Step back in time when you take a ride on Puffing Billy – a perfectly preserved steam train – as it chugs through the Dandenong Ranges from Belgrave to Lakeside, Gembrook and Menzies Creek. It may not be the speediest journey (once a year you can actually race the train on foot – and win, if you're quick enough), but ol' Billy will take you through the lush forest setting in style.
Puffing Billy offers a range of experiences, including a full-day journey to Lakeside or Gembrook paired with a pre-purchased picnic, to shorter trips to Menzies Creek which comes with morning tea and entry to the Menzies Creek Museum. The museum is home to over 80 exhibition pieces and gives visitors a glimpse of the past including rare operational railway artefacts.
And in February 2022, the time-honoured tradition of dangling your arms and legs over the sills of the open carriage was once again permitted. No matter how old you are, this is a thrill that's hard to top.
To check the train timetable and book your spot, head to the website.