundalongitsupperreaches,theirleavesanimportantfoodsourceforKoalas. Riparianscruboccursalongmuchoftheriver.Riverredgumsformatreecanopywithadenseunderstoreyofsilverwattles,riverbottlebrush,pricklycurrantbushandtreeviolet.Rushesandsedgesoftenlinethebanks.

FormoreinformationcalltheParksVictoriaInformationCentre

on131963orvisitourwebsiteat

Fauna

Over200speciesofnativebirdsliveintheYarraValley.Ofthese,athirdusetheriverandits wetlandsforfeeding,nestingandbreeding.CommonspeciesincludethePacificblackduck,EurasiancootandAustralianpelican.Latham'ssnipetravelsfromthemountainsofnorthernJapantoareasalongtheYarraRiveroverthesummermonths.

Withitsquick-dryingfur,webbedfeet,streamlinedbodyandbroadmusculartail,theplatypusisathomeinVictorianriversincludingtheYarra,evenonthedoorstepofMelbourne.Otheranimalsthatlivealong thebanksoftheYarraareechidnas, koalas,possums,sugargliders,kangaroosandbats.

AbouttendifferentkindsoffrogsareknowntooccurintheYarraValley,includingthecommoneasternfrogletandeasternbanjofrog.Theyareanimportantfoodsourceforlargeranimalssuchasfish,tortoises,waterrats,birdsandsnakes.

Fifteenspeciesofnativefishcanalsobefoundintheriver,themostcommonbeingtheriverblackfish.Anumberofournativefishmigratefrom theseatotheYarraRiveratsomestageintheirlife.As partoftheirlifecycle,eelstraveltotheYarraRiverfromasfarawayastheCoralSeaoffNorthernAustralia.

Caringfortheriver

ParksVictoriaiscommittedtokeepingVictoria’sriversandbaysclean.LittertrapshavebeeninstalledalongtheYarratopreventlitterenteringtheriverfromstormwaterdrainsandendingupinPortPhillipBay.

Ifyou’reonthewater,don’texceedthe5knot(9km/h)speedlimitandkeepacarefulacarefulwatchoutforotherriver users.

Rememberallnativeplantsandanimalsareprotectedbylaw.

SwimmingisnotpermittedalongtheYarradownstreamfromDight’sFalls.

Pleasetakeallrubbishawaywithyou,andifpossiblerecycleit.

Jumpingordivingfrom bridgesortreesis notpermitted.

Howtogetthere

GaineasyaccesstotheYarraRiverfromeitherofthetwomaincityrailwaystations-SpencerStreetorFlindersStreet-andstrollalongitsbanks.Ortrywalkingor

ridingtheMainYarraTrailwhichfollowsthecourseoftheriverfor33km.

ButthemostenjoyablewaytoappreciatetheYarraistovisitoneofthemanyparksalongitscoursesuchasYarraBendPark(Melway2D)includingStudleyParkanditsrestoredBoathouse(Melway2DE8)ortheFairfieldBoathouse,orfurtherout,intheYarraValley,atBanksiaParkthroughtoWesterfoldsPark(Melway32and33)andWarrandyteStatePark(Melway23and24).

FurtherInformation

FormoreinformationabouttheYarraRivercalltheParksVictoriaInformationCentreon131963.

July 2000

LowerYarraRiver VisitorsGuide

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1Scienceworks Museum

2WestgatePark

3Pier35

4Colonial Stadiam

8Melbourne Aquarium

9Southgate Plaza

10Melbourne Concert Hall

11FlindersStreetStation

SignificantFeatures

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18

Sidney Myer Music Bowl Rowing Regatta Course

Melbourne Park(National Tennis Centre) Melbourne Cricket Ground

22HerringIsland

23Como Park

24Leonda Receptions

25RydgesRiverwalk Hotel

Boat Hire Picnic Area BBQs

5PollyWoodside12

6Melbourne Exhibition Centre13

7CrownEntertainmentComplex14

Federation Square Development (Under Construction) 19

VictorianArts Centre20

Alexandra Gardens21

GovernmentHouse26

MelbourneSports & Entertainment Centre27

Royal Botanic Gardens28

Collingwood Children's Farm Dights FallsFlourMill Yarra Bend Park

00.51

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2728

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