Step back in time at Australia’s oldest and best-preserved heritage steam railway, Puffing Billy, situated in the picturesque Dandenong Ranges and only 60-minutes from Melbourne CBD. 

With lush fern gullies brushing past the open side carriages and Mountain Ash trees towering overhead, Puffing Billy Railway makes for a wonderful opportunity to relax and breathe in the fresh air whilst the train makes its way through the temperate rainforest.

Discover wonderful wildlife and spectacular landscapes made for adventure while sitting on the carriage sill of Puffing Billy’s open-side carriages; a truly iconic experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. 

Visitors can enjoy travelling on board Puffing Billy as a stand-alone experience with the excitement beginning at Belgrave Station, or start the adventure from Lakeside Station, riding over the rolling hills, across iconic timber trestle bridges and through the open farmlands that surround Gembrook Station. 

Located adjacent to Lakeside station sits Puffing Billy’s new state-of-the-art Lakeside Visitor Centre. Featuring a modern café with the best produce on offer in the region, a dedicated gift shop featuring locally designed treasures and a gallery of steam artifacts in the Lakeside Hall, the Visitor Centre offers guests a cultural hub with world class facilities. Open daily with free entry to passengers and visitors. 

Free for all train ticket holders, passengers can also explore the Lakeside Visitor Centre – home to more than 80 railway-related exhibits, including rare operational steam and diesel locomotives, an operational boiler house that services steam engines, and the Little Toot Café for all your morning tea needs. 

Whether it’s reconnecting with loved ones, catching up with friends, or a celebratory occasion, Puffing Billy Railway’s exclusive carriage hire offers you and your guests a unique outdoor experience with privacy and comfort front of mind. 

Even four-legged family members can get in on the steam train fun, with special monthly Lakeside to Gembrook Dog Express journeys on board enclosed compartment carriages. 

If you are a local community member, take advantage of the railway’s annual Locals Pass, offering up unlimited travel on return train journeys, as well as special discounts on unique dining experiences, events, and major food, drink, and retail products.  

Or enjoy a different type of Puffing Billy Railway experience in beautifully restored heritage dining carriages as part of the railway’s first-class Steam & Cuisine luncheons. Delight in a locally sourced three-course menu while eating up the beautiful passing scenery from Belgrave to Lakeside. 

For more info head to: https://bit.ly/3yHz25l 

Emerald Lake Park is Cardinia Shire's premier park and a major tourist attraction in the Dandenong Ranges. As one of the destination points for the iconic Puffing Billy, the park offers a range of activities including picnics, walking trails, paddleboats, fishing, and wading pool during the summer months – there’s something for everyone!

This multi purpose trail links Emerald, Cockatoo and Gembrook.

The Emerald to Gembrook trail is 13 kilometres long and passes through Emerald Lake Park and Wrights State Forest. A beautiful scenic path suitable for cycling, running and walking!

The four and a half hectare heritage site was part of the world-famous Nobelius Nursery, started in 1886 by Swedish immigrant Carl Axel Nobelius.

The nursery exported fruit and ornamental trees to five continents and, through the supply of exotic trees to municipalities throughout Australia, had a significant influence on the nation's landscapes. The nursery covered more than 650 hectares at its peak just before WWI, employed 80 people and was the largest exporter of fruit and ornamental trees in the Southern Hemisphere.

The park is preserved as a remnant of this historic enterprise, with many specimens of trees once stocked by the nursery.

Within the park you will find the Emerald Museum, which tells the story of Emerald's colourful past through displays of memorabilia, photographs and documents dating from early aboriginal occupation to the present day.