HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO HEALESVILLE FROM MELBOURNE?

Healesville is about an hour’s drive, north-east of Melbourne. This will obviously change depending on your preferred mode of transport, but we’ve got more on that below.

HOW DO I GET TO HEALESVILLE FROM MELBOURNE?

Now, there are a few different options when it comes to trekking it out to our little hometown, and while driving might be the easiest (and probably the most scenic) route, there are a few other ways to consider!

If you’re thinking about taking public transport, your best bet is to jump on the Lilydale train line from a main station in Melbourne’s CBD (Flinders Street, Melbourne Central, Parliament, Flagstaff Gardens or Southern Cross). You can also take the Belgrave line, but just remember to change trains at Ringwood station. At the end of the line, jump on the 685 bus to Healesville.

Another option is to book in with the guys at Hop It for a personal hop-on/hop-off service that’ll take you to some of the best sites the Yarra Valley has to offer (us included). This option also gives you the freedom to plan your day around the stops and explore the area however you damn well please.

And if you’re feeling EXTRA bougie, why not take a helicopter? Yep, we’re serious. You can fly out to our Distillery from Melbourne via Helicopter through the guys at Rotor One. Talk about making an entrance!

Ubers don’t exist in Healesville and it’s pretty tricky to grab a taxi, so we highly recommend you get your plans sorted before making the trip out. BUT – the good news is that once you get here you can pretty much walk almost anywhere!

WHAT KIND OF ACCOMMODATION IS THERE?             

If you’ve got a bit of a group going, we reckon it’s worth checking out some of the Airbnbs in town. Our picks of the bunch? Either this one or this one!

We also happen to be neighbours with Yarra Gables, aka the third highest ranking BnB in the world, and number one BnB in Australia and the South Pacific (according to TripAdvisor’s 2023 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards). Just saying…

Besides that, there are some boutique accommodations like Old Mechanics and The Tuck Inn which are right on the main strip (and just so happen to be a short 10-minute walk to our distillery). Or you can try one of the local pubs with a bit of charm like the Healesville Hotel or The Terminus Hotel, both of which are super close to all the best-surrounding food and wine spots.

DOES FOUR PILLARS HAVE ANY CLASSES OR TOURS?

Yes we do! From Monday to Thursday at 2pm, we offer a guided tour of our Healesville Distillery which takes you behind the portholes to see our gin stills, botanicals and solera of barrels. Then it’s down to our bottling line, bar and everything in between. Tours are limited to 10 guests. See more details and book here.

We’ve also got a whole range of classes and tastings on offer for groups of all sizes at the Distillery, from Gin & Tonic & Tastings (G&T&T), to Cocktail Workshops, to Gin Masterclasses to Maker Sessions (a.k.a making gin). For more info, head to our page here.

DOES FOUR PILLARS HAVE A RESTAURANT?

Our distillery offers a range of Made From Gin snacks and other tasty dishes for you to enjoy alongside a mini G&T paddle or one of our gin cocktail specials. These snacks are created by the talented Caro Gray, who updates the menu with the seasons and any new gins or gin products we have on the way.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO IN HEALESVILLE?

We happen to be located in a pretty awesome part of Healesville, surrounded by great wineries, breweries and restaurants, all of whom are run by fantastic people who happen to be great mates. We’re all within walking distance from each other, so we’ve joined forces to create a little neighbourhood walk that we’re calling The Healesville Maker’s Quarter. You can start with us at Four Pillars and then make your way to Jayden Ong Wines, Watts River Brewing, Payten & Jones and No. 7. Now that is a great time.

BESIDES DRINKING, WHAT ELSE IS ON OFFER?

If hikes or long walks are your jam, take a five-minute drive out of Healesville to the beautiful Maroondah Reservoir Park and choose a walk (from easy to a little sweaty) to the wall. 

As for sight-seeing and other activities, we highly recommend taking a drive along the Black Spur (one of Victoria’s most picturesque roads), checking out an exhibition at the Tarrawarra Museum for Art, or visiting the native Aussie animals at the Healesville Sanctuary. 

And if you need some Healesville dining suggestions, here are some rapid-fire Four Pillars faves. For brekky, we love My Little Kitchen and The Laneway. For lunch, it’s hard to go past burgers and beer at Monroe’s (but there are also heaps of amazing wineries in the area you can take your pick from). And for dinner, we love a meal and late-night cocktail at Herd or a feed in the Healesville Hotel’s beer garden.