Puffing Billy
By Daniel

Puffing Billy is an old steam train. In Victoria on the18th of December 1900, Puffing Billy had its first customers. It is a genuine relic of our more leisurely days and it is an historic steam train that still regularly runs through the beautiful Dandenong mountain district. The railway is the sole survivor of four experimental lines used to develop rural areas in the early 1900's. In the 1899's to 1900's Puffing Billy took people out of Melbourne and carried goods like furniture, timber, potatoes, and fruit. Puffing Billy is one of Victoria's most popular attractions for both local and international visitors.

There is 24.5 km narrow gauge track which takes you and your family from Belgrade to Gembrook or if you don't want to spend five hours in a train you could just go half way. Puffing Billy has many stops. The trip starts off at Belgrade and you travel to Mensaes Creek. On the way you will see a landslide at the side of the track and you go over high trestle bridges. When you are at Mensaes Creek you can go to the steam museum and then you head off to Clematis. At Clematis there is a Paradise Hotel where there is a pool, a waterslide and free bread to feed the ducks. It would be really fun to stay at the Paradise Hotel.

Here is the driver of Puffing Billy. He has to make sure that the little engine is already to take the passengers to Gembrook. He has to get to work at 5am and he doesn't get paid because he's a volunteer. He has to has to put coal in the fire. It would be a hot job in the summer and a warm job in winter.

After you have had a look around, you head off to Emerald, then to Nobiles. On the way you will see a packing shed with a Thomas the Tank Engine train in it. From Nobiles you will go to Lakeside, where there are some fun bridges. When you're over the bridges, you will be at Cockatoo, Fielder and finally you would be at Gembrook. Puffing Billy is open everyday of the year except Christmas day.