Warrandyte State Park

Warrandyte State Park follows the Yarra River through the leafy, semi-rural suburb of Warrandyte, on Melbourne's north-eastern fringe. A beautiful bushland park, it's a much-loved natural escape — combining river frontage, native bush, walking tracks and the historic Pound Bend with its famous tunnel, where the river loops dramatically through the landscape.

The appeal is that combination of scenic riverside bushland and accessible recreation: walking and picnic spots, swimming and canoeing in the Yarra, abundant birdlife and the chance to explore the area's gold-mining history. It offers a genuine slice of the Australian bush within easy reach of the city, popular with families, walkers and nature lovers.

With a 4.6 rating from more than 1,600 reviews, it's a firm favourite. The park is free and open, but facilities, trail and river conditions and parking vary with the season and weather, so it's worth checking current park information before you go — and taking water, sun protection and good footwear, and being mindful of river conditions if you're planning a swim or paddle.