Holiday houses in Marysville

Nestled in the heavy forests of Australia’s Great Dividing Range, this tiny alpine village just outside Melbourne caters to city folk looking to enjoy the area on skis, bikes, and even motorcycles. Established as a stopover for gold miners in 1863, it quickly became a popular resort destination. The European-style mountain town acts as a base for the nearby forests, rivers, and waterfalls, while offering visitors a taste of what renewal looks like in the natural world, as a 2009 fire completely destroyed the town and surrounding forests in one of the country’s worst wildfires. Impressively, the town has rebuilt and the woods have regenerated, and now the impressively tall mountain ash trees and picturesque waterfalls again draw tourists in search of a scenic getaway.

Marysville enjoys a mild alpine climate, making it a comfortable place to enjoy a summer vacation. Summer months bring average high temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit and lows around 50 degrees, calling for little more than sunscreen and a light sweatshirt. Winter days cool off, with 50 degrees Fahrenheit as the average high and the average low sinking into the mid-30s overnight. The winter also brings significant rainfall, with the 10 to 12 days a month of summer rain becoming closer to 20 — far more helpful for those coming to enjoy the local ski resort than those hoping for a pleasant walk in the woods. Either way, be prepared for at least a little rain most of the year.

Lady Talbot Drive

Leaving right from Marysville, this drive renowned for its stunning scenery wiggles 28 miles through the Yarra Ranges National Park, taking visitors through the mountain ash and myrtle beech rainforests and past cascading waterfalls. The road passes by a few picnic areas and rainforest trailheads, giving you plenty of places to stop and take in the sights and smells up close. It is open seasonally, so check your timing before you go.

Lake Mountain Resort

This winter wonderland, 25 minutes’ drive from Marysville, brings outdoor enthusiasts and snow lovers for the cross-country ski trails, sledding, and its main draw — alpine skiing. As the snow melts in spring, people come for the wildflowers, while summer offers mountain biking shuttles and a single-track that lets you ride all the way back to town.

Cathedral Range State Park

Along with some of the best hiking in the region, this state park features native animals including kangaroos and lyrebirds for visitors to spot. The rocky ridges that line the impressive skylines here also bring rock climbers of all levels.