We know the heatwave feeling: it’s sweltering outside but ick to be inside too! Solution? Warburton. Not only is Warburton usually cooler than the city and its suburbs, it’s also a place where – no matter the temp – you can still get out and active, which is perfect for families with energetic kids, or groups with that energetic friend (and there’s always one!).Here are our suggestions for cooling down in Warburton!1. Chill out in the Redwood Forest. It’s cooler underneath this magical forest’s towering century-old Californian Redwoods. New toilets and car and bike parking facilities make it an even more pleasant experience. Hire a hardtail bike from WAC ($55/65 standard/premium per day) and ride along the rough and ready (but mostly shaded) O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail from Warburton to get there and back on your own steam. Prefer a guided experience? Book in for WAC’s 3-hr-long Redwood Forest Mountain Bike Adventure ($69/99 kids/adult) with an airconditioned lift back into town after!2. Go river tubing or sledding. Here in Warby The Birrarung/Yarra River is close to its icy mountain source, so the water’s always on the lower side of the temperature gauge! Book a river tubing or sledding session with WAC (from $55) and laze away the hot morning or afternoon gliding slowly down the cool river. This is a must-do activity in Warburton, and something locals have been doing for decades. Please note, you need to be able to swim to take part in this adventure.3. Walk among 400-year-old giants. The Rainforest Gallery (free) is a 10-minute drive from Warburton, halfway up glorious Mount Donna Buang. Walk out along the 40-metre-long platform to be almost eye to eye with towering Mountain Ash and ancient Myrtle Beech trees. Look down to see a bird’s-eye view of beautiful ferns. Head down approx. 100 stairs and you’ll find yourself in the very rainforest you’ve been gazing down upon. The boardwalk circuit takes less than a cool 20 minutes to walk around.4. Head underground. We reckon that WAC’s caving experience at Britannia Creek Cave Geological Reserve is a chilled one: we help you get kitted out in cool caving gear then guide you down through some tight squeezes until you’re in the mesmerising space of a subterranean river system! You’ll probably get wet and muddy, and you’ll certainly enjoy the lower temperature down there: the glow worms do! It costs from $69/99 kids/adult and we welcome kids as young as 5 years old on this cool adventure
