Visit the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley on a day trip from Melbourne that takes you riding through forests of towering mountain ash gum trees and giant tree ferns on the Puffing Billy steam train and meeting Australia's unique wildlife at the Healesville Sanctuary. Discover the beauty of Melbourne's most scenic regions as you feed cockatoos and rosellas in the Dandenong Ranges, and visit Victoria’s premier wine-growing region in the Yarra Valley.
Highlights
- Puffing Billy and Healesville Sanctuary day trip from Melbourne
- Take a drive through the beautiful Dandenong Ranges
- Feed the birds and try Aussie billy tea
- Ride the Puffing Billy steam train through forests of towering mountain ash trees
- Get up-close to over 200 species of Australian animals including koalas, kangaroos, emus and wombats at the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary
- Enjoy lunch at Rochford Winery in the Yarra Valley (if option is selected at time of booking)
Recent Photos of this Tour
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Puffing Billy Steam Train, Yarra Valley and Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary Day Tour
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Start of our train tripHey don't we know you?Photo by: Carmelo PAustralia, 12 2009 -
Man versus Train.Get off the track, can't you see the train coming?Photo by: Carmelo PAustralia, 12 2009 -
P1010189Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary with a tour volunteer advocate to answer all your questions.Photo by: BUDUSA, 04 2012 -
Melbourne feb 2011 104The end of a wonderful ride.Photo by: Rhonda W03 2011 -
Useful Information
Crimson rosellas and their fantastic colors
Your tour begins with pickup from your Melbourne hotel. Enjoy a relaxing coach trip through Melbourne's leafy eastern suburbs as you travel from the city to the Dandenong Ranges on the outskirts of the city.
Admire views of towering mountain ash gum trees, the world's tallest flowering plants, as you wind your way up the mountains to Grant's Reserve in the quaint mountain village of Kallista. Handfeed the local crimson rosellas, sulfur-crested cockatoos and pink-and-gray galahs as you drink in the crisp mountain air and enjoy a traditional Australian billy tea with savory Vegemite spread and chocolate-and-coconut lamington cakes.
Leaving Grant's Reserve, your tour takes you to the town of Belgrave in the foothills of Dandenong Ranges to board the famous Puffing Billy steam train. This historic train trip takes you 100 years back in time to the days of steam travel as you ride the train from Belgrave to the Yarra Ranges village of Gembrook. Cross the wooden trestle bridge on this 30-minute ride through the rainforest, and glimpse faraway views of Port Phillip Bay glistening on the horizon.
Relax after your Puffing Billy train ride on the scenic drive through the Yarra Valley, where lunch is served at the Rochford Winery (if option selected), known for its chardonnay and pinot noir wines. Seated in the elegant Isabella's restaurant, looking onto views of grapevines and roses, choose from a menu highlighting the Yarra Valley's superb seasonal produce, including duck pate, roast lamb, crispy pork belly and wagyu steak.
After a leisurely lunch, continue to Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary, one of Australia’s premier wildlife reserves. See all kinds of native animals in a natural bush setting, including wallabies, wombats, kangaroos, owls, emus eagles and, of course, koalas. Don’t miss the popular birds of prey display and see sleepy koalas chewing gum leaves in their eucalypt-tree habitats.
Leaving the Yarra Valley, make your way back to Melbourne, arriving at your city hotel in the late afternoon.
Admire views of towering mountain ash gum trees, the world's tallest flowering plants, as you wind your way up the mountains to Grant's Reserve in the quaint mountain village of Kallista. Handfeed the local crimson rosellas, sulfur-crested cockatoos and pink-and-gray galahs as you drink in the crisp mountain air and enjoy a traditional Australian billy tea with savory Vegemite spread and chocolate-and-coconut lamington cakes.
Leaving Grant's Reserve, your tour takes you to the town of Belgrave in the foothills of Dandenong Ranges to board the famous Puffing Billy steam train. This historic train trip takes you 100 years back in time to the days of steam travel as you ride the train from Belgrave to the Yarra Ranges village of Gembrook. Cross the wooden trestle bridge on this 30-minute ride through the rainforest, and glimpse faraway views of Port Phillip Bay glistening on the horizon.
Relax after your Puffing Billy train ride on the scenic drive through the Yarra Valley, where lunch is served at the Rochford Winery (if option selected), known for its chardonnay and pinot noir wines. Seated in the elegant Isabella's restaurant, looking onto views of grapevines and roses, choose from a menu highlighting the Yarra Valley's superb seasonal produce, including duck pate, roast lamb, crispy pork belly and wagyu steak.
After a leisurely lunch, continue to Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary, one of Australia’s premier wildlife reserves. See all kinds of native animals in a natural bush setting, including wallabies, wombats, kangaroos, owls, emus eagles and, of course, koalas. Don’t miss the popular birds of prey display and see sleepy koalas chewing gum leaves in their eucalypt-tree habitats.
Leaving the Yarra Valley, make your way back to Melbourne, arriving at your city hotel in the late afternoon.
Itinerary
Hotel Pickups
- 7:25am Adina Grand Apartments
- 7:10am Atlantis Hotel
- 6:50am Bayview Eden
- 6:50am Bayview on the Park
- 7:00am Charsfeild Hotel
- 7:45am Citigate Flinders St
- 7:15am Clarian Gateway Suites
- 7:10am Comfort Inn (Dudley St)
- 6:45am Cosmopolitan
- 7:20am Crowne Metropol
- 7:25am Crowne Plaza
- 7:15am Crowne Promenade
- 7:20am Crowne Towers
- 7:10am Discovery Hotel
- 7:05am Downtowner on Lygon
- 7:25am Eastern Townhouse
- 6:40am Easy Stay
- 7:15am Hilton on the Park
- 7:25am Hilton Southwarf
- 7:20am Holiday Inn
- 6:50am Hotel Como
- 7:25am Hotel Sofia
- 7:25am Ibis Styles Kingsgate
- 7:30am Ibis Therry St
- 7:15am Intercontinental (Flinders lane)
- 7:25am Kings St Backpackers
- 7:15am Langham Hotel
- 7:20am Magnolia Court
- 7:15am Mantra on Jolimont
- 7:35am Mantra on Russell
- 7:30am Mantra on the Park
- 7:30am Marriott Hotel
- 7:30am Mercure Grand Swanston
- 7:15am Mercure Spring St
- 7:10am Miami Motor Inn
- 7:05am Novotel Collins
- 6:40am Novotel St Kilda
- 7:20am Oaks on Market
- 7:25am Park Hyatt
- 6:55am Parkview
- 7:25am Quest On William
- 7:15am Radisson Flagstaff
- 7:00am Ramada Inn
- 7:25am Rendevous
- 7:20am Rydges Melbourne
- 7:00am Rydges on Swanston, Carlton
- 7:00am Seasons Botanical
- 6:55am Sebel Albert Park
- 7:00am Sebel Melbourne
- 7:15am Sofitel Hotel
- 7:35am Space Hotel
- 7:25am Stamford Plaza
- 7:00am Travel inn, Carlton
- 7:05am Travelodge Docklands
- 7:15am Vibe Savoy
- 7:00am Vibe Savoy Carlton
- 7:30am Victoria Hotel
- 7:10am Westin
- 7:15am Windsor Hotel
- 7:00am YHA Metro (Queensberry)
Recent Reviews of this Tour
Reviewed by Azizi A, Malaysia, May 2013
It was an excellent day out with the family.Our driver and guide,David, was very informative and accomodating. Puffing Billy was excellent, wished we could ride the train longer. We enjoyed the lunch at the vineyard, it was simple but delicious. Highly recommended for family with young or older children. We had used Viator for the Great Ocean Road tour before and we are very please with your services and will use your services again in the future.
Reviewed by Kuldeep Panda, April 2013
It was wonderful. Worth taking the tour.
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