The Yarra Valley's Rainforest Gallery

The Yarra Valley conjures images of vineyards and wide open spaces, but there's another part you might forget about.

These are the ranges that blur the line between the Yarra Valley and the High Country, and there are some great reasons to visit for a bit of active family fun.

Warburton is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it town an hour from Melbourne, surrounded by beauty. Right on the Yarra River, it's a fun spot to visit for a dip to cool down on a super hot day, and with Mt Donna Buang nearby it's also an easy snow-play destination.

And in between those extremities, there's lots of bushwalking - which is how I spent a day with my girls recently when the routines and to-do lists had to give way to a bit of fun.

The highlight was the Rainforest Gallery. Melbournians will know of the forest gallery at the city museum... this is the real life version.

To get there, drive into Warburton and then head up to Mt Donna Buang - there are signs to the Rainforest Gallery which is found nine kilometres from the summit.

Here, you walk above the forest, in the treetops, for a beautiful view of this ancient environment. And then head down the steps to immerse yourself in it and see lovely waterfalls. I thought it would be a quick walk - it's only 350 metres - but we spent ages in there, enjoying the peace.