Playgroup Victoria Day Out

Join Playgroup Victoria for a fun-filled Pop-Up Playgroup and Day Out at the Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre in Emerald Lake Park, Emerald!

The Lakeside Visitor Centre combines its natural surroundings with the authentic sights, smells, and sounds of Puffing Billy Railway.

There will be lots of opportunities to play, with a variety of activities that foster development and happy faces!

Family With Little Boy Sitting In open side Carriage. They are dressed in winter clothes and are smiling at the camera. Other passengers in the same carriage can be seen in the background.

DATE

Monday 27th May

TRAIN JOURNEY

11.15 am BELGRAVE TO LAKESIDE RETURN
1 Old Monbulk Road, Belgrave (map)

VENUE

LAKESIDE VISITOR CENTRE
Emerald Lake Park, Emerald (map)
Council operated ticket machines - $8 per car

DAY OUT ACTIVITIES

STEAM TRAIN RIDE FROM BELGRAVE

Belgrave to Lakeside station return
11.15 am - 3.10 pm
BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Travel through the magnificent Dandenong Ranges from Belgrave to Lakeside station, 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.

A steam locomotive hauling several open side carriages travels over a trestle bridge surrounded by ferns and mountain ash trees. Steam is billowing from the locomotive.

POP UP PLAYGROUP

Lakeside Visitor Centre Function Room
10.30 am - 2.30 pm
FREE ENTRY - NO BOOKING REQUIRED

Come along and meet other parents, enjoy time playing with your little ones, and get to know more about Playgroup.

Pop-up Playgroup activities will include storytime and singalongs, play dough, musical instruments, arts and crafts, Lego Duplo construction station, baby play and lots of inspiration for imaginative play and social connection.

Hosted by Playgroup Victoria

YOUR DAY AT A GLANCE


TRAIN DEPARTS BELGRAVE	11.15 am
TRAIN ARRIVES LAKESIDE	12.10 pm
POP UP PLAYGROUP OPEN	10.30 am - 2.30 pm
TRAIN DEPARTS LAKESIDE	2.15 pm
TRAIN ARRIVES BELGRAVE	3.10 pm

Puffing Billy Travels Over Bridge Boy Watches From Carriage

Ticket Prices


Family (2A+ 2C)	$155.00
Adult (16 years+)	$62.00
Concession #	$50.00
Child (4-15 years)	$31.00
Infant (0-3 years)	$0.00

Dining Options

Set on the picturesque grounds of the Emerald Lake Park, overlooking Lake Treganowan is the Lakeside Visitor Centre's family-friendly Railway Café.

Offering a relaxed indoor and outdoor setting surrounded by green rainforest trees and lush ferns, our menu is packed with a delicious variety for everyone to enjoy. Barista coffee from local supplier Ranges Coffee is also available.

View Our Menu

A cafe inside a building. The interior is made up of wood and black along with concrete. A large number of visitors are seen sitting at tables in the cafe.

Pre-order a meal with your train tickets

Classic Scones and Tea

Classic Scones and Tea is available for pre-order with your Playgroup Day Out tickets, and can be collected from the Railway Cafe when you arrive at the Lakeside Visitor Centre.


CLASSIC SCONES AND TEA	$12.00 per person

KIDS NUGGETS AND CHIPS

Kids nuggets with chips is available for pre-order with your Playgroup Day Out tickets, and can be collected from the Railway Cafe when you arrive at the Lakeside Visitor Centre.


KIDS CHICKEN NUGGETS AND CHIPS Includes a juice box. Served with tomato sauce.	$15.00 per child

Puffing Billy's Kids' Chicken Nuggets and Chips, served at the Lakeside Visitor Centre's Railway Cafe.

Grazing Boxes

Grazing boxes are available for pre-order with your Playgroup Day Out tickets, and can be collected at the ticket booth at the Lakeside Visitor Centre.

GRAZING BOX FOR 2 | $40

GRAZING BOX + PICNIC BLANKET | $75

Please note:

Pre-booked dining options are non-refundable nor transferrable.
Bookings for pre-bookied dining options close at 12 pm on the day prior to travel.
Pre-booked dining options are sold subject to availability.
No alterations can be made to the pre-booked dining options.
Where selected advertised items cannot be secured or are out of stock, an item close to the original product will be provided.

BUY TICKETS

Accessibility

Families with small children

SMALL STROLLERS RECOMMENDED

Due to the narrow carriage doors, we highly recommend that you bring a small, folding-type stroller or pram for your trip onboard Puffing Billy Railway. For you to have the pram with you in your carriage, it must fit underneath the seats. Prams that don't fit underneath the seats of the carriages will be stored in a different carriage and will be available for you when the train stops at your destination.

Small strollers are recommended onboard Puffing Billy Railway.

BABY CHANGE FACILITIES

Baby change facilities are available at all stations.

BOTTLE WARMING

A microwave is available in the baby change room at Belgrave station and in the Lakeside Visitor Centre. Alternatively, please approach the staff at our refreshment rooms or the Railway Café, and they will be able to assist.

HIGHCHAIRS

Highchairs are available in Lakeside Visitor Centre's family friendly Railway Café, along with a kids menu for the little ones to enjoy. Find out more about dining at the Lakeside Visitor Centre here.

Family Departing Belgrave Station On Board

To help the little ones prepare for their day out at Puffing Billy Railway, a social story is available below.

Social Story

Sensory

Introduction

At Puffing Billy Railway, some areas are busy with a mix of multimedia, loud noises, low light, indoor exhibits, loud trains and/or strong smells. However, there are also quiet, light areas that are further from the train and with fewer people.

Cafe inside the Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre. The cafe is busy, with many people sitting down to eat at the same time.

The Lakeside Visitor Centre's Railway Cafe.

View of Emerald Lake (Lake Treganowan)

Listen to Puffing Billy's Whistle

Ever wondered what Puffing Billy's train whistle and engine sound like? Have a listen here!

SENSORY MAP

We have a Sensory Map available for the Lakeside station and Lakeside Visitor Centre precinct.

Download Sensory Map (PDF 5.3 mb)

Reduced Mobility

Wheelchair Accessible Carriages Available

We cater for wheelchair users! Read on to find more specific information related to booking process, access, parking and boarding.

Booking tickets for an accessible carriage

We require advice of any accessibility requirements prior to travelling so we can appropriately accommodate your needs and booking. There are accessible carriages where a ramp can be used to assist passengers with access requirements (including wheelchair users). To pre-book these carriages, please contact our customer service centre via email info@pbr.org.au or phone 03 9757 0700.

If you have any questions, please contact us so we can provide more details specific to your circumstances.

Car Parking and Arrival

PATHWAYS | There are paved pathways to Belgrave and Lakeside stations and the Lakeside Visitor Centre from the car parks as well as the Metro Train Station in Belgrave. Please note that due to the topography of the area, the pathways are steep and/or narrow in places. Please find more detailed information and photos specific to each station below.

Steep, paved Wig Wag To Belgrave Station from Metro Car Park and Belgrave Metro Train station

Pathway to Puffing Billy's Belgrave Station from the car park and Metro Train Station.

Pathway From Belgrave Metro Train Station To Puffing Billy Railway

Steps From Top Lakeside Car Park

BELGRAVE STATION

ACCESSIBLE CAR PARKING SPACES | There are two designated accessible car spaces at Gate 3 at Belgrave Station in Old Monbulk Road, Belgrave (view map here). From there, access to the station platform is via a ramp (the bottom of the "zig-zag path"). Wheelchair users should please note that this ramp is steep (refer photo). If you require further assistance getting from here to the platform, please contact us on 9757 0700 or 9757 0721.

Paved pathway to station from Accessible Car Parks. The pathway is bitumen but steep. It has white, wooden handrails. The path turns right on it's way to the Belgrave booking office. A sign directs passengers to follow the path to the right to check in.

Paved pathway to station from Accessible Car Parks at Belgrave station.

DROP OFF AREA | To assist passengers with reduced mobility and to avoid our steep pathway entrance to Belgrave Station, passengers may be dropped off at Gate 4 (view map here) which is in front of our Belgrave Station building in Old Monbulk Road. The area from the station to the platform is on one level.
There is also a paved walkway from the Belgrave Metro Train Station. Please note that this path is narrow in places.

Belgrave Station's drop off zone at Gate 4 is on one level with a bitumen surface. A steel gate is open, and a Puffing Billy building in heritage colours can be seen to one side.

Reduced mobility drop off zone at Belgrave Station's Gate 4.

A woman in a wheelchair in front of a yellow and brown painted wooden building. An old-style clock can be seen in the background, showing the departure of the next train. The woman is holding her Puffing Billy tickets and smiling at the camera.

Wheelchair user next to Puffing Billy's iconic clock, showing the departure time of the next steam train.

Lakeside Station & Lakeside Visitor Centre

ACCESSIBLE CAR PARKING SPACES | The Lakeside Visitor Centre Car Park, located within the Emerald Lake Park Precinct, Emerald Lake Road Emerald (view map here) features three accessible car spaces. From there, access to the station platform is via a ramp. Please note that this ramp has a moderate gradient (see photo).
DROP OFF AREA | Wheelchair users and other visitors with access requirements are encouraged to contact the Lakeside Visitor Centre Booking Office on 03 9757 0642 between 9:00 am - 3:00 pm to arrange vehicle access to the building. A Puffing Billy Railway team member will assist with access and ensure easy entry into and exit from the centre.

A paved pathway curves to the right down to main entrance of the Lakeside Visitor Centre. The modern centre can be seen on the right, with a black roof, while the heritage Lakeside station is on the left with warm yellow walls and red roofs. There are handrails along the path, which is on an incline.

Paved pathway from the accessible car parks to the main entrance to the Lakeside Visitor Centre and Lakeside station.

Paved area outside the Main Entrance to the Lakeside Visitor Centre.

Reduced mobility drop off area outside the Lakeside Visitor Centre.

LAKESIDE VISITOR CENTRE ACCESSIBILITY | The Lakeside Visitor Centre has step-free access throughout and features one of the Dandenong Ranges' few Changing Places Adult Change Facilities.
EMERALD LAKE PARK PRECINCT ACCESSIBILITY | Emerald Lake Park features many pathways to explore the precinct. The pathways around the lake have some paved and some gravel sections. Please note that due to the topography of the area, the pathways are steep and/or narrow in places.

Ramp from the platform to the alfresco area at the Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre.

Boarding and travelling onboard the train

Our station platforms are not at the same height as our carriage doors. Please note that between the platform and the carriage there is a gap that will require passengers to step up/step down when boarding or disembarking the train.

A man is disembarking the open side carriage. He is stepping down onto the platform and is holding on to the carriage doorway for balance.

When boarding and disembarking, there is a gap between the carriage and the platform outside.

ACCESSIBLE CARRIAGES WITH RAMPS FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS

Ramps are available for wheelchair users to board our accessible carriages. Our friendly volunteers on the day of travel will operate the wheelchair ramp. Please note that the width of the wheelchair ramp is 75cm.

Accessible carriage with double doors. The doors are open and the carriage is located at a Puffing Billy platform.

Accessible carriage with double doors at Puffing Billy's platform.

A ramp is attached to one of Puffing Billy's accessible carriages with open doors. A Puffing Billy volunteer can be seen operating the ramp to put it in place.

Wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility can board the accessible carriages via a ramp. The ramp is operated by Puffing Billy's volunteers.

Accessible carriage with ramp attached so wheelchair users can board the carriage.

Accessible carriage with ramp attached. The width of the ramp is 75 cm.

Young woman in a motorised wheelchair sits in one of Puffing Billy's accessible open side carriages. The train is travelling over a trestle bridge and green ferns can be seen outside. The young woman has warm clothes on and is wearing a face mask, and it looking out at the scenery.

Wheelchair user travelling onboard one of Puffing Billy Railway's accessible carriages as the train travels over the iconic Monbulk Creek Trestle Bridge.

Accessible Toilets

ACCESSIBLE TOILETS | Available at Belgrave, Lakeside and Gembrook station.
CHANGING PLACES | A Changing Places toilet is available in the Lakeside Visitor Centre. There are no toilets on board our heritage carriages.

Assistance Dogs

Puffing Billy Railway welcomes visitors who use assistance dogs certified by a registered authority.

Assistance dogs must be restrained by a harness or leash at all times.
Please note: Assistance dogs are the only dogs allowed aboard Puffing Billy Railway, except onboard the Dog Express event.

BOOKING TICKETS | When booking online, please advise us in the "Notes" section of the booking that you will have an assistance dog accompanying you on the day. If you have any questions, please contact our friendly Customer Service Centre team on info@pbr.org.au or (03) 9757 0700 during their opening hours: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm Monday - Friday and 8.30 am - 12.30 pm Saturday - Sunday.

Companion Card holders

EXCURSION TRAIN | Companions travel Free Of Charge onboard Puffing Billy Railway's daily, open side Excursion Trains and their client (who holds an Australian Government issued concession/health care card) pays a concession fare.
BOOKING TICKETS | To book tickets with a Companion Card, please contact our friendly Customer Service Centre team on info@pbr.org.au or (03) 9757 0700 during their opening hours: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm Monday - Friday and 8.30 am - 12.30 pm Saturday - Sunday. Companion card must be presented at the Booking Office on the day of travel.

For further information about accessibility at Puffing Billy Railway, visit our Accessibility page here.

THE PLAYGROUP DAY OUT AT PUFFING BILLY RAILWAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU IN COLLABORATION WITH PLAYGROUP VICTORIA.

Playgroup Victoria is a not-for-profit association committed to helping all Victorian families discover the benefits of playgroup. Playgroup Victoria advocates for the benefits of play in a child’s early years of learning and acts as a support base for communities and families wanting to start and successfully run a playgroup.