Updated on June 11th, 2026
Culture and heritage always attract human minds, and their roots give blood to our growth. No doubt life moves in the present, but the past still plays its role in shaping our present and future. Many things from the past can make our lives more beautiful and worth living.
Puffing Billy’s steam train is one of those things of the past that are worth being preserved forever. I visited this dreamland during my visit to Melbourne in June 2010. As I feel on every travel, you see beautiful things; it was really a wonderful and memorable experience to see the rail preserved in its original look.
It is a 24 km railway track running through dense and beautiful forests. Volunteers of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society are working to ensure the continued preservation and operation of the historic narrow-gauge steam railway between Belgrave and Gembrook.
Built in 1900, Puffing Billy is Australia’s oldest steam railway. On the 18th of December 1900, this narrow-gauge railway was opened to serve the farmers in the area by transporting their goods to markets in Melbourne.
…reaching there
Belgrave, the gateway to the Dandenong Ranges, is situated 35 km east of Melbourne. You can plan your way to get there. If you are not driving your own car, there is a second option: public transport. Metro train service is available from Melbourne City to Belgrave via Ringwood. Belgrave is the primary starting point of this railway. It would take approximately one hour to get there. When I visited this place for the first time, I used public transport, which is quite easy and cost-effective. After reaching Belgrave Station, take a short walk to Puffing Billy Station.
Open-sided carriages add to the fascination of the travel experience, as you feel closer to the forest and nature. The whole track passes through many curves, where you can easily get the train’s view captured in your camera. You can’t ever forget the thrilling sensation when you pass over an iconic wooden bridge. On the train, there are also several enclosed carriages, both saloon and compartment cars.
Menzies Creek, Clematis, Emerald, Nobelius, Lakeside, Wright, Cockatoo, and Fielder are the main railway stations between Belgrave and Gembrook. At Neal Menzies Creek station, there is a narrow-gauge railway museum.
Emerald is a good place to stop off and eat, and Lakeside to have a walk. Emerald is also the destination as well as the departure point of many trains of Puffing Billy.
..stop to relax at Lakeside
At Lakeside, there are many cafés, refreshing points, lawns, supervised swimming pools, playgrounds, barbecues, and other picnic facilities, so passengers can alight here for a few pleasant hours and enjoy bushwalking, swimming, or just relaxing in peaceful surroundings. This station is 13.2 Km from Belgrave.
The operations and administration centre, main refreshment room (also selling souvenirs), and ticket purchasing are located at Belgrave station.
Most trains start from Belgrave, travel to Lakeside, and return. Except for Christmas Day, the railway operates every day of the year. One service each day offers first-class carriages and lunch.
..once decided to close, but preserved
This railway track was blocked in 1953 after a heavy landslide, but again reopened in 1962 to Menzies Creek and in 1988 at Gembrook Station. A plan was made to close the line, and a farewell day was organised. However, when people gathered to say goodbye, a dedicated group of train enthusiasts came together to save the Puffing Billy.
Before you plan your trip, there are a few important things that you need to take care of. You must know the timetable for daily trains departing from Belgrave. There were four trains daily when I last visited. You must check it while planning to go there. Trains have tickets that you also need to book well in time to avoid any issues later.
Travelling on the Puffing Billy train is like recapturing the romance and charm of the bygone days of the steam engine era. Puffing Billy steam train takes you through the dense and beautiful forest of the Dandenong Ranges, and you feel like you’re moving in some dreamland. It’s really worth visiting again and again.
Special events train for couples & families
If you are thinking that the puffing train is all about kids, families, picnics, and fast food, you are not very right. Sometimes, special carriages are set out for parties with special cuisines, delicious foods, drinks, chocolates, soups, baked chicken, and various desserts. If you are looking for a unique and lifelong experience, you must plan to join special event trains. Puffing Billy is great for families and children, but it is also fantastic for couples, singles, and groups.
The century-old tradition of leg tangling outside train windows is banned
A minibus driver crashed the iconic pugging Billy train in March 2018. One passenger on the bus was injured, but no one was injured on the Puffing Billy. The court ended the century-old tradition of children hanging their legs out of trains. Many people protested the court’s decision, but it ended what was a long tradition practice. Safety is more important than anything; despite that, people love it as kids, so they bring their kids, then their grandchildren. Generations of families have done it for years. It would just be so sad to see that tradition disappear forever. The court’s decision is also taken as a complete overreaction by a group of people.
Heritage Train in India: Indian Puffing Billy- Kalka Shimla Train
I will end my article by saying that travelling always helps us understand the meaning of life, become better people, keep travelling and keep exploring, and never forget to visit this beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime adventure: the Puffing Billy train in Melbourne. Read about more Beautiful Places around Melbourne
Puffing Billy-Monbulk Creek Trestle Bridge
Master’s in Tourism and Recreation (M.A.) at EIIET Berlin
Master’s in Tourism and Recreation program, offered by the esteemed Institute of Berlin (EIIET) in partnership with the University of Tourism and Hotel Management (WSTiH). This intensive two-year postgraduate course meticulously equips ambitious students with the advanced skills and knowledge to position themselves as financial and strategic leaders in the ever-evolving tourism industry.
No Comment