Yarra River Guide
The Yarra River is recognised as one of Melbourne's greatest recreation and landscape assets. Board one of the many river craft at Southgate or Princes Walk or travel along the river in your own boat to visit attractions including Melbourne Park, the Royal Botanical Gardens and Herring Island Sculpture Park.
The river is the focus for numerous spectacular events including the famous Moomba Festival, rowing regattas, the Melbourne Festival and Dragon Boat Festivals.
Things to See and Do
Walk, cycle or cruise along the Yarra and view the historic sailing ship Polly Woodside, the Exhibition Centre, the Turning Basin, the Crown Entertainment Complex, Southgate, Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Park and the River Walk Cafe.
Upstream from the city centre enjoy the following attractions:
Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park
Accessible only by boat, Herring Island is the only substantial island in the Yarra River. Explore Sculpture Trail created by artists using materials harmonious with the bush setting. Enjoy the vegetation, birdlife and Herring Island Gallery.
Dights Falls and Mill
A weir was built at Dights Falls on a natural rock bar in the early 1840s to supply water to the recently restored historic Dights Flour Mill.
Yarra Bend Park
Yarra Bend Park has a unique combination of natural features and remainders of Aboriginal and European occupation. Steep rocky outcrops and 235 hectares of native vegetation wrap around the river.
Boating
As the Yarra is a public river, permission is not required to use your boat on it, but there are local conditions you need to be aware of ensure your trip along the Yarra River is enjoyable and trouble free.
Public mooring facilities along the river are available for use for up to four hours at a time. More popular moorings at destinations such as the Aquarium, Flinders Street Station and the Botanic Gardens have different mooring requirements which are detailed on Parks Victoria signs.
There are no boat ramps on the Yarra River. The river is accessible to boats through Port Phillip Bay, the closest public boat ramps being at Williamstown and St Kilda.
There is no access to the river for motorised craft above the Collingwood Children's Farm because of reefs.
Rowing
Rowing has long been a popular activity on the Yarra River. Many rowers use the Yarra as a key training ground and it is the home of several Olympic champions. Rowing regattas are often held on the river by rowing clubs and other organisations, especially during summer.
Facilities
The banks of the river have a number of barbecue and picnic facilities, fishing platforms and jetties. In addition there are trails and paths which cater for cyclists, walkers and joggers.
Heritage
The Yarra River was very important to Aboriginal people, and its name is thought to derive from Aboriginal words meaning "ever flowing".
In 1803, Charles Grimes, Acting Surveyor General of New South Wales, led the first party of Europeans up the Yarra River. With the establishment of Melbourne beside its banks in 1835, the river provided shelter for the first ships and drinking water for the first inhabitants; it drained the neighbouring land; it was a ready made sewer; and it gave early industries the water necessary in their processes. After a steady deterioration in water quality during the 19th century, measures were undertaken more recently to clean up the river.
Over the years, the mouth of the river has been completely transformed by realignment, widening and deepening in order to create a large modern port.
How to get there
Gain easy access to the Yarra River from either of the two main city railway stations - Spencer Street or Flinders Street - and stroll along its banks. Or try walking or riding the Main Yarra Trail which follows the course of the river for 33 km.
But the most enjoyable way to appreciate the Yarra is to visit one of the many parks along its course such as Yarra Bend Park including Studley Park and its restored Boathouse or the Fairfield Boathouse, or further out, in the Yarra Valley, at Banksia Park through to Westerfolds Park and Warrandyte State Park.
Web Links
→ Yarra River (Parks Victoria)
→ Yarra River - Visitors Guide (PDF)
→ Yarra River - Boating Guide (PDF)
