Yarra Junction: Art, History and Blacksmithing

Yarra Junction offers several specific points of interest: public art at Yarra Junction Reserve, the collection of historic buildings at the Upper Yarra Museum, and blacksmithing. The subjects range from sculptures and information boards to building history and blacksmithing courses. For planning your trip, it helps to decide first whether art, historic buildings or a hands-on craft experience should shape your stay. This makes local interests a starting point for choosing your travel dates and holiday rental.

Sculptures and information boards at Yarra Junction Reserve

Yarra Junction Reserve has three sculptures and five information boards along the River Walk and Rail Trail. Two works have specific locations: Always Been Here, Always Will Be stands beside the path, directly in front of the Yarra Centre car park. Find Junction was located in the garden bed between the Yarra Centre and the Rail Trail. The work is considered ephemeral; by 2025, only remnants remained. The works therefore differ not only in their names: one has a specific location, while the other’s changing nature over time is part of its story. This makes it possible to explore the art both through specific locations and through the impermanence of a work.

Historic buildings at the Upper Yarra Museum

The Upper Yarra Museum collection includes a Railway Cottage from the 1890s, workers’ huts from the construction period of the Upper Yarra Dam, the Powelltown Police Station office, and the old Yarra Junction gaol, or lock-up. The collection therefore ranges from residential and work buildings to a police office and lock-up. The restored Heritage Station was built in Lilydale in 1888 and moved to Yarra Junction around 1915. Its history thus connects two clearly named places: Lilydale as its place of construction and Yarra Junction as its later location. Together with the cottage from the 1890s, these dates provide a point of comparison, while the different types of buildings touch on various aspects of local history. For families who enjoy exploring historical topics through specific buildings, these names offer a tangible conversation starter.

Blacksmithing courses and Crank Up and Woodchop

D.A.S. Blacksmith offers blacksmithing courses and experiences centred on the craft from the Upper Yarra Museum. This adds an activity focused on the craft itself. If a course is important to your trip, check the latest booking details in advance. Crank Up and Woodchop at the Upper Yarra Museum is an annual event held every March; the tradition began around 1978. If you want this event to determine your travel dates, check the specific dates for the year in question.

A holiday rental for your travel plans in Yarra Junction

When looking for a holiday rental in Yarra Junction, it helps to decide first what your trip is about. If you are mainly interested in the museum collection and artworks, you will have different priorities than if your stay revolves around a blacksmithing course or Crank Up and Woodchop. Local attractions therefore provide a specific starting point for choosing a location and travel dates. Start your search in Yarra Junction if these interests are central to your trip, and compare each accommodation’s location with your own plans.

Discover more destinations: Keilor, Beaumaris, Warburton, Caroline Springs, Mont Albert, Wantirna South, Aspendale, Fairfield

For the broader travel overview: Melbourne.