Discover the You Yangs

Get your hiking boots on – it’s time to explore the beautiful You Yangs Regional Park.

Located about an hour’s drive from Tarneit and situated within the traditional boundaries of the Wada Wurrung tribal lands, the You Yangs are a site of great significance for lovers of nature and history the world over.

Perhaps the greatest attractions of the park are the granite ridges stretching for kilometres above the Werribee Plain, and the extraordinary geoglyphic representation of Bunjil by artist Andrew Rogers.

Despite popular belief, the You Yangs are not the remains of a volcano, but a mass of magma that worked its way through the surrounding sedimentary rocks in a time long distant.

The You Yangs fall within the driest part of Victoria south of the Great Dividing Range, yet are nonetheless home to a startling array of flora and fauna. Nature enthusiasts take note!

Red ironbark and a number of gums, wattles and box trees of varying types are typical of the area, in such diversity that would-be botanists have a great deal to discover and explore.

Further, some 200 bird species call the area home, including tawny frogmouths, honeyeaters, rosellas and purple-crowned lorikeets, while a variety of mammals such as the eastern grey kangaroo, echidnas and sugar gliders – and more beside – can be found within the park’s boundaries.

With superb views, picnic and BBQ areas, an extensive network of mountain bike and walking trails and a 12km scenic drive for those wishing to explore the great outdoors in a little comfort, the You Yangs should be at the top of your things to do list if you’re looking for a grand day out this summer!

For a good run down on some of the longer hikes, check out I Heart Hiking’s overview here. You Yangs Regional Park can be accessed from the Princess Freeway via Lara from 7am to 5pm, or until 6pm during Daylight Savings. For more information, visit the Parks Victoria website.