Late start, big Yarra flavors. This small-group afternoon tour turns the Yarra Valley into an easy loop of sparkling wine, cheese, and chocolate with a payoff at sunset wild kangaroos. I especially like the relaxed pacing (each stop feels planned, not rushed) and the way guides such as Craig or Kurt bring a friendly, personal touch. The one drawback to plan around: lunch isn’t included, and some food options at Chandon are limited.

From Federation Square you get a comfortable van ride out of the city, then a full run of tastings across classic local stops. You’ll start with Domaine Chandon’s champagne-style sparkling wines, move into soft cheese sampling, then finish with Yering Station wines and private chocolate tastings. One thing to consider up front: you’re tasting your way through the day, but you’ll still want to budget extra for lunch and any shop purchases.

Key points worth getting excited about

• Maximum 11 guests means more face-time and less waiting around at each tasting.
• Domaine Chandon with a view plus a complimentary sparkling wine pour and time to buy lunch.
• A real food sequence: cheese, then wine, then chocolate—each stop actually builds on the last.
• Private tastings at both the dairy and the wineries, not just a quick walk-through.
• Kangaroo safari at golden hour in a known spotting area, with a money-back guarantee if you don’t see them.

Federation Square to Yarra Valley: The Late-Start Advantage

This is a later-departure tour, which I think is a smarter way to do the Yarra if you’re already in Melbourne. You leave Federation Square at 11:30am, giving you the morning for brunch, shopping, and not feeling like your whole trip is one long early bus ride.

Pick-up is behind Federation Square at the corner of Flinders Street and Russell Street, by the NGV rear entrance. Look for the white bus with Yarra Valley Touring written on the side. It’s a simple start, and the logistics are designed to keep you moving without that end-of-trip chaos you can get on bigger group tours.

Once you’re in the van, you’re on the road for about an hour to the Yarra Valley. Expect scenic stretches and a calm, seated drive. Between stops, there are short transfers (around 10 minutes), so you spend more time eating and less time stuck with nothing to do.

Domaine Chandon: Sparkling Wine With a View and Lunch on Your Terms

The big first tasting stop is Domaine Chandon (part of Moët et Chandon). You’ll spend about one hour here, starting with a table with a view and a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. If you like the idea of wine tourism that feels like a treat—not a classroom—this place delivers.

What makes Chandon worth it for me is the pacing. You’re not just tasting and rushing out. You also get time to browse, learn about production, and then decide how you want to handle lunch. Lunch isn’t included, and Chandon’s lounge menu can be limited, so if you have specific dietary needs, it’s worth thinking ahead before you arrive hungry.

If you’re a shopper, this is also where you can pick up Chandon products from the boutique. It’s an easy moment to turn a tasting stop into a souvenir without hunting around later.

The Strawberry Farm Bonus Stop: A Sweet Start Without the Pressure

Before you settle into winery time, the tour includes a bonus stop along the way to pick up fresh strawberries from a strawberry farm for everyone to share. It’s not a long detour—more like a quick stretch of legs and a snack that signals you’re actually in food country now.

This is especially useful if you’re the type who likes something small and sweet early, before the more substantial tastings begin. Keep in mind this is a bonus stop, so don’t expect a full farm experience. The goal is simple: fresh fruit, shared quickly, then back on the road.

Yarra Valley Dairy Cheese Tasting: Soft-Cheese Country Stops

Next up is the Yarra Valley Dairy, a small family-owned place focused on soft cheeses made onsite. You’ll get about one hour here, split between sightseeing and tasting.

What I like about a dairy stop like this is that it resets your palate. After sparkling wine, cheese brings you back to texture: creamy, tangy, mild, and sometimes surprisingly bold. The tasting includes a range of cheeses, and the pacing is designed so you can actually compare them rather than just taking a few bites and hoping you remember what you tasted.

A practical note: if cheese isn’t your thing, you’ll still likely enjoy this stop because it’s about learning and variety, not just eating one flavor. And if it is your thing, this is a highlight because soft cheeses can be a lot more interesting than people expect.

Yering Station Winery: Cool-Climate Wines That Feel Grounded

After the dairy, you head to Yering Station Winery, which is known as Victoria’s first vineyard. You’ll have about one hour here for a private wine tasting and winery sightseeing.

This stop matters because it gives you a different side of the region. Domaine Chandon is about sparkling wine style. Yering Station is more classic cool-climate wine country. During the tasting, you’ll sample a range of wines, including some of the Yarra Valley’s best Pinot Noir.

If you’re not a die-hard wine person, don’t worry. The tasting format is meant to help you understand what you’re tasting and why the wines taste the way they do. For many people, this is where the trip becomes more than just a food tour—because you start to connect the dots between place, climate, and glass.

Also, this tour includes premium wine tasting experience as part of the tour cost, so you’re not scrambling to pay for everything separately.

Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery: Coverture Chocolate and Garden Flavors

If wine and cheese are your warm-up, chocolate is the big middle treat. At the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, you’ll get about one hour that includes break time, tasting, and time to browse the shop.

You’ll enjoy private chocolate tastings, with a focus on coverture chocolate—that classic style where chocolate is used to coat ingredients. The tastings also include a wide range of flavours, and the ingredients are sourced from their own gardens, which is a detail you can taste in the difference between sweet, fruity, and sometimes herbal notes.

The stop also includes time to explore the store, which has over 200 chocolate, truffle, and ice cream products made onsite. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s a fun walk-through. And if you do buy, this is a good place to snag treats you can’t easily get back in the city.

Secret Stop at Sunset: Wild Kangaroos Where They Actually Live

The ending is the reason many people book this tour: wild kangaroos at sunset.

After chocolate, the van heads into the lower Yarra Valley where kangaroos rest during the day. You’ll stop at a known spotting location timed for golden hour—when light is softer, animals are more active, and photography is easier.

The tour includes a one-hour window at the secret spot for a photo stop and a walk as close as possible so you can snap pictures. Wildlife sightings are never 100% guaranteed, but this operator states an exclusive money-back guarantee that you will see wild kangaroos. That’s a big deal if you’re traveling a long way and hate the idea of ending with maybe.

What can make this moment extra memorable: you may even see joeys in pouches, depending on what’s around that evening. The mood shifts too. Up until then, the day is structured around tastings; then you’re out in open air, watching nature do its own thing.

Price and Logistics: Does $123 Feel Like Value?

At $123 per person for a 7-hour small-group tour, the value comes from combining four different experiences you’d otherwise have to book separately:

• sparkling wine tasting at Domaine Chandon
• cheese tasting at Yarra Valley Dairy
• wine tasting at Yering Station
• chocolate tastings at Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery
• plus the transport and the guided pacing to line it all up

If you’re doing Yarra Valley on your own, you’d likely pay for at least two tastings plus a driver/transport, and you’d still have to figure out timing and where to go. Here, you’re paying for convenience and a full sequence of tastings that actually flow together.

What’s not included is just as important: lunch isn’t included, and you’ll want spending money for food and shop buys (especially at Chandon and the chocolatier). If you treat the complimentary wine and tastings as the core value, and then budget for lunch and a treat or two, the total experience usually feels fair.

Also, small group matters. With a max of 11 guests, you’re less likely to feel like you’re being herded through. That makes a difference at tasting counters and during the sunset walk.

Who This Tour Suits (and Who Should Skip It)

This is a great fit if you want:

• a food-focused Yarra Valley day without planning details
• a later start so you can enjoy Melbourne in the morning
• a mix of tasting experiences (wine + dairy + chocolate)
• a serious attempt at kangaroos rather than a casual, “maybe we’ll see some”

It also tends to work well for groups of friends or couples because the van keeps everyone together and the group is small enough to actually talk. Many people enjoy that social, friendly feel when guides keep the tone relaxed and organize tastings quickly.

On the other hand, it’s not suitable for wheelchair users. And while children aged 3 and above are welcome, this is still a wine-focused itinerary with alcohol available—so you’ll want to be comfortable with a day built around tastings.

Should You Book This Chandon and Kangaroo Safari Tour?

If you want one single plan that covers the Yarra’s biggest crowd-pleasers—sparkling at Chandon, cheeses from the dairy, cool-climate wines at Yering Station, chocolate tastings, and a sunset kangaroo stop—this tour is a strong choice.

I’d book it if:

• you’re short on time in Melbourne but want a full Yarra Valley flavor day
• you care about pacing and don’t want long waits at each stop
• you really want the kangaroos, and you like that this operator offers a money-back guarantee tied to sightings

I might pass if:

• you’re not interested in multiple tastings and would rather do just one winery slowly
• you need guaranteed extensive dietary accommodations at lunch, since lunch is on your own and options may be limited in regional venues

If you do book, bring your camera, plan for cash for lunch and purchases, and bring a reusable water bottle. Then enjoy the best part: you’re eating your way across the Yarra Valley, and you’re ending where it feels truly wild.

FAQ

What time does the Yarra Valley Foodies Tour with Chandon and Kangaroo Safari depart?

It departs Melbourne at 11:30am.

Where do I meet the tour?

Meet behind Federation Square at the corner of Flinders Street and Russell Street by the NGV rear entrance. Look for the white bus with Yarra Valley Touring on the side.

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts about 7 hours.

What’s included in the tastings?

You’ll get chocolate tastings (Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery), a premium wine tasting, and a gourmet cheese sampling (Yarra Valley Dairy), plus guided tastings at the listed stops.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included, but you’ll have time to purchase food at Domaine Chandon (and there are other short stops during the day).

Is the kangaroo spotting guaranteed?

Wildlife sightings aren’t 100% guaranteed, but the tour includes an exclusive money-back guarantee that you will see wild kangaroos, with the visit timed for golden hour at a known location.

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