Steam train, then penguins

About this experience

Puffing Billy has been running through the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne since 1900, and riding with your legs over the side of the open carriages is the tradition. It came back in 2022 after a ban. The tour includes about an hour on the train between Belgrave and Lakeside (or the other way round), across the timber trestle bridge at Monbulk Creek, then 45 minutes at the station.

From the hills it's an hour and a half to Phillip Island. The Nobbies is a 20-minute photo stop above the cliffs and the blowhole, and the parade gets about 90 minutes with a General Viewing seat. Pickup and drop-off use the same four central points as Explore Australia's Wildlife Tour: Mercure Southbank, the Regent Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre and the Mail Exchange Hotel.

The downside is the pace. Twelve hours, two very different halves and a lot of driving between them, and guests report it's a long day. There's no wildlife park, so koalas and kangaroos are a matter of luck from the bus (the listing mentions swamp wallabies and Cape Barren geese). Strollers aren't allowed, minors must be with an adult, and at $144 it costs more than the penguin-only trips.

• About an hour on the Puffing Billy steam train, ticket included
• Open carriages where you can sit with your legs over the side
• Time at the station before the drive south
• The Nobbies viewpoint above Bass Strait
• General Viewing at the parade

How the day runs

1. MorningPickup in the city

   From Mercure Southbank, the Regent Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre or the Mail Exchange Hotel.

2. About 1 hourInto the Dandenong Ranges

   East to Belgrave or Lakeside, depending on the day's timetable.

3. 1 hour + 45 minPuffing Billy

   The steam train through tall forest and over the Monbulk Creek trestle bridge, then a break at the station.

4. About 1.5 hoursTo Phillip Island

   South to the coast and over the bridge.

5. 20 minThe Nobbies

   A photo stop on the boardwalk above the cliffs and the blowhole.

6. 1.5 hours, then 2 homeThe Penguin Parade

   General Viewing at sunset, then back to the city late in the evening.

What's included

Who it suits

What guests say

Tips before you book

• Ask the guide which side of the train to sit on. A guest wrote that theirs pointed out the best seats.
• Keep a jumper handy for the train. The open carriages are cool in the forest, even in spring.
• Buy lunch at the station break. It's the most convenient food stop of the day.
• Charge your phone for the train: photos are fine there, but not at the parade after sunset.

Read next:

• Tours from Melbourne
• Arrival times

Frequently asked questions

Compare with

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