Olinda, Dandenong Ranges
The beautifully appointed exterior of Olinda Tea House. Such a visual feast.
Out of the many stunning spots situated within the glorious Dandenong Ranges, Olinda is high-up on the list when it comes to places to visit. A popular weekend destination for many, there’s plenty on offer for such a small and quaint town.
With lots of cafes and lunch spots to choose from, it’s easy to fall victim to decision paralysis. So why not take advantage of something in Olinda that’s unique to the town – it’s multi-award winning pie spot ‘Pie in the Sky’.
The much-acclaimed ‘Pie in the Sky’ of Olinda. Either dine in the restaurant area, out on the balcony or simply grab a pie on the go.
Featured on TV shows such as Channel Nine’s ‘Getaway’ and ‘Postcards’, Pie in the Sky has been racking up awards left, right and centre since opening its doors in 1993.
So many pies, so little time.
Billed as a ‘pie restaurant and café’, you can choose to eat in at Pie in the Sky or grab a pie to go. My favourite thing to do is order one of their delicious beef rendang pies for takeway and then enjoy it while having a leisurely stroll around the town, browsing the character-filled shop windows.
Olinda Falls Picnic Ground lies within the Dangdenong Ranges National Park.
If you’re looking for something a little less leisurely and more energetic, then a countryside yomp to Olinda Falls is the choice for you. Situated within the picturesque Dandenong Ranges National Park (which deserves a whole BRITlist article to itself), Olinda Falls Picnic Area has its own car park where you can leave the car for short but brisque walk to see the falls themselves. With a gradient to the walk, you can get a nice spot of exercise in without having to dedicate hours of your day to an intensive trek.
The viewing balcony at Olinda Falls.
Footpath leading to and from the falls.
As the name suggests, there’s picnic tables for you to decamp to either before or after your walk to the falls themselves. Perhaps if you have self-discipline (unlike myself) you can hold-off from devouring your pie from Pie in the Sky for the 10 mins or so it takes to drive here. That way you can enjoy a pie-based picnic in the lush surroundings of Olinda Falls Picnic Area.
A perfect place to visit on a bright, beautiful autumn day.
Later in the day, after your beauty-spot escapades, BRITlist highly recommends a visit to the stunningly elegant Olinda Tea House. Part restaurant, part wedding venue, Olinda Tea House is set within Instagram-worthy grounds and flora. An asian fusion restaurant famed for their high teas, a trip to Olinda Tea House truly is a memorable treat.
The setting for Olinda Tea House is beyond gorgeous.
The restaurant itself has a number of different settings (both indoor and outdoor) where you can choose to dine. All of them are as visually enthralling as their cuisine is sumptuous.
After you’ve eaten be sure to talk a walk around the grounds. You may even bump into a friendly alpaca or two to nod at and greet with a “good afternoon”.
It seems that every Australian male under the age of 30 has that haircut nowadays.
It must be said that there are plenty of other options available for your trip to Olinda too. We’ve just picked out a few highlights from our recent trip. In fact, it’s highly likely we’ll do a second article on Olinda in the future so we can highlight some of our other recommended spots within this countryside treasure of a town.
Olinda, VIC 3788.