NESTLED in the foothills of Lake Mountain in the picturesque Yarra Valley are the villages of Marysville, Buxton, Taggerty and Narbethong.
The ideal destination for lovers of nature and the outdoors, the choices of what to see first are plentiful, each allowing new memories to be made and new adventures to be shared.
It is a place that will leave you feeling connected to the natural surrounds, the people and one another.
There are spectacular waterfalls, scenic walks and world class bike tracks to enjoy.
Visit MiRA (Marysville Information + Regional Artspace) which offers friendly tourist information as well as a retail space stocking locally made artisan wares and produce.
Take a picnic to Steavenson Falls, Taggety River Lookout or Keppel Lookout or up to the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort.
You will find plenty of special scenes along the Gould Memorial Drive that your camera will love.
If you want to explore a little further afield, why not head to Alexandra?
The prosperous town of Alexandra commenced life as a mining camp and settlement starting with Richard Vining's Red Gate Shanty (on the site of the present library), adjacent to Ultima Thule Creek.
As was the case in Victoria in the 1850s and 1860s the discovery of gold was a catalyst for permanent towns to be created across the countryside.
The settlement was first known as Red Gate (Diggings) and John Downey, who surveyed the town, planned to call the place Eglinton but it was renamed on April 24 1867 in honour of "The Rose of Denmark" after Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julie (1844–1925).
Princess Alexandra married Albert Prince of Wales in 1863 and became queen consort in 1901 when her husband became King Edward VII.
A marble statue of Princess Alexandra by Charles Summers (1827–1878) is located in the Jack Shiels Gardens opposite the Murrindindi Shire Offices.
After the gold petered out Alexandra became an important hub for both the agricultural and timber industries.
The Alexandra Station, opened in 1909, was a terminus for the railway from Tallarook, via Cathkin.
Sadly, passenger services were never profitable and ceased in 1945, with freight services finishing in 1978.
It was also the terminus for the Rubicon (Tin Hut) timber tramway which is probably why the freight service was a more viable transport option.
The Alexandra Bushland Reserve, and the McKenzie Flora Reserve are located opposite each other on Mt Pleasant Rd on the south–eastern edge of town.
They not only highlight traces of the gold mining activity, but there is also a lookout over Alexandra located on the Bushland Reserve and remnants of indigenous vegetation can be found in the Flora Reserve.
There is so much to do in this vibrant area, that once you arrive you realise you will need to come back again soon or extend your current trip.
So make Marysville and its idyllic surrounds your destination this summer – you never know just what you will spy.
