Yea Wetlands Walk - March 2022

Early Autumn probably isn't the best season to visit the wetlands I don't think - there was still a little bit of water around though.

This nice little stroll is another of those walks that I probably wouldn't travel to far to do, however as I was in the area on my way home from Mt Samaria I figured that it was time to check this little park out. My first surprise was that the walk could be started in Yea, I've driven past the entrance road on the Yarck side of the Yea River probably 1000 times over the years and I'd assumed that I'd be starting the walk from there (and indeed I could of if I'd wanted an even shorter stroll). This afternoon though I crossed the Yea River and parked at the very flash Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre (another surprise) on the edge of town. It felt a little wrong, however my walk had me initially heading down a path beside building and then through it's 'back yard' before striking off into the bush to cross the Yea River on a very nice suspension bridge where it started to feel like a proper walk again.

I started the walk at the Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre.

Heading down the winding paved path beside the building felt a little wrong, however it's the right way.

There is a nice suspension bridge over the Yea River (John Cotton Bridge).

Yea River

Once over the Yea River I swung north beside the river along some decent length sections of boardwalk as I made my up through the wetland towards the top of the park. I was contending with the low, late afternoon sun a bit on this stroll, however it wasn't just the sun that was making photography a little challenging - the other issue that I was dealing with was that most of the wetlands were pretty well dry, so there wasn't a lot of actual water to photograph. While there wasn't much water around there was a lot of high straw coloured grass and after leaving the boardwalk at it's northern extremity I picked up a slashed path through the grass which actually looked pretty good with the low sun lighting it up.

Once east of the river I was into the wetlands section of the stroll - this is Ngnarrert Baluk (Frog Dreaming).

Yea Wetlands

I followed this slashed loop at the northern end of the walk.

Yea Wetlands

After a short loop along my slashed path I started heading back south, firstly towards the car park and picnic area before picking up another boardwalk and then gravel track toot took me past a couple of billabongs that still had some residual water in them. With the busy Goulburn Valley Highway just through the trees I swung west back towards the suspension bridge to finish off my loop. Crossing the Yea River I was soon wandering back through the deserted Wetlands Centre (it was 5pm on a Saturday) and finishing off my little stroll.

Back on the main track and heading back towards the ute.

Late afternoon at Yea Wetlands.

I'm thinking that this walk would be ok for wheelchairs and prams - although skip the slashed track at the northern end of the walk.

Yea Wetlands

The Dirt.

According to my GPS I walked around 2.4 kilometres and climbed about 5 metres on what is an easy stroll. This walk would be suitable for children as well as being possible for prams and wheelchairs (avoid the slashed, most northerly loop and stay on the boardwalk though). The Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre was closed when I passed by however I'm guessing that they'd make a good spot for the kids to check out. The park has quite a few seats spaced around as well as a nice picnic area, there is also a picnic area in the 'backyard' of the discovery centre. I used the notes and map out of Melanie Ball's book Top Walks in Victoria book as well as an Alltrails map and my GPS topos.

Relevant Posts.

Wilhelmina Falls Walk, 2018.

Heading back through the backyard of the Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre. There are picnic facilities here as well as a lot of information on the flora and fauna of the wetlands.

There is parking for around 20 vehicles at the Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre.

My Alltrails stats and my GPS almost matched up on this stroll.