A local's guide to Templestowe

Down the Rabbit Hole (8/22 Newmans Road) has a good variety of meals on offer, but make room for their colourful selection of bronuts. You can pick up a pack of the assorted iced varieties to brighten your day, and Nutella fans need to try the bronut topped with the nutty spread and stuffed with marshmallows.

As its name suggests, Power Plant Café (2-6 Swilk Street) is focused on vegan fare. From a nourishing Power Plant Bowl featuring sautéed greens, pink kraut, hemp avocado and smoky tempeh to the array of sweet treats, this is a place vegos and vegans can take their mates and not hear complaints.

There’s a bit of a shortage of drinking holes in Templestowe, but you can still enjoy a cold one or a glass of wine here.

The Templestowe Hotel (23 Parker Street), now coined the Tempy, has been around since 1868. It has had a facelift many times over since, with the most recent renos completed earlier in 2021. Popular with families as well as seniors, this is a decent spot to get a beer and a generous feed.

The Living Room (19 Anderson St) is open from 9am till 10pm, serving up food and drinks, the latter which includes an extensive wine and cocktail list. With some drops from the nearby Yarra Valley and others from further afield, there is a great assortment on offer.

The gem of Templestowe, Westerfolds Park (off Fitzsimons Lane) offers an escape from the city without having to travel beyond Melbourne. You can join in on a popular parkrun that happens every Saturday (there’s a 2km kids run on Sundays) or hire a kayak or canoe to drift down the Yarra. If you’re up for it, walk all the way to Southbank – or just laze under a tree and relax. Gates are open from 6am – 6pm; longer during daylight savings.

Candlebark Park (Main Yarra Trail) is another popular destination for runners, cyclists and walkers, with a 9km loop trail. Keep your eyes peeled for ambling echidnas or wombats, and you’re sure to spot kangaroos lounging about as well.

If horse riding is more your style, Valley Park Riding School (86 O’Briens Lane) offers private and group lessons for all ages and levels. Lessons run every day of the week from 8am to 8pm.

Wombat Bend Playspace (Finns Reserve, Corner Templestowe Rd and Union St) has lots to offer littlies in the way of outdoors entertainment. There’s an amphitheatre, maze, climbing cube, native forest walk, flying fox and sundial, as well as the usual slides and sandpit to keep kids busy.

One of Melbourne’s oldest commercial orchards, Petty’s is a family-run apple orchard with Yarra Organics at the helm. The Heritage Fruits Society is also involved, tending to around 280 heritage varieties of apples. There’s an organic café and shop inside this beautiful farm, and apple sales and tastings as well.

Get your biltong (dried and cured meat), boerewors (sausage) and buttermilk rusks from the South African Shop (Shop 7/ 8, 112 James St). There you’ll find a selection of traditional South African products – which may be familiar to you, or completely new, in which case give them a try!

While you’re at Templestowe Village, swing by the Doncare Op Shop (Rear, 126A James St). What it lacks in size, it makes up for some great finds, with profits going back into the local community.

Check out Manningham Council's events page to find out when things are happening, including events at Aquarena and Donvale Bowls Club.