We acknowledge Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pays respect to their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging.
All experiences comply with the latest Gov Vic health advice

Tour, Taste & Educate

Edible Forest Yarra Valley

No booking fee
Cancel up to 48 hours beforehand

Regular price $25.00

Optional Add-Ons

Picnic Hamper 1
$50.00
  • 1x Platter of local produce and handmade antipasto, dip, preserves, local cheese, lavosh and bread.
  • 2x 200ml DeBortoli bottles Prosecco
  • Mineral water
Picnic Hamper 2
$75.00
  • 1x Platter of local produce and handmade antipasto, dip, preserves, local cheese, lavosh and bread.
  • 2x Freshly made baguettes with smoked or cured meats and seasonal produce
  • 1x 750ml DeBortoli bottle of Prosecco
  • Mineral water

Our Edible Forest is nothing like you would have experienced before—over 300 plus plants that are grown either for edible or medicinal purposes, planted within a one-acre forest garden that supplies edible produce every day of the year. Be guided by one of the team at Yarra Valley Estate who lovingly created the space, learn the health benefits and reasons why individual plants were selected as you meander through the 6 different areas including tea, wetlands, bush tucker, sensory, berry & woodlands.

Corporate and group bookings (minimum of 10 people) are available throughout the week for this experience just fill in the details here:

https://shop.onehourout.com.au/pages/corporate-experiences-enquiry-form



Where: Dixons Creek, Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges

#onehourout


Please Note:

Please note picnic hampers must be pre-ordered online 48 hours before the tour. Please advise in the 'special request' box if you want gluten-free, or vegetarian options.

The plan

Tour Taste & Educate gives you the opportunity to enjoy an in-depth educational tour of the Edible Forest with our experienced gardening experts. Discover the health benefits of some of the edible and medicinal plants, tasting some as you go. While your tour guide will go into quite a lot of detail about the Edible Forest we encourage you to take some time to ask questions of our gardening guru and learn more from them about how you can apply all you see in your own backyard. Finish your tour with a wander through our onsite nursery and harvest shop where you can purchase unique and rare plants to continue your growing experience at home. 



The fruits of your labour

Guests will have the option to taste edible plants whilst on the tour.

They will leave feeling inspired and armed with basic information on how to establish a smaller scale edible garden at home.

Upon completion of your Edible Forest tour during Spring and Summer enjoy a picnic in the Forest. 



The kit required

We recommend you wear closed and comfortable shoes for the tour. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.


Louise was born in Hong Kong, returning to her family home in Holland at the aged of 8 where she completed her high school education. Like many teenagers, she had no idea what she wanted to do with the rest of her life but did know she wanted an adventure, so she went to Germany to get a certificate of hospitality. Working in Amsterdam for 5 years before travelling to Australia in 1988 where she met her husband; John; they married in 1989 and had a family.

Together, they purchased the property which is known as Yarra Valley Estate, which was previously set up as a deer farm with only a few working sheds. For the next 20 years they slowly built the venue and ultimately created Yarra Valley Estate. The venue has proudly been recognised as a leader in sustainability and its care of the environment has been recognised with many distinguished awards.


While building the venue over 20 years and raising 4 children, Louise still found time to support several charities she holds close to her heart. Working with Moira Kelly AO for over two decades in various humanitarian missions, she is the president of two of Moira’s foundations - ‘Global Gardens of Peace’ and ‘Moira Kelly; Creating Hope’. www.globalgardensofpeace.org www.creatinghopefoundation.org.au. Louise also supports her husband John’s own humanitarian work in the disadvantaged community of Papua New Guinea, where John had worked for many years. He formed the PNG Foundation and continues medivac flights to PNG each year. www.pngfoundation.org.au

If that wasn’t enough Louise also completed a diploma in counselling, volunteered at Lifeline for 3 years, studied Gestalt Therapy for 2 years, volunteered at the Healesville Sanctuary, graduated with a cert 4 in nursing in 2009 and completed her PDC in Permaculture in 2015.

Through her love of wildlife and interest in our natural environment, Louise encouraged the establishment of a wildlife shelter on 5 acres of the property in Dixons Creek. This has been run by Tony Wooley since 2009. The Shelter rehabilitates approximately 100 birds/animals annually and is another of the charities supported by YVE.

In 2015 Louise expressed the wish to build an Edible Forest on the property to encourage guests and the general public to enjoy a garden were all the plants were either edible or medicinal. A garden that would support the restaurant with wonderful unique produce enhancing the menus and led to the establishment of the Edible Forest YV project.

As Louise states ‘It’s a dream come true’.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the love and support of John, the love of her life.