Melbourne: Puffing Billy Steam Train & Rainforest Day Trip

4.70

(138 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We were already halfway up the winding roads out of Melbourne when our guide, Dave, pointed out the first burst of eucalyptus — that sharp, almost lemony smell hit as soon as we opened the van door at Grants Picnic Ground. Cockatoos shrieked overhead (louder than I expected), and someone handed me a bit of seed to try my luck with the birds. I’m not really a bird person but there was something quietly funny about watching a group of grown adults flinch every time a crimson rosella landed too close. The air felt damp but fresh, like it’d just rained even though it hadn’t.

Belgrave Station looked like something out of an old film — all wood beams and faded signs. The Puffing Billy Railway itself is kind of a character; you hear it before you see it, that deep chuff-chuff echoing through the trees. We piled into open carriages and, honestly, dangling my legs over the side was both weirder and more fun than I thought it’d be. There’s this moment where you’re halfway between laughing at yourself and just staring out at nothing but green — ferns everywhere, mist curling around tree trunks. At one point Dave told us to watch for wallabies but I was too busy grinning at how ridiculous we must’ve looked with our feet swinging out over the tracks.

Lakeside Station came up faster than I wanted. There’s a visitor centre with old photos (somehow everyone in them looks both stern and proud), plus a little café where I grabbed a sandwich — not fancy but good enough after all that fresh air. Some families wandered down by the water; others poked around reading about the steam engines. It’s not flashy or crowded here, just quiet except for the occasional whistle from another train pulling in. The ride back toward Melbourne was sleepy; I half-dozed watching rain slide down the window and thinking about how sometimes these simple day trips stick with you longer than big-ticket adventures.