| Dandenong Ranges tips and photos posted by real travelers and Melbourne locals. • 42 Photos
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 Puffing Billy by grantravel
Even though kids would really enjoy this alot, we thoroughly enjoyed our ride on the Puffing Billy. We stopped off at Lakeside for a while, again this is a great place for the kids, but also enjoyable for the child at heart. Leave a Comment
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 Lakeside Picnic Park by grantravel
Some of the park's tracks are for walkers only while others are also open to cyclists.
Swimming is permitted only from the beach in the lakeside area and non-powered boating is permitted in certain delineated areas.
A great park for couples or families alike, with plenty to do for the kids. Apparently the waterslides are not functioning any more, which is a shame. Have a go on the water pedal bikes!! Leave a Comment Address: Head off the Princes Hwy along Clow StreetDirections: Then turn left into Stud Rd. After 1.7km turn right into Heatherton Rd. Go east for about 8km then turn left into the Belgrave-Hallam Rd. 2km along this road turn left into Horswood Rd which leads through the main entrance.
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I would vote the Dandenong Mountains as one of the best spots to visit on a trip to Melbourne.
Just 40 mins to an hour drive from Melbourne, and you will first come to Belgrave, where you can hop on the puffing billy stream train. http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/
From here, take the Mount Dandenong scenic route through the magnificent rainforest, with some of the tallest trees I think I have ever seen. Follow the road toward Olinda, and stop to ask the locals where the cafe is that you can feed the wild birds - rosalla's, cockatoos and gallahs, a real treat!
Spend a relaxing day browsing through the antique and art shops, followed by a Devonshire cream tea and cake in one of the many tea shops in the quaint villages along the way .If you make your way up to the Sky view point you will experience panoramic views of Melbourne's eastern suburbs, and Melbourne's CBD skyline.
Back on the tourist road, and dont miss the amazing aboriginal sculptures at the William Ricketts Sanctuary.
If you are looking for some local market produce, dont miss out on the Saturday morning markets in Olinda, 7:30am - noon. I've made some fantastic stews from the turnips and leeks bought from that market! Leave a Comment Directions: Take the Eastern Freeway to Springvale Road, then left at Canterbury Road and follow to Montrose. Turn right at the Montrose roundabout and follow the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road to Olinda.
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 OneTreeHillTrails by xuessium
The Victoria Parks's website claims: "One Tree Hill is a forest picnic site serviced by a flat sealed car parking area. The area is free of major obstacles. The toilets include a designated accessible facility, but it does not meet current access standards. The approach is no longer rough and has a small step."
There were many trails. Me & my mates did a quick drop by at the ranger station, grabbed a map and we were off into the woods on a Fri morning when everyone else was still stuck behind a desk elsewhere.
It was a cool and bright late Autumn morning. I remembered temperature was about 11C. Lovely walk through the woods. The air was crisp, the light was playful, dancing among the tall gum trees and we caught sight of our very first wild Kookaburra. "Kookaburra sits on a old gum tree..." and me & my mates broke into laughter.
The silence was broken by a stocky hirsute bloke huffing & puffing from behind us in nothing but short shorts. I remembered a shellshocked us enquiring if he was cold and he jogged past us with a smile and bade us G'day! Brrr.....
On the way back, we ran into a colony of white cockatoos debating with each other from the trees. Me & my mate just stood still for quite some time and absorbed this all in!
It was amazing how you can find solace so close to noisy Melbourne! Leave a Comment Address: Dandenong Ranges National ParkDirections: Got off the train @ Upper Ferntree Gully train station and just follow the signs after.
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 Way to go, keep up the good
work by iandsmith
It's a wonderful way to spend half a day with the engines huffing and puffing their way along the 24 kms of line from Belgrave to Gembrook and return.
The headquarters is at Belgrave and en route you can see extensive views of Port Phillip Bay, the Steam Museum, timber trestle bridges, the lower slopes of the Dandenongs and Emerald Lake.
You have the option to get off and pick up a later train should you wish to check out the museum or have a picnic at places such as Lakeside.
The whole thing is run by Puffing Billy Preservation Society and the Emerald Tourist Railway Board, volunteer organizations that even you can join.
It's a narrow gauge line 762mm (2'6") that operated commercially between 1900 and 1953. It was reopened as far as Menzies Creek in 1962, Emerald in 1965, Lakeside in 1975 and Gembrook in 1998.
It can be hired out for functions (such as dining on a night train) or, for the kids, they can have a day out with "Thomas" and the "Fat Controller".
I can smell the smoke now! Gotta go. Leave a Comment Address: Puffing BIlly Railway, P.O. Box 451, Belgrave,3160Website: www.puffingbilly.com.au Other Contact: info@pbr.org.au
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 Completing the trip by iandsmith
The magnificent array of eucalypts can't help but inspire and refresh the mind. There's a loop road that you can do (allow 2 hours for photos, more if you plan to eat (recommended activity) and it has tourist information centres at either end where you can pick up maps and brochures on various attractions. That's Upper Fern Tree Gully or Belgrave.
This particular shot was taken adjacent to Josie Bysouth Reserve at Cockatoo. Leave a Comment Address: Cnr Pakenham & Hillside Road, CockatooDirections: East of Melbourne, about an hour depending on traffic.
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If you can, hire a car and go for a drive through the Dandenongs. It is a beautiful area not too far from Melbourne. It is just under an hour from the city, but it is well worth the effort to see the amazing scenery.
If you love the forest, the environment and wildlife then this is the place to see it. Why not take a picnic and sit in one of the many parks in the area and enjoy the afternoon. There are also a few bush walking tracks around if you would like to give one a go. This will give you even more of a chance to see some of the local wildlife. Leave a Comment
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 Cuckoo Restaurant by AussieKitten
The Cuckoo restaurant in the photo is a favourite for German cuisine and live entertainment. Leave a Comment Directions: Mt Dandenong, which lies in the outter eastern Melbourne section. About an hour from the city.
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Puffing Billy is located in the Dandenong Ranges just over an hour from the city and runs between Belgrave and Emerald Daily. It is an old steam train that has been lovingly restored to its former glory and excites big and little kids alike with the thrill of riding on an old time steam train. There are several options to ride. One is that you can ride in the standard carriages hanging your legs out the side of the train as you wind through the bush. The other is a first class ticket which includes a 3 course lunch and coffee. It is an enclosed carriage with full service and a reasonable drinks list.
So? What’s you’re fancy? Acting like a kid with your legs hanging out the train or travelling in style? Both are very fun and it is a worthwhile day trip out of the city.
Prices for the lunch start at $60 on weekends for adults
Prices for a standard ticket are $32.50 for an adult return ticket.
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 Evening view from Mt Dandenong by Diceman_
Mt Dandenong is a good spot to watch sunsets. Leave a Comment Directions: From the city head east along Victoria Parade and Barkers Road, then Whitehorse Road and Maroondah Hwy, then turn off onto Mt Dandenong Road.
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