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  •  Activities
  •  Dandenong Range, Melbourne
  •  Melbourne Puffing Billy Steam Railway Lakeside - Gembrook Return Ticket

Melbourne Puffing Billy Steam Railway Lakeside - Gembrook Return Ticket

Puffing Billy Railway

  • Dandenong Range, Melbourne
  • English
  • 45 minutes each way
  • Free Cancellation prior to 14 days of travel date
  • 7 Working Days Confirmation

Standard Inclusions

  • Return trip excursion from Lakeside to Gembrook. Train line operates daily except Christmas Day (25 December).
  • Departure from Lakeside at 12:15pm, return trip departs Gembrook at 14:45pm.
From AUD
$61.00

1 Key Facts

Included

  • Return trip excursion from Lakeside to Gembrook. Train line operates daily except Christmas Day (25 December).
  • Departure from Lakeside at 12:15pm, return trip departs Gembrook at 14:45pm.

Not included

  • 1. Transport from/to hotels
  • 2. Food & beverages not listed as Inclusions
  • 3. Souvenirs
  • 4. Travel Insurance
Destination Dandenong Range, Melbourne
Depature point ● Departs: daily except Christmas Day (25 December)
● Departure Point: Lakeside Station (Emerald Lake Park) (Address: Emerald Lake Road, Emerald VIC 3782)
● Departure Time: 12:15 (Departure times are reference only and subject to availability)
● Return Trip Departure Point: Gembrook Station (Address: 1 Main St, Gembrook VIC 3783)
● Return Trip departs Times: 14:45
Address 1 Old Monbulk Road, Belgrave VIC 3160 Australia
How to get there ● By Train
There is NO direct public transport available to Lakeside Station. First catch the Belgrave line from Melbourne CBD to Belgrave Station, approximately a 70-minute journey. Then catch bus #695 for approximately 16 minutes and get off at Emerald-Monbulk Rd. There will be another 30 minutes walk from the bus stop to Lakeside Station. Please visit the Public Transport Victoria official website for details: https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/

● By Car
Lakeside station is located in Emerald Lake Park, Emerald. Access to the station is via Emerald Lake Road. Follow this road into Emerald Lake Park. Continue past Wombat Corner Camp, and turn left once you reach the lake. Continue across the railway tracks and reach the car park which is adjacent to Puffing Billy's Lakeside station. Parking is located within Emerald Lake Park adjacent to the station. Parking fees apply.
Operating hours
Lakeside Visitor Centre (Daily) 09:00-16:00
Christmas Day (25 December) Closed
Check-in requirements Please ensure you arrive at the departure station 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time to allow enough time to check in and find a seat. Regrettably, failure to arrive before this time will most likely be classified as no-show and result in forfeiting the booking and it cannot be refunded or transferred.

If you are not familiar with the area or travelling on a weekend or local public holidays / school holidays, please make sure you've checked your timetable or driving route beforehand, and allow extra travelling time for unexpected delays to ensure you do not miss your check in
Other info ● There will be a carriage allocation system and you will be notified on arrival of your allocation. Kindly ensure that you sit in the same carriage on the return journey.

● Whilst every attempt is made to honour all bookings, Puffing Billy reserves the right to alter events, timetables or locomotives without prior notice.

● Trains will NOT be cancelled due to inclement weather.

● Fire Danger Rating
On declared days of Total Fire Ban in the Central Zone or the whole state of Victoria, steam locomotives will not run. Instead, the train will be operated with a diesel locomotive.

On declared days of a fire rating of Extreme or Code Red in the Central Zone or the whole state of Victoria, no trains will operate and no Puffing Billy staff or volunteers will be on the premises.

● Children under 16 years of age must be supervised by an adult.

● Concession Tickets
- Please note concession fares are available to Australian bearers of Health Care, Student, Seniors, Companion, Pensioner Card or New Zealand Gold Card.
- Concessions are applicable on presentation of suitable ID and this must be presented upon arrival.

● Prams - only folding or narrow type prams can be accommodated through the narrow carriage doors.

● Toilets - No toilets are available aboard Puffing Billy's carriages, however toilets can be found at each main station. Parenting rooms are located at Belgrave, Lakeside & Gembrook.

● Safety Notice:
- Do not hang legs outside of carriage.
- Do not stand, walk or sit on the railway track.
- Do not leave the platform or step down on the track.
- Do not touch or climb onto the locomotive, as parts of it are hot.
- Stand behind the safety line marked on all platforms.
- Do not open carriage doors on the non-platform side of the train.
- Do not open carriage doors whilst the train is moving.
- Smoking is not permitted on the train, platforms or under any roofed areas.
- Alcohol is not permitted on trains (except as provided on dining cars).
- No drones allowed.
- Please refrain from taking any photos inside the locomotive cab as this is not permitted at this stage.

2 Overview

Feel part of the environment in the open carriages as you travel through pristine forests and experience the magic of a day at Puffing Billy.  Meet some of the characters of the railway, have your photo taken with the driver and along the way with the scenery of the Dandenong Ranges, feel the excitement as you cross historical timber trestle bridges, and delight in the fresh air and the sound of the whistle echoing through the hills. Remember to wave to every passer-by and get ready to create memories of a special day on board Australia’s favourite steam train, Puffing Billy.

Melbourne Puffing Billy Steam Railway Lakeside - Gembrook Return Ticket

 

About Puffing Billy

The journey aboard Puffing Billy takes you through the magnificent Dandenong Ranges, located only one hour east of Melbourne.

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

Visitors from around the world enjoy travelling aboard Puffing Billy as a stand-alone experience or as part of a Melbourne day tour. If you are a Melbourne local, you can bring friends, kids, other family members or interstate visitors, pack a picnic and travel aboard this historic Melbourne attraction.

Step back in time as you enjoy this authentic experience. Parents and grandparents can relive their own childhood memories whilst introducing the next generation to this unforgettable part of Victorian history.

Don't forget to capture some amazing photos whilst the train travels over the historic Monbulk Creek Trestle Bridge!

A little bit of history...

This century-old steam train continues to run on its original mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook in the magnificent Dandenong Ranges 40kms east of Melbourne.

Puffing Billy was built to serve at the turn of the century and is a genuine relic of our more leisurely days. The Railway is the major survivor of four experimental lines used to develop rural areas in the early 1900s.

Puffing Billy Railway is now a major tourist attraction and operates every day except Christmas Day, thanks to the tireless efforts of more than 900 dedicated volunteers.

 

The Journey

Passengers starting their journey here will experience Puffing Billy's most famous landmark - the iconic Monbulk Creek Trestle bridge.

Stop off at Emerald Station and visit the cafes or travel to Lakeside Station (located in Emerald Lake Park). Passengers can pack a picnic or purchase lunch from our station kiosk (Lakeside Tearooms). Emerald Lake Park offers BBQ facilities, picnic tables, and walking trails.

 

  1. Lakeside (Emerald Lake)

    Lakeside is the perfect destination for families! Located within Emerald Lake Park, Lakeside is the half-way point along the line to Gembrook. BBQ facilities and picnic tables make this an ideal place to relax alongside the lake. Passengers can pack a picnic or purchase lunch from the café. Playground facilities, a wading pool (summer only) and paddle boats (for hire) are available to keep the kids entertained. Lakeside was the terminus of the line before reopening to Gembrook in 1998. Trains usually pause here for the crew to fill the locomotive water tanks.

     

  2. Wright

    On the left of the train, this was formerly the station for the town of Avonsleigh.

     

  3. Wright Forest

    Between Wright and Cockatoo Creek, the Railway skirts the northern boundary of the un-spoilt Wright State Forest, with large stands of Stringy Bark and other eucalypt trees.

     

  4. Cockatoo

    Originally named Cockatoo Creek, the station was an important loading point for timber from sawmills in the area. 17.3km (10.8 miles) from Belgrave. Altitude 188.7m (619 feet).

     

  5. Gembrook

    Gembrook Station is located at the end of the Puffing Billy line. Stroll along one of the signposted walks in town, as well as the Avenue of Honour that commemorates local soldiers' sacrifice during the Second World War. Trains usually stop over for an hour or more for visitors to explore the historic town before the return trip.

 

3 Policy

Cancellation Policy

● If you cancel at least 14 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
● If you cancel between 0 and 13 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
● If no show, no refund.

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