1 day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Wildlife Tour from Melbourne
5
1 day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Wildlife Tour from Melbourne
By Explore Australia Tours
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About
Step back in time with our exceptional offering: a captivating expedition through the Dandenong Ranges via the iconic Puffing Billy steam train. Envelop yourself in the enchanting rainforest, relishing panoramic views and invigorating air as the historic locomotive winds through a one-hour odyssey from Belgrave to Lakeside. But that's not all – post-ride, immerse yourself in an intimate wildlife sanctuary rendezvous. Interact firsthand with Australia's treasured fauna, from cuddly koalas to bounding kangaroos and majestic raptors. Elevate your journey beyond ordinary sightseeing; embrace history, nature, and cherished encounters all in one extraordinary experience.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 21 per group
Duration: 8h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- 1 hour train journey on Puffing Billy Steam Train
- Entry into Wildlife Park
- All Fees and Taxes
- Entry/Admission - Puffing Billy Railway
- Entry/Admission - Healesville Sanctuary
What's not included- Lunch is available to purchase on the day at a local cafe
- Coffee, tea or beverages are available to purchase from a local cafe.
- Start:
- Mail Exchange Hotel, 688 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaPlease wait at the bus stop outside the Mail Exchange Hotel - 688 Bourke Street, near to the corner of Spencer St
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 159345P12- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 21 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 159345P12
From
AU$199.00
per adult
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Itinerary
- 688 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaPlease wait at the bus stop outside the Mail Exchange Hotel - 688 Bourke Street, near to the corner of Spencer St
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- ericcM8403GS0 contributionsThis is a good experience for us and this is the first time visit to Melbourne!!We took a lot photos, enough time for us to see an awesome views and the tour arrangement so good! The tour guide Mr.Sam so funny and patience, I’m really appreciate and thanks for him driving safety😂Written 27 October 2024
- CM C0 contributionsFull day trip - Great Ocean RoadThe time spent on each stop is fair enough so we can enjoy our lunch and doing sightseeing at different spots and taking great photos, Sam is our guide and he’s very nice. Besides sharing story about loch ard gorge with us, he also helped to “scan” a wild koala for us :)))Written 25 October 2024
- 905clivel0 contributionsFruitful tourA very fruitful experience. Sam gave a very informative commentary throughout this whole day trip. I will definitely recommend visitors to join this trip.Written 25 October 2024
- J4025JCalaaa0 contributionsBusiness & leisureOur driver Sam was very special explain everything and funny too. I highly recommend to visit if you are in Melbourne, very affordable tooWritten 25 October 2024
- joeyaS9050NK0 contributionsAmazing Sam!!!Sam is very friendly, approachable and easy to talk to. He has a great sense of humour. He can be my tour guide anytime. Keep up the good work Sam !! Hope to see you next time.Written 18 October 2024
- laureenc1030 contributionsEnjoy and relax, Sam is here !Penguins, koalas, kangaroos, dingoes, opossums, wallabies... What a lovely day! Sam was an ideal guide: kind, (really) funny and attentive at everyone well being. He gave us lots of very interesting informations throughout the day. The tour is very well thought out and the mechanics well-established. If you drive by Cowes, a pit stop at the Ocean Reach brewery is mandatory ;)Written 12 October 2024
- AndyF4300 contributionsHighly RecommendedWent on two tours with this company, both of which were about 12 hours long. Covered an awful lot of ground and saw lots of stuff. The guides/ drivers were young, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They worked very hard to cover all the ground. The tours I did were Great Ocean Road, and All Around The Bay Food & Wine. Both excellent, although very tiring. Recommended.Written 11 October 2024
- I7715LXjulieg0 contributionsLunch not what we expectedStops at the viewing points and the stroll through pretty Sorrento was lovely and St Andrews Beach Brewery is wonderful. However we had picked this tour over the many others on offer to the peninsula because lunch was described as "During the two-hour sailing journey, you’ll enjoy a lunch of local produce" and "Lovers of food and wine will enjoy this relaxing lunch made up of a shared grazing table of the regions best produce". This turned out to be kiosk vouchers on a car ferry. NOT what we were expecting for our day out.Written 3 October 2024
- W3147NI_0 contributionsThis trip was an incredibly pleasant experience. The tour guide was not only very responsible but also had a great senseThis trip was an incredibly pleasant experience. The tour guide was not only very responsible but also had a great sense of humor. He carefully arranged every detail of the itinerary, ensuring that we felt comfortable and satisfied at every stage of the journey. His humorous and engaging commentary added a lot of fun to the experience, leaving us with unforgettable memories. Overall, I would highly recommend this tour.Written 26 September 2024
- J2331NJkarlag0 contributionsMoonlit sanctuary and Philip islandWe had such an amazing time with explore Australia. Our tour guide lachie made the experience so much better by being so kind and funny! This trip gives you a bit of everything. I would definitely go again and recommend to everyone.Written 20 September 2024
- H1786BCtoml0 contributionsAmazing day outThe perfect tour for anyone wanting to see some native wildlife and get out of the city into some natural spaces. The tour was timed well, didn’t feel rushed at any point and we weren’t waiting around either. Nik our guide was fantastic, friendly and very informative. You’ll see some great wildlife at Moonlit sanctuary with up close encounters with wallabies and kangaroos as well as the option to go spend some time with Koala’s. And the Penguin parade experience is truly special. This tour is great because it also shows you some of the natural wonder around Forest Cave beach at Cape Woolamai and the Nobbies centre, as well as the charming town of Cowes. Thoroughly enjoyed our day and would urge anyone travelling to Melbourne to take a day to do this tour!Written 20 September 2024
- jerneja980 contributionsGreat way to explore outside of MelbourneI had an amazing time on this tour. Everything went as planned (we even saw more things). The tour guide- Locky, was great, he talked about everything we were seeing and was very helpful. Even tho there were two groups for two tours, everything went very smoothly. The tour itself is planned amazingly. I loved getting to see the Aussie wild life and also seeing the being nature.Written 17 September 2024
- Sightseer109183988800 contributionsNice!The trip is very nice! It is a small group tour and the seats are very comfortable, our tour guide Gary is very nice and he is willing to introduce the animals and geography of the park. And! There are many animals can see! We saw 3 wombats and kangaroo, emu… the view of the whole park is absolutely stunning. It is very worth to join.Written 16 September 2024
- 641maureenh0 contributionsWonderful experienceLachie gave us a wonderful experience today on our twelve apostles tours, he was very knowledgeable, personable, made sure we got the best out of our trip , stops for meals and comfort breaks were made, he was also a very good driver. I would recommend your company to anyone wanting to do a day trip in Melbourne .Written 4 September 2024
- michaelcE7076HA0 contributionsAwesome view!Great Ocean Road!The view was amazing! Lacnie was an awesome tripadvisor ,making this trip safe and fun! Can’t wait to visit Melbourne again!Written 4 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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5.0
72 reviews
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Adrian F
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Couples
This is a very expensive day excursion (nearly double the price we paid for a day excursion on a wine/gin/chocolate tasting trip to the Yarra Valley) and so expectations were high. We understood that we'd spend an hour on Puffing Billy, visit the Lakeside Visitor Centre and Healesville Sanctuary. Unfortunately our day missed a lot out and, whilst we enjoyed what we did do, our overwhelming conclusion is that we were ripped off.
Instead of spending an hour on Puffing Billy, travelling from Belgrave to Emerald, we had a 25 minute journey one stop along at Menzies Creek. We didn't visit Emerald or the Lakeside Visitor Centre at all. It's a real shame, as the short train journey was great. We did spend a good couple of hours at the Healseville Sanctuary, which was fantastic.
Upon querying with our guide, who unfortunately didn't introduce herself so no idea what her name was, she said that the strong winds had closed a portion of the train line. That's fine and understandable, but that should have been stated upfront so that we had the choice whether to go on the excursion or cancel. Only after raising an issue did I manage to get a small partial refund on the price - and am waiting to hear back from the operations manager.
I'd not recommend this tour - just make your own way to Puffing Billy. For anymore than a single person, it'd be cheaper to hire a car and drive yourself.
Instead of spending an hour on Puffing Billy, travelling from Belgrave to Emerald, we had a 25 minute journey one stop along at Menzies Creek. We didn't visit Emerald or the Lakeside Visitor Centre at all. It's a real shame, as the short train journey was great. We did spend a good couple of hours at the Healseville Sanctuary, which was fantastic.
Upon querying with our guide, who unfortunately didn't introduce herself so no idea what her name was, she said that the strong winds had closed a portion of the train line. That's fine and understandable, but that should have been stated upfront so that we had the choice whether to go on the excursion or cancel. Only after raising an issue did I manage to get a small partial refund on the price - and am waiting to hear back from the operations manager.
I'd not recommend this tour - just make your own way to Puffing Billy. For anymore than a single person, it'd be cheaper to hire a car and drive yourself.
Written 31 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jwie86
Oslo, Norway47 contributions
Feb 2024 • Friends
My friend from Melbourne wanted to show me around the nature parts near Melbourne and found this tour which was a half day exploration of mainly the Puffing Billy Steam Train and Wildlife Tour.
Here are a few notes from the tour!:
*Lunch was a bit tough to get as the lunch area at the Healesville Sanctuary ran out of food quickly and took a bit of time, cutting into time at the Sanctuary. I know this isn't controlled by the tour company, but my friend had mentioned that it would be prudent to possibly stop by another eatery that the tour company could work with to create a more smooth experience.
*The tour guide noted that due to some of the rain that came a few days before, some aspects had to be cut down like the Puffing Billy Steam Train which only went halfway. We were given a neat different area to look at which was one of the botanical garden which was lovely.
*The Puffing Billy Steam Train is an absolute delight, even if it was cut down in half. Loved hanging the side with my legs out and going through the area. One of the best parts of the experience for sure.
*Healesville Sanctuary was fun as well. Definitely following the tour guide's advice in seeing things like the bird show are well warranted.
All-in-all, I had a memorable experience. The tour guide was pretty good about keeping us entertained and informing us of relevant deadlines.
Here are a few notes from the tour!:
*Lunch was a bit tough to get as the lunch area at the Healesville Sanctuary ran out of food quickly and took a bit of time, cutting into time at the Sanctuary. I know this isn't controlled by the tour company, but my friend had mentioned that it would be prudent to possibly stop by another eatery that the tour company could work with to create a more smooth experience.
*The tour guide noted that due to some of the rain that came a few days before, some aspects had to be cut down like the Puffing Billy Steam Train which only went halfway. We were given a neat different area to look at which was one of the botanical garden which was lovely.
*The Puffing Billy Steam Train is an absolute delight, even if it was cut down in half. Loved hanging the side with my legs out and going through the area. One of the best parts of the experience for sure.
*Healesville Sanctuary was fun as well. Definitely following the tour guide's advice in seeing things like the bird show are well warranted.
All-in-all, I had a memorable experience. The tour guide was pretty good about keeping us entertained and informing us of relevant deadlines.
Written 19 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your detailed feedback! We’re glad to hear you had a memorable experience on the tour, especially enjoying the Puffing Billy Steam Train and Healesville Sanctuary. We appreciate your notes on the lunch situation and will consider your suggestion for future improvements. We’re also pleased that the alternative botanical garden visit added to your enjoyment. Thanks for sharing your insights, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for an even smoother experience next time!
Written 12 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Angela S
Sheffield, UK6 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Fantastic day with a mix of things to do. Matt our guide was amazing and informative and also lots of fun. Puffing Billy was a great experience and then seeing all of the animals at the sanctuary topped the day off.
Written 5 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
えり
Makubetsu-cho, Japan1 contribution
"Fun" is the only word I can use to sum it up.
I was impressed by the beautiful scenery that you can't experience in Japan, and the humor and scale of the people working there.
MATT was also very humorous, which was nice.
They left me to my own devices to a certain extent, so I was able to look around freely.
It's ok even if you're not good at English.
I was impressed by the beautiful scenery that you can't experience in Japan, and the humor and scale of the people working there.
MATT was also very humorous, which was nice.
They left me to my own devices to a certain extent, so I was able to look around freely.
It's ok even if you're not good at English.
Written 14 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
レビューを書いてくれてありがとうございます。Mattさんはユーモアがあって良いですね。
Written 20 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Heather M
Caerphilly, UK1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
Maigread was our host and driver and was on time, professional and knew lots about what she was taking us to see. Puffing Billy was an exceptional experience and Maigread was happy to take photos of us with our legs hanging out of the carriage. We recommend the trip and the tour company.
Written 8 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Doug
42 contributions
Gina from Explore Australia was excellent, very informative about country & first nation people. Hanging feet out of windows on puffer billy was unique, depending on which side of the carriages you sit on depends on the view. Sanctuary was a Sanctuary, bird show was impressive.
Written 28 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your great feedback! We are thrilled to hear that Gina provided such informative insights about Australia and its First Nations people. Hanging your feet out of the Puffing Billy windows is indeed a fun experience! We are glad you enjoyed the Sanctuary and the impressive bird show as well. Your enthusiasm is truly appreciated, and we hope to see you on another adventure soon!
Written 28 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Darryl W
Sunshine Coast, Australia28 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Went on the Puffing Billy and Penguin full day tour. The family really loved it. From the time we were picked up to the time we were dropped off the service was exceptional. Ryan our driver and guide for the day could not have been better. Very knowledgeable and drove that Big Purple Bus with ease. Could not have asked for a better host/driver. Highly recommend this company.
Written 11 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear that your family loved the Puffing Billy and Penguin full-day tour. It’s wonderful to know that Ryan’s exceptional service and driving skills made your experience memorable. We appreciate your high recommendation and look forward to the opportunity to host you again in the future!
Written 12 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Danny McGinley
Clydebank, UK14 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
Tremendous day trip we had. We were picked up by Ryan, who explained a large group had to pull out due to flight changes, meaning there were only 4 people on the trip.
Ryan was very knowledgeable and great company with us all day. We had a fantastic time and took lots of great pictures. As an extra treat on the way home we visited a chocolate factory in the middle of vineyard country and the views as well as the ice cream and chocolate were exceptional.
Great day and made better by Ryan who was an excellent host.
Ryan was very knowledgeable and great company with us all day. We had a fantastic time and took lots of great pictures. As an extra treat on the way home we visited a chocolate factory in the middle of vineyard country and the views as well as the ice cream and chocolate were exceptional.
Great day and made better by Ryan who was an excellent host.
Written 14 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that Ryan made your day trip memorable and enjoyable. It’s great to know you appreciated the extra treat at the chocolate factory and the beautiful views. We’ll be sure to pass on your compliments to Ryan. Thanks for sharing your experience, and we hope to welcome you on another adventure soon!
Written 12 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Quân L
1 contribution
Mar 2024 • Family
The trip to the sanctuary was amazing as we went to see so many diverse types of animal. The experience was much better thx to our lovely tour guide Mark who was very friendly with a great sense of humour. I’m sure that working in such a dry and hot environment it would be hard to be so positive and it is because of that that i think Mark is so great being so positive and having a great spirit all the time.
Written 8 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the diverse animal experiences at the sanctuary and that Mark’s friendliness and sense of humor enhanced your visit. It’s great to know that his positive attitude made such an impact, even in a challenging environment. We’ll be sure to pass on your kind words to Mark. Thanks for sharing, and we look forward to welcoming you on another adventure soon!
Written 12 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Seeitalldoitall
Las Vegas, NV271 contributions
Great day with Explore Australia Tours. Pick up was easy and close to our hotel. Our tour guide Bill was also the driver. He gave great commentary while driving to the Dandenong Ranges. First stop was for coffee and a short hike through a nature trail. Then off to the Puffing Billy Train. Train has a lot of history and it’s fun to travel with your legs hanging over if only for a short time and photo op. We took the one hour ride from Emerald to Lakeside route. Stopped at Lake side stop to grab to go sandwich and ate by the Emerald Lake. Then off to fantastic Healesville Sanctuary, I could have spent an entire day here! The layout is a little confusing at first but wonderfully clean and the animals are kept in their natural environments. There is a bird show that we did not attend. The gift shop has plenty of items to choose from. We then drove through the beautiful Yarra Valley and saw kangaroos in the wild on the way back to Melbourne. Thank you Bill for letting us Waltz Matilda with you!
Written 17 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for sharing such a detailed and lovely review! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a great day with Explore Australia Tours and that Bill, our guide and driver, made the experience even more enjoyable. We agree – the Puffing Billy Train is such a fun way to travel, and there’s nothing like the view with your legs hanging over the sills!
We’re also delighted that you enjoyed the Healesville Sanctuary, even though we know you could have spent even more time there! The layout can be a bit tricky, but it sounds like you had a fantastic time exploring the natural habitats of the animals. And we love that you got to experience some of the beautiful scenery of the Yarra Valley, including spotting kangaroos in the wild – always a highlight!
We’ll be sure to pass on your thanks to Bill, and we hope he’ll be ready for a few more "Waltzing Matilda" sing-alongs next time!
Thanks again for your kind words, and we hope to welcome you back on another adventure soon!
Written 19 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
When is the departure time, and what time will we arrive at the starting point?
Is the Emerald admission ticket included in the itinerary, or do we need to purchase it separately?
Written 29 November 2023
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