Puffing Billy

It's fun for the children

To ride in the train,

Hear the hissing and snorting

Of steam once again.

Not only the children -

There's always a part

For grannies and grandpas

Still young at heart.

Puffing Billy is a genuine relic of our more leisurely days. It is an historic steam train still running regularly in the mountain district not too far from where I live, and was built to serve at the turn of the century. The Railway is the sole survivor of four experimental lines used to develop rural areas in the early 1900's.


Now days, Puffing Billy is a major tourist attraction and its operation depends on hundreds of dedicated volunteers. This operating museum runs every day of the year, except Christmas day, and takes families and friends on a 24.5 km sentimental journey. One can simply sit back with the kids and enjoy the mountain scenery and panoramic views which pass by the carriage window.


Lakeside, the intermediate terminus of the railway, is inside the beautiful Emerald Lake Park. Here one may stop over for a few pleasant hours bushwalking, swimming or just relaxing in the peaceful country setting.

My children loved riding on Puffing Billy when they were little, and the smell of the old steam train always took me back to my own childhood. I hope you enjoyed your little train trip down memory lane with me today.
Hugs,
X

Perfect Day

The weather was absolutely perfect today, the temperature was 28 C, the sky was blue, and there was just a slight northerly breeze. It was what one would call an idyllic spring day.

So after enjoying a hearty husband cooked breakfast of bacon, eggs and button mushrooms, followed by buttered toast with marmalade and a cup of Earl Grey tea, we set off to enjoy some of that lovely sunshine.

Pup was sitting safely in his booster seat looking out the  car window as we set off up the road to Cardinia and Crystal Brook Park.

THE WATER TOWER

Cardinia Reservoir is truly stunning when the weather aligns as it did today . . . the water was a brilliant aqua and quite spectacular. Cardinia itself is a stunning expanse of water and is Melbourne's second-largest reservoir. The dam at the Reservoir is a rolled earth and rockfill embankment, and was completed in 1973.

NOT MY PHOTO

Crystal Brook Park that surrounds it, features a dedicated Kangaroo Viewing Trail, about 15 minutes one way, starting at the spillway carpark. The kangaroos are most active and easiest to spot grazing on the open grassy slopes during dawn and dusk. We were there mid morning, so all we saw was all the roo poo left behind after their dawn graze.

NOT MY PHOTO

Crystal Brook picnic ground is the perfect location to spend time relaxing in nature and exploring. There is plenty of parking, a playground which you can see here with the dam wall behind, barbecues, shelter and toilets.

We then drove to Emerald (the home of Puffing Billy) and stopped at the Over the Road Café for ice-cream cones. I had strawberry, hubby had mango sorbet and pup tried a little of both while we sat outside in the sun.

THE CAFE IS THE ONE WITH THE UMBRELLAS

Driving home via Beaconsfield meant hitting the Freeway and we were surprised by the amount of traffic on the road, it was like peak hour. Everyone has been airing their grievances about the cost of fuel here, however, it certainly didn't deter them from taking advantage the beautiful weather today.

Hope you enjoy the pics!

Big hugs,

X