Suburb Property Profile: Yea, VIC 3717

Located approximately 112km north-east of Melbourne's CBD, at the junction of the Goulburn Valley and Melba Highways, Yea sits within the Shire of Murrindindi in Victoria's High Country. Originally called "Muddy Creek," the town was renamed in 1855 to honour Colonel Lacy Walter Yea, a Crimean War hero, and grew as a convenient supply town on the route from Melbourne to the Upper Goulburn goldfields. Nestled where the Yea and Goulburn rivers meet, on the lands of the Taungurung people, the town won the Victorian Ideal Town Award in 1928. Here's our comprehensive guide to the area.

Location Demographics

The population of Yea sits at 1,789 according to the 2021 Census, spread across a substantial 177.3 square kilometre area. The town's postwar development included a hospital (1947), high school and swimming pool (1956), and a civic centre (1963), giving it a genuinely well-established service base for a country town of its size.

Travel & Infrastructure

Yea's historic railway line once ran through to Molesworth, with the heritage-listed Yea Railway Station building today housing a craft shop and community facilities rather than passenger services. The Great Victorian Rail Trail runs through the town, offering a picturesque 38km ride to Tallarook or a popular 16km ride to Molesworth for cyclists of all skill levels.

Shopping

Yea's main street offers cafes, restaurants and shops, giving the town a genuine, walkable country centre. The Yea Railway Community Market, held on the first Saturday of every month at the historic station grounds, adds a further local shopping and produce option.

Schools & Recreation

Yea's education roots go back to 1859, when a primary school was begun by the Anglican and Presbyterian churches, moving to a government building in 1877. The town's high school opened in 1956, giving Yea a long-standing, self-sufficient schooling base for the surrounding district.

Local Amenities

The Yea Wetlands, a short walk from the main street, are the town's standout natural attraction — a floodplain wetland system with walking trails, boardwalks and a cable suspension bridge, home to platypus, birdlife and diverse aquatic species, alongside the Y Water Discovery Centre for guided tours and educational displays. Nearby, the 200-metre Cheviot Tunnel, built from handmade local clay bricks, forms part of the Great Victorian Rail Trail, and a 6km bush walk through Toolangi State Forest leads to the 75-metre Wilhelmina Falls. Being at the confluence of several streams, the town is genuinely flood-prone, having experienced severe flooding in 1934 and 1973 — a factor worth noting for anyone considering the area.

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