Pack a picnic blanket, breathe in the fresh air and enjoy a day of adventures on two wheels, a trip back in time on the steam train, and a delicious Italian lunch. Finish off your day with a rest on your picnic blanket in the park next to the station.

MORNING

Start your family day out by collecting some snacks from Incy Wincy in Emerald. This local favourite is known for its super friendly service, fantastic dietary friendly food, and drinks. Choose from sandwiches, croissants, salads, soups, pies, pasties, sausage rolls, granola, and cakes made fresh daily, as well as smoothies, iced drinks, and fresh juices available for those warmer days.

Make your way to the Emerald Lake Park Precinct and hire a bike to explore the Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail which runs alongside Puffing Billy between Emerald and Gembrook. Cog Bikes Australia offers a range of bikes and E-bikes for hire from their convenient bike hire hub at Puffing Billy's Lakeside station! Choose from a range of standard trail bikes, e-bikes, balance bikes or children's pedal bikes and spend the morning pedaling along.

Available Friday-Sunday | Pre-bookings recommended.

Coffee cup with barista coffee snapped from above.
A selection of bikes parked outside the Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre.

Melbourne CBD to Incy Wincy | 1 HOUR 
Incy Wincy to Puffing Billy's Lakeside station | 5 MINS
Bike Hire along the Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail | 2 HOURS

Lunchtime

Jump on board Puffing Billy for a century-old steam train ride through the beautiful forests and fern gullies of the Dandenong Ranges.

Walking through the heritage town of Gembrook, smell the Italian aroma wafting through the air. The Station House Pizzeria offers a newly refurbished, fully licensed, 30 seat restaurant as well as take away - easily enjoyed in the nearby J A C Russell Park.

Station House Gembrook
Station House Gembrook

Afternoon

Collect a snack from one of our refreshment rooms to enjoy on a picnic rug in Emerald Lake Park next to our station - or in the car on the way home!

Puffing Billy family on train
Puffing Billy family on train

Puffing Billy train ride | 40 MINS EACH WAY
Gembrook station to Station House | 1 MIN WALK
Gembrook station to J A C Russell | 1 MIN WALK
Lakeside station to Emerald Lake | 1 MIN WALK
Lakeside station to Melbourne CBD | 1 HOUR

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