Why book this day
Why book this day
You ride one leg, not the whole line
Puffing Billy runs Belgrave to Gembrook, but this tour rides the shorter Belgrave–Emerald Lake leg — the section that carries the railway's most photographed landmark, the Monbulk Creek trestle bridge, within the first few minutes out of Belgrave. It is a real, working section of Australia's oldest steam railway, not a shortened replica loop.
Legs out the window, if your carriage has it
The open-sided 'NBH' carriages that let passengers sit on the running boards and dangle their legs off the moving train date to the 1920s and are still part of the railway's operating fleet today — travellers on this exact tour describe it as the highlight of the day. Which carriage you get isn't guaranteed, but the tradition is real and current.
One sanctuary, built around what only lives here
Healesville Sanctuary has bred platypus in captivity since 1943 — a feat only one other zoo in the world has managed — and still runs a working wildlife hospital behind the public paths. It is not a generic zoo with a few native animals added; native Australian wildlife is the entire reason the place exists.
A long day, worth planning for
Between the coach transfers, the train and a proper stretch of time at the sanctuary, this is close to a full working day — roughly eight to nine hours gate to gate. That is the trade-off for seeing both in one booking: less rushing between two of the Dandenongs' and Yarra Valley's best-known names, but a day that asks something back in return.
The working timetable
The working timetable
Puffing Billy still runs to a working timetable, not a tourist schedule — a single column of stops, a trestle span you can set your watch by, and an afternoon section blocked out for the sanctuary. Treat the times below as the running order, not a promise of exact clock times; your operator confirms those with your booking.
1 in 40The original line drops away from Belgrave on a 1-in-40 grade toward Menzies Creek — a genuinely steep start for a train that still runs on coal and gravity the way it did in 1900.
- Morning
Melbourne, before the hills
Coach pickup from central Melbourne, then out through the eastern suburbs and up into the Dandenong Ranges. The operator sets the exact pickup point and time with your confirmation — it is not printed as a fixed clock time here because it can change by season and by which coach you're on.
- Belgrave
Steam up at the terminus
Belgrave station is the western end of the line and the start of this tour's ride — the 2 ft 6 in narrow gauge that has carried passengers out of the Dandenongs since 1900. This is also where the open NBH carriages, legs-out seating included, are boarded.
- Selby
Monbulk Creek trestle
Within the first few minutes out of Belgrave, the line crosses its most photographed structure on a curved 91-metre timber trestle, fifteen spans, 12.8 metres above the creek — a piece of 1899 engineering still doing its original job every day the railway runs.
The Monbulk Creek trestle at Selby is 91.4 m long and 12.8 m high on 15 timber spans, built from local mountain ash in 1899 for about £482 — still the same structure the train crosses today.
- ≈75 min
Emerald Lake
The train's run on this tour ends at Emerald Lake Park, with time to walk the lake and stretch your legs before the coach takes over again. Food and drink here are at your own cost — nothing on this leg of the day is pre-paid.
- On the road
Coach to the Yarra Valley
From the Dandenong Ranges the coach heads north-east to Healesville, swapping steam and forest for the open country of the Yarra Valley.
- ≈3 hrs
Healesville Sanctuary
The afternoon's whole block is the sanctuary — platypus, koalas, echidnas and the birds-of-prey display among them. It is enough time to walk the paths properly rather than skim them, but not enough to see every enclosure twice.
Afternoon section - ≈30 min
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
A short stop for chocolate tasting on the way back, included on this itinerary as a low-key finish before the drive home.
- After dark
Back to Melbourne
The coach returns to the city, typically after dark given the length of the day — worth knowing if you're planning anything else for the evening.
Healesville Sanctuary, and what's actually there
Healesville Sanctuary, and what's actually there
The sanctuary sits in the Yarra Valley, about an hour from Belgrave by road — a working wildlife institution first, a visitor attraction second.
What it is
Healesville Sanctuary is run by Zoos Victoria as a bushland home for native wildlife, formally the Sir Colin Mackenzie Sanctuary after the anatomist whose research institute occupied the site from 1920. It opened to the public in 1934 on land that had earlier been part of the Coranderrk Aboriginal Reserve.
The platypus history
Healesville is one of only two places in the world to have successfully bred platypus in captivity — the first, a platypus named Corrie, was born there in 1943 and made international news. In 2025 the sanctuary opened the Australian Platypus Conservation Centre, a dedicated facility for rehabilitating and releasing injured or sick platypuses.
What you're likely to see
The sanctuary's own displays are built around koalas, kangaroos, platypuses, echidnas and native birds, with a wedge-tailed eagle among the birds featured in its 'Spirits of the Sky' flight display. Wild and semi-wild animals don't perform on demand — platypus in particular are shy and most active at dawn and dusk — so treat a sighting as likely rather than guaranteed, and check the current show schedule when you arrive.
The wildlife hospital
Behind the public paths, the Australian Wildlife Health Centre treats injured, sick and orphaned native animals — visitors can see the hospital in action rather than only the finished result. It is the part of Healesville that separates it from a standard zoo circuit.
The day, in pictures
The day, in pictures
The Dandenong Ranges forest the line runs through, and the animals Healesville Sanctuary is built around. These are representative photographs of the region and its wildlife — not photographs taken on this specific tour.
Booking options & what's included
Booking options & what's included
| Option | What it includes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Coach, train & sanctuary (this listing) | Melbourne pickup and drop-off, the Puffing Billy ride from Belgrave to Emerald Lake, Healesville Sanctuary entry and a stop at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie | The listing this site is built around — one ticket for the whole day, no driving or timetable-juggling of your own |
| Booking for a family or group | The same day, seated together on the coach and, where possible, the train | Shared coach seating; per-person pricing applies, and carriage seating on Puffing Billy is not reserved |
| Doing it yourself by car | Self-drive to Belgrave, a separate Puffing Billy ticket, then a drive to Healesville | More flexible timing and no coach schedule to keep to — but you lose the built-in day plan and someone has to drive |
| Pairing with another Melbourne day | Booked as a separate GetYourGuide experience | This tour fills a full day on its own, so keep the city centre or a coastal day for a different date |
Ways to book the day
Find a date for your trip
Every option below is booked through GetYourGuide, with live availability and the final price in your own currency.
Planning your day
Planning your day
Dress for the hills, not the city
The Dandenong Ranges sit up to around 600 metres higher than central Melbourne and typically run a few degrees cooler, especially in the mountain-ash forest around Belgrave and Selby. Bring a layer even if Melbourne itself looks warm when you leave.
Food is on you
Lunch is not included on this itinerary — budget for something at Emerald Lake Park or at Healesville Sanctuary, both of which sell food on site.
Be at the pickup on time
The whole day is built around one coach departure and one scheduled train working timetable slot at Belgrave. There is no later train that still leaves time for the sanctuary afterwards, so treat the pickup time as fixed.
Treat animal sightings as likely, not guaranteed
Healesville's animals live in naturalistic enclosures rather than on a stage, and species like the platypus are shy by nature. You'll see plenty over three hours, but a specific animal or the exact timing of a show isn't something any listing can promise.
Planning a Puffing Billy day from Melbourne
Planning a Puffing Billy day from Melbourne
The Puffing Billy and Healesville Sanctuary day: what actually happens
Coach pickup in Melbourne, a steam train over a 1899 timber trestle, then three hours among Australia's own animals — here's the day in order.
Read more →The railway, explainedPuffing Billy: the 1900 line, the gauge and the trestle
Why the railway runs on 2 ft 6 in track, what makes the Monbulk Creek trestle worth the reputation, and what's different about the leg this tour actually rides.
Read more →The sanctuary, explainedHealesville Sanctuary: what you actually see, and how the flight display works
A working wildlife hospital and an 88-year-old platypus breeding programme behind the paths — what's realistic to expect from an afternoon at Healesville.
Read more →Practical questionsWith children: seating, safety and the long day
What the open carriages mean for kids, how the sanctuary suits families, and whether an eight-to-nine-hour day is realistic with young children in tow.
Read more →What to wearWhat to wear in the Dandenongs (it's colder than the city)
Why the Dandenong Ranges run several degrees cooler than central Melbourne, and how to dress for an open-carriage train ride and an afternoon on sanctuary paths.
Read more →Around MelbourneMelbourne beyond the hills: building the rest of your trip
This day takes the Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley off your list in one booking. Here's how it sits alongside the rest of a Melbourne itinerary.
Read more →FAQ
Puffing Billy & Healesville Sanctuary questions
What is the Puffing Billy and Healesville Sanctuary tour?
It's a full-day coach trip from Melbourne that combines a ride on the historic Puffing Billy steam railway through the Dandenong Ranges with an afternoon at Healesville Sanctuary in the Yarra Valley, plus a stop at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie on the way back. Coach transport from central Melbourne is included.
Which part of the Puffing Billy line do you actually ride?
This tour rides the Belgrave to Emerald Lake leg — the western end of the full Belgrave–Gembrook line. It's a short section, but it's the one that crosses the railway's best-known landmark, the Monbulk Creek timber trestle bridge, within the first few minutes out of Belgrave.
Is lunch included?
No — food and drink are not included on this itinerary. There are places to buy food at Emerald Lake Park and at Healesville Sanctuary, so budget for that separately.
Can I still sit with my legs hanging out the train window?
Puffing Billy's open-sided carriages, which let passengers sit on the running boards with their legs out, are still part of the railway's operating fleet and travellers on this tour have described it as the day's highlight. Which carriage you're allocated isn't guaranteed, but the option is genuinely still there.
What will I see at Healesville Sanctuary?
The sanctuary is built around native Australian species — koalas, kangaroos, platypuses, echidnas and native birds, including a birds-of-prey flight display. Healesville is one of only two places in the world to have bred platypus in captivity. Wild animal behaviour can't be promised on a schedule, so treat sightings as likely rather than guaranteed.
How long is the day, and when do I get back?
Figure on roughly eight to nine hours door to door once pickup, the train, the sanctuary and the drive home are all added up. Most days return to Melbourne after dark, so keep the evening free.
What should I wear?
Layers. The Dandenong Ranges sit several hundred metres higher than central Melbourne and run noticeably cooler in the mountain-ash forest, even when the city itself is warm. Comfortable walking shoes are worth it for both the train platform and the sanctuary's paths.