There’s no doubt that everyone is seeking a short vacay or a quick getaway now that the community is recovering from the pandemic. Hence, Yarra Ranges area is turning fast into a great tourist destination in Victoria.

One would assume Mt Dandenong is too far. But in fact, it is only about an hour drive away from the CBD (50km), depending on the traffic, and only about half an hour drive if you are in the Eastern Suburbs area. There are so many lovely spots to visit in Mt Dandenong. So if you are planning a one day trip in Victoria, here are some excellent ideas on exploring the beautiful area of Mt Dandenong. Here’s my list of what you can do in a day here, this will be more of a casual chill trip.

Olinda Tea House

Let’s say you leave from CBD at 10am, you will be arriving at our venue, Olinda Tea House & Restaurant at 11am. We have plenty of parking space fitting about 60 cars maximum. We open at 11am and we offer both high tea and lunch meals. It is strongly recommended to book in advance instead of driving all the way here without one, it will be very sad for anyone who came all the way here but to realise there are no available seats for you. Hence, plan ahead and make a booking in advance. You can book online or call us to book. Dining session will run about 2 hours from eating to feeding the alpacas and pony in our beautiful garden. Our high tea set menu includes savouries, sweets, scones and hot drinks; while lunch is Asian Fusion cuisine.

Cloudehill Garden 1 hour

Now your belly is full and happy. We shall head over to the stunning nursery garden right opposite our venue! Cloudehill Garden is well maintained and absolutely beautiful with so many different kinds of flora. It is worth the visit if you love nature and plants. The entrance fee would be $12.50 for adults and free for anyone under age of 16.

Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden 1 hour

Since we came all the way here, of course we have to visit the botanic garden here. The garden is massive and it has Australia’s largest collection of Australian and overseas raised hybrids of rhododendrons. The walk around this garden can go up to an hour. I would bring a picnic mat and find a spot to lay down and enjoy the calming effect of nature, my soul shall be nurtured. Their opening hours are 10am to 5pm but the last entry is 4:30pm.

Only Mine Chocolate

Done with all the draining walks, your body will probably have sugar cravings wanting to replenish some energy. Just 5 minutes down the road, it will lead you to the nearest town called Olinda town and there are so many interesting and fun shops to explore. You will find yourself wanting to enter Only Mine to get some of their handmade chocolate bonbons, yum! Their mocha is a must try because I absolutely love it. They use actual melted chocolate instead of chocolate powder in their mochas or any other chocolate drinks. Go try it out yourself and you will know the definition of chocolate goodness.

Olinda Collective

Right next to Only Mine we have this lovely shop filled with souvenirs that are mostly handmade by the locals! There are pottery crafts and many other handmade craft items born from passion and determination. Shop around and maybe one of the items will be brought back to your home sweet home.

Mangana Olinda

One of the best souvenir shops in the mountains! This shop is right opposite Olinda Collective and it has unique decorations and items all sourced from India, France, America, and many more. All their items have been carefully selected for their beauty, charm and uniqueness. I really enjoyed my time here exploring every corner of this shop finding myself wanting to travel all around the world.

Sky High Mt Dandenong

To wrap up this trip, Sky High will be our last destination before we head home. This famous tourist spot overlooks the Melbourne skyline both day and night time. I prefer evening time as watching the sunset here is absolutely breathtaking. It is a family friendly place and they do have some fun activities that are kids friendly. They have parking space but with an entrance fee.

I hope this one day trip plan will be helpful to anyone that is wanting to have a quick weekend getaway. You should bring your furry babies if you have them or take your family up for a nice trip. You can rearrange these destinations according to your time and preference. Book a high tea or lunch spot with us now at 03 97510556 or simply click the book button on the top right corner. We shall meet then.

written by Zoelle Gan