Melbourne: Puffing Billy Steam Train & Healesville Wildlife Park

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1/6

Duration8h 30m

GroupUp to 21

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Steam Train Through the Ranges, Then Face-to-Face With Koalas

You ride a heritage steam train for an hour through rainforest, stop to spot native birds in Sherbrooke Forest, then spend the afternoon at Healesville Sanctuary meeting koalas, kangaroos and raptors up close. Transport, train entry and wildlife park entry are all included; lunch is separate. The day takes about eight hours door-to-door.

8h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Puffing Billy train and wildlife tour

Take scenic drive to Grants Picnic Reserve
Pause and explore Sherbrooke Forest
Enjoy 1-hour Puffing Billy steam train ride
Visit Lakeside Visitor Centre and cafe
Drive through Yarra Valley to Healesville Sanctuary
Explore Healesville Sanctuary wildlife park

The Experience

Our driver picked us up early, and on the way to Belgrave he mentioned that locals still call it "the Puffing Billy" like it's a person they've known forever — which, in a way, they have. The train's been running since 1900, and you can feel that history the moment you see it waiting at the platform, all brass and dark wood and the smell of coal smoke. The 1-hour journey winds through the Dandenong Ranges rainforest, and yeah, you can dangle your legs out the open sides if you want, which is exactly as odd and wonderful as it sounds. The track curves through mountain ash and fern gullies, and if you're lucky you'll spot rosellas or a lyrebird in the canopy — our guide pointed out a family of them near Sherbrooke, where we stopped at Grants Picnic Reserve for a proper look around.

After the train pulls back into Lakeside, there's a new visitor centre with a cafe if you need coffee or lunch (that's on you, not included), and then you drive about 20 minutes through the Yarra Valley to Healesville Sanctuary. This is where the day shifts from "nice heritage experience" to "you're actually touching Australian wildlife." Koalas are closer than you'd expect, kangaroos wander past like they own the place, and the raptors — wedge-tailed eagles, kestrels — are massive up close. It's not a zoo in the old sense; the animals have space, and the whole thing feels less like you're gawking and more like you're in their world for an afternoon.

The whole day runs long enough that you're not rushed between stops, but tight enough that you're back in Melbourne by evening. Air-conditioned vehicle the whole way, all entry fees covered, and the train ride itself is the kind of thing that sticks with you — there's something about moving through a forest at the speed of a steam engine that makes you actually look instead of just passing through.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or central pickup in Melbourne, air-conditioned transport throughout, a 1-hour steam train journey on Puffing Billy Railway through the Dandenong Ranges, a stop at Grants Picnic Reserve in Sherbrooke Forest, entry to Healesville Sanctuary Wildlife Park, and a scenic drive through the Yarra Valley.
All fees and taxes are covered.
Lunch and cafe purchases are at your own expense.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Explore Australia Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main Dandenong Ranges and wildlife experiences in one day without arranging train tickets, park entry or transport yourself — the fixed itinerary handles all three, and the timing lets you see both the heritage railway and the animals without feeling rushed.