Welcome to Puffing Billy Railway, where business events become extraordinary experiences. Nestled in the heart of the Dandenong Ranges, the Lakeside Visitor Centre offers a unique blend of heritage charm and modern functionality.
To find out more about our function spaces, we invite you to download our Functions and Events booklet. Alternatively, send us an enquiry today!
For a truly unique event destination where old-world charm meets modern world-class facilities all in one location, look no further than Australia’s premier preserved steam railway, Puffing Billy Railway.
Nestled amongst the towering rainforests, cool fern gullies and native flowers of the Emerald Lake Park precinct, the Lakeside Visitor Centre combines its natural surroundings with the authentic sights, smells, and sounds of Puffing Billy Railway to offer guests a dedicated cultural hub and flexible event space to suit any occasion.
Designed by renowned architects Terroir, the Lakeside Visitor Centre is a state-of-the-art facility that echoes the railway’s heritage without compromising on comfort or amenities.
Puffing Billy Railway works closely with you to create the perfect event. We have a flexible range of food and beverage packages, spaces for private hire, AV options and, of course, our unique steam train experiences.
Corporate Events & Functions
- Conferences & Meetings
- Incentive events
- Team Building
- Networking Events
- Themed Events
- Gala Dinners
- Workshops
- Product Launches
Private Events & Functions
- Birthdays
- Celebrations
- Memorials
- Social Celebrations
- Anniversaries
Community Events & Functions
- Galas and Awards Nights
- Local Community Association Meetings
- Exhibitions
- Vocational Training or Skill-Building Workshops
- Networking and Fellowship Events
- Conferences
-
In built bar
-
Accessible
-
Wifi available
-
Catering Options
-
AUDIO / VISUAL FACILITIES
-
In built bar
-
Accessible
-
Wifi available
-
Catering Options
-
AUDIO / VISUAL FACILITIES
VENUE CAPACITY
| Lakeside Visitor Centre | Seated | Theatre | Cocktail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multipurpose Function Room | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Great Hall | n/a | n/a | 200 |
| Café | 120 | n/a | 200 |
| Alfresco area | 80 | n/a | n/a |
| Lakeside Visitor Centre | Seated | Theatre | Cocktail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multipurpose Function Room | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Great Hall | n/a | n/a | 200 |
| Café | 120 | n/a | 200 |
| Alfresco area | 80 | n/a | n/a |
LAKESIDE VISITOR CENTRE
MULTIPURPOSE FUNCTION ROOM
The soundproof function space features an operable wall, the latest AV technology, and a dedicated bar. Enjoy panoramic views of the platform and historic artifact displays or deploy floor-to-ceiling blinds during your event for added privacy. The adjacent Lakeside Hall and alfresco areas are perfect for pre-event cocktails or breakout sessions for large groups.
LAKESIDE HALL
Discover the intwined history of Puffing Billy Railway and the Dandenong Ranges inside the Lakeside Hall; home to a collection of expertly curated steam artifact displays, including a replica of Puffing Billy Railway’s first ever locomotive, 3A.
ALFRESCO AREA
With uninterrupted views of the lake and some of the best seats in the house to catch our travelling steam locomotives, the Alfresco Area comfortably seats 80 guests alfresco style, and offers a year-round summer beer garden feel.
RAILWAY CAFE
Set on the picturesque grounds of the Emerald Lake Park, overlooking Lake Treganowan is the Lakeside Visitor Centre's Railway Café, offering a relaxed setting surrounded by green rainforest trees and lush ferns.
OTHER FUNCTION SPACES
NOBELIUS PACKING SHED
LOT 1 Crichton Rd, Emerald VIC 3782
The historic Nobelius Packing Shed is located at Nobelius Siding, within the grounds of the stunning Emerald Lake Park, once home to the largest nursery in the southern hemisphere. This beautifully restored early twentieth-century building provides the ideal rustic function venue for smaller groups, with an open fireplace to keep you warm and cosy in winter.
FIRST CLASS DINING TRAIN
Belgrave to Lakeside station
Indulge in a 3-hour steam train journey from Belgrave to Lakeside return while feasting upon moving countryside views and the ambiance of our lavish first-class saloon carriages. Boasting beautiful, pressed metal ceilings, plush velvety seats, lush drapery, and tables laden with cloths and silverware, passengers will be transported right back to the early 1900s while travelling inside our first-class carriages!
Add a First Class Dining Train journey to your function booking and arrive at the Lakeside Visitor Centre in style!
CHARTER TRAINS
Gather your team and their families for a journey over the hill, down the valley and into the forest! Our Railway is an intergenerational rite of passage that allows you to wave grown-up goodbye and find the wonder of childhood.
Trains are available for charter. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets for your group for one of our regularly timetabled trains. This provides an excellent team-building opportunity, or simply a unique way to arrive at our function venue!
For a truly unique event destination where old-world charm meets modern world-class facilities all in one location, look no further than Australia’s premier preserved steam railway, Puffing Billy Railway.
Nestled amongst the towering rainforests, cool fern gullies and native flowers of the Emerald Lake Park precinct, the Lakeside Visitor Centre combines its natural surroundings with the authentic sights, smells, and sounds of Puffing Billy Railway to offer guests a dedicated cultural hub and flexible event space to suit any occasion.
Designed by renowned architects Terroir, the Lakeside Visitor Centre is a state-of-the-art facility that echoes the railway’s heritage without compromising on comfort or amenities.
Puffing Billy Railway works closely with you to create the perfect event. We have a flexible range of food and beverage packages, spaces for private hire, AV options and, of course, our unique steam train experiences.
Corporate Events & Functions
- Conferences & Meetings
- Incentive events
- Team Building
- Networking Events
- Themed Events
- Gala Dinners
- Workshops
- Product Launches
Private Events & Functions
- Birthdays
- Celebrations
- Memorials
- Social Celebrations
- Anniversaries
Community Events & Functions
- Galas and Awards Nights
- Local Community Association Meetings
- Exhibitions
- Vocational Training or Skill-Building Workshops
- Networking and Fellowship Events
- Conferences
-
In built bar
-
Accessible
-
Wifi available
-
Catering Options
-
AUDIO / VISUAL FACILITIES
-
In built bar
-
Accessible
-
Wifi available
-
Catering Options
-
AUDIO / VISUAL FACILITIES
VENUE CAPACITY
| Lakeside Visitor Centre | Seated | Theatre | Cocktail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multipurpose Function Room | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Great Hall | n/a | n/a | 200 |
| Café | 120 | n/a | 200 |
| Alfresco area | 80 | n/a | n/a |
| Lakeside Visitor Centre | Seated | Theatre | Cocktail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multipurpose Function Room | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Great Hall | n/a | n/a | 200 |
| Café | 120 | n/a | 200 |
| Alfresco area | 80 | n/a | n/a |
LAKESIDE VISITOR CENTRE
MULTIPURPOSE FUNCTION ROOM
The soundproof function space features an operable wall, the latest AV technology, and a dedicated bar. Enjoy panoramic views of the platform and historic artifact displays or deploy floor-to-ceiling blinds during your event for added privacy. The adjacent Lakeside Hall and alfresco areas are perfect for pre-event cocktails or breakout sessions for large groups.
LAKESIDE HALL
Discover the intwined history of Puffing Billy Railway and the Dandenong Ranges inside the Lakeside Hall; home to a collection of expertly curated steam artifact displays, including a replica of Puffing Billy Railway’s first ever locomotive, 3A.
ALFRESCO AREA
With uninterrupted views of the lake and some of the best seats in the house to catch our travelling steam locomotives, the Alfresco Area comfortably seats 80 guests alfresco style, and offers a year-round summer beer garden feel.
RAILWAY CAFE
Set on the picturesque grounds of the Emerald Lake Park, overlooking Lake Treganowan is the Lakeside Visitor Centre's Railway Café, offering a relaxed setting surrounded by green rainforest trees and lush ferns.
OTHER FUNCTION SPACES
NOBELIUS PACKING SHED
LOT 1 Crichton Rd, Emerald VIC 3782
The historic Nobelius Packing Shed is located at Nobelius Siding, within the grounds of the stunning Emerald Lake Park, once home to the largest nursery in the southern hemisphere. This beautifully restored early twentieth-century building provides the ideal rustic function venue for smaller groups, with an open fireplace to keep you warm and cosy in winter.
FIRST CLASS DINING TRAIN
Belgrave to Lakeside station
Indulge in a 3-hour steam train journey from Belgrave to Lakeside return while feasting upon moving countryside views and the ambiance of our lavish first-class saloon carriages. Boasting beautiful, pressed metal ceilings, plush velvety seats, lush drapery, and tables laden with cloths and silverware, passengers will be transported right back to the early 1900s while travelling inside our first-class carriages!
Add a First Class Dining Train journey to your function booking and arrive at the Lakeside Visitor Centre in style!
CHARTER TRAINS
Gather your team and their families for a journey over the hill, down the valley and into the forest! Our Railway is an intergenerational rite of passage that allows you to wave grown-up goodbye and find the wonder of childhood.
Trains are available for charter. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets for your group for one of our regularly timetabled trains. This provides an excellent team-building opportunity, or simply a unique way to arrive at our function venue!
Wedding Receptions & Photography
Nestled along Puffing Billy Railway's corridor sits an exclusive wedding venue unlike anything else in all of the Dandenongs; the historic hidden gem that is the Nobelius Packing Shed, located at Nobelius Siding Station, Emerald.
With a delicious menu crafted in-house showcasing regional food and wine and the chance to add a stylish twist of steam in your very own chartered train, the Nobelius Packing Shed really is the perfect place to create the wedding celebration of your dreams in.