STEP INTO SPRING AT PUFFING BILLY RAILWAY THESE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS!
Welcome the end of term three and the start of school holidays with a trip to Puffing Billy Railway – it’s the perfect time to get outside, keep the kids moving and exploring, and make family memories that last a lifetime.
Start the outdoor adventure on board Australia’s favourite steam train as you dangle your legs from Puffing Billy’s traditional open-side carriages; a truly iconic experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Feel the wind in your hair and watch the trees pass by in front of your feet as the train winds through the most magnificent scenery of the Dandenong Ranges, only one hour from Melbourne.
From Monday 26 September to Sunday 2 October, passengers travelling to Lakeside Station will discover a free spring-themed arts and crafts activity zone at the Lakeside Visitor Centre for little ones to enjoy. Visitors can also stop in at the Centre’s free Lakeside Hall Museum, home to a collection of steam artifact displays, including Puffing Billy Railway’s first ever locomotive, 3A, or see the ‘Animal Tales’ photographic exhibition currently on show from award-winning artist Karen Alsop.
Take a seat at the Railway Café and choose from a range of tasty treats to indulge in, like satisfyingly crunchy baguettes, sweet and puffy Danishes, delicious beef and chicken burgers or tender calamari.
Or lap up the lakeside views and take advantage of the various outdoor activities available in Emerald Lake Park, including hiring a COG Bikes Australia bike and riding through the Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail, paddleboat* play on Lake Treganowan, a visit to the Emerald Lake Model Railway & Miniature World* for a look at one of the largest model railways in Australia, or taking to one of seven walking tracks through the lush green foliage of the precinct, with plenty of picnic spots along the way.
Pre-book an adult or children’s picnic pack and enjoy the serenity of the surrounding manna gums, tall chestnut and oak trees, and blossoming tree ferns of the forest, before jumping back on board, legs out and all, for the return journey.
Passengers aged 2 – 15 and travelling on Friday 23 September are encouraged to wear their favourite footy colours to celebrate the AFL Grand Final and redeem a special prize from the Lakeside Visitor Centre gift shop.
Train services available during the school holidays:
Monday – Friday
- 10.00 am Belgrave to Lakeside return
- 11.15 am Belgrave to Lakeside return
- 2.15 pm Belgrave to Lakeside return
Saturday – Sunday
- 10.00 am Belgrave to Lakeside return
- 11.15 am Belgrave to Gembrook return*
- 12.20 pm Lakeside to Gembrook return*
- 12.45 pm Belgrave to Lakeside return
*Leg dangling is not permitted from the Lakeside to Gembrook section of the railway line.
*Lakeside Paddleboats and the Emerald Lake Model Railway & Miniature World are operated by separate businesses. Entry fees apply.
About Puffing Billy Railway
Puffing Billy Railway is Australia’s favourite steam train and one of the finest preserved steam railways in the world. The railway, which commenced operation in Australia on December 18, 1900, is a genuine relic of more leisurely days.
The historic steam train ran regularly in the Victorian mountain district and was built to serve at the turn of the century to transport goods and passengers throughout the district. The railway travels 24kms through the forests and fern gullies of the picturesque Dandenong Ranges to Emerald Lake Park and Gembrook – the original terminus of the line – and is one of only two survivors of five experimental narrow-gauge lines used to develop rural areas in Victoria during the early 1900s.
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www.puffingbilly.com.au
For media enquiries, please contact:
Sheena Dang | Communications Executive
sheena.dang@pbr.org.au | 0429 639 337
