Marysville

Marysville is a small tourist town in the Murrindindi Shire of Victoria, Australia, located in the Yarra Ranges about 95 kilometres northeast of Melbourne. Surrounded by forests of the Yarra Ranges National Park, it is known as a gateway to Steavenson Falls, Lake Mountain Alpine Resort and extensive walking trails. Rebuilt after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, the town features galleries, cafes, shops and parks that support year-round nature-based tourism.

Visitors can expect a compact alpine-style town centre with cafes, bakeries, shops and galleries set among forested mountains. The town is surrounded by Yarra Ranges National Park with walking tracks, waterfalls and lookouts. Key areas to explore include Gallipoli Park and lake, Bruno's Art and Sculpture Garden, Steavenson Falls nearby, and Lake Mountain Alpine Resort for snow play and mountain biking. The environment is cool temperate rainforest with tall mountain ash, fern gullies and clear streams.

Marysville was established in 1863 as a stopping place on the route to the Woods Point and Upper Goulburn goldfields and was named after Mary Steavenson, wife of Assistant Commissioner of Roads and Bridges James Steavenson. The town developed as a timber and tourism centre in the early 20th century. On 7 February 2009, the Black Saturday bushfires destroyed most of the town, with significant loss of life and buildings; the town has since been rebuilt with new infrastructure and memorials.

Marysville is a gateway community to the Yarra Ranges and holds significance for nature-based tourism, alpine recreation and local arts, notably Bruno's Art and Sculpture Garden. The town is also recognised for community resilience and remembrance following the 2009 bushfires, with memorials and community facilities reflecting its recovery.