winter approaching = snowplay!!!
“The warby” is the closest accommodation to Mount Donna buang. our guests can enjoy complimentary toboggans
For the best snow forecast click HERE
*** Book direct with us for peace of mind, best rates, multi-night discounts and to support local ***
We operate an effortless contactless self check-in. When you book online you’ll receive a confirmation email with all the important information and our digital Motel/Warburton guide.
Text any questions to 0499 770 696 or email us at motelwarburton@gmail.com
What defines us… and may help you choose where to stay:
This is a small, old school mid-century Motel lovingly restored by the family that owns and operates it. Our regulars affectionately call it “The Warby”.
Our environmental, animal and human welfare beliefs mean we strive to achieve an inclusive, welcoming and kind experience - The Warby is vegan friendly (no animal furnishings, textiles or testing), and we wholeheartedly welcome our LGBTIQA+ and minority friends. You are welcome here like it’s your home.
We voted YES to marriage equality. We’ll vote YES to “The Voice” …and we’ll vote YES to any other damn thing that lifts people up, protects the environment and saves the critters.
SUITES for groups or families
2 Bedroom “Tree Tops” Suite (upstairs) with beautiful views of the mountains and 160 year old trees
“Family Studio Suite” with spa (downstairs) with a beautiful mountain view
High quality beds with professionally laundered crisp white linen and towels
Microwave, toaster, tea, coffee and kettle standard. “Tree Tops” has a kitchenette with sink
Reverse cycle heating and cooling plus ceiling fans for those that don’t like sleeping with air con
Flat screen smart TVs
Free Wi-Fi
Affordable mini-bar stocked with local wines and micro-brewery beers
Private bathrooms with eco-friendly toiletries (Spa only in “Family Studio Suite”)
spacious and tasteful rooms
High quality beds with professionally laundered crisp white linen and towels
Microwave, toaster and kettle in all Superior Rooms - Kettle only in Standard Rooms
Reverse cycle heating and cooling in all Superior Rooms.
Standard Rooms aren’t air conditioned but maintain a lovely year round temperature aided by new super quiet ceiling fans and heaters in the appropriate seasons. People who don’t like to sleep with air-con LOVE these rooms!
Affordable mini-bar stocked with local wines and micro-brewery beers
Flat screen TVs
Free Wi-Fi
Private bathrooms in every room with eco-friendly toiletries
Complimentary tea/coffee
*All Superior Rooms are upstairs - all Standard Rooms are ground level
But enough from us!
Read what others are saying…
“The Warby”
Recently featured in Timeout Melbourne
“The Warby” (est. 1966) has a reputation as one of Australia’s coolest motels - complete with nostalgic furnishings, eco-friendly accoutrements and a fridge stocked with micro-brewery beers...
You can read the article HERE
But wait! There’s more…
We were also made the cut in “Concrete Playground”
In the Yarra Valley? Looking for a homey place to sleep? Warburton Motel is for you, dear traveller. Penned as the spot for “the adventurers, the readers, the tree huggers, the romantics and the fireside talkers”, it’s set to offer something delightful for all. There’s a room with mountain views and a suite with a spa, plus a fire pit perched above a valley for late-night chats and star gazing.
You can read the full article HERE
‘The Warby’ also featured in the international travel magazine ‘Get Lost’ Click image above to go to the feature.
You can go straight to the awesome Warburton destination Video by clicking HERE
The Setting
Firepit with mountain and valley views, set in 1.6 acres of centuries-old majestic trees
Walking distance to shops, restaurants and the stunning Yarra River loop walk
Closest Motel to Mt Donna Buang Lookout, Rainforest Gallery, the Redwood Forest, LaLa Falls and more
5 minutes’ walk (2 minute ride) from the popular Lilydale / Warburton Rail Trail
Directly across the road from the new (free) Warburton Splash (Water) Park, multi-purpose sports courts & Caravan Park
Things to do
HQ of Bike and Hike adventure business = activities on site! (Bike rides, hikes, toboggans in winter, rivertubing in summer).
Directly across road from FREE “Splash Park”, tennis and basketball courts
1 minute drive from shops and restaurants, 5 minutes’ drive from Warburton Golf Club and from 5 to 30 minutes' drive to a range of fantastic tourist destinations, wineries, farm gates etc.
20 minutes drive to a great choice of Warburton Valley wineries (Killara Estate, Seville Estate, Whispering Hills, Paynes Rise, Brumfield and more!)
30 minutes from many other towns including Healesville and the famous Healesville Sanctuary)
30 minutes from the ‘Boozemuda Triangle’ (Four Pillars Gin, Payten & Jones Wine, Watts River Brewery)
35 minutes to the cluster of Coldstream vineyards, Rochford Concerts as well as many boutique vineyards along the way...
Getting Here
“The Warby” is literally at the base of Mt Donna Buang (“Donna Buang” is an Aboriginal word meaning “Body of the Mountain”).
BY CAR:
When heading from Melbourne you drive through town (just stick to the main road) and follow the signs to Mt Donna Buang - passing by all the shops. The town is in two separate sections about 300m apart because of how the river runs. The second section has the servo, hardware and supermarket… you are getting close to us!
About 600m past that little commercial hub there is a fork in the road. The left fork (that’s us) is the road up the mountain - Donna Buang Rd. 150m up on the right-hand-side you’ll see our driveway. You’re here!!!!
* If you are heading from the north of Melbourne (e.g. from Canberra or Sydney) make sure you set your GPS for “sealed roads” otherwise you are in for a mountain-pass adventure which is the most ‘direct’.
BY BIKE:
Either ride to Lilydale or take the train there with your bike on board. Ride the 40km Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail. Ride right to the end and you’ll pop out 100m from the hardware store described above. Follow the same instructions from there. Our best result to date was 8 out our 12 rooms arriving by bike. Gold!
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT:
You can literally reach the Motel using only your MYKI public transport card. Catch the Lilydale Train from the city. When you arrive at Lilydale Station, transfer to the “683 Bus” (the bus terminal is right at the train station). The 683 Bus will follow the same path described above. Once you pass the supermarket you are only 2 stops away. Ask the driver to drop you at the “Advent Care Retirement Home” stop. 100m further along the road you’ll see the fork described above. You are here! Great news, once you arrive you can do so many great things on foot, or using the Motel bikes. Low impact travel at its finest.
Experience our unique village of Warburton in the Yarra Valley, only 80 minutes from Melbourne.
Explore the pristine environment of the Upper Yarra River as it flows towards Melbourne.
Why choose Warburton versus Healesville, Yarra glen etc?
Wilderness! …and the river! …and a village vibe!
The Yarra Valley is made up of two distinct landscapes. The open plains on the Healesville side and the Warburton Valley which is a spectacular, lush wilderness setting - ‘rivers mountains and wilderness’.
Warburton is the perfect basecamp for a Yarra Valley holiday. You can easily explore the other towns during the day but return to Warburton for your blissful down-time.
No big roadhouses, no big supermarkets, no big neon signs - just spectacular forest and mountain views, amazing walks, fresh air, hikes and bike rides, the glorious Yarra River running right through a quintessential small town, great restaurants, cafes and bars you can walk to, unique shops to explore…need we say more? You’ll love it as much as we do!
Why book direct with us?
Firstly, we have ‘Hot Deals’ and ‘Multi-Night Discounts’ that you can only access on our website.
Dealing directly has other benefits. We are very flexible with changes and provide personal service. With the online booking agents, it's the same as going into a travel agency - as much as we try to help you our end you still have to go through "your travel agent" to make any changes. You are also sending 15% of your booking $ offshore to companies that don’t pay any tax here in Australia - grrrr. Try and support your local businesses by booking direct.
Click on the button below and go to our live, fully secure, instant confirmation booking system.
Warburton Motel would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation who have been the traditional custodians of the lands around the Yarra Valley for more than 30,000 years. We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and emerging and to all indigenous people.