Yarrawood Estate

Yarrawood Estate is a family owned vineyard at 1275 Melba Highway just south of Yarra Glen, and the big open lawn is the draw for dog owners. Order a grazing platter, take a lawn table and let the valley views do the work while the dog settles at your feet.

The dog setup

Pets are welcome on the designated lawn area on a lead and under control, which the estate states in its booking guidelines. Inside the cellar door and restaurant it is assistance dogs only, so ask for an outdoor table when you book and pack a bowl since water for dogs is not guaranteed.

The estate runs daily from 10am to 5pm, with tastings until 4:30pm and lunch served in sessions, so a lawn table through the middle of the day is the standard move.

The vibe

The pours are estate grown cool climate wines, with the pinot noir, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and a late harvest riesling the regular standouts. It is a genuinely family friendly room, with kids on the lawn most weekends and resident geese patrolling the grounds.

Max: the geese are bold and the lawn is their turf. Keep the lead short and give them right of way, it saves everyone a scene.

Getting there

The cellar door sits on the Melba Highway between Coldstream and Yarra Glen, about an hour from Melbourne, with on-site parking by the entrance. Weekends draw the family crowds, so midweek or a 10am arrival suits a quieter dog.

Pair it with

Greenstone Vineyards is minutes away with its own dog friendly deck and lawn, and The Vallie Store in town covers coffee with dogs allowed inside.

Maddens Rise and Locale at De Bortoli extend the valley run, and the rest of the region is on the Yarra Glen destination page or in the Victorian wineries guide.