Yarra Flats Park (Ivanhoe East)

Yarra Flats Park, nestled beside the Yarra River, features 85 ha of pastoral and heritage landscapes, natural bushland, shimmering wetlands, abundant birdlife and informal picnic areas.

Things to Do

Enjoy a picnic or BYO barbecue in the scenic surrounds of Yarra Flats.
Walk, cycle or jog along the Main Yarra Trail which extends to the city in one direction and leads to Westerfolds Park in the other.
Visit the views enjoyed by the Heidelberg School of Artists on the Artists Trail and experience how artists of the era interpreted the landscape.

Facilities

There are wood fired barbecues with wood supplied. You are welcome to bring your own gas barbecue or simply pack a picnic and enjoy the natural surroundings of Yarra Flats.
A picnic shelter and toilet block which has facilities for the disabled is also available.
Yarra Flats is approximately 85 ha in size and includes 3.5 km of fine gravel trail.

Heritage

The Yarra Flats area was originally inhabited by members of the Wurundjeri tribe of Aboriginals. The area is still significant to the existing descendants of the Wurundjeri. During the 1830s some of the earliest land sales in Melbourne originated at Yarra Flats. In the 1860s droughts and floods forced many farmers and most of the intensive agricultural practices off the land. It was during this time that dairy farmers established themselves.

During the flourishing years of the 1880s-90s large estates were built and the Heidelberg School of Art enjoyed the landscapes. The likes of Condon, McCubbin and Streeton captured these memories on canvas. They are now recognised as National Treasures.

At the turn of the century farms were being gradually replaced by grand houses such as those of the Glenard Estate designed by Walter Burley Griffin.

The last dairy farmers were the Flemming brothers who sold their land in the 1970s. The park was officially opened to the public in 1984.

Fauna

With its tranquil wetlands and riparian vegetation, Yarra Flats supports a unique array of birds such as owls, herons, kingfishers and parrots. Possums, wombats, frogs, reptiles, insects and fish are also important inhabitants of this area and the Annulus Wildlife Sanctuary (a conservation area within the park) has been fenced-off to protect these and other species of native fauna (and flora).

Vegetation

During the late 1800s, much of the native vegetation was cleared for agriculture. Since the 1970s, Yarra Flats has slowly been revegetated and now has a healthy degree of regeneration. Remnants of those earlier farming practices can be seen by the rows of Cyprus Pines used to separate and protect the paddocks or fields and now stand as a reminder of our heritage. The native vegetation of Yarra Flats provides valuable habitat for a wide variety of animals.